I can hardly believe that it has been a year since we landed on Japanese soil. We have done and seen so many things that it feels like an entire lifetime has passed. On the other hand, it seems like just yesterday I was sitting on the porch of the mountain house basking in the glory of the Colorado sunshine. I can safely say that this is the most at home and comfortable I have yet felt. Perhaps this is caused by falling into a routine and adapting to the new culture. Maybe it's because I can almost have a conversation in Japanese (this language is ridiculously hard). It could be because we have adopted new amazing friends and find ourselves socializing with more and more people more often. Whatever the reason, and it really doesn't matter, I can officially say that I have never been happier with our spontaneous decision to leap the ocean.
I have learned so much about myself, about Rob, about Japan and Japanese life, and about the world as a whole. I have always been a proponent of world wide travel, and have enjoyed it for as long as I can remember (thanks mom), but actually residing in a foreign country has been a completely new experience, for obvious reasons. With a more in depth look at a country I have really started to understand the way things are, and become accustomed to that. I must admit, the more I get to know Japan, the more I love Japan. Granted there are still and will always be things that completely urk and confuse me about this country. There will always be certain places and faces that I miss about my home, and can't wait to see again, but the most important thing is to enjoy what I have when I have it, and right now I have Japan, and I love it.
Yeah, there's not much for good quality beer and pizza. There are gender roles that I will never be able to accept. My friends and family are so, so far away. And what I would give for a night of high quality music and dancing. But living in such a safe, beautiful, clean, kind, and interesting place full of juxtapositions certainly gets my blood flowing and my soul yearning for more. Good beer and pizza, I can painstakingly admit that I can live without, because I'm a gaijin I am excused from disobeying gender roles, and how did people ever communicate without Skype?
The number one thing I have learned through my travels now and previously, is that it is so easy to take things for granted. Once you are removed from a place or situation, once something is taken away from you, or you leave, you realize how great everything actually was and how little you appreciated it. I am doing my very best to not let that happen with my time here in Japan. I vow to appreciate and love what I have while I have it, and in case you haven't heard I love Japan.
May 20, 2012
May 4, 2012
Hike One: April 22
We commute by train to a town called Tenri in Nara Prefecture. There are a few transfers and we find ourselves on a local train with the local high school sports team, which I find out later are quite well known for their skill in baseball. The hike begins with a walk through a shopping arcade and we begin to feel as if we stepped into a new world. A world that is quite rural with seldom seen gaijin roaming the streets. I immediately begin to feel the eyes and thoughts of our fellow wanderers. Without further thought, we continue our meandering of the locally owned shops selling everything from slippers to calligraphy brushes to homegrown daikon. As we emerge from the arcade we continue our hike through parking lots and use convenience stores as our landmarks.
We come upon the first shrine of the walk called Isonokami which is enclosed in a thick cedar forest. We stroll through the natural colored torii and hear roosters calling out to us. It seems as though there are several who are lucky enough to call this haven home. We wander here for a moment, check out the famed seven bladed sword and pull out our rain jackets to continue in the drizzle passing by ponds and country houses as we go, always with the city of Nara keeping an eye on us from the distance.
Being that it is a hike and all I expect to be led into the lush forested hills but instead we work our way alongside them through farm land and persimmon tree groves. There are newly sprouted flowers blossoming left and right and the rain leaves a sweet, fruity aroma lingering in the air. We walk past pheasants and snails and toads, but not many fellow humans. One of the few other people we see is a middle aged man who points us in the right direction when he sees two Americans pass by. We stop to eat our sandwiches at Yatogi Shrine under the protection of its thatched roof. It feels completely surreal to be here and I am doing my best to absorb the moment.
Mostly we enjoy being outside and seeing yet another new side to Japan. There are several sites along the way; moated villages with traditional homes, shrines, temples and burial mounds. The rain eventually lets up and the sun begins to descend. This is generally a well known pilgrimage path and many of the farms seem to sell whatever produce they've cultivated to the passersby. For whatever reason, possibly the rain, we are alone today and the goods are nonetheless sitting out next to a coin box waiting to be purchased. At one point we splurge on a bag of delicious Japanese bitter oranges and enjoy a snack.
We come to one temple whose gates are closed, but I follow Rob over the barricade and up a trail into the forest. We follow it for about 15 minutes through bamboo, sakura and down some steep stone steps. Finally we encounter the main area and realize we took the unconventional back door route. After exploring the grounds for several minutes we realize the day is waning and put in effort to not be straggling in the unknown area too much after dark. The sunset is lovely and we enjoy more country side. The path leads us on short bursts through the darkened muddy forest with streams trickling, owls hooting and frogs croaking. We arrive to the final shrine of our trek and are pleasantly surprised. Still no one else is around but many lanterns are burning bright along the paths and it is dark enough to make a dramatic affect.
Hike Two: April 29
We wake up early in the morning to a 'not a single cloud in the sky' sort of day. Eager to start a new adventure we hop on the basu (bus) and then the densha (train) to Kyoto station, we meet our friends the British couple, Simon and Libby and hop on another densha bound for Shiga-Ken. Biwa-ko, the largest lake in Japan dominates this prefecture, we have yet to see it and just the view out the window excites us. Simon has borrowed a map from a coworker of his and leads us past rice paddies and waving working men, this time into the thicket and straight up the mountain. The first portion is all this, straight uphill and very strenuous. We stop many, many times, to catch our breath, but really to look at our surroundings and let a few Japanese people pass us. Two women pass us wearing serious hiking boots, leg warmers over long underwear, shorts, long sleeved shirts, sun hats, and gloves. A friendly "atsui desu nee!" is shared among us, but they quickly warn us about how chilly the peak will be. The 90 degree weather leads me to believe otherwise and I am happy in my shorts, tank top and Chacos.
Upwards and onwards along the path through the forest filled with wide trees, butterflies and our heavy breaths as we go. Finally, we see the light at the end of the tunnel and prepare for an easier walk across the ridge. This also leads us to one of the highlights; the crickety, old, wobbly, narrow bridges we cross over while holding on to thin, fraying rope tied to stakes in the mountain side, many of which hold very little purchase in the ground. Sometimes they are over streams and small waterfalls with the sound of toads, sometimes it is too sketchy to actually walk on the bridge and instead we walk in the dried gully.
We arrive to the top, which in the winter is used as a tiny ski hill, and munch our lunches on one of the provided picnic benches. Then we continue on to a second peak, first a steep downhill, then a steeper uphill. I am quite exhausted and don't believe I'll make it, but it goes quickly. If it were a bit more clear the view of the lake would be incredible, as it's hazy today, I can't exactly tell where the lake ends and the sky begins, but it's beautiful all the same. The woods we are marching through are eerie and strange and the loud speaker played from the ski runs the next hill over add to that. We come across a small puddle sized pond and have to examine a strange snake shaped, jelly consistency thing that contains black dots. We have our guesses, but none of us have ever seen anything quite like it. I assume it's alien eggs. Alas, it's merely toad eggs according to the internet.
We then go on to a third peak. It is not as strenuous as the last two, but is still quite a trek. All in all I wouldn't be surprised if we had done about a mile of vertical hiking this day. Each peak offers a unique environment, with different trees, trails, sounds and views. It is one of the most diverse hikes I've ever been on.
Finally we're on the descent. It feels good, but I quickly remember downhill is often as painful as up. Unprepared as we were Rob and I ran out of water on the way up, we weren't expecting such a serious hike, about half way to the bottom we go around a large boulder and hear a stream from the other side. There is water sprouting from somewhere underneath the boulder. Upon closer inspection, we find 2 cups that are set aside for drinking and have at it. It is the most delicious, clear, fresh water I have had the opportunity to swallow. I should note here that is quite common in Japan for temples and shrines to have a fountain where you can drink and cleanse yourself. If the water is not for drinking it will be clearly posted and many shrines that are tucked away in nature are sourced by a natural spring. They are all over Japan, warm and cold. At any rate, it's delicious.
The entire way down all we can think about is biiru and have to stop at the nearest Lawson in order to enjoy a brew on the train back to Kyoto. We go to an amazing Chinese restaurant Simon and Libby are familiar with, and then have our first experience at a standing bar, where the drinks are cheap and the company is good.
We commute by train to a town called Tenri in Nara Prefecture. There are a few transfers and we find ourselves on a local train with the local high school sports team, which I find out later are quite well known for their skill in baseball. The hike begins with a walk through a shopping arcade and we begin to feel as if we stepped into a new world. A world that is quite rural with seldom seen gaijin roaming the streets. I immediately begin to feel the eyes and thoughts of our fellow wanderers. Without further thought, we continue our meandering of the locally owned shops selling everything from slippers to calligraphy brushes to homegrown daikon. As we emerge from the arcade we continue our hike through parking lots and use convenience stores as our landmarks.
We come upon the first shrine of the walk called Isonokami which is enclosed in a thick cedar forest. We stroll through the natural colored torii and hear roosters calling out to us. It seems as though there are several who are lucky enough to call this haven home. We wander here for a moment, check out the famed seven bladed sword and pull out our rain jackets to continue in the drizzle passing by ponds and country houses as we go, always with the city of Nara keeping an eye on us from the distance.
Being that it is a hike and all I expect to be led into the lush forested hills but instead we work our way alongside them through farm land and persimmon tree groves. There are newly sprouted flowers blossoming left and right and the rain leaves a sweet, fruity aroma lingering in the air. We walk past pheasants and snails and toads, but not many fellow humans. One of the few other people we see is a middle aged man who points us in the right direction when he sees two Americans pass by. We stop to eat our sandwiches at Yatogi Shrine under the protection of its thatched roof. It feels completely surreal to be here and I am doing my best to absorb the moment.
Mostly we enjoy being outside and seeing yet another new side to Japan. There are several sites along the way; moated villages with traditional homes, shrines, temples and burial mounds. The rain eventually lets up and the sun begins to descend. This is generally a well known pilgrimage path and many of the farms seem to sell whatever produce they've cultivated to the passersby. For whatever reason, possibly the rain, we are alone today and the goods are nonetheless sitting out next to a coin box waiting to be purchased. At one point we splurge on a bag of delicious Japanese bitter oranges and enjoy a snack.
We come to one temple whose gates are closed, but I follow Rob over the barricade and up a trail into the forest. We follow it for about 15 minutes through bamboo, sakura and down some steep stone steps. Finally we encounter the main area and realize we took the unconventional back door route. After exploring the grounds for several minutes we realize the day is waning and put in effort to not be straggling in the unknown area too much after dark. The sunset is lovely and we enjoy more country side. The path leads us on short bursts through the darkened muddy forest with streams trickling, owls hooting and frogs croaking. We arrive to the final shrine of our trek and are pleasantly surprised. Still no one else is around but many lanterns are burning bright along the paths and it is dark enough to make a dramatic affect.
Hike Two: April 29
We wake up early in the morning to a 'not a single cloud in the sky' sort of day. Eager to start a new adventure we hop on the basu (bus) and then the densha (train) to Kyoto station, we meet our friends the British couple, Simon and Libby and hop on another densha bound for Shiga-Ken. Biwa-ko, the largest lake in Japan dominates this prefecture, we have yet to see it and just the view out the window excites us. Simon has borrowed a map from a coworker of his and leads us past rice paddies and waving working men, this time into the thicket and straight up the mountain. The first portion is all this, straight uphill and very strenuous. We stop many, many times, to catch our breath, but really to look at our surroundings and let a few Japanese people pass us. Two women pass us wearing serious hiking boots, leg warmers over long underwear, shorts, long sleeved shirts, sun hats, and gloves. A friendly "atsui desu nee!" is shared among us, but they quickly warn us about how chilly the peak will be. The 90 degree weather leads me to believe otherwise and I am happy in my shorts, tank top and Chacos.
Upwards and onwards along the path through the forest filled with wide trees, butterflies and our heavy breaths as we go. Finally, we see the light at the end of the tunnel and prepare for an easier walk across the ridge. This also leads us to one of the highlights; the crickety, old, wobbly, narrow bridges we cross over while holding on to thin, fraying rope tied to stakes in the mountain side, many of which hold very little purchase in the ground. Sometimes they are over streams and small waterfalls with the sound of toads, sometimes it is too sketchy to actually walk on the bridge and instead we walk in the dried gully.
We arrive to the top, which in the winter is used as a tiny ski hill, and munch our lunches on one of the provided picnic benches. Then we continue on to a second peak, first a steep downhill, then a steeper uphill. I am quite exhausted and don't believe I'll make it, but it goes quickly. If it were a bit more clear the view of the lake would be incredible, as it's hazy today, I can't exactly tell where the lake ends and the sky begins, but it's beautiful all the same. The woods we are marching through are eerie and strange and the loud speaker played from the ski runs the next hill over add to that. We come across a small puddle sized pond and have to examine a strange snake shaped, jelly consistency thing that contains black dots. We have our guesses, but none of us have ever seen anything quite like it. I assume it's alien eggs. Alas, it's merely toad eggs according to the internet.
We then go on to a third peak. It is not as strenuous as the last two, but is still quite a trek. All in all I wouldn't be surprised if we had done about a mile of vertical hiking this day. Each peak offers a unique environment, with different trees, trails, sounds and views. It is one of the most diverse hikes I've ever been on.
Finally we're on the descent. It feels good, but I quickly remember downhill is often as painful as up. Unprepared as we were Rob and I ran out of water on the way up, we weren't expecting such a serious hike, about half way to the bottom we go around a large boulder and hear a stream from the other side. There is water sprouting from somewhere underneath the boulder. Upon closer inspection, we find 2 cups that are set aside for drinking and have at it. It is the most delicious, clear, fresh water I have had the opportunity to swallow. I should note here that is quite common in Japan for temples and shrines to have a fountain where you can drink and cleanse yourself. If the water is not for drinking it will be clearly posted and many shrines that are tucked away in nature are sourced by a natural spring. They are all over Japan, warm and cold. At any rate, it's delicious.
The entire way down all we can think about is biiru and have to stop at the nearest Lawson in order to enjoy a brew on the train back to Kyoto. We go to an amazing Chinese restaurant Simon and Libby are familiar with, and then have our first experience at a standing bar, where the drinks are cheap and the company is good.
April 30, 2012
Spring
We got our chance to act as tour guides with our families in this beloved country. We got to know Kyoto really well, and spent more days in Osaka and Nara. With my mother and aunt in town we hopped on our first shinkansen (bullet train) and took a ride to Hiroshima and then to Tokyo. Hiroshima was incredibly beautiful, intense and educational. I cannot wait to go back! We spent the first afternoon informing ourselves at the Peace Memorial Museum and wandering around the attached park. The following morning we loaded a ferry bound for the island of Miyajima, famed for Itsukushima, the floating torii. After a quick boat ride under the torii, we boarded a cable car for the top of Misen-san. The views from the top of the island were amazing and I found myself with the urge to lay on a beach or go swimming.
Tokyo was expansive and exhausting, yet amazing in it's own right. We were even given a few minutes' peek at Fuji-san from the high speed bullet train. As always we were all happy to come back to our beloved home in Kansai, where there is just a bit more of a down-to-earth, home-grown sort of feel.
Spring officially began several weeks ago, but the real marking of spring came with the blossoming sakura trees. After having a three week haru yasumi (spring break) filled with family, traveling and sightseeing, a Sunday spent in Sakuranomiya Koen with friends under the flowering trees was a nice end to it all.
This is the time of year meant to be spent celebrating in Japan. Celebrating the end to a long, cold winter and the promises of spring. Celebrating the beauty that is the sakura tree, celebrating a chance to let loose in the warming sun with only the protection of pink and white petals. Whatever the reasoning, hanami (literally translated to 'look at flowers') is a splendid yearly occurrence in Japan. It's a merry festival of barbecuing, picnicking, playing, laughing, drinking and napping underneath the sakura tree. It's also one of the few chances to see the locals throw one back in the middle of day and act wild and unruly in public (by Japanese standards).
In Japan, the new school year begins in April after the three week break and I am right back in the thick of things. It feels strange and uniquely comfortable to be starting my second year as an eigo no sensei. There was one major change that I was feeling some apprehension towards, but was quite easy and enjoyable to adjust to. At Houtoku there is a new Japanese English teacher named Yuina. She replaced my good friend Nami and I couldn't be happier with who was chosen to do such a thing.
For some photos of these wondrous events:
Spring in Japan Facebook Pictures
Tokyo was expansive and exhausting, yet amazing in it's own right. We were even given a few minutes' peek at Fuji-san from the high speed bullet train. As always we were all happy to come back to our beloved home in Kansai, where there is just a bit more of a down-to-earth, home-grown sort of feel.
Spring officially began several weeks ago, but the real marking of spring came with the blossoming sakura trees. After having a three week haru yasumi (spring break) filled with family, traveling and sightseeing, a Sunday spent in Sakuranomiya Koen with friends under the flowering trees was a nice end to it all.
This is the time of year meant to be spent celebrating in Japan. Celebrating the end to a long, cold winter and the promises of spring. Celebrating the beauty that is the sakura tree, celebrating a chance to let loose in the warming sun with only the protection of pink and white petals. Whatever the reasoning, hanami (literally translated to 'look at flowers') is a splendid yearly occurrence in Japan. It's a merry festival of barbecuing, picnicking, playing, laughing, drinking and napping underneath the sakura tree. It's also one of the few chances to see the locals throw one back in the middle of day and act wild and unruly in public (by Japanese standards).
In Japan, the new school year begins in April after the three week break and I am right back in the thick of things. It feels strange and uniquely comfortable to be starting my second year as an eigo no sensei. There was one major change that I was feeling some apprehension towards, but was quite easy and enjoyable to adjust to. At Houtoku there is a new Japanese English teacher named Yuina. She replaced my good friend Nami and I couldn't be happier with who was chosen to do such a thing.
For some photos of these wondrous events:
Spring in Japan Facebook Pictures
February 27, 2012
Abiraunken
February 18th and 19th we found ourselves on another lovely trip, this time to the small mountain town of Koya-san. We had been there in August while Evan was visiting, but this time were able to spend the night in a Buddhist temple. It was settled in 819 by a monk named Kobo Daishi Kukai and is known as the world's headquarters for Singun Buddhism. As you can imagine it is supremely majestic and peaceful.
It was again arranged by WhyNot!? Japan, which we are discovering is our niche. We met up at 8:30AM on Saturday morning with a group of 40. In the beginning I was weary of traveling in a tour group and everyone kept mostly to themselves on the two hour beautiful train ride into the snowy mountains. After introductions and an independent lunch of katsudon at a small local restaurant with newly aquired friends, the entire group met up again for a walk through Okuno-in, the famous cemetery. This can be considered the main sight of Koya-san, with over 200,000 grave stones, gorinto (5 tiered stupa), ojizo-san (Buddhist statues wearing bibs and watching over children in the after life) and century old cedar trees. Anyone who was anyone in the last thousand years is memorialized there. It was quite different from our experience in August, with a fresh layer of snow protecting the memorials and statues. At the end of the 2km path is Kobu Daishi's Mausoleum. Kobu Daishi Kukai was the monk, scholar, poet and artist who founded the Shingon or 'true word' school of Buddhism as well as Koya-san. He entered nirvana and attained buddhahood in 835. He is resting in eternal meditation and fed two ceremonial meals a day, thus making this the religious heart of Koyasan. It's not every day that you get to be in the presence of someone who is over 1,000 years old.
As we arrived back to Henjo-Koin, the temple we were lodging in, we checked into our same sex rooms (it is a temple after all) and prepared for the onsen, or shared bath. I wasn't entirely excited to join but thought better of it as I dipped myself into steaming water. One of the girls I was rooming with, Jojo from Florida, has lived in Japan for the past four years and turned out to be a useful source of wisdom for my second experience in an onsen. You enter the bathroom de-robed, this one was very small, hot and steamy making it altogether impossible to see anything. This makes the entire routine much more relaxing knowing that others can see as little of you as you can of them. There are washing stations lined along two walls where you sit on a foot high plastic stool and cleanse yourself with a hand held faucet before entering the water. Afterwards we sat in the tub for about 15 minutes before getting out and rinsing again. I have discovered that onsens are much more enjoyable when you have an idea of what is going on and with friends to chit chat with as your skin softens.
After our cleanse we had some time to enjoy our roommates company over a cup of green tea in our tatami filled room overlooking the snow covered garden. This was short lived as dinner began at 6PM sharp. My roommates and I sported the comfy robes left for us in our room to the dinner room. I was glad to see Rob and one of his roomies were the only others who made the same decision. Four rows of cushions stretched along the long walls and we faced others as we sat down for our shojin-ryoori; Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Monks walked around filling our cups with green tea and our bowls with white rice as needed. Oishii desu (delicious)!
From dinner we moved into the room next door to begin Ajikan meditation. I was very much excited for this portion of the trip as I am always interested in learning new practices of meditation. The purpose of Ajikan is to integrate yourself with Buddha. There is a character "ah" that you are supposed to focus on while imagining yourself as Buddha and Buddha as yourself. Sitting in a room with 39 other people, many of whom have zero meditation background, was rather distracting. We were given about 15 minutes of instruction before the head monk dinged his bell and ditched out for the remaining 45 minutes. I found my mind wandering and could feel those around me grow restless. I ended up resorting to a meditation I learned in the past and got myself back on track. The main thing I took from this routine was the importance of kindness. We must remember to be kind to others, as Buddha would do, pass this on to others and remember the good of the world. I found that message to one that would stick with me.
Immediately following meditation began the all you can drink party. A few of the young apprentice monks even joined in. We may have gone to bed a bit too late for the 6:30AM rise for a ceremony. It was also -9C in the room that held the ceremony. We sat on the floor on our knees and the head monk begins chanting and dinging his bell. It was very beautiful and calming, even though I didn't fully understand the purpose. I'm pretty sure he does this every single morning. It lasted long enough for my legs to go completely numb. He then gave us a quick tour of the room which was filled with statues of Buddha and artifacts galore.
After this we were served a monk's breakfast. I honestly didn't eat much aside from the miso and rice because I was fighting off a cold, but what I did have was amazingly delicious. An hour later we begin the 'washing floor race'. I think it was merely an excuse to get us to do some work. Turns out it's traditional and often seen in anime. I was suddenly able to recall a scene from My Neighbor Totoro. We broke into two teams and assembled shoeless in the hall which was cold enough to be considered outdoors. It was a relay where we ran pushing a damp rag through the hallway and passed it on to a teammate waiting at the other end. I decided to go barefoot because socks seemed to make it extra slippery on the hard wood floor. It was mighty painful and afterwards it felt like I was walking on cushions. We then enjoyed Shakyu, the copying of sutras. They say that doing this brings peace and harmony to the mind and body.
We then walked as a group to the Danjo Garan complex, the center of Koya-San and then split up for lunch and free time to explore Mt. Koya on our own. The Danjo Garan complex is the other most important area on Koya-san. The name Garan is derived from Sanskrit and means a quiet and secluded place where Buddhist monks may train. We entered Daito, the Great Pagoda. Kobo Daishi planned this as the center of his monastic complex. In the center is a statue of Buddha Mahavairochana and it is surrounded by 16 bodhisattvas painted on pillars. They are portrayed sitting on lotus flowers with their hands held in the mudra we learned the previous night at meditation. This structure was built in 816 and not completed until 70 years later. The amount of time and work put into it definitely shows.
We had a lovely walk back to the center of town for lunch and decide to check out the basement of a museum we were in the day before. As we stepped foot at the bottom it was pitch black and you must trust the rail clutched in your hand to know where to go. Every few paces there is a small window and even smaller amount of light with a statue in it. I believe the purpose is to preserve the artifacts by keeping them out of light, but it's also disorienting at the same time. From here we check out one more Inari Shrine, which is gorgeous in the early afternoon sunshine and layer of snow. The last thing I did at the temple we stayed in was have the head monk stamp and paint calligraphy in a new memory book.
Our train ride back was on a special tourist train where the seats faced the side so you can watch the view. It was beautiful and sunny and a perfect finale. It was an amazing trip, too much to write. We met many amazing people, made new friends, and experienced so much. The town was gorgeous and peaceful with a powdered sugar dusting of snow. Most importantly I was reminded and retaught the importance of being kind and nice to others, ourselves and our world.
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| View from the train |
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| Okuno-in: the cemetery and sacred area |
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| Okuno-in |
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| Cedar Trees |
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| Gorinto (Five-tiered Stupa) Built as memorials, the shapes of the tiers and sanscrit letters inscribed within represent the five elements of Buddhism; from the bottom up: earth, water, fire, wind, and space. |
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| The path |
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| Snow Blanket |
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| Ojizo-san Jizo is believed to watch over and protect children in the afterlife. The bibs are placed by those who have lost children, with a prayer that Ojizo-san will act as a surrogate parent, as well as for the long lives of living children. |
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| Cleansing the Buddhas with ice cold water. You're Welcome. |
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| Ice Fountain |
After our cleanse we had some time to enjoy our roommates company over a cup of green tea in our tatami filled room overlooking the snow covered garden. This was short lived as dinner began at 6PM sharp. My roommates and I sported the comfy robes left for us in our room to the dinner room. I was glad to see Rob and one of his roomies were the only others who made the same decision. Four rows of cushions stretched along the long walls and we faced others as we sat down for our shojin-ryoori; Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Monks walked around filling our cups with green tea and our bowls with white rice as needed. Oishii desu (delicious)!
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| Hallway to our rooms (Thanks Jojo!) |
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| Frozen Garden |
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| Our room (Thanks Jojo!) |
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| Our futons (Thanks Jojo for the pictures!) |
From dinner we moved into the room next door to begin Ajikan meditation. I was very much excited for this portion of the trip as I am always interested in learning new practices of meditation. The purpose of Ajikan is to integrate yourself with Buddha. There is a character "ah" that you are supposed to focus on while imagining yourself as Buddha and Buddha as yourself. Sitting in a room with 39 other people, many of whom have zero meditation background, was rather distracting. We were given about 15 minutes of instruction before the head monk dinged his bell and ditched out for the remaining 45 minutes. I found my mind wandering and could feel those around me grow restless. I ended up resorting to a meditation I learned in the past and got myself back on track. The main thing I took from this routine was the importance of kindness. We must remember to be kind to others, as Buddha would do, pass this on to others and remember the good of the world. I found that message to one that would stick with me.
Immediately following meditation began the all you can drink party. A few of the young apprentice monks even joined in. We may have gone to bed a bit too late for the 6:30AM rise for a ceremony. It was also -9C in the room that held the ceremony. We sat on the floor on our knees and the head monk begins chanting and dinging his bell. It was very beautiful and calming, even though I didn't fully understand the purpose. I'm pretty sure he does this every single morning. It lasted long enough for my legs to go completely numb. He then gave us a quick tour of the room which was filled with statues of Buddha and artifacts galore.
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| Ajikan Meditation; the 'Aaa' character |
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| The room we meditated in, with the room we ate and drank in through the doors |
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| Otsutome (Buddhist Ceremony) The head monk chants Buddhist sutras in this room, the main temple hall. |
We then walked as a group to the Danjo Garan complex, the center of Koya-San and then split up for lunch and free time to explore Mt. Koya on our own. The Danjo Garan complex is the other most important area on Koya-san. The name Garan is derived from Sanskrit and means a quiet and secluded place where Buddhist monks may train. We entered Daito, the Great Pagoda. Kobo Daishi planned this as the center of his monastic complex. In the center is a statue of Buddha Mahavairochana and it is surrounded by 16 bodhisattvas painted on pillars. They are portrayed sitting on lotus flowers with their hands held in the mudra we learned the previous night at meditation. This structure was built in 816 and not completed until 70 years later. The amount of time and work put into it definitely shows.
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| Daito (The Great Pagoda) in the Danjo Garan Complex |
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| In front of a random shop |
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| The museum with the darkest basement |
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| The darkest basement |
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| Inari Shrine |
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| The beloved head monk |
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| Once we arrived back in Osaka, I met one of my mom's cousins, Christophe from Switzerland. He works out of Abu Dhabi as a pilot and had a few days in Osaka. |
February 14, 2012
Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!
Devils out! Fortune in!
February 3rd marks another traditional Japanese holiday. This one, called Setsubun, is how we in Japan prepare for the lunar new year. First let me tell you of my experience at Hotouku Kindergarten.
In the morning, all the students were hauled out to the playground sporting their self designed and created oni (demon) headdresses. The principal shared many words of what is possibly inspiration, but I didn't understand. As he finished his speech a loud thumping began reverberating through the intercom. All of the children were looking around in dreaded apprehension for the event they were about to embark on. After a few agonizing minutes a gym teacher and bus driver emerged as costumed head to toe oni, clubs clutched in the palms. It was at this point that the running and screaming began as the oni chased the children around the playground, scaring the evil spirits right out of them. Earlier in the morning we were all given a handful, or two, of roasted soybeans which were now being pelted at oni. Mind that some of the students are as young as three years olds and can't comprehend that fact that these are merely their beloved caretakers. They were crying and screaming for their mamas while being chased around the dirt courtyard. Many sought refuge by huddling near their teachers. The older kids were of course, quite enjoying the opportunity to hurdle beans to keep the evil spirits at bay. This continued for a good 20-30 minutes before the oni snuck back into the school, possibly waiting in a classroom to catch their breath and frighten students as they return. As we sat down for lunch I was gently instructed by Nami to eat as many soybeans as there have been years in my life, another attempt to ward off bad spirits and luck.
The explanation I was given at school didn't quite satisfy my curiosity as to why this was happening, other than being told it was to purify our homes and ourselves of evil spirits in preparation for spring. I learned the following information with some help from Kansai Scene, our favorite local English magazine about life in Kansai.
In both Chinese and Japanese philosophy it is believed that during the changing of the seasons the border between the spirit world and our own thins, making it easier to pass between the two. This then becomes the prime time to expel those wicked spirits and influences that have been plaguing us through the long cold months.
The bean throwing tradition comes from the Muromachi period (15th and 16th C.) which have similarities to a Noh Drama. In the play, an old woman is visited by a mysterious stranger carrying a magic mallet. With the mallet, he proceeds to make an exceptionally beautiful kimono. Desiring both the mallet and kimono, the woman gets the man drunk until he realizes what is going on and reveals himself in his true form, as a demon. In her panic the woman reaches for the nearest weapon to defend herself, a handful of dried beans, and is somehow able to drive off the ogre. In this way she loses the things she coveted, but also loses the evil emotion of greed and gains the purity of wisdom.
One tradition I didn't have the chance to participate in is one from the Edo period. Each year in the lunar calender is associated with an auspicious compass direction. To combat this one is suppose to stand towards said direction while eating an entire makizushi, or uncut sushi roll. Some say this ceremony stems from an Osaka geisha who performed this ritual as a sort of love spell. Although uncertain about her reasons, rice and seaweed are considered to be natural gifts from the land and sea. Eating them during such a time most likely cleanses us from the inside out.
These festivities not only occur in kindergartens and schools, but also at homes with the man of the house donning an oni mask to scare their families and rid their homes of these sinister spirits. There are also celebrations at temples and shrines throughout the country. Our favorite aquarium even features diving oni who clean the tanks for the days leading up to Setsubun. I can't say whether it's from this cleansing day or just that the cold, snowless winter is weighing on me, but I have never been more ready for the warming months of spring and the delicate blossoms that accompany them.
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