The red circle is the sun goddess Amaterasu. It is the rising sun on the Japanese flag. It is Zen. It is an amazupai umeboshi. It is beautiful in its simplicity. Sadly, it is no longer used by Japan Airlines.
Back when airplane food truly sucked, when they still handed out packs of honey-roasted peanuts along with mini-decks of playing cards, and when I used to be able to sneak into first class with my sisters, JAL had the best logo of all of the airlines. Riding a plane with the tsuru mark made even the flight over to Japan seem exotic. It was a graceful metaphor for the Boeing which was carrying us to an exciting foreign land.
As I remember, JAL had some of the most beautiful and nice stewardesses that I can remember. They often turned a blind eye to us when we snuck up to the first class seats. Only once, when a grumpy old man protested to the stewardess were we (nicely) turned back to our seats.
Who made the decision to get rid of the tsuru, a symbol that conjures nostalgic images of Japan for a corporate logo? If I were the president of JAL, that dude would be so fired.
Comments (5)
Yes! Now I miss the old logo. I used to hate it though, I thought it's too old fashioned(60's-70's design), and too oriental and plain. Now I think it's kind of "hip" looking. I could wear it on my T-shirt.
Posted by: Yasuko | March 3, 2006 9:08 PM
Posted on: March 3, 2006 21:08
the cyclic nature of the world. I think the concept of something 'new' really doesn't exist anymore. I'd like to have been there at the precise moment of revelation. Talking to Newton or DaVinci when they discovered one of their many contributions. That would be something.
Posted by: Architeuthis | March 4, 2006 2:56 AM
Posted on: March 4, 2006 02:56
I think the prez of JAL resigned this week due to bad biz decisions, which the board of directors blame on him...or it might have something to do with losing the beautiful and elegantly simple tsuru logo. No, it's just about money. sorry.
Posted by: YoMama | March 4, 2006 5:43 AM
Posted on: March 4, 2006 05:43
NAMMYOHORENGEKYO NAMMYOHORENGEKYO NEMMYOHORENGEKYO !!!
Just like a Husband who ordered his sons and daughters to protect his Wife after his death, there did Nichiren Daishonin to us His childrens, we've been ordered to protect 'Mother' Tensho Daijin by keeping it in the Gohonzon...
Must we all Nichiren believers take shakubuku to this world, in order to save the Japan and Tensho-Daijin-Gozen !!?
That logo (mon) is a derivate of Toki, the logo of Nichiren Shoshu, one of the True Buddhism school based on Saddharma Pundarika Sutra teaching, which ordered to protect the universe, especially Japan to establish the peaceful world of Kosen-Rufu...
Nichiren Shoshu itself founded by Nichiren Daishonin's disciple Acarya Pundarika Nikko Shonin (Byakuren-ajari Nikko Shonin], and the logo was from his family lineage.
But the herecy Zen disrupted this world by the insanity they made!! Nobunaga the ingrate even slain many of our friends the Tendai priests, whose devoted them self to join together protecting the peace of Japan land, by protecting the Deity Tensho Daijin with the Holyness Saddharma Pundarika Sutra.
And that ingrate Tengu (son of sky bitch) with his kizakura logo try to rob our gohonzons!! He darely stated his way of Buddhism as Zen...
Don't you get diversed from the Truth, folks!!
We the Bodhisattvas of Earth will be the True protector of Amaterasu, and another deities to establish our Lord Nichiren Daishonin's will, the peaceful world of Kosen-Rufu.
You want Zen? Get off to the Shaolin !!
NAMMYOHORENGEKYO NAMMYOHORENGEKYO NAMMYOHORENGEKYO !!!!
Posted by: awamori no nichiren | October 26, 2006 4:30 AM
Posted on: October 26, 2006 04:30
THAT WAS SHAKUBUKU... TO OPEN YOUR EYES FOR THE TRUTH OF JAPAN...
NOW IS THE TIME OF SHOJU...
The circle shape on the head signifies the self-enlightened toki of the land of sun (Mahavairocana). Toki is a symbol of the ainu, the true native of Japan. You can realize the source while you joined the Sangha Nichiren Shoshu, Taiseki-Ji temple, Mt. Fuji Fujinomiya-shi.
Another sangha, the original Nichiren Shu at Kuon-Ji temple, Mt. Minobu Pref. Yamanashi, does not use the toki logo, because the Toki was origin of the Nichiren Shoshu Founder, Byakuren-ajari Nikko Shonin. The Nichiren Shu used the side-view caged lotus flower logo.
To feel the true spirit of Japan, is by Join us, the Nichiren Shoshu or Nichiren Shu...
Our order is to spread the Peace and Happiness all over the world, without forgetting the Truth and Reality. This is the only way to attain the real Buddhahood and the only path to the Kosen-Rufu. Together with another faiths, we'll build the true world of peace, as the will of Shakyamuni Buddha and MahaBodhisattva Nichiren Daishonin...
As the Buddha said in the end of 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra:
Mai ji sa ze nen, I ga ryo shujo, Toku nyu Mujo do, Shoku joju Busshin
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo...
In Gassho
Posted by: awamori no nichiren | October 26, 2006 5:09 AM
Posted on: October 26, 2006 05:09