Kyoto - August 5th

Joyce & I went to Gion Corner where she had seen the Bonraku puppets in 1991. We enjoyed an evening of tradional Japanese music and dance.

 

 

On our second day in Kyoto we headed out on a bus tour. The Nijo Castle was the residence of the Tokugawa era Shogan who was the administrative head of Japan. It had massive stone walls to fortify it and the Shogun was always concerned with survival. The nightingale floors of the hall ways chirped as you walked.

The Emperor lived across town in the Imperial palace with no stone walls and slept very well at night. It was a beautiful Palace, but we could not go inside.

The Temple of the Golden pravillion (Kinkaku-ji ) was once the summer home of  Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga. When he died, his son fo llowed his father wishes to convert it into a temple.

Kyoto - August 4th

The first day in Kyoto, we headed south to the Fushimi-Inari shrine, the shrine of a Thousand Torii gates. They are so close together that they form a tunnel up the hill side from shrine to temple to shrine.

The Higashi-Honganji Temple was the next stop , only a few blocks from Kyoto Styation. To say it was large just does not do it justice. The main hall of the Higashi-Honganji Temple is one ofthe largest in Japan.

The Kiyomizu-Derai Temple is spectacular. Set high on the hills in the eastern part of Kyoto, it has a massive central hall with a veranda that hangs off the hillside and it was constructed without a single nail.

Underneath one of the temple buildings is a pitch dark space where you can follow a chain of woodern monk's beads strung on a cord around narrow passage ways and corners. It is close to going to the spiritual womb. And quite scary. 

Miyajima

We arrived in Hiroshima and got an early start for Miyajima island by rail and JR ferry in the morning. The Itsukushima Otorii gate is only surrounded by the inland sea for a few hours at high tide.On August 3rd we were lucky  to be there long enough for the tide to come in and surround the Otorii gate at  the Itsukushima shrine.

  

Bob made a quick jaunt up the hill to the Daishoin-Temple and found it a really special place filled with carved stone images and beautiful temple buildings.


The monk and his flock of stone followers was one of the

quiet places I found there before a monk druming on a temple drum lead me on a search for the drummer.

Reunion 2010 with Nagahisa's

Our first three days of our vacation was a home stay at the Nagahisa's. Nineteen years after Joyce's first visit with Minako, Sumie, and Shigaru, we went to Yamaguchi and met all the new members of the family. Sumie, Yuuka, and Anaka treated us to the traditional fisherman's dance.

We visited the Akiyoshido Cave and many sites in Yamaguchi, including this beautiful temple and its 5 story pagoda.

ARI's Labyrinth Peace Walk

ARI's Labyrinth Peace Walk. Luminaries glowing at dusk. People from 21 countries carrying origami cranes. One circuitous path seemingly leading away from the center, but always drawing closer. The soft music of three guitars. One voice singing John Lennon's "Imagine." Around 75 ARI community members praying for peace. Even the ever-singing cicadas seemed to respect the moment.

Having the chance to pray for peace in Japan on Hiroshima Day was powerful for both of us. Having just returned from the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima made it all the more profound.

Bob and Kimiji san laid out the labyrinth with lime on the volleyball court.

Joyce explained the purpose and how to walk a labyrinth. Otsu sensei, ARI's director, opened the labyrinth walk with prayer. Mitsuru san, Jun san and Gil san strummed their guitars while everyone picked up a crane, slowly walked in, placed their crane on the altar table and walked out.

After Uncle Timo gave the benediction, we viewed a documentary on testimonies given to the Japanese government on peace and nuclear disarmament.

We served tea and chocolate chip mint cookies baked by Nami san, Lizzie san, Rachel san, Ann san and Kevin san. This was a moment that will stay with us forever.