Sakura Madness - はなみ (hanami)

We were invited to ride in a small boat that was much like a wooden canoe. There was a community group that was offering rides and Logan was thrilled to take a ride. He was bouncing up and down and almost jumped into the shallow river before we had our turn to ride. When the boat did dock it was our turn to climb down to the landing platform. We climbed down the three steps so we would be level with the boat. We climbed aboard and moved to the far forward of the boat. Logan and Jenny were handed a canoe paddle as about two more families climbed aboard. Men wearing hip waders walked next to the boat to guide it up and down the knee-deep stream. Logan had a fantastic time paddling his oar in the water. He felt like such a big boy to be able to make the boat go. We rowed in the boat between two bridges, turned around in our seats and rowed back to the landing dock. It does not seem like much, but it really was a lot of fun.

After the boat ride we resumed our walk down the sakura-lined lane. It was not long before we received another invitation. This time it was less of an invite and more of a command. There was a middle-aged woman who was urging us rather forcefully to enter an old school that was being used as an art gallery. She stood there on the sidewalk and moved us rather gracefully to the entrance gate, showed us a photo of the painting she created, and told us to go look at the real thing. We did just that. It was nice to go in and see all the art. We saw paintings, sculptures, quilts, and lots of other types of art. I think that the most interesting was being able to see the very old, if not antique, school building. The halls with their wooden floors creaked as we trod quietly on them. Windows that looked out onto the barren playground and were flanked by blossoming cherry trees. We were surprised to be here, but it was a pleasant opportunity to see something that we did not expect.

We walked throughout the city looking at all there was to see. We saw more flowers and people than we ever thought we would see in the course of one day. But still it was nice as the walk brought into neighborhoods we had not yet visited. We walked along a small stream that ran parallel to the Kiyamachi-dori Street. We then had to walk back to our starting point to find our way to the next location for awesome cherry sights. This time instead of retracing our steps along the stream we moved about two blocks east and walked along the Kano-gawa River. There is a walkway that is at river level and this day it was filled with people and some booths selling various goods. These were not the usual fare. This day there were new things including a Middle Eastern food booth selling kebabs and other Middle Eastern fare. The nice thing was that the whole thing was being run by and eco-friendly company and not only were there trash receptacles everywhere but they also were recycling much of the garbage. That is an amazing feat because most of the time when we have trash to pitch in the dust bin there is not one around to use.

We walked along the bank of the river and admired the city that stood around us as we walked to the Gion district. We were looking for another little river only in a different area of town. The Gion area is the entertainment district. And by entertainment I mean the old-fashioned entertainment of Geisha and small drinking bars not movies and Broadway Musicals. We decided that this would be a great place to see the blossoms and who knows what else. So we headed off to find the little stream that feeds into the Kamo-gawa.

We found it with little problem. It was not hard to see the large group of people congregating in the area. It was difficult to make our way into the space because it was so full of people. We wandered along the river looking at all the pale pink blossoms and the colorful people. We even saw a couple of ladies who were dressed up to look like geisha. It is very rare to see an actual geisha; they are usually hidden away for very high paying clients. As a result most of the time when you see a geisha on the streets they are just a regular person who has paid money to be made up to look like one. We also saw what I thought was a really cool sight. We saw a man, a chef I think, standing on some very high stilt like geta sandals. There he was standing down an alleyway about two feet in the air on his single riser sandals. I had just enough time to zoom in with my camera and snap a few pictures.

We wandered around the Gion area for a while. We took time to appreciate the small shrines tucked away and almost hidden from view. We saw ancient looking houses and modern ones too. We wandered throughout this area trying to take it all in without getting to lost in the process. We eventually made our return to the place where we started and we decided to head off for some dinner.

We walked for a while before we found a place to eat. Once long ago we had seen a restaurant that looked like it would be a great place to eat. We decided to hunt it down. We wandered the city streets and eventually found it. We ordered dinner and ate our food when it came. We also happened to run into some of the other people who live in our area. They were getting ready for a big party later in the evening.

After dinner we headed back to the little river where we had taken the boat ride earlier in the afternoon. We did stop at a cake shop for a desert and a coffee first. Last year a confectionery had temporarily shut down due to using day old ingredients in its pastries. It was a giant scandal and we thought it would be fun to eat at one of the recently reopened shops. After our after dinner treat we walked though the now darkened streets viewing the now illuminated trees. While we were doing some night viewing we ran into our neighbor Justin. He was also on his way to the big party and we walked with him as he found his way there.

We had seen many flowers and fascinating sights for one day and the next would be more of the same. The cherry blossoms season is short and sweet. We have to see them while they bloom and before they fall. Last chance.

Sakura Madness - さくら (sakura)

Like soft pink snowflakes the petals float through the air. Lifted by the wind and pushed along wherever the breeze wills. Up and down, around and around the cherry blossoms float. To me this is the essence of the cherry blossom. They bloom in the spring and for a few weeks they are everywhere. Eventually the breeze grabs the petals, pulling them from the flower. They float on the currents of air in unpredictable directions. I love to watch the petals float like a will-o-the-wisp around me. It is magical to be in the center of a pink petal vortex.

We sat and ate our lunch under the cherry trees in the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park one sunny Saturday afternoon. We planned on eating lunch in the park during hanami for about a year. Last year we went to view the cherry trees in the Maru Yama Park, which happens to be one of the most famous in the city. Seeing families and groups of people camped out for an entire weekend of picnicking fun was great, but it made us wonder if we would have trouble finding a spot to eat our lunch this year.

We stopped for lunch in a fancy new convenience store in Kyoto Station that we noticed for the first time. It was one of those double take moments where you have to look twice and wonder what else you do not pay attention to in life. Where there once was a wall, now there was a shiny new strip of stores including an upscale conbini. Jenny and I each bought a bento containing rice, a slice of broiled fish, pickled cucumber, and some other salads. Logan had a sandwich and some other various goodies. And there we sat under the tree with cherry blossoms falling all around us as we ate our lunch and drank from a big bottle of sake. Well Logan did not imbibe in the sake, but Jenny and I both took advantage of the opportunity to sip some rice wine while viewing the flowers. We ate lunch with surrounded by several other families who must have all been thinking the same thing we were.

We ate, laughed and had fun. After lunch it was time to go play in the playground. Logan was very excited to go and play in the sandbox. This was one of the first nice weekends after a cold wet winter. Logan and Jenny headed up to the play area while I cleaned up after our lunch. I joined them after a few minutes and found Logan happily digging away in the sand. After his time excavating in the sandbox he headed over to the swings to try his luck. He only had to wait a few minutes before one of the four swings became available for his use. He swung back and forth for quite some time. He did not ask to be pushed higher, but he did start to move his legs in the classic pumping action. He even managed to do it all by himself for a time.

After playing on the playground for a time we decided to stroll around the grounds of the park for a while. This was our opportunity to see all the different flowering trees in the park. Many of the trees were cherry trees that blossomed in varying shades of pink. There were others too. I am no flowering tree expert, but there were lots of beautiful trees that were covered in beautiful flowers. And we saw them all. We had a great time wandering through the park and admiring the flowers. Even occasionally giving them a sniff to see how they smell, for the record cherry blossoms do not have much of an odor. There was a small grove of non-cherry trees that did have a great perfume like smell. The odor grabbed us by the nose and pulled us in and we wandered through with our noses high in the air. It was really a lot of fun to spend time in the park and the best part was that it was not very crowded. We were able to cross another item off of our list of things to do: eat a picnic lunch while sitting under a flowering cherry tree.

Our day did not end at this point. Oh no, our day of cheery cherry madness continued on. We hopped on the subway and traveled to a different part of the city to see more of the quintessential Japanese flowering tree. The day would not be complete until we had used every waking minute searching out the best places to see the best trees. This time we were bound for an area we had visited once before. We had walked the street as we were looking for ramen on our ramen meguri. That day we happened upon the street quite by accident. This time we were planning on seeing the street lined with flowering trees. The walk was very pleasant, but crowded. There were people and trees throughout the area. We were walking near a small stream that wound it's way throughout the area. Much like on the Path of Philosophy we walked near the water as often as we could. We wandered and talked, strolled and laughed. It was fun to walk and admire all of the scenery around us. It was as we were admiring a particularly beautiful tree that the invitation came.

Tako-Yaki Town - Loathing

We headed off to find some more food related fun. Thankfully it was not yet time for "tako-yucky", but it would be coming soon. And I was still not looking forward to it. We were off to find the street where we could find anything and everything we could need to start a restaurant. We would be able to find the little plastic models that sit outside of eateries; big red lanterns or any of the myriads of other restaurant needs be they knives, pans or even a tako-yaki pan. Well maybe not that. We wandered the long way to find the street we were looking for, but eventually we found it. It was as amazing as I imagined it could be. We had fun looking into the different stores with all their varied wares and interesting things that we could ever desire. I really wanted to get one of the big red cylindrical lanterns with the word ramen written in Japanese on the side but they are rather expensive. I settled instead for a cloth banner with the kanji for okonomiyaki written down the front and another with the symbol for our favorite summer time treat, kaki-gori. We also bought a little daruma doll that is quite cute. We continued to wander the streets putting off the inevitable.

I still did not want to eat those fried dough balls with their pencil eraser middle. We walked until we could not put it off any longer. I mean we did not want to eat a snack so late that we would ruin our dinner. Especially when the plan was to have ramen. We found a place to bite the bullet, a gross one at that, after putting it off so long that it actually felt good to rest our weary feet.

Often times tako-yaki is sold at little roadside booths that consist mostly of a special grill and a bunch of bowls of ingredients. This place ended up even having a small area with tables and a counter along the wall tucked back in the building behind the grill. We bought our eight tako-yaki balls and headed off to the seating section to load them up with toppings. Maybe we would even have the courage to eat them. Every time we have tried to eat a full order we have stopped short. The first time Jenny and I each ate one and had to stop. We tried again and that time I managed to choke down one and that was as far as we got. I was fine with never eating them again, but Jenny just would not let it rest. It seemed to me that we always had to try them “one more time”. Everybody here eats them all the time, and I don't even really like fried octopus balls (no, not those kind of balls). School children gape in amazement when I tell them that I don't like them. It would be like someone telling an American kid that you hate mac & cheese. This was our opportunity to have the best tako-yaki that we could hope for since Osaka is famous throughout all of Japan for its tako-yaki. So we gave them one last try. I will admit that these were the best that I have ever eaten. I will also say that they were probably the last ones I will ever eat. They were okay, but I am still not a fan. I guess that Japan and I will have to agree to disagree on the whole tako-yaki thing.

We decided that it was time to head back to the train station and get some dinner and head home. We headed off to Osaka station where we were going to attempt to find a ramen restaurant that did not appear on any map. We had read a review of the chain and wanted to try their noodles. Then we found out that a branch restaurant existed in Osaka we hunted it down. That is exactly what we had to do, hunt. We wandered the streets looking for this elusive beast. I was growing grumpy to say the least from the lack of finding, but Jenny urged us to go that extra mile. In reality we did not need to travel such a long distance. The restaurant was actually very close to the spot where we started our search. We just took the long way in getting there.

We walked in and found a seat at the table that looked like a polished slab of a tree. I ordered us two bowls of their noodles and soup. It was called Akamaru Kasane-aji. This ramen had a small red ball of deep-roasted fragrant oil. The idea is that the red ball enhances the experience by making the eater take time to savor the food rather than just eating. The Akamaru Umamidama, or flavor savor ball as it is called really did add a great flavor to the soup. We swirled the soup around with our chopsticks and mixed the oils into the broth. We ate our noodles with giant slurps of delight and joy. It ranked up there as the best bowl of ramen we have had. I was sad because I was to full for their gyoza, which looked delicious.

After dinner we headed back to the station, but not before a pit stop at 31 Flavors for some ice cream. Logan indulged in his all time favorite flavor called matcha green tea. Jenny and I had some random flavor that is not green tea. It was while sitting at the table in Baskin Robbins that we realized that we lost one of our shopping bags. Jenny asked for the bag of paper balloons that we had just bought at the subway station. It was gone. She had bought some little paper balloons that looked like animals. Worse than the loss of the balloons was the loss of the sucker. Jenny also found a little treat for me in a little poop lollipop. That is correct, she bought me a chocolate lolli that was in the shape of a little pile of poop. Needless to say I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to eating shit.

After ice cream it was time to head home. We left the bright lights and crowded streets of the big big city behind for the bright lights and crowded streets of our little town. Not all that much changed, but it felt good to be home.

Tako-Yaki Town - Fear

“You know you are going to have to eat it today,” Jenny said.

“What?” I replied tentatively. “No, I don't think so.”

“Oh no, we are on our way to Osaka, tako-yaki town. We're eating it. C'mon give it just one more try,” She said.

So this was how it was going to end. Now the big trip to the big city would be like walking the Green Mile. I felt like a condemned man on his way to the gallows. You see I do not like Tako-yaki. I know that it makes me weird and strange, but I just do not like the mushy, soggy little balls filled with chunks of boiled octopus. But here was the official announcement that at some point during the day we would be giving them one more try. Great, now I have that to look forward to.

We figured that we should make good use of our train pass that would only be good for a few more days. We buy a pass called the Ju-Hachi Kippu that allows us unlimited travel on JR trains for five days. We buy one pass and share it between the two of us. It is a real economical way to go long distances for a small amount of money. We like to travel a bit farther from home during this time when possible. This time we figured that we would head down to Osaka and enjoy the sights and sounds of the big city.

The trip takes about two hours but it is a straight shot from Omihachiman. We got off the train in Osaka station and transferred to the subway and headed down to the southern section of the city, which is where all the action is. The city of Osaka is huge. It ranks as the second largest city in all of Japan, and we had not spent much time here. We came down for an afternoon last winter, but it was a cold day and Jenny was fighting off a cold so we did not explore much. We also came last spring to visit the city's aquarium. The aquarium was really cool and we all enjoyed it especially seeing the giant whale shark. Logan liked it so much that he wanted to go back and he was very disappointed that we were not going to. That disappointment was short lived however.

He soon found a place to take his mind off of it and turn his frown upside down. We can sum it all up with one word: Tomica. While, most three year olds are busy playing with their Matchbox cars and Hot Wheels; Logan has his Tomica cars. And here in the underground mall near the Namba station was a Tomica Store. Logan headed on in to find and play with the sample cars and toys. He found several things that he declared, “Before we leave Japan and go back to America I want to get this.” He would have been content to hang out in the store all day. He decided that now Osaka is his favorite city in Japan supplanting the former favorite of Kusatsu.

We left the underground mall because we came to see the city and that just would not be possible to do while walking below the streets. We exited onto the city streets that were teeming with people. It seems that it is always busy in the big city. We looked around and up. The city stretched around us. There is nothing like being in a big city. Now I will admit that I am not a big city kind of guy, but it is fun to visit one. Here we were smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest and most bustling metropolises in the world.

We walked along the streets heading home, or as close as we could get. America Town, or Ame-Mura as it is called, is the neighborhood where all the members of the young hip crowd congregate. We walked through the streets turning this way and that. We wandered aimlessly and without a purpose. We knew that if we headed a general direction we would find where we wanted to be and something new and exciting.

We found our way to Ame-Mura and had a fun time wandering around and looking at all the colorful characters. Japanese hipsters are very fun to watch. Bright colors, wild hair, and crazy fashions make for a visual treat. It was humorous to see things that were perceived to be American that were almost caricatureish in reality. We looked into shops, but as none of them were Tomica car stores they just did not make the grade. The Hello Kitty shop did come close though. We found a whole store filled with that delightful little cat. All of our Hello Kitty shopping needs satisfied under one roof.

We stopped off for lunch at a great hamburger restaurant called Freshness Burger. Jenny had a Cheeseburger piled high with leafy lettuce, red ripe tomatoes, tangy onions and best of all real cheese. Logan opted for a plain burger of which he ate the fries. I had the WW burger, which is an artery clogger that comprised of two thick patties, lots of cheese and everything else. It was basically Jenny's burger doubled. We all stuffed ourselves silly, well Jenny and I did. I am not so sure about Logan, how full can you get only eating the french fries?

Philosophical Meanerings - Exit

Nothing could have been more peaceful than the idealistic way our next stop could have been. Imagine, if you will, a small river winding it's way through the city. Both banks of the river are lined with bricks that drop down about two meters to the water. The top of the banks are lined with blossoming cherry trees. Walking along this path could be the highlight of the afternoon. Make no mistake about it, the area was simply stunning and massively beautiful. But as it usually happens the ideal is usually short of the reality. I will treasure my memory of the dream I had of strolling slowly along the river as long as I live. I will have to because the reality of the situation was entirely different than my dream. In reality there were lots of people who were also dreaming the same dream as me. The walkway along the tranquil little river was filled with people milling in both directions. We walked together as a family. Logan sat up on my shoulders and wanted to always walk on the path closest to the river. We tried to do our best to stay as close as we could, but all the people made it difficult to stay on that little pathway. Nothing could detract from the beauty of the blossoms however. The trees with their branches heavy with blossoms hung over the water and occasionally dropped petals softly into the water. It was even possible to, at times, ignore all of the people congregating around us and concentrate on the majesty of the natural world. It became very clear how the path got it's name, Tetsugaku-no-Michi, or Path of Philosophy.

The Tetsugaku-no-Michi lead us to the area around Ginkaku-ji. We reached the end of the path and were presented with two options. Should we turn left or right? We were excited to finally see the famous Silver Pavilion which would be found at the end of our journey. But which way to go? I knew that the answer would be found in following the crowd. We looked in both directions and realized that both ways seemed to be equally crowded. A quick check of the map led us to the conclusion that right was the direction to turn. We confirmed that we were headed in the correct direction when we saw the entrance.

We proceeded to hustle through the entrance and get into line. Yes this temple happens to be one of the three most famous temples in all of Kyoto; the fabled Silver Pavilion. We were not sure if we would be able to make it in and see the gardens and buildings because the line to get in was quite long and it was nearing closing time. The line leading to the entrance was long and winding. The entry way was enclosed on both sides by a tall row of hedges. We decided that we would try our luck. If we could not make it in today we could always come back a different day. And maybe, just maybe we could make it in and see the sights.

We did make it in, but we did not get to see the legendary silver building. We saw that the building that most people were there to see was under restoration. The building was in the middle of getting a new roof and other refurbishments. The outside of the building was surrounded by tall scaffolding that encircled three of the four sides and also covered the roof. All of this metal and tarp made it difficult to see the building itself. We really did not get to see the Silver Pavilion that day.

The Silver Pavilion is a bit of a misnomer as the building is not silver. It is a beautiful white. The building was supposed to have been covered in silver leaf, but that plan was never carried out. The beautiful white sides do almost take a silver shine to them when the sun shines on them. We bought postcards to prove it as the building was shaded and protected. We were left with no other choice but to tour the grounds and purchase postcards to remember the beauty that we did not get to see.

The grounds of the temple were magnificent and stunning. The first thing that we really saw on passing through the entrance was the raked sand piled into an elaborate shape. The first one we saw was almost like a wave preparing to break across the surface. The other was a large cone of gray white sand that stood about six feet tall. It was really cool to see. We continued along the assembly line of a tour. Stopping often to see a new sight rather than to add a new part. It was interesting how the temple had built the walkway to facilitate the movement of people and the best appreciation of the grand beauty. It was amazing to see the gardens and all their beauty. How each and every rock, plant, and pool was purposefully placed by the architect of the garden. My very favorite part of the garden was seeing the small box of the different mosses that grow in the garden. Most gardens here are carpeted with moss. The beauty of the lush green and soft velvety texture are a delight to the eyes. At one turn in the path there was a box containing the different species of mosses that grow. Each moss was labeled and they were ranked from most common to the rarest. The batch on the far right was labeled as “Very Important Moss.” Right under that sign there was another sign that read, “like VIP.” I thought that it was a great bit of humor in a place where I was not expecting. Who knew that Rinzai Zen Buddhist had a sense of humor?

After walking around the grounds it was time to head back to Kyoto station. Unfortunately we had to travel by my least favorite method of transportation, bus. I do not like taking the bus here. I find them difficult to manage. They are usually crowded to the point of being over packed and it is hard to get off at the desired stop. We decided to first walk down the street in hopes of finding a good restaurant for dinning, but there was not one we wanted to eat at. And with the line for the bus growing we decided to head to the bus stop and try our luck.

We stood in that line for quite a while wondering if a bus would come and pick us up and whether or not we would be able to squeeze our way on when it did come. We had been waiting for what seemed to me a long time. I was afraid that when the bus did come we would not fit and we would end up waiting twenty minutes for the next one. Imagine my delight when not one but two buses pulled around the corner. Now all that was left was to see if we would be one of the last to be packed onto the first bus, or would we be one of the first to board the second.

As fate would have it we were left to embark on the second of the two buses. We managed to take the bench like seat at the very back of the bus as the rest of the passengers were forced to cram themselves into the remaining space. The bus then began the long journey to Kyoto Station. The bus took us on a long journey through the streets of the city. We saw new neighborhoods and familiar ones. We were lucky because we had a seat to sit in. Not everyone was so fortunate. Most of the other passengers were forced to stand in the wide middle space and then pushed forward as new passengers got in from the back door. We sat in our seats quietly munching on snacks and mini M&Ms.

About an hour later we made it back to Kyoto Station hungry and a tad travel weary. We filed off the bus along with all the rest of the people. We then went down the stairs looking for a place to eat some dinner. We settled on a Chinese restaurant that makes the best little desert. Usually we are not a fan of the sticky gooey pounded rice, called mochi. This restaurant makes some little mochi balls that are filled with bean paste and rolled in sesame seeds then they are fried. Very delicious and a great way to end the day.

We may not have been alone on the Path of Philosophy. We might not have had a great view of the Silver Pavilion. We possibly got lost in the woods behind Nanzen-ji. We came close to being compacted into a tiny ball by the rest of the passengers on the bus. But it was fun damn it, and we like it that way.

Philosophical Meanderings - approach

Our walk was pleasant, pure, but mostly long. We walk a lot. We have no car, just our feet. Frankly we have no need for anything else. We walk to the train station, the grocery store, and everywhere we go. It is nice that most of the things we want or need are within walking distance. On this particular day we were planning on taking an urban hike through the city of Kyoto. The walk would bring us through the northwest section of the city on a meandering path. We would be walking the famous “Path of Philosophy”.

We had been saving this trip for a special season, and that season was upon us. All of Japan comes alive during the spring. The long winter is drawing to a close. The freezing temperatures are getting warmer, the spring thaw is happening. Best of all the flowers are beginning to bloom. And there is one blossom that is of special importance here. This is the cherry blossom, or Sakura. Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing is a national obsession in spring. The best parks are crowded with people picnicking and having a good time. It gives new meaning to the idea of stopping to smell the flowers when you see a group of young people who have camped out all weekend in the park in order to secure the best location to watch the flowers; and of course drink.

We began our trek by stepping off the subway and walking down a short hill. About halfway down the hill we passed through a tunnel under an aqueduct and began the approach to Nanzen-ji. Nanzen is a massive temple complex that is one of the most famous in Kyoto. It was not our first time to be at this temple, but it was our first time to actually explore and see different things. Our first time to Nanzen-ji the temple and gardens were closed in preparation for New Years. This time we would take the time to find some of the hidden gems and the more well know attractions.

We walked to the giant entry gate but we did not walk though. Instead we walked up. This particular portal allows visitors to ascend to the top and look out over the city central. We paid the fee and began the perilous trek up to the top and the viewing platform. The climb is so difficult because of the steep angle of the stairs. We have found that the pitch of the stairs in ancient buildings here is much more steep than we are used to. The steps in most very old buildings are more akin to ladders than they are to stairways. We made it to the top of the ladder and were blessed with a glorious view. We could look out over the whole city. We walked around the top observation platform and then climbed back down those treacherous stairs.

Once at the bottom we put back on out shoes and set forth to find what else was in this temple. I was attempting to find a small little shrine with a waterfall. Our guidebook stated that this area is an overlooked gem that is tucked back in the hills of the temple. The guidebook also stated that if we were lucky we might even be able to see someone bathing in the freezing cold water of the waterfall. The cascading water is believed to have a purifying affect on the body and soul. We followed the directions in the book and soon found ourselves off the beaten path. A path was all there was. We had not seen trail markers in some time and we were only following a narrow hiking trail that could have been a game trail for all we knew. Roots became our stairs as we climbed and struggled not to slip. Up and down the hills we followed that narrow dirt path, unsure of whether it would bring us where we wanted to be or lead us to some unknown destination. We hiked over a rotting bridge made of boards nailed to the bridge supports. It was a relief that the bridge was neither long nor was it high. We eventually made it to the small shrine we were hoping to find.

The shrine was a small area with old moss covered rocks and small offerings set into small caves carved into the rock. There was even a waterfall. It was somewhat less impressive than I had imagined it to be but it was still beautiful. I had envisioned a waterfall dropping down sixty feet into a small pool where pious monks would be meditating under the frigged water. What we found was a twenty foot waterfall that splashed on the rocks and trickled off to rejoin the stream. There were no monks standing under the waterfall's purifying power. In fact the entrance to the area was sealed off with a piece of plywood. No waterfall showering this day. We found it amazing the number of people who were also visiting the area. We had not been passed by that many people on our hike in and it soon became apparent that there must be an easier way to access the shrine.

We decided to take easy way out and went against the current of people who where entering the area. We passed an old but well maintained graveyard that was beautiful and serene. There was also a small temple that we walked through that was quite interesting. The hike in to the temple had been quite long and at times had been difficult for Logan's short little legs to make the journey. Now the trip out of the area was easy and Logan easily out paced both Jenny and I.

We found ourselves back in the main temple area and quite near the temple's garden. Once again we had to pay the entry fee to view the garden area. Once we were in we found a small tranquil garden centered with a pond and beautiful foliage. We rested on the edge of the deck that surrounds the garden building. It was not until after we started to walk again we notice the sign asking people not to sit there. In our defense we could not see the sign because the people sitting directly in front of it were blocking our view. We took a short stroll along the path that meanders through through the garden. It was a beautiful area that refreshed our weary souls. The sound of the breeze blowing through the trees, the clacking noise of the bamboo trees, water rushing down the tiny waterfall all made for a tranquil area. We recharged our batteries and headed off to the next destination.

We headed up to the visitors center where once again we paid money to tour the buildings. We walked around and saw all the beautiful rooms, sliding doors and small gardens that are located inside this area of the temple. Followed the red arrows that pointed the proper direction for us to walk. We looped around the buildings and eventually made our way back out where we ate our lunch sitting on some benches.

After lunch we decided that the time had come for us to move onward to the next destination. We would be walking up the street to Eikan-do Temple. The walk was not far and we soon found ourselves at the entrance to yet another temple. It was to be the second of three temples for the day. We paid the fee to get into the grounds and we started the tour. There were arrows and signs signaling which direction to proceed. We followed those arrows along the path and into the buildings. We had read that the architecture of this temple was particularly interesting because it was so varied. We were unable to see much of this as the major buildings were in the process of being restored. We did manage to see some excellent sights.

One of the most interesting things we saw was a statue of the Mikaeri Amida Buddha. This statue is unusual because it is facing backward. It is believed that the statue climbed down and urged a monk to move faster. The temple and building surrounding this work were impressive and I am sure that it would have been more so if the main buildings had not been covered with scaffolding and tarps. The temple was quite impressive but I think that the nicest part was the Sleeping Dragon Stair. We climbed a stairway up the side of a hill to a pagoda that overlooked the city. The covered stairway had a graceful and elegant curve to the beautiful wood tread. The stair is named as such because the shape is said to resemble the form of a sleeping dragon lying along the side of the hill. We completed a tour of the temple grounds and even managed to find a small grotto with a tiny waterfall and many Buddhist statues around the area. I found those statues to be very peaceful.

Up to Our Necks in Hot Water - part two

The entire trip up the mountain Logan had been playing his favorite mountain climbing game; train. Today we were pretending to be freight trains. Logan was wheeling around the area in front of the temple and coupling and uncoupling his imaginary freight. He was having a great time. But every train needs to take on fuel. We decided to eat some lunch on the park benches here. Fueled up we were ready to head back down and move to the next stage of the plan.

The last time we climbed a mountain Logan decided that he could climb up, but needed to be carried down the hill. Today he decided that he would not only go down under his own power, he would allow gravity to assist him. We descended that hill as two careening, out of control run away freight trains. He was not content to simply walk down, we had to run. We held hands and with a giddy laugh of joy set off burning a path down the hillside. We could hear the sounds of others who were on the path with us as they giggled and laughed as we flew past. And fly he did. It is lucky that we were holding hands because there were moments when Logan’s feet were not touching the ground. My feet were providing stability for both of us as we whipped around corners and his feet began to lift off the ground and helicopter out. We made it back to the temple of the tall trees where we decided to rest and wait for Jenny to make her way to join us.

The rest of the way off the mountain went by smoothly. I did have to restrain my little freight train, who had now changed to an express passenger train due to a personality conflict with his mommy. Logan had insisted that Jenny be a freight truck, but she stated that she was a super express passenger train. Well Logan wanted to be one too, so he changed. I was left to be the only freight train in town.

We walked up the main street in town toward the onsen. The street had no sidewalk. We were left to stroll on the shoulder of the road with cars whizzing by our elbows. I popped Logan up onto my shoulders and we trudged onward to find the big outdoor bathtub. We walked so far and so long in such a tiny little town that I was afraid that we missed the entrance we needed. Just when I was about to give in to despair we saw the sign signaling the entrance.

We crossed over a bridge leading into the onsen. We were not really sure what to expect at this point. This was going to be our first time bathing in public. Were we ready for this? We had no idea what lay ahead beyond the noren of the changing room. We could be walking straight into a mixed gender bath. Our research led us to believe that it was more than likely going to be segregated by gender, but there would be only one way to find out for sure.

We paid the entrance fee by purchasing tickets from a vending machine. We had to pay the entrance fee, rent a bath towel, and buy a small hand towel, called a modesty towel by some. We handed the tickets for all of our items to the man standing in the booth right next to the vending machine. He handed us our towels, and we set off to climb the stairs and meet our fate. Our fears were subdued when we saw the entrance. There was a bath for men and a separate one for women. Logan and I went in the men’s while Jenny entered the women’s area.

This is when the research started to pay off. Once inside I could see that there was lots of activity. Two distinct bathing areas were evident. One outside, the other was located inside the building. We only purchased tickets to use the outdoor facility so after changing out of our clothes and donning our modesty towels, Logan and I ventured out to bathe.

The first step in taking a bath lies not in getting used to the scalding hot temperature of the water, but in getting clean. That’s correct; in order to take a bath one must be clean. Logan and I walked over to the showers and took a seat on a stool to wash our bodies. After lathering up and rinsing off we were ready to slide into the hot water. It is truly an unusual experience to walk around outdoors under the blue sky while wearing no clothes. Logan and I slowly and carefully lowered ourselves into the naturally hot sulfured water and let the warmth sooth our tired muscles.

Sitting in that hot water pulled the tiredness out of my muscles and left me feeling relaxed. I looked up at the few clouds in the blue sky and talked with my son. We discussed how nice the water felt and how much fun it had been to fun down the mountain being trains. We sat in that bath and quietly reflected on our day. Alas all good things must come to an end, and Logan wanted to get out of the too hot water.

Logan and I dressed and went out to wait for Jenny. We did not have to wait long for her to join us. She came out and we all headed down the few steps to the rest station. There were four benches and two vending machines filled with refreshing beverages. We decided that we should just relax a moment and get something to drink before heading back to the train. Logan decided to have an apple juice, Jenny got a tea, and if you guessed that I got a beer then you are correct. One of the two vending machines dispensed beer to round out the enjoyable experience of sitting in a hot bath. We sat and drank our liquid enjoyment knowing that soon we would board the train and head home. Our day was complete.

Up to Our Necks in Hot Water - part one

Sometimes it is just nice to have a relaxing day and do something at the same time. Bathing is something of a national obsession here in Japan. Soaking in a hot tub every night is considered the way to relax and unwind. Not doing so is considered weird and unusual. Another aspect of this is the onsen. An onsen is a natural hot spring where people pay to sit in the hot tubs and wash their worries away. Onsens and public baths dot the countryside and visiting them is a form of holiday. We did some research in our guide books and found an onsen in the area that is recommended to travelers and is easy to access.

We would have to return to the town of Kurama, where we went to witness a fire festival and all we were able to see was the giant crowd. I was not sure we would ever return to this town, but here we were on our way back to the tiny town north of Kyoto. It was bound to be a relaxing day. The train ride out of Kyoto was on one of the most interesting trains we have ever ridden. This train was built for sightseeing. The train cars, there were two of them, had the fewest seats I have ever seen on a train. There was a row of single seats along the window on one side. On the other side of the car there was a row of double seats. Instead of facing forward or backward, as they do on most passenger trains, the benches faced the window. The window was made for viewing the passing scenery. The windows on this train were the tallest and widest windows on any train we have ever had the opportunity to ride. Unfortunately there was only one seat available when we boarded and it went to Logan and Jenny who sat together and shared. The ride from Kyoto to Kurama takes about an hour and it was not long before a bench facing the gorgeous picture window opened up and we were all able to sit.

We sat and watched the city-scape give way to rolling countryside then move to rolling hills and forest. It was a magnificent chance to see in a simple and relaxing way. We arrived in the town of Kurama and reminisced about visiting that night and how different the town looked with no people around. We strolled down that same street. What took us hours that night in October now took less than five minutes. The stroll was mystifying because when we were here last the street was neigh impassable and now there was nary a soul to be seen.

We found the massive map that stands in the center of town. This and a few souvenir shops were all that stood to mark the fact that we were in the city. There was not even one of the ubiquitous convenience stores that scatter the Japanese landscape. We knew from our book that this town held the onsen and a temple. We consulted the giant map and located the two landmarks and set off to find them.

The temple was first. Not only did it lie closest in proximity but we also thought that it would be wiser to hike the mountain and see what was at the top, and then take a nice long hot soak in an outdoor tub. This order seemed like a good idea and it worked out perfectly. We walked from the map to the entrance of the temple, which lies at the bottom of a mountain. We paid the entrance fee and began to climb the big hill. The path lead us first past a beautiful pond filled with swimming fish and a cascading waterfall. We took a few minutes to contemplate because Logan wanted to watch the fish swim in the pond. We then began to ascend the path again. Next we came to a steep set of stairs that led through a magnificent gate and into a small temple. The beautiful part of the gate was the fact that it was flanked by a pair of enormous trees that towered into the sky. I found it difficult to climb the stairs and stare up at the branches that tickled the clouds. Holding onto the stair rail helped but I still felt as if I would tip over backward at any given moment.

We took some time to rest and smell the roses at this stage. We were not sure if we would take the time to climb all the way to the top of the mountain today. After all, the last time we did that it took most of the afternoon, and we had other things to do today. We worried even more about the difficulty of the climb when we saw the next crew of people climbing the hill. We were being pursued by a group of hikers. I am not talking about a bunch of people like us who are out to have a nice afternoon visiting a nice little temple on a tall hill. I am talking about a hiking club with enough gear to put the editors of a backpacking magazine to shame. Here were about fifteen to twenty people hiking up the same mountain as us. We were wearing our regular clothes, jeans, sweatshirts, and our trusty old beat up slip on shoes. Coming up the mountain was our exact opposite. They were all wearing top of the line exercise clothes, spandex leggings, space age technology jackets, specially built day packs, trekking poles in their hands and hiking boots securely laced to their feet. We had to ask our selves, were we climbing the same mountain as they were?

But that is one of the things about Japan. No one does their hobby in halves. If you are a hiker, then you have all the best hiking gear and use it each and every time you go. If you decide to take up running then you outfit yourself and go out each time like you are a marathoner running the Tokyo Marathon. I am sure that there are many awesome sets of golf clubs or skis sitting in a storage shed that have been used one or two times. Here they were the members of the hiking club from somewhere, preparing to hike to the top and probably further. Our good guide book did mention that there was an excellent hiking trail that led to the next town. In fact it was at this point that we remembered that the train emptied out when we reached that station. We had thought it odd that the train had emptied there as it was even more desolate than Kurama, but now it made sense.

We pushed aside the worry about not having the proper gear to make it to the top and pushed onward. We found that the path to the top of this mountain was no where near as difficult as the trek to the top of the last one we climbed. This could have been due to the fact that the path today was stone paved and coursed its way up the mountain steadily. We found ourselves at the top in what seemed to be no time at all. In fact we thought that we must have arrived at the halfway point, but we had made it all the way to the temple. The view from the temple was astounding, not to mention the sight of the temple itself.

We could look out at all the tree covered mountains surrounding the area. It was a breathtaking sight to behold. The rising hills covered in green trees that stretched off into the distance gave me pause to think about the majesty of creation. Then we turned around and took in the manmade temple that sat on the side of this hill. The temple was beautiful to behold and Jenny wandered off to take a few pictures of the temple buildings while Logan and I played trains.

Flea Market

Years ago my Grandpa Henry loved to visit the flea market. He would spend his Saturday mornings combing the various stalls looking for junk. He did this because as we all know; one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. I was always impressed with his dedication, and I loved to see the latest treasures, but I really never saw the draw of the flea market. Now, however, I am hooked.

A couple Fridays ago we went to the largest flea market in Kyoto. Inside, outside and all around Toji Temple were booths selling anything and everything one could always want but never need. We were there to see what bargains we could find.

We each had our own little mental shopping list of things that we were on the lookout for. Jenny was hunting for a beautiful obi belt to go with her kimono. I was attempting to find a kimono that would fit my tall frame and consist of an interesting pattern. Logan as always was on the look out for toys and candy. We were hoping that we might be able to find interesting and affordable items that would facilitate positive memories of our time in Japan.

We hoped that if we made it to the market early enough in the morning we would escape the crowds and manage to see the best items before they sold. Apparently the crowd had the same idea. We were a bit later than we had expected to be, but it was only just turning to late morning. The sidewalk leading to the temple was filled with tables and booths all selling various wares. There were many of the usual food vendors that were selling the usual festival foods. There were some new foods this time too. We found a booth selling udon noodles and another selling bowls of ramen soup. There were many foods that I could not identify. People were selling spices, seaweeds, dried fish, and all sorts of interesting ingredients.

We continued along the sidewalk and eventually entered the grounds of the temple itself. The area inside the temple was filled with people. There were customers and vendors everywhere the eye could see. This was obviously the place to be. We took our time strolling around looking at all the things that were laid out for consuming. Many of the booths were selling things that bordered on antiques. There were antique pottery, antique cooking ware, antique kimonos, antique scrolls, and even a few antique swords. This was the place to be if you were looking for a bit of historic Japan.

After stopping to eat a small lunch of onigiri that we bought before we left Omi- hachiman we set off to look in earnest for our treasures. Wandering through the densely packed market was difficult at best. It actually became very hard to find our way through the lanes of traffic and looking at things buried in the piles was nearly impossible. We did manage to find some fun things that we were looking for. The sad thing in making the purchases we were unable to do something that is quite common at open-air markets around the world.

As much as we wanted to we could not haggle over the price of objects. Haggling is just not something that is done in Japan. It can be attempted but it is done at your own risk. Often if you try and offer a lower price to the seller they will take it as an affront and refuse to deal with you. Some will, but most have set their prices low and wont haggle. Not that we would have much luck attempting it with our limited knowledge of Japanese. Even without haggling we managed to get Jenny a nice obi that she was pleased with, and I found a kimono that struck me as quite handsome. Logan would have to wait to find a toy, but he was able to eat some candy. It just happened to be the kind that we brought from home.

We wandered the maze of a flea market for most of the morning and early afternoon. We had intended on visiting a different temple in Kyoto later in the afternoon, but our flea market adventure stretched so long we were not able to bus across town before it closed. San-Ju-San Temple would have to wait for another day. We did take sometime to check out some of the temple area at Toji though. There was a beautiful little pond that stretched before a towering pagoda where we sat and watched the fish and turtles swim.

We walked around some more after we took our little break. It was amazing to see so many beautiful things packed into such a small area. There were lots of handmade crafts that were stunning to behold. So much care and attention to detail for hand made items. Whether it was pottery or clothing all were crafted with care. Treasures to some, junk to others. It was amazing to behold and here we were in the middle of it all. All of it junk and being in the midst of it is our treasure.

Burning the Evidence - Evening

The afternoon began to wear on and our siesta time was drawing to a close. We moved down the steps to the party waiting in the parking lot and prepared to sojourn back to the mountain. We gathered with a collection of people that were also ready to go and see the action. We had been there to witness the sport once in the day already but most of our neighbors had not. It was a pleasant opportunity to walk once again with excellent company. Logan was able to feel like a king because he got to hold Mr. Mark’s hand on the way. We arrived just in time to see more of the floats bashing and crashing into each other.

We stood and watched as the monstrosities collided with great force on the street. It was not long before we decided to heed the call of dinner. We weaved our way through the crowd looking for a nice booth serving up some tasty treat for us to fill our empty bellies. Jenny and I decided that we wanted to eat the okonomiyaki, which has become one of our favorite treats. Okonomiyaki is sometimes called a Japanese pancake or Japanese pizza, though in truth it is neither of these things. It is flat like a pancake, and it is as common to Japan as pizza is to America; but truth be told, it is what it is, and it is delicious. Logan decided on yakisoba, and we all sat down to eat. We ate and watched the growing party. Everywhere were looked we saw people walking, sitting, eating, laughing and having a good time. We saw many of my students. They all made a point to come over and say hi to us, amazed that Kebin-Sensei is eating Japanese food and drinking beer. We sat and enjoyed our festival food dinner as the sun began to set and dusk began to settle.

With our food gone and our bellies full we decided to find a spot to claim as our own. We realized that the best location would be an elevated one. We decided to ascend to the top of the rock wall that surrounds Hachiman Shrine. The wall is about five feet tall and plenty wide enough to provide an excellent viewing location. Unfortunately we were not the only people to make this realization. The crowd on the wall was growing and we knew we must act quickly or lose our opportunity. We clambered up the piled rocks to the platform where we would be able to peer over the heads standing on the ground.

We watched as the commotion grew more and more raucous with every moment. Floats were entering the ground and being paraded around what on a normal day is a parking lot but today is a parade ground. The shouts of “mase – mase” and singing of the Sagicho Matsuri song grew louder and more frenzied. We watched as the floats were once again carried into the area, and once again the great colossuses were set to push and shove in their oversized sumo matches. They squared off to in a very important match this time. Last time it was for entering rights. Winner gets to go first, loser gets to follow behind. This time it was all on the line. Loser burns. This was the beauty contest. No swimsuit competition to determine the winner. The losers would go up in flames first; the winners would have the honor being allowed to live a little longer.

This is the essence of Sagicho. The floats are created to live the span of one short weekend. Committees from around town, one for each ward of the city, meet to build the float for their neighborhood. The floats are paraded, bashed, crashed, and eventually set ablaze. This is all then set to repeat the next year. This being our second Sagicho we had a small inkling of what the weekend held in store for us. We had the smell of the smoke lingering in our olfactory senses from last year. The entire point of the weekend is to let off steam and celebrate the fact that spring is approaching. The culmination of this celebration is the burning of the evidence.

This ritual burning was setting to commence soon. I was growing impatient as Jenny and Logan had left me alone so they could seek out restrooms for Logan. Soon the first float would be torched. The first every year is the children’s float. This allows the children who travailed so hard to create to take an active part in its destruction. There is a procession out of the shrine where the guest of honor carries out a lit torch. The torch is then presented to the float. This presentation is the beginning of the end for the float. The papers and streamers flowing off the top ignite first, followed closely by the dried food that creates the mosaic zodiac design. All this acts as kindling for the wood of the body of the float. The float burns down to ash in a matter of minutes. It starts the day as a towering beast standing twenty feet in the air and ends the day as a pile of ashes that get raked into the gravel of the parking lot.

I watched as the sun set and two floats paid tribute to the orb of fire that was now drifting to sleep in the west. Moments later Jenny and Logan came to rejoin me standing on the top of the wall bearing gifts. The best gift that could be offered at a time like this, Jenny held in her hands two cups of sake. That is what this festival is all about; fire and wine. I dropped one sealed cup in my jacket pocket and popped the top off the other one and look a sip. I handed Jenny the camera so she could snap a few pictures. Logan and I jumped to the ground to get closer to the action.

The evening was growing colder and the heat from the fire of the now slowly burning children’s float felt good. Standing on the ground with the sake warming me from the inside and the fire warming us on the outside Logan and I stood watching as burning embers from the streamers floated across the sky like magic butterflies. We watched as the participants danced and sang in the light of the bonfires that were their hard work and dedication. They ran in circles around their floats drinking sake from paper milk-style cartons. They passed the carton from person to person, urging each other to drink faster and more. Some danced because they could no longer walk straight. Some danced because they were caught up in the heat of the moment, possessed by the fire spirits. This is the essence of Sagicho.

Logan and I watched as the people cavorted and frolicked in the burning joy. We walked and watched as the people partied the night away. Soon enough though the time for us to take our leave and go home had come. The sun had set and the air grew colder. Logan’s eyes began to get that unmistakable look of tiredness that signals his need for sleep. We knew that our night was drawing to a close. Logan and I went back to the rock wall to collect Jenny and make our way home.

We all wandered towards the exit to get back to the street and find our way home. We walked away from the burning fires and towards our home. As we got nearer to the tori gate that marks the entry and the bridge that crosses over the canal we turned and took one more look at the amazing sight behind us. We looked forward across the bridge and saw that there were still floats there fighting for the right to enter the area and which would go up in flames first. We walked the dark streets from the excitement of the base of the mountain to the quiet and solitude of our home. Sometimes a party is nice, but it is always great to be able to come home.