Low Tide

7/31/2013 - Miyajima, Japan

Miyajima is a small island off the coast of Hiroshima. It's a small resort town, but with history and spirituality. We saw its famous torii at low tide. In the spirit of island resorts, we beat the heat with a local beer as we walked along the coast. Despite other tourists, the heat, and aggressive "tame" deer, the walk was pleasant and peaceful.

It is nice to live at a time when Japan and the United States are at peace. Hiroshima, which we visited on the way out of Miyajima, is a reminder that Japan wasn't always the prosperous, healthy friend that it is today. In Hiroshima, we saw people going about their business, probably annoyed by the constant presence of dour tourists. I thought Hiroshima would be depressing, but instead I found the rebuilt city to be inspiring. 

Pictured: The torii, viewed from Miyajima.

Birthplace of Japan

7/30 - Nara, Japan

Nara was the capital of Japan before Kyoto. We went directly to Horyu-ji Temple, which contains "2300 items of historical importance... 190 of them are Important Cultural Assets or National Treasures." I laughed when I first read that in National Geographic, thinking that Nara must be stretching the definition of a "national treasure." 

I was wrong to laugh. The temple is amazingly well preserved. The buildings themselves are the oldest wooden structures on Earth. Looking inside, we were awestruck by their ornate Buddhist artwork. The area was mostly quiet, but every now and then we heard the Bell House ringing, or the wind flapping through the curtains. A friend said it best about Nara: "THIS is why you travel."

Pictured: The Five-Story Pagoda and Main Hall at Horyu-ji Temple.

Bookquest: Kyoto, Japan

7/29/2013 - Book 1st

Anthology of Japanese Literature, translated and edited by Donald Keene

Donald Keene's anthology includes literature from Japan's beginning to when the capital left Kyoto. It includes selections from The Tale of Genji, Basho, and many others. I generally don't get anthologies, but Kyoto seems appropriate for a long collection of history and culture.

English language options were otherwise limited. If I knew more about visual arts, I would be tempted to buy an art book from every city instead of translated literature. There have been many options in the local languages for art books in every city I have visited so far. Instead, I took down the names of some interesting artists and made a note to look them up when I get back online.

Empty Palace

7/29/2013 - Kyoto, Japan

We saw two of Kyoto's most famous sites: the old Imperial Palace and the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Both are beautiful in their own way. The Golden Pavilion is literally gilded. 

But after yesterday's vibrancy, they felt hollow. The Palace has been uninhabited since the capital moved to Tokyo. Yesterday's temples on the Path of Philosophy were elegant; the Golden Pavilion seemed gaudy.

The experience didn't help: rain beat down us, and tourists surrounded us at both places. At the Palace, we were crowded by an Australian Boy Scout troop, all wearing cowboy hats and carrying umbrellas. It took effort to draw myself away from the tourists and into the experiences.

Pictured: The Imperial Palace

Gion Matsuri

7/28/2013 - Kyoto, Japan

Today, Kyoto became one of my favorite cities. We walked along the east end: from Ginkakuji Temple all the way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. We walked the "Path of Philosophy," through Murayama Park, and through Gion. We stopped at temples, parks, shrines, and restaurants. In such a developed country, we were surprised to see the traditional clothing worn by many Japanese (including, in Gion, two geishas). We even had a little excitement: I dropped my iPhone into a canal and had to jump in to rescue it. 

By noon, we had already decided it was one of the best days we would have in Japan. By 6:00, I'd decided Kyoto was a favorite. To top it off, we saw a ceremony that was part of Japan's biggest annual festivals, Gion Matsuri. We were briefly awed, but so hungry that we collapsed into an unagi (eel) restaurant in Gion. Our timing was perfect: as we exited the restaurant, we watched a parade leave Gion and stop on the Shijo-dori bridge.

Pictured: A ceremony at Yasaka-jinja Shrine in Kyoto's Gion area.

Fuji Rock Festival

7/26/2013 - Yuzawa, Japan

My friend surprised me with an early birthday present: tickets to Japan's main outdoor music festival. We bought some supplies, took trains and buses to distant Yuzawa, set up a tent, and headed into the festival. 

We walked in hearing My Bloody Valentine's "Come In Alone," and watched the full Nine Inch Nails set that ended close to 11:00. We thought the night would be over after that, but that's not how Fuji Rock Festival works. There were smaller tents with live music and DJs until 5:00 a.m. We partied until 3 a.m., singing and dancing with the Japanese. A great night.

Pictured: On our way into Fuji Rock Festival at a ski resort in Niigata, Japan

Soba at the Brewery

7/25/2013 - Naka, Japan

Our first stop in Japan was Kiuchi Brewery in Naka. When we arrived, our tour guide drove us from the sake brewery to the beer brewery. In typical Japanese fashion, we had to wear special shoes to keep the floor clean, and we rinsed the bottom of them every time we entered a new building. 

We tried their latest beer, flavored with a citrus fruit called "daidai." We ate soba, a very healthy and tasty noodle dish. I will dine well in Japan: I am with two friends who really know how to eat and drink. I've already found that I prefer Japanese food in Japan to Japanese food in America. This might seem obvious, but it isn't always like that. I think I prefer Chinese food in America to Chinese food in China, for example.

Pictured: Kiuchi Brewery's main building in Naka, Japan.