Konnichiwa from Japan

Hello everyone and greetings from Osaka, Japan.  Again, I apologize for the long delay in updating my blog, but it’s been a busy few weeks.  I had a ball in Japan and cannot wait to share my experiences with you.

My first stop in Japan was Osaka.  I spent the afternoon roaming the streets and getting a feel for the people.  My first impression is that the Japanese are major fashionistas, especially the teenage boys.  I have never seen so much hair product in my life!  Even at traffic lights boys were helping their friends primp and get each piece of hair into the perfect spot.  Too funny!  I felt way out of place in my moisture wicking pants and grubby t-shirts, but since it’s all that I’ve got it’s just going to have to do. 

On my way back to the hotel to meet my roommate and my fellow travelers I ran into 2 of my new friends from China, Azam and Akram!  I couldn’t believe that I actually ran into people I knew in Japan.  I knew that a few people from my China trip were also doing a tour in Japan, but they left a few days before me so I assumed we were on different trips.  As it turns out, Azam, Akram, Colleen and James from my China trip were also on my Japan trip.  Wow!  What a small world. 

After I finished screaming and hugging Azam and Akram in the middle of the street I headed back to the hotel to meet my roomie.  Yet again, I lucked out with a fabulous roommate, Karoliina, from Finland.  You’ll meet Karoliina in a little while as well as the rest of my fellow travelers. 

We only had a day in Osaka so after a tasty dinner we headed back to the hotel for our early AM departure to Koyasan. 

A bullet train, local train, cable car and a bus ride later we had arrived in beautiful Koyasan. 

Here is the monastery where we stayed.  It’s an active monastery so we were invited to AM prayers with the resident monks.  It was such a unique and special experience.   

Outside the monastery are 2 protective guards.  It’s probably best not to mess with these guys. 

As you know, Japan is pretty obsessed with insanely adorable things so in that vein I’d like to introduce you to the mascot of Koyasan.  Pretty cute! 

Let’s take a look inside the monastery.  

Here is a picture of our room.  Our beds are tatami mats and they were surprisingly comfortable. 

Here is a picture of the lovely lunch the monks had prepared for us. 

Our first stop in Koyasan was to the Kongobuji Temple, the Head Temple for Shingon Buddhism.  The founder of Shingon Buddhism in Japan, Kobo Daishi Kukai, began the planning and construction of this Buddhist monastic complex as a place for meditation far from worldly distractions in 816. 

As luck would have it, our visit to Koyasan happened to coincide with an annual ceremony called Kechien Kanjo Taizokai, an important Shingon Buddhist ritual of initiation.  The ceremony began with a procession of the priests to the Golden Hall. 

The rituals continued inside the Kondo (main hall). 

Shimenawa is a rice-straw rope with paper strips.  It marks the border between a sacred place and the secular quarter.  It is used to prevent bad luck and evil spirits from entering. 

The Banryutei Rock Garden is the largest rock garden in Japan and is arranged to suggest a pair of dragons emerging from the clouds to protect the temple.   

Another highlight of Koyasan is Okunoin, the temple where Kobu Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, rests in eternal meditation.  The mausoleum is located in a vast cemetery of cedar trees and approximately 200,000 mossy tombstones.  It was overcast and threatening rain the day I visited the cemetery, which added to the spooky vibe. 

Jizo, one of Japan’s most beloved deities, is a common sight throughout Japan, especially in graveyards.  He is the guardian of children, especially those children who have died before their parents and frequently grieving parents will clothe him in a bib or other children’s clothes as an offering by grieving parents to help protect their deceased child.  Also the protector of travelers, he is seen on the side of the road

After dinner the group returned to the graveyard to check out Kobu Daishi’s mausoleum and walk the cemetery grounds in the dark.  It was pitch black and definitely not someplace I’d want to be by myself at night.  Creepy!!!

As we approached the mausoleum we noticed several worshippers engaged in a ritual that involved praying and walking at a swift pace back and forth between the mausoleum and a pillar located at the end of it.  There were about 15 people there when we arrived and they were still engaged in this ritual when we left.    

We made it safe and sound back to the monastery…

and we knew we were safe with this guy standing guard outside our doors.  He looks even more menacing at night. 

The next morning we woke up early to attend morning prayers with the monks.  The smell of incense and the faint sound of chanting filled the hallways as we made our way to the central room.  Once inside, we were invited to pay our respects to several of the shrines located within. 

After breakfast we took a stroll through the garden.  Here is our view of the garden from our back window. 

Notice the wooden shoes outside our door.

They are not that comfortable and they are certainly not that easy to walk in, but that’s not enough to keep Karoliina and I from sassing it up big time in the garden. 

After our romp in the garden we hopped back on the cable car and caught a train to Hiroshima.  I think we were all a bit nervous about visiting the site of the A-bomb so we took it easy and spent the afternoon strolling through this beautiful and serene park in the middle of the city. 

For dinner we enjoyed okonomiyaki, a delicious stuffed pancake, that is a specialty in Osaka.  We were supposed to have this tasty treat while in Osaka, but we were 3 minutes late for our reservation, which in the middle of Golden Week (4 public holidays back to back) meant we were out of luck.  No worries though because what we had in Hiroshima was fantastic. 

 

While we were waiting for our food to arrive Pascal, our guide, taught us how to make a crane origami.  Mine is the green one and everyone made fun of it.  Whatevs, I’m used to my “artwork” being misunderstood.     

The next morning it was time to visit Hiroshima.  Here is a picture of the A-bomb dome.  As you can imagine, this was an incredibly humbling experience. 

All around Hiroshima there are volunteer guides offering tours of the grounds where the A-bomb detonated.  Most of them are doing it to honor their parents who either perished as a result of the bomb or survived, but have lived out their days in pain and ill health. 

While we were receiving our tour from one of these guides whose mother was a survivor, we ran into another guide who is a survivor himself.  His mother was 4 months pregnant with him when the bomb went off.  In the picture below he is explaining to us that all survivors were given this document, which is about the size of a passport, that identifies them as survivor and entitles them to a portion of subsidized health care for any medical problems that can be linked to their exposure.  He explained that there are several classes of survivors.  One class is for those who received direct exposure, another is for those who were a certain number of miles away from the epicenter, another is for people who arrived on the scene within days of the detonation in search of loved ones, and another is for those who were exposed in utero.  He said that many survivors hated having these documents because it branded them as poisoned or damaged goods.  Apparently many survivors killed themselves as a result of the shame they felt for being contaminated.  It absolutely ripped my heart out to hear these stories.  I cannot even fathom how devastating this must have been and continues to be for those affected. 

Here is a picture of Mr. Mito Kosei’s mother.  You can read his full story online at http://www.sauerburger.org/dona/mito.  I feel very lucky to have met Mr. Kosei and I will never forget this experience. 

After the bomb dropped experts from a variety of disciplines claimed that nothing would grow in Hiroshima for at least 70 years.  One month after this devastating tragedy a typhoon hit Hiroshima and within a few weeks vegetation began to sprout on the very site where the bomb had dropped.  I had never heard this story before and while it certainly doesn’t minimize the horrible effects of nuclear weapons I did think it was encouraging to hear how Mother Nature stepped in to heal the land. 

A few steps away from the A-bomb dome is this sculpture dedicated to the children who died as a result of the bomb.   

Several kiosks filled with paper cranes form a half moon around the sculpture. 

Here is an explanation of how the crane came to symbolize peace.  

Here’s Pascal adding our cranes, including my jacked up crane, to the mix. 

Now it’s time to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.  Brace yourselves.  This is intense. 

This sculpture depicts 8:15 AM August 6, 1945, the exact moment the city of Hiroshima fell victim to the world’s first atomic bombing. 

This was an extremely powerful and unforgettable day. 

The next morning we set out by ferry to Miyajima Island in the Hiroshima bay. 

Miyajima is symbolized by the famous floating tori set in the sea called Itsukushima-jinja, which means that the whole island is sacred.  There are no maternity wards or cemeteries on the island because no one is permitted to give birth or die there.  Do you hear that, folks, no dying or else!!!

The island is beautiful and filled with pagodas, shrines, temples, statues, and stunning views from the mountains. 

This is Tanuki and he is a mischievous shape shifter who likes to deceive travelers. 

In Japan it is very common to pour water on some statues for good luck, to wash away bad things and to keep the gods refreshed and happy.  It is also quite common to wash one’s hands before entering some temples.  There is a particular ritual that must be followed as well.  Hopefully I’m remembering this correctly. 

1. Use right hand, pick up the ladle, scoop the water.
2. Pour over your left hand and wash it.
3. Shift ladle to left hand and wash the right hand.
4. Shift the ladle again to your right hand, scoop water, and pour over palm.             5. Take a small sip of the water to cleanse your mouth.
6. Wash your left hand again and return ladle to the rack face down.

This is Daruma and Daruma charms/dolls are pretty common throughout Japan.  The dolls are featured without eyes.  When you make a wish you are to draw in one eye and when the wish comes true you are to draw in the other eye and return the Daruma to the temple as an offering. 

This is Tengu and he is said to have supernatural powers.  He is easy to spot with his long nose and wings. 

These are the 7 lucky gods of Japan.  All the coins surrounding the statues were thrown by visitors in hopes of getting the coin to land on the rock and result in good luck. 

After touring the shrines and temples, Pascal and I decided to take in what we had hoped would be some spectacular views from the top of Mt. Misen, but unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate so when we got to the top all we really saw was fog and clouds, but the hike was still fun and revealed several hidden sculptures, statues and offerings. 

Wild deer roam freely on Miyajima Island and are totally unphased by humans unless of course we are feeding them delicious leaves.  Here’s Pascal feeding an appreciative deer.  These deer are picky and will only eat certain leaves.  Our first attempt was flat out rejected, but then we discovered the gourmet leaves and became an instant hit with the deer. 

The next morning we set out for Kyoto and visited the Fushimi-inari-taisha Shrine.    

The shrine is famous for the 1000 tori gates and they are stunning.  The vermilion color totally pops against the backdrop of the forest.  I loved it here! 

Hmm, which path should I choose? 

I chose the path on the left.  It doesn’t really matter which path though since they both end up at the same place.  Isn’t this great?!

After the tori gates we visited the famous zen temple, Tofuku-ji.

We also visited Nijo Castle. 

Kyoto is known for it’s gorgeous temples and I think we visited them all.  This is Kiyomizu Temple. 

The spring water, which gives the temple its name, is said to have healing power.  You know I had to get a sip of this water! 

Now it’s time to find some geishas.  Evidently this street is geisha viewing headquarters so you know we were all about it.  Come on geishas, I’m dying to see you! 

The geishas are sly and difficult to spot.  Frequently they travel by taxi cab so as not to be bothered by people like me.  I apologize in advance for the quality of these pictures.  They are crap, but the geishas were like lightening bolts so I had a hard time snapping the picture in time. 

OMG geishas!  Come back here!!! 

This geisha almost slid right by without me noticing.  Thanks for the heads up, Pascal.  I can’t believe I almost missed her and she was right in front of my face.  OK enough geisha stalking for one evening.  Even though I didn’t really capture the shot, you get the picture.   

And finally we have the Golden Pavilion/Rokuon-ji Temple.

 

OK now that we’ve seen just about every temple in Kyoto it’s time for a temple breather. 

Karoliina has some Japanese friends who she met while traveling in Ecuador a few years ago so we met up with them to have some fun.  They decided to take us to Toei Kyoto Studio Park, which is the equivalent of Universal Studios in Japan.  Of course you know we had to take some silly shots.  Check out my guns and superhuman strength!

Here are the boys. 

We almost missed this creepy guy who spent all day inching back and forth across this wire. 

Of course how can we come to the home of Japanese movies without taking in some hardcore ninja action.  Kip, the most notorious ninja of East Cobb back in the 80’s, these pictures are for you! 

Ferocious!  Don’t mess with us. 

Check it out…live ninja performance. 

Mwahahaha……….

As you can see, we had a pretty hysterical day.  It was a great way to end our time in Kyoto.  Thanks, Karoliina, for letting us join your reunion. 

Next stop is Hakone, which is wedged between Mt. Fuji and the Izu Peninsula, and famous for its hot springs and stunning views of Mt. Fuji on a clear day.  We hopped on a bullet train where I was able to snap these first images of the great Mt. Fuji. 

What a perfect day!  It seems like we’ll be able to see Mt. Fuji for sure. 

In order to get to the hot springs we needed to hop on a boat, which happened to be shaped like a pirate ship.  Arrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Hakone is centered on the collapsed remains of a huge volcano, which was active until 3 to 4,000 years ago, leaving a legacy of hot springs and steam vents.  The last eruption resulted in the birth of the Owakudani Valley and Lake Ashi.   

Though it is quite beautiful up here, I have to say that the odor from the fumes was a bit overwhelming and made me dry heave.  Who’s pretty? 

One of Owakudani’s highlights is eating the black eggs, which are boiled in the hot springs.  The eggs are said to prolong one’s life by seven years. 

Notice how the eggs start out white…

but after a few minutes in the hot springs they turn black.  Appetizing? 

Let’s take a closer look at these black eggs.

To eat or not to eat, that is the question? 

Am I really peeling the egg to eat it or just faking you out? 

It might happen…

All peeled and ready to eat? 

Is that a real bite or a fake one? 

Totally a real bite!  Of course I ate the black egg and I have to say that it was delicious.  It tastes just like a hard boiled egg so if you like hard boiled eggs, you should definitely eat the black egg.  Not only will your stomach thank you, you’ll also live longer.  It’s a win-win situation people.  Black eggs or bust!!!

The black eggs were a big hit with everyone! 

Mt. Fuji was feeling a little shy, but we were still able to see it. 

Mmm, this water looks delicious. 

Of course you know that the Japanese turned the black eggs into something adorable and there’s no way Hello Kitty was going to miss out on this action.  I think every single person who visited this site took a picture with Hello Kitty.  I had to wait forever to get this unobstructed shot, folks, and I did it for you.  You’re welcome! 

After gorging ourselves on black eggs we returned to our homes for the evening and relaxed before dinner.  It looks pretty inviting wouldn’t you agree? 

Dinner was spectacular!  I think it was my favorite meal during my time in Japan.  Of course everything was beautifully prepared and like edible art. 

No, I didn’t eat the fish head.  The hollowed out fish served as a platter for the sashimi.  I don’t mind if I do.  Good news for me is that a few people on the tour didn’t eat seafood so you know I gobbled up everything they didn’t want.  Woo Hoo!!!!  More sushi for me. 

After dinner we headed to the Hakone Yumoto Onsen (hot spring resort) where we relaxed in the steaming hot baths for about an hour.  There were several hot springs nestled in between the rocks offering different temperatures.  Some of the water was scalding hot so I had to bounce around a bit to find the perfect spot and once I did I melted and became a big ball of goo.  Ahhh, so relaxing. 

One thing you may not know about Japanese onsens is that everyone has to be naked!!!  For this reason, the boys are girls are separated.  Before getting into the hot springs one must take a quick bath to keep the springs in their most pristine condition.  I thought it was fabulous and would definitely recommend it if the opportunity presents itself.

Now it’s off to Tokyo, our final stop in Japan.  One last bullet train to go. 

Now that we are in Tokyo it’s time to get ill!  I didn’t bring my ill ensembles with me, but a quick visit to the Ill Store hooked it up. 

E.T. phone home…

Sadly we didn’t run into Gwen Stefani or her Harajuku girls, but we did see this fine street art. 

After Harajuku we headed over to Shibuya (pronounced Shi BOOYA!).  For what I think are obvious reasons, Shibuya is a fun word to say. 

So what does one do when he/she gets to Shibuya?

Um, obviously…

One of the things that I like most about Japanese culture is the obsession with the weird and absurd.  When Rob went to Japan he returned with ridiculous stories about bars themed after insane asylums http://gaijintonic.com/2007/03/22/alcatraz-er/, maid cafes and other strange fetishes.  His hosts, AC, AKA Ace Rok/Action Pap and his lovely wife, Satomi, introduced him to Japan’s finest freak shows and this is exactly what I wanted out of my visit to Japan.  On day one I announced to the group that I was on the lookout for any and everything that could fall into the category of insane, bizarre, demented and just flat out wrong.  Rob had told me about these vending machines that carried used women’s underwear, which of course was high on my list of things to see since I have 2 brothers, an uncle, a male cousin, and countless male friends who would love this unique souvenir from Japan.  Sadly, I never found said vending machine, but one of my fellow travelers did and was kind enough to take a picture for me.  Here’s the picture I took from his camera. 

I am sad to say that my short time in Japan and full touring schedule didn’t leave much time for an thorough examination of Japan’s sketchy scene, but that’s OK because I will definitely be returning to Japan and next time I’ll be sure to have the freak show experts, AC and Satomi, at my side. 

It’s time to say goodbye to Japan and the new friends that I have made here.  Thank you all for a wonderful trip and safe travels back home. 

Karoliina, I loved rooming with you and wish you the best of luck with your new job and house in Helsinki.  Hopefully I’ll be able to come visit you soon. 

Azam & Akram, I can’t wait to hear about your next big trip together.  I’m sure your other siblings are totally jealous of this trip. 

Pascal, thanks for taking such great care of us in Japan!  It was a great trip. 

Renee and Ian, I want to see pictures of your Japanese garden when it’s completed!!!

Colleen & James, I hope this is the first of many brother/sister trips together.  You are great travel companions! 

Cheers, Japan!  Until we meet again. 

Next stop is Korea!  See you soon.