Nara
Mood:  caffeinated
Wednesday, March 30th
Nara

Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. It was considered the cradle of Japanese culture, arts, and crafts. Buddhism first flourished here under the strong patronage of successive emperors and empresses. Many sights here are now registered on the UNESCO?s World Heritage List as an irreplaceable part of the cultural heritage of all humanity.

The city is not large but packs in quite a few temples and shrines within a comfortable walking distance. One of the most memorable scenes on postcards of this area is the cute little tama deer. They have full reign of the park and can be seen peaking out behind tombstones or just lounging on the grass. There are many stands where tourists can buy biscuits to feed the deer, and some of these critters have become quite the beggars. Many Japanese children are traumatized every year by their insistent behavior. We saw a few little kids in tears. Most of the deer are very well behaved though.

Nara Park was created in 1880 and contains many of the sites designated by UNESCO including Kofukuji Temple (which includes a colorful 5 story pagoda), Kasuga Grand Shrine, and Todaiji Temple (the largest wooden building in the world). Todaiji contains one of the great Daibutsu (statues of Buddha). Most of the principal statues in big temples are 4.8 meters tall, and are called Jorokubutsu. All Buddha statues taller than Jorokubutsu are called Daibutsu [ Great Buddha ].

More about NARA

Tuesday, March 29th
Takarazuka Review
This was better than Las Vegas except we couldn't understand a word.
This dance company has been in existence over 90 years.You really need to see pictures of this phenomenon. It's an all women dance revue.
Check it out: Takarazuka Home Page


Sunday, March 27th
Koyasan (Mount Koya)

Koyasan is one large seminary of Shingon Buddhism that has kept its lanterns burning since its founding in 816. At 3,200 feet elevation it is in snow during the winter, and we still saw traces in the shade. Kobodiashi sailed to China at the age of 31 in 804. He studied Tantric Buddhism there and returned in 806 to Japan. He taught Shingon ? True word- sect Buddhism till he founded his retreat at Koyasan. Legend has it that he entered Okunoin cave at age 62 to begin ?eternal meditation. Some believe that he is still meditating there today. hm. Traditions are still carried on by 117 sub-temples including 53 shukubo, temples that provide lodging and dining to tourists and pilgrims. Sylvia was game to try staying at one of these. I was so excited because this was one of the things i really wanted to do before i left Japan. We stayed at Rengejoin because it has a couple of priests who speak a bit of English. Our temple featured ancient looking wall paintings and traditional shoji, paper doors. They had an enclosed Japanese garden that will look even better in a few weeks when things start sprouting and blooming. We slept on futon on tatami. Our dinner was a special Buddhist vegetarian cuisine called shojinryori and was surprisingly delicious. It is skillfully cooked without any use of meat, fish, onions, or garlic. Some of the delicacies are tempura, aghe, Koya tofu, Goma (sesame)-tofu, Miso soup, sweet and sour seaweeds in vinegar, and wild potatoes. We did a 40-minute meditation before dinner. At 6:30am, for those who were interested, there was chanting and a lecture in Japanese and English. This was very popular with standing room only on the morning we attended. The lecture was really far-out. The priest presented these ?scientific photos? of ice crystals formed from drops of water that had been either positively or negatively meditated on in some way. Of course the ?good karma? water had gorgeous crystals and the ?bad vibe? water had really ugly unnatural crystals. His conclusion was that since the human body is mostly water that we should send out ?positive vibes? to all. Well, duh.

Considering this is the off-season we were surprised to see at least 30 or 40 people staying at just this one temple on a Sunday evening. We ate dinner and breakfast with an interesting couple from Singapore. She was Chinese and he was Italian. There was a group from Israel and a Japanese group as well. This experience isn?t cheap, but i think it was worth every penny. Lodging and two meals was about $100, actually very reasonable in Japan.

This was the second visit for me to Koyasan but i still didn?t get to explore it all. The first time because we ran out of time after hiking with the Kansai Ramblers all day to get there. This time the weather was cold and rainy and just wasn?t conducive to strolling under cedars viewing centuries old tombs. We did get some cool pictures but retreated quickly to a warm restaurant for some okonomiyaki.

Welcome to KOYASAN

Whirlwind tour
Mood:  smelly
whew, i'm tired.
Sylvia and Jane are going to get dressed in kimono today. I'm going to take a nap

Friday, Closing Ceremony and Arima Onsen
Thursday, Open Air Farm House Museum and Osaka Castle in the cold, cold rain.
Wed. I taught all day.
Tues. Sylvia went to school with me and we taught the first graders some American Folk Dance fun!
Monday, toured Kyoto - Kiyomizu Temple....

Zzzzzzz more later.

Old Farm Houses
Mood:  bright

Open Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses

This was an outstanding chance to see 11 original old farmhouses brought from different rural parts of Japan and reconstructed in a natural outdoor park setting in Hatori-Ryokuchi Park in Osaka. These houses were all built in the Edo period, 1603-1867. They represent the styles and folk customs of their distinct geographical areas. Furniture and tools were on display in some of the homes giving us a tiny peak into what it must have been like back then. Didik, Sylvia and i sat around a fire on tatami talking in our limited Japanese about what it was like back then. Our hostess showed us how the charcoal was placed in containers to be positioned close to people to keep them warm. We got a taste of the smoky environment that most primitive peoples lived/do live in. We saw silk looms and a silk cocoon. The caterpillars were raised on the second floor of the building we were in. The ?gassho? type house was named because of its steep roof that looks like two hands pressed together in an attitude of prayer and obviously comes from a very snowy region of Japan. One L-shaped house with the style Chumon-zukuri also came from deep snow country and featured thickly thatched walls, pillars set directly on the ground and earthen floors covered with straw mats. BRRRR. One house from a more rainy part of the country was thatched with cryptomeria bark. It also had wooden boards, called Uchioroshi under the eaves to prevent heavy wind and rain from coming into the house. Because the village was situated in a valley this house was very narrow and long.

Too bad that we were a bit early for the cherry blossoms but the ume, plums, were just as pretty in my opinion. Well, maybe not.

Osaka-jo or Osaka Castle Museum

This is appropriately named. It is a museum and not an original structure but it sure is gorgeous on a sunny day.

In the autumn of 1496, the priest Rennyo of the Jodo-shinshu Buddhist sect built monks? quarters near the site of present day Osaka Castle. The monks? quarters grew into a big temple called Osaka Hongan-ji. This temple exerted great influence throughout the country during its period of civil wars. In 1580, however, Osaka Hongan-ji Temple fell to Nobunaga Oda, who was then rising in power. But just two years later, after coming under attack by his retainer, Nobunaga committed suicide at Honnoji Temple in Kyoto. Hideyoshi Toyotomi then succeeded Nobunaga in the campaign to unite the entire country, and seized control of Osaka. In 1583, Hideyoshi began building a large-scale castle at the site of Hongan-ji and the result was the magnificent Osaka Castle, unprecedented in its excellence. However, during the Summer War of 1615, some 17 years after Hideyoshi?s death, Osaka Castle was completely destroyed by fire.

It has gone through two major reconstructions and some large-scale repairs. There is criticism for its modern interior with 3-D computer dioramas, but i thought that they were cool. There is also an elevator so that even wheel chair bound folks can get a glimpse from the top. This is a fantastic view on a clear day. The down side of all this modernization is that you don?t get a feel of what it was like back then. That?s why a trip to Himeji-jo or another more authentic castle is highly recommended by this tourista.



Tuesday, March 22nd
Breaking the English Code

It?s really cold today and so i slip into the warming room on the train platform to wait for my train. There is a family in there already and as i enter their 4-year-old boy beams a big smile at me. After a nudge from Dad he proudly proceeds to introduce himself. He?s rather happy with his statement and prances off, but i can see that he?s still thinking. He gives Dad a nudge trying to get Dad to introduce himself. Dad won?t budge so the boy points at Dad and says: ?My name is _____.? I correct him and have him say ?My Dad?s name is______.? You can see a light come on, and he runs to Mom next. There?s a questioning look at me begging for the next prompt. After i tell him ?My Mom?s name is_____.? He introduces Mom. Then it?s off to grandma and his little two-year-old brother. By the time he has introduced his whole family to me there are quite a few onlookers. He is bubbling with excitement and does a bit of a victory dance amusing all of us immensely. How easy it is to teach English!

O Higan
Now Playing: Spring Equinox
Monday, March 21st
is a Japan holiday - the spring Equinox and we're off to Kyoto.

Here's a bit about one of the sights we visited today:
Otani Mausoleum
The Otani Honbyo, popularly known as Nishi Otani, is the Mausoleum dedicated to Shinran Shonin (1173-1263), the founder of the Shin Buddhist tradition (Jodo Shinshu) and one of the foremost figures in the history of Japanese religion.
Shinran was born at Hino, a hamlet southeast of Kyoto. At the age of 9, he took tonsure at Shoren-in Temple and became a monk in the Buddhist temple on Mount Hiei. After 20 years of study and practice there, however, he descended the mountain and embraced the Pure Land path, which is based on the compassionate activity of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Life and Immeasurable Light. Thereafter, he devoted his life to teaching the nembutsu, the saying of the Name of Amida Buddha that arises from true entrusting of oneself to the Buddha?s wisdom and compassion. Today, the Shin Buddhist path that he founded forms one of the most widespread religious traditions in Japan, With over 10 million adherents.
After Shinran?s death in Kyoto at the age of 90, his descendants and disciples built a chapel dedicated to this memory at Otani, north of Maruyama Park in the eastern hills of Kyoto and gradually developed it into the Hongwanji temple. During the 15th century, the Hongwanji buildings were destroyed by monk-warriors from Mount Hiei, but in 1589, Toyotomi Hideyoshi provided for the preservation of the mausoleum at its original site, and in 1591 also donated a tract of land about 2 km west of here for the Hongwanji temple. In 1603, the mausoleum was moved south to its present location.
The Otani Mausoleum now occupies an area of nearly 20 acres including the cemetery behind. Walking up one passes over an arched stone bridge to reach the main gate (somon), a wooden structure with a large plaque. From here, the main hall (hondo or butsuden) dedicated to Amida Buddha can be seen slightly higher up the hill.
To the right are two buildings where Shin Buddhists visiting the mausoleum are received. To the left are two double-storied wooden structures, one for a drum and the other for a bell, which are used to announce services.
Behind the main hall, through the gate enshrining two guardian gods (ninten mon), is a wide, graveled terrace. Behind it is the Meicho-do, a hall built in 1661 to commemorate Shinran?s 400th memorial. Here, services are held before the remains of the founder (sodan).
At the right edge of the terrace stands a memorial hall dedicated to the victims of WWII. Beyond it are two large, modern buildings ? Muryoju-do I and II, which serve as a mausoleum for the ashes of Shin Buddhists from throughout the country and abroad. They house more than 20,000 small altars.
The area above the northern gate of the Otani Mausoleum is called Toribeyama, famous since ancient times as a cremation site and burial ground. It is covered with over 15,000 tombs. The path through the cemetery leads to the beautiful Kiyomizu temple.

And on the grounds of Kiyomizu

Jishu Shrine is located near Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto but is independent of the temple. For 1300 years, Japanese young people have looked up to and relied on it as the dwelling place of the god of love and matchmaking. It is one of my most favorite Shinto shrines because there is a lot of explanations in English and so many fun things to do with love and marriage. Here are just a few to give you a taste:

* In front of the main building, there are two stones set about ten yards apart. They are called ?love-fortune-telling? stones. If a person walks safely from one stone to the other with closed eyes, his or her love will be realized. I have watched many women verbally guiding their boyfriends between the two stones. This doesn?t seem to count as ?cheating!?

* After people are united in marriage, they call on the shrine to offer their thanks and their names are put up on a notice board in front of the shrine. There are many foreign names on this board surprisingly.

* There are many Good Luck Charms that can be purchased to help in a whole lot of areas of life from love, to good marriage, successful pregnancy, easy delivery of a child, health, wealth, passing an exam, safety in a car or motorcycle, and more. Amazing.

Sun. March 20th
10th Anniversary Hanshin/Awagi earthquake concert with Yosie and Miki.

Sat. March 19th
We toured Nishinomiya.
Sylvia got to try Chanko for dinner with Doug, Jane and their guests from the US. It's a dish cooked at the table that is popular with the sumo wretlers. There's lots of seafood, meats, veggies, mushrooms, tofu and more that we keep adding to a simmering pot of broth. Dig in and chanko! yum.

Sylvia's arrived
Mood:  happy
Sylvia flew in on Friday evening from Spokane.
Yippee, a travelling buddy.
What fun.

Words of Wisdom
A human being is a part of the whole called by us “the universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection of a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

ALBERT EINSTEIN

Progress in small increments
Mood:  cool
The PT raised my arm almost completely over my head without me screaming and crying too much today. I can touch my forehead with my left hand, yippee. There will be a big celebration when i can do my own ponytail.
Also discovered today that i can type with both hands. That's nice. The emails will be a lot easier to write now. I hated hunting and pecking with one finger. boring and slow!

Also, i get to go back to work on Wednesday. Sure do miss the kids. yahoo.

So Where is Spring?
Mood:  chillin'
Two days ago we were strolling under a warm sun enjoying the first hints of blossoms in our short sleeve t-shirts. Today, i am bundled in my woolies and knit cap and watching the snow drift down. The weather forecaster says that "winter" is taking one last fighting jab at "spring."
Go, spring, go.

Hairy Hospital
Mood:  don't ask
Mon. Feb. 28th
Yahoo. I am going home tomorrow morning. This weekend was sooooo boring. The odors, food, heat, and noises that didn't seem so bad really were too much on Sunday. I am so ready to go back home to fresh air, clean smelling sheets, a home cooked meal with something besides white rice and daikon, and my own bathroom. Simple pleasures.

Fri. Feb. 25th
I got permission to go home today for a few hours to call my Dad on his 78th birthday. I decided yesterday that since i can get away that i may as well relieve some of the suspense and get my 2nd opinion now. "Carpe Diem."
After calling Dad i caught a taxi to a bigger hospital downtown that was recommended to me by a few friends. Didik and Sanae met me there. Now that was funny. The Dr. spoke Japanese to Sanae. She translated to Indonesian to Didik and he translated to English for me. Hah. In just a few short hours i had a written note from my new doctor who said as long as i'm careful that it's ok to go back to work when i'm released from the hospital. Also, he says that it's perfectly ok to travel with my friend at the end of March - just don't fall down again. He confirmed that it is truly a bad break and that i will need to be cautious. No bike riding, hiking and avoid the crowds. I can live with that. What a relief.

Like magic i was sent for another x-ray when i returned. Dr. Mean had received a call from my new doctor. Who knows what was said, but the attitude has cooled and Dr. Mean was much nicer to me! He finally switched my meds as i requested almost a week ago. The x-ray looks the same which he says is good news. It's healing and the bone chips haven't moved. Yahoo.

Tues. Feb. 22nd
Big Meeting Day
Sakurai and Fujioka senseis (my bosses) are here early to check in with me before the big meeting. My dear and dedicated friend, Osawa-sama, is here early as well. We sit and talk in the dining room until 10:15 before we begin checking with the head nurse. Yes, we are in the right place and Sasaki is aware of our 10 am meeting. At 10:30 we ask again - is he delayed in surgery? No, he's making rounds to visit patients. Osawa has taken a half-day vacation to be here and needs to be back at Kobe Univ. for classes soon. At 10:40 Dr. Sasaki shows up with no apology. He puts up some x-rays on the wall. The one he showed me with the mystery bone chips is absent, but there's a new one that i have never seen before. It is a composite made up of little squares each with a little different view of many floating bone chips. He explains that i shouldn't be traveling at all. No train, bus, or bicycle. I cannot go home early as i have requested. I shouldn't go back to Yamaguchi at all this month and furthermore i shouldn't even go traveling with my girlfriend at the end of March! Good grief. He says that he's not sure if the bone chips will cause problems. I will not regain full range of motion but he says that for "normal living" I don't need to reach over my head! Good grief. That does piss me off. He says that in 1, 2, or 3 months he MAY determine that i need more surgery but it is all very vague. Osawa is a great translator and advises me to follow the doctor's orders. This is a very different song than what was sung on Sat. and i like Saturday's tune much better

Sakurai came back in the evening with all the details about medical leave etc. She and the Center are being very understanding and supportive. I am determined to follow the rules until my release. I am in the process of finding the best bone specialist around and right after my release will get a second opinion. Things just aren't jiving. One of my teacher friend's has advised me to beware and make sure that those are my x-rays that i was shown. He says that this is a bad doctor and shouldn't be trusted. Hm. That's what my friend's girlfriend told me, and she works in the medical field. She told me that i would get no straight answers and that this doc is arrogant and threatening especially to women. Oh, maybe that explains why -in the meeting - he grabbed my bad arm and raised it rather quickly (without any warning to me) to demonstrate how far i could lift it without pain. Freaked me out because my PT is so gentle and gradually warms up my arm before he has ever lifted it that far! I am getting the feeling that this difficulty is a bit beyond just a language barrier. We have entered the realm of cultural barriers as well as some specific personality barriers. Admittedly, I am a stubborn, self-willed American woman. Thank goodness for that - it is now time to take the initiative and get the facts. It will be a relief to get out of here and get a second opinion. The next one, no matter what it is, I guess I will have to live with. It just has to make sense to me and not feel punitive. Whew, what a long strange trip this has been.

Mon., Feb. 21st

i am lucky to have a "rehabili" person who speaks very good English. The break is bad and one jar and the piece of bone could pop loose from the two screws holding it in place. One good bump or twist and it would shatter and then i haven't a clue what would happen. I JUST CANNOT GET BUMPED OR HEAVEN FORBID FALL DOWN FOR QUITE AWHILE. Sure glad i got a lot of hiking in already. i have been on some pretty awesome trails that will be impossible for me now.

I will know more later but right now i am in the hospital for three weeks. I don't like it but it forces me to just sit and not injure myself more. The next 3 months are crucial and as i understand - i won't be able to lift my arm for the entire 3 months. I am working with a PT every day and he is having me do some passive movements and flexing my lower arm and trying to get my elbow to unlock from being in a sling all the time.

The lack of communication (language barrier) is the most frustrating. Simple things like not understanding the announcements about signing up for a shower today means that i miss out on a much-needed shower and the next one is 3 days away - arggghhh.


Sat. Feb. 19th
Dr. Nita, my "good guy" doctor, came in this morning to change the dressing on my incision and take the stitches out. Since he doesn't speak English I called Shinobu and had him talk to her and tell her what's up with my condition and what to expect. They spoke in Japanese for quite awhile and she took notes. I was relieved when dear Shinobu sent me an email with all the translated details. Basically that at the end of three weeks I will be 30% healed. At the end of three months the bone will be 100% healed. I can deal with that. He outlined the progress of my current and future PT. No mention of any complications. Whew.


Lack of communication Part II

At the beginning of my stay here one of my nurses asked me a question in Japanese over and over again. I didn't have a clue what she was trying to ask me. Finally she backed out frustrated and embarrassed and returned in just a few minutes with a notepad and a simple drawing of a rear end with a pile of shit under it! Question: "Have you had a bowel movement today?" After that, one of the English-speaking nurses taught me how to do some of my own charting. I now chart what percentage of each meal I eat and if I take a shit every morning. hah


Friday, Feb. 18th

The attitude sagged a bit for a few days. I've convinced the powers - by crying uncontrollably for a whole day - that i needed to seriously burn off some nervous energy.
I am now going daily to the PT room for a two-hour plus session and cranking my heart rate up to 130+ and back down a few times on a funky stationary bike. Now the endorphins are kicking in, and i'm actually tired and hungry and in a much better mood at the end of the day so i can sleep! Simple pleasures. Another important discovery was that the wonderful nurses kept filling my thermos with tea, and it took me awhile to realize that i was severely caffeinated! Friends brought me some chamomile tea bags, which made an incredible difference.

I am blessed with so many dedicated friends that i haven't had much time to myself which is funny. I have actually had to tell people NOT to come because i need some down time.

Here is the latest news:
I have lost the privilege to walk to my apartment for a few hours during the day. A friend is carrying my laptop home to upload my messages and then downloading all my new messages and carrying the laptop back to me.

There may be complications but the language barrier is immense so won't know for sure till next Tuesday when i can get together a good translator and the Surgeon who has refused to use a translator because he is proud and thinks he can communicate in English. He has reduced me to tears because i can't understand him. Finally i just refused to talk to him without a translator - a very tough situation. The segment of my bone that is screwed back in place may have two chips that broke off. These chips MAY be floating around in my rotator cuff. But then again maybe i misunderstood. The x-ray is ugly. The worst-case scenario is that i need another surgery. Best-case scenario is that i get out of here on March 1st with maybe very limited movement of my arm. Right now i am just praying that i can slip a t-shirt over my head and brush my hair by March 1st.

If i never see white rice again it will be too soon. ha ha. Food is healthy and wholesome but white rice twice a day is boring. I am craving a good fat slice of whole wheat bread toasted with honey and butter. Again - simple pleasures

Hospital Blues
Mood:  smelly
Oh my good goodness, i'm type "A" blood type! The Japanese equate blood type with personality type. Hah.

News Update. I will be presented with a bill today. I was a tad bit nervous about having to pay cash for this operation. Must i stay here forever and scrub toilets to pay off the debt? I was told that I would be responsible for 30% of the total bill but 30% of what? What a relief when I got the estimate yesterday. My total bill for a 2.5-hour surgery with two attending surgeons and one week's stay in the hospital, all x-rays, tests, pills... is ?120,000. That's about $1,000. I wonder what a similar surgery would set me back in the states. By the way, since I am sharing a room with four other women, my room is free.

Mon. Feb 14th
We are living in a historical period in which we understand that it is necessary for all of us to be conscious and active in our world. None of us can ignore this call to action. And yet, if we do not practice zazen, whether we call it zazen or whatever we call it and however we do it, we cannot act in any accurate way. There has been plenty of action--too much action. What we need is not more action, we need enlightened action. And this means letting go of action.
NORMAN FISCHER

Hospital Potty Humor

Easily offended? Skip this entry kusasai.

Japanese heated toilet seats probably will never make my "Must Have List" but I have to admit that a pleasant stream of warm water on my bottom after a dump is so refreshing, tee hee.