Another Japan
On the morning of December 28th Yoshiko and I went to the Shinkansen station in order to go to Western Japan. We were to visit Nara and Kyoto and surrounding places, as well as visit Yoshiko's relatives, including her brother and soon to be wife. I had not ridden the Sinkansen for about nine years and was looking forward to taking the fastest one, known as Nozomi, it is said to approach speeds of 270kph, around 170mph and only stops twice on it's trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, the same distance as San Francisco to LA. After an annoying 30minutes of hesitation it got up to speed and were flying through the countryside; rice paddies with snow icing and old farmhouses whizzed by with the ever present mountain scenery in the background. Fuji san was especially ominous in it's new winter coat.
Soon we arrived at Kyoto station, however it was not our final stop. After a sumptuous bento box lunch we changed lines out to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan as well as Yoshiko's home town. We were to see two Temples, Toshodaiji and Yakushiji. These two UNESCO world heritage sights were located close to an uneventful train station in a small neighborhood littered with traditional houses and tiny roads. Just four hours earlier we were in Tokyo, that as the ancient capital Edo hit it's stride in the 1700's. Now we were touring temples built a 1000 years earlier. Toshodaiji (not to be confused with Todaiji, home to the largest wooden building on earth and a fifty foot tall brass Buddha, also resides in Nara but I have seen before.) was especially interesting. The facility was founded by a blind Chinese priest named Ganjin who initiated Buddhist education and religious practices in Japan. In the far corner of the property was his shrine, tucked away in a still chilled pond among a moss coated forest.
Old pagoda at Yakushuji Temple. Built about 1300 years ago it survives to this day.
In the waning light, cold and tired we went to a local cafe and warmed ourselves with coffee brewed the traditional Japanese way in glass vials that look like a chemistry set. Afterward we went to our hotel in Downtown.
The Nara Royal Hotel is a blast from the bubble burst era. Glaring anything goes style furnishings preserved beautifully, even the see through piano. Glamorous landscaping included a realistic waterfall directly next to the bar. Yoshiko used to work at the very same hotel as a college student and was notorious for an event in which she worked at the banquet hall. There was a womens investors seminar, and as an example they asked Yoshiko how much she earned. She grabbed the mike and yelled "give me more money!!" Now we were at the hotel as guests and we used our free drink tickets to soak up that little touch of Reno in the Japanese heartland. I had just re-read the Long Goodbye and thus wanted a Gimlet, just like Philip Marlowe. Then we went downstairs to the public baths. I don't really like getting all heated up so I was just planning on showering and dipping. However I met a couple of retired school teachers who lived nearby; I chatted in the tub with them for almost twenty minutes. Then I got out to go meet Yoshiko in the Lobby. I got a head rush, but dismissed it since it is not unusual for me to get head rushes just standing up around at home (low blood pressure), however it didn't go away and I began to feel dizzy and tense. By the time I got to the locker I felt my muscles tensing and my blood curdling. I began to panic. Just a year ago to almost the day a friend in his early fifties had simply died of a sudden heart attack. Like me he was physically fit and showed no signs of ill health. Since his death I had thought about it often, especially in light of the fact that cyclists were far from exempt from massive heart failure, on the contrary it seemed strangely to favor cyclist, as just a month ago a popular cyclist of the Bay Area had also died of heart failure at a young age. I was dizzy, sweating and in full panic mode, my muscles were tensing and I was certain death was approaching. I wheeled over to a stuffed chair and fell into it. I felt like if this swirling tension increased one more notch I would loose consciousness. I started to hold down my panic and prepare for the possible end. I thought about how I shouldn't be scared, I've had a good life and I should be ashamed of my cowardice. I thought about trying to get up and seek out Yoshiko and how selfish I was not to consider her in my last moments. Then the tension slowly began to wind away. I was so weak I could barely get to the lobby and get to Yoshiko. Finally we got my shoes on and back to the hotel room. I recovered in about twenty minutes and it felt like nothing happened.
The next day we got up early and went to another prestigious world heritage sight. Horyuji is really the place to see an amazing complex of Temples, Pagodas and Ancient meeting halls.
Not only is the main hall one of the oldest wooden structures in the world, it's got bitchen looking Chinese dragons running up it's eaves.
The roof tiles end with demon heads. Each demon had a different symbol on it's forehead. This one had a pentagram on it...dude. Truly demonic.
It is the home of the worlds oldest surviving wooden structures dating somewhere from 6th to 8th century. The town had a wanna be tourist trap feel that we didn't get from the day before, also the streets dating back to horse and carriage days were difficult to navigate. However the trip was worth it. My personal favorite was an octagon building from 739 called the Hall of Visions. Inside a statue of Prince Shotoku, who along with Ganjin brought the cultural and religious practices from China to Japan and issued a change in Japanese culture. Another impressive artifact was a statue called Hanka Shiyui. It's the Buddha, but he's sitting crossed legged and kind of chilling out with a hand to his face. Kind of a real pose of contemplation, not those stiff confrontational poses that look truly uncomfortable. Next stop was the town of Asuka. This town was absolutely dedicated to preserving a historical look that I've truly never seen before in Japan. The houses have to follow a very specific building code and construction is almost at a complete stand still. One thing was certain; Tokyo was 600 miles and 600 years away from my present reality.
one of Atsuka's many ancient burial sights.
local homes in Asuka follow strict codes to maintain tradition.
We took an express train back and got to the tubs quickly (no sitting for 20minutes for me anymore!!) before heading off to Yoshiko's parents. Kazune and Fukiko live in Nara city near another ancient sight of an early emperor. All that's left was the foundations. There is a rebuilding attempt but most likely they will have to quit before even 1/10th is completed, just way too expensive. We were warmly invited by the parents and treated to sukiyaki, a hot pot of meats and vegetables that we just ate a ton of. Throw in some dessert and drinks and we mine as well been rolled out the house at the end of the evening. Funny thing though with this Japanese food, it's so healthy and low fat, the next morning you get up feeling great even if you ate the equivalent of a Roman orgy the night before.
We had breakfast and made the greatly anticipated trip to Kyoto. It was a clear and sunny day in the ancient city and we hustled to get our stuff checked in at the hotel and get on with the sight seeing. Kyoto is a town that can rival cities like Boston and San Fran for historical neighborhoods, closeness to natural areas and great art and dining. Throw in temples dating back to the 14th century and you have a city of extrodinary class and beauty. I had read that after the war if there was a true preservation effort for Kyoto, it would be a city rivaling Venice and Milan for living history and art. Unfortunately a desperate grab to modernize that seized the nation following the war eventually took much of Kyoto's lovely neighborhoods away in place of gaudy thoughtless urbanism (still going on in Tokyo). However the residents of the city took a stand and eventually the tide has turned as strict building codes and no growth are the call of the day. Tourism has taken it's rightful place as a major revenue and throngs of visitors use eco buses to take them from one sightseeing area to another.
a view of Ginkokuji temple from above. A zen garden made of sand patterns perfectly formed in the center. A little boy slipped under the guard rail to play with it. His father caught him at the last minute.
The philosophers path was very empty and we had a romantic stroll all to ourselves.
One of the many shrines departing from the philosophers path in quaint forest settings. This one featured mice as a spiritual embodiment of "Kami", or god. In the belief system of Shinto, god is present in nature and ancestors.
Yoshiko and I beat the crowds and took a stroll on the Philosophers Path. We soaked up peaceful old communities and shrines. That night we dined with Yoshiko's Brother and Fiancee, Chieko San. Chieko took us trough a maze of stone walking paths through a quiet cluster of homes dating back over 300 years. We got lost in the maze as Chieko eventually took us through the doors of an old house converted to a dining bar. We ate and drank in our own private banquet room for hours. Then we went to the historical Gion district, known for it's Maiko population (Maiko is the Kyoto word for Geisha; btw I will not see Memoirs of a Geisha, I read the book and it stunk, the movies bound to be worse) we found a cozy bar overlooking and ancient tree lined road overlooking a brick canal. I got wasted and couldn't follow the conversation to save my life. I totally lost focus as my mind drifted on the lights reflection in the water. I found myself falling into moroseness and requested to leave.
The next morning we visited several more temple complexes. A couple of them so large the looked more like an Edo period town than a religious center. In fact many Edo era movies, like samurai and Historical dramas are shot on location at these very same temples. In order to facilitate the production a sort of Edo period Universal Studios was created, called Uzumasa Movie Village. It was closed when we were visiting but we plan on seeing it when we come back for Yoshiko's brothers wedding.
It got really cold, and after visiting a row of old brick buildings we retreated to another food bar for a lengthy dining drinking bout. We caught a sleeper bus back to Tokyo which in fact worked well. Though one restless dream featured the sound of the bus turning into a hundred voices saying "Lyle, Lyle, LYLE, LYLE..." Then a bunch of little trolls in the seats in front of me turned to face me while chanting all the time. I wasn't fooled, I knew it was a dream, like the whole wonderful vacation.
Happy new year.
Soon we arrived at Kyoto station, however it was not our final stop. After a sumptuous bento box lunch we changed lines out to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan as well as Yoshiko's home town. We were to see two Temples, Toshodaiji and Yakushiji. These two UNESCO world heritage sights were located close to an uneventful train station in a small neighborhood littered with traditional houses and tiny roads. Just four hours earlier we were in Tokyo, that as the ancient capital Edo hit it's stride in the 1700's. Now we were touring temples built a 1000 years earlier. Toshodaiji (not to be confused with Todaiji, home to the largest wooden building on earth and a fifty foot tall brass Buddha, also resides in Nara but I have seen before.) was especially interesting. The facility was founded by a blind Chinese priest named Ganjin who initiated Buddhist education and religious practices in Japan. In the far corner of the property was his shrine, tucked away in a still chilled pond among a moss coated forest.
Old pagoda at Yakushuji Temple. Built about 1300 years ago it survives to this day.
In the waning light, cold and tired we went to a local cafe and warmed ourselves with coffee brewed the traditional Japanese way in glass vials that look like a chemistry set. Afterward we went to our hotel in Downtown.
The Nara Royal Hotel is a blast from the bubble burst era. Glaring anything goes style furnishings preserved beautifully, even the see through piano. Glamorous landscaping included a realistic waterfall directly next to the bar. Yoshiko used to work at the very same hotel as a college student and was notorious for an event in which she worked at the banquet hall. There was a womens investors seminar, and as an example they asked Yoshiko how much she earned. She grabbed the mike and yelled "give me more money!!" Now we were at the hotel as guests and we used our free drink tickets to soak up that little touch of Reno in the Japanese heartland. I had just re-read the Long Goodbye and thus wanted a Gimlet, just like Philip Marlowe. Then we went downstairs to the public baths. I don't really like getting all heated up so I was just planning on showering and dipping. However I met a couple of retired school teachers who lived nearby; I chatted in the tub with them for almost twenty minutes. Then I got out to go meet Yoshiko in the Lobby. I got a head rush, but dismissed it since it is not unusual for me to get head rushes just standing up around at home (low blood pressure), however it didn't go away and I began to feel dizzy and tense. By the time I got to the locker I felt my muscles tensing and my blood curdling. I began to panic. Just a year ago to almost the day a friend in his early fifties had simply died of a sudden heart attack. Like me he was physically fit and showed no signs of ill health. Since his death I had thought about it often, especially in light of the fact that cyclists were far from exempt from massive heart failure, on the contrary it seemed strangely to favor cyclist, as just a month ago a popular cyclist of the Bay Area had also died of heart failure at a young age. I was dizzy, sweating and in full panic mode, my muscles were tensing and I was certain death was approaching. I wheeled over to a stuffed chair and fell into it. I felt like if this swirling tension increased one more notch I would loose consciousness. I started to hold down my panic and prepare for the possible end. I thought about how I shouldn't be scared, I've had a good life and I should be ashamed of my cowardice. I thought about trying to get up and seek out Yoshiko and how selfish I was not to consider her in my last moments. Then the tension slowly began to wind away. I was so weak I could barely get to the lobby and get to Yoshiko. Finally we got my shoes on and back to the hotel room. I recovered in about twenty minutes and it felt like nothing happened.
The next day we got up early and went to another prestigious world heritage sight. Horyuji is really the place to see an amazing complex of Temples, Pagodas and Ancient meeting halls.
Not only is the main hall one of the oldest wooden structures in the world, it's got bitchen looking Chinese dragons running up it's eaves.
The roof tiles end with demon heads. Each demon had a different symbol on it's forehead. This one had a pentagram on it...dude. Truly demonic.
It is the home of the worlds oldest surviving wooden structures dating somewhere from 6th to 8th century. The town had a wanna be tourist trap feel that we didn't get from the day before, also the streets dating back to horse and carriage days were difficult to navigate. However the trip was worth it. My personal favorite was an octagon building from 739 called the Hall of Visions. Inside a statue of Prince Shotoku, who along with Ganjin brought the cultural and religious practices from China to Japan and issued a change in Japanese culture. Another impressive artifact was a statue called Hanka Shiyui. It's the Buddha, but he's sitting crossed legged and kind of chilling out with a hand to his face. Kind of a real pose of contemplation, not those stiff confrontational poses that look truly uncomfortable. Next stop was the town of Asuka. This town was absolutely dedicated to preserving a historical look that I've truly never seen before in Japan. The houses have to follow a very specific building code and construction is almost at a complete stand still. One thing was certain; Tokyo was 600 miles and 600 years away from my present reality.
one of Atsuka's many ancient burial sights.
local homes in Asuka follow strict codes to maintain tradition.
We took an express train back and got to the tubs quickly (no sitting for 20minutes for me anymore!!) before heading off to Yoshiko's parents. Kazune and Fukiko live in Nara city near another ancient sight of an early emperor. All that's left was the foundations. There is a rebuilding attempt but most likely they will have to quit before even 1/10th is completed, just way too expensive. We were warmly invited by the parents and treated to sukiyaki, a hot pot of meats and vegetables that we just ate a ton of. Throw in some dessert and drinks and we mine as well been rolled out the house at the end of the evening. Funny thing though with this Japanese food, it's so healthy and low fat, the next morning you get up feeling great even if you ate the equivalent of a Roman orgy the night before.
We had breakfast and made the greatly anticipated trip to Kyoto. It was a clear and sunny day in the ancient city and we hustled to get our stuff checked in at the hotel and get on with the sight seeing. Kyoto is a town that can rival cities like Boston and San Fran for historical neighborhoods, closeness to natural areas and great art and dining. Throw in temples dating back to the 14th century and you have a city of extrodinary class and beauty. I had read that after the war if there was a true preservation effort for Kyoto, it would be a city rivaling Venice and Milan for living history and art. Unfortunately a desperate grab to modernize that seized the nation following the war eventually took much of Kyoto's lovely neighborhoods away in place of gaudy thoughtless urbanism (still going on in Tokyo). However the residents of the city took a stand and eventually the tide has turned as strict building codes and no growth are the call of the day. Tourism has taken it's rightful place as a major revenue and throngs of visitors use eco buses to take them from one sightseeing area to another.
a view of Ginkokuji temple from above. A zen garden made of sand patterns perfectly formed in the center. A little boy slipped under the guard rail to play with it. His father caught him at the last minute.
The philosophers path was very empty and we had a romantic stroll all to ourselves.
One of the many shrines departing from the philosophers path in quaint forest settings. This one featured mice as a spiritual embodiment of "Kami", or god. In the belief system of Shinto, god is present in nature and ancestors.
Yoshiko and I beat the crowds and took a stroll on the Philosophers Path. We soaked up peaceful old communities and shrines. That night we dined with Yoshiko's Brother and Fiancee, Chieko San. Chieko took us trough a maze of stone walking paths through a quiet cluster of homes dating back over 300 years. We got lost in the maze as Chieko eventually took us through the doors of an old house converted to a dining bar. We ate and drank in our own private banquet room for hours. Then we went to the historical Gion district, known for it's Maiko population (Maiko is the Kyoto word for Geisha; btw I will not see Memoirs of a Geisha, I read the book and it stunk, the movies bound to be worse) we found a cozy bar overlooking and ancient tree lined road overlooking a brick canal. I got wasted and couldn't follow the conversation to save my life. I totally lost focus as my mind drifted on the lights reflection in the water. I found myself falling into moroseness and requested to leave.
The next morning we visited several more temple complexes. A couple of them so large the looked more like an Edo period town than a religious center. In fact many Edo era movies, like samurai and Historical dramas are shot on location at these very same temples. In order to facilitate the production a sort of Edo period Universal Studios was created, called Uzumasa Movie Village. It was closed when we were visiting but we plan on seeing it when we come back for Yoshiko's brothers wedding.
It got really cold, and after visiting a row of old brick buildings we retreated to another food bar for a lengthy dining drinking bout. We caught a sleeper bus back to Tokyo which in fact worked well. Though one restless dream featured the sound of the bus turning into a hundred voices saying "Lyle, Lyle, LYLE, LYLE..." Then a bunch of little trolls in the seats in front of me turned to face me while chanting all the time. I wasn't fooled, I knew it was a dream, like the whole wonderful vacation.
Happy new year.
posted by lyle Nisenholz at 11:14 PM
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