A Wee Backtrack

On July 12th Kohei and I arrived in Japan. Saying some teary goodbyes to grandmas, grandpa and my folks, the plane ride was a surreal travel through space and time, having been 2 years since my last venture on this soil.

Within a week, Kohei and I made the pilgrimage to Akita for Obon, a gathering time to remember ancestors, visit graves and pay respects to extended family members. As always, Kohei`s family is warmly inviting. We stayed for two nights, ate delectible foods and slept soundly despite summer`s raging heat. Summer festivals are a welcome respite from the heat. We passed one on our drive.



Though Obon is first and foremost about family, Kohei`s parents let us jet off to Akita City one morning for a flash visit with old friends. Miho and Ritsuko are Akita`s most gracious divas and our most precious friends. They are insanely busy with planning parties around the prefecture, both with international guests and with our fav local djs. How can you top a weekend of grooving in the pristine mountains of Akita, next to an outdoor hotspring bath surrounded by humble, loving friends?



Soon Miho had to be off to work. Ritsuko, the eternal social monarch managed to get the boys gathered together in half an hour for a quick hello. The guilty party below is known for keeping the vibe pounding for days with never a wink of tire: Kohei, Ritsuko, Sato-san, Yanagita-san and Go.



Mom, Dad and little Kuri-chan (Chestnut) escorted us part of the way back to Fukushima where Kohei works. It gave them a chance to go for a drive and also was a great help to us in navigating a portion of the 6 hour journey home, not to mention the lunch they treated us to at a fabulous green-tea-flavoured soba shop.



Even in the rain its entrance way was stunning



S`all for now ;)

Yamadera (Mountain Temple)

Today I went for a bike tour and landed up at a gorgeous temple at the foot of the mountains that enclose our small town. The grounds are immaculate, centuries old cedar trees loom at the entrance and weather worn stone sculptures and old wooden structures nestled between the sculpted foliage. I was moved by the peacefulness of the place, a veritable refuge from all that our days demand. Hesitant to enter the building yet drawn in by its friendly atmosphere, I drew some money out of my pocket for the donation box. As I entered a staff person saw me and called out a welcome. On the other side of the donation box was a floor cushion at a small table ready with incense and a ringing bowl. Unsure of what to do, I asked the woman to guide me. We lit the incense, placed it in the middle of the ash bowl, struck the ringing bowl three times and prayed. The resonance of the bowl seemed to expand with my heart and at once I felt...nothingness, in a good way.
They invited me in to have some tea. My usual hesitant self was about to decline politely when the ridiculousness of such a refusal began to come clear. Why not open myself up to whatever may come of the experience, instead of always being afraid to trouble others? So down the wooden hallway I pattered behind the woman in her work apron. The high wooden beams of the roof stretched from the place of the altar all the way to where we now sat, tatami mats running the length of the great, open structure. As we made small talk over tea, the priest came to greet me as well. It turns out the building is 200 years old, making it a national heritage site. He gifted me a scented wooden bead bracelet for prayer, a pamphlet of proverbs and a pair of `his and hers` chopsticks along with an invitation to come and visit the temple anytime. A few years ago an English teacher from Canada also befriended him and I think he is looking forward to striking up a similar friendship. I hope to be able to take him up on his hospitality and to viscariously learn more about the subtlties that hold this culture together. Besides that, I want to explore the gardens. I hear there are lots of snakes!