Welcome to Japan!

Welcome to Japan!
This has been an amazing trip so far. My entry into my journey and into Japan has been eased by the fabulous people who have welcomed me so warmly. I don't know when I have ever felt so cared for, especially by people who have never known me before.

I arrived in Kyoto on September 11 and was ushered immediately into the home of Diane and Hikaru, friends of Cathy and David's in Seattle. They provided me with luxurious accommodations, delicious food, instruction into the customs, culture and sights of Japan, and most importantly, welcomed me into their family. My first week of overcoming jetlag and entering into a new culture was as effortless as could be with this soft landing.  

Diane and Hikaru offered me their extra bike to get around Kyoto. Now this was an adventure considering that there are seemingly no rules of the road in place. Bicycles share the sidewalks with pedestrians, and share the streets with cars. Near collisions occur by the minute. It's pretty nervewracking for a newcomer, but the locals don't even notice the quarter-inch space somehow found at the last second.

My first impressions of Japan are of contrast, that of old and new especially. In many ways Japan is so far advance compared to the US, I almost feel like I've come from a backward country. The electronics can do most anything except... Oh did I mention what the toilets can do? Yes, they even wash your tushie! And then there's the old. Japan has such an ancient civilization, as evidenced by it's innumerable Bhuddist temples and Shinto shrines, it's no wonder that their culture is very ingrained in set ways of treating each other. I've been very worried about offending people by doing the wrong thing, but so far I haven't been flogged. Foreigners are given a lot of leeway.

I left Kyoto last Thursday taking the train to Okayama to visit Miyuki, a friend of Sarah/Cindy in Denver. Miyuki, also couldn't have been warmer. She enlisted a retired friend of her's, Nori-san, who took me to the Korakuen Garden, one of the 3 most beautiful gardens in Japan, and Kurishiki, an old town near Okayama. She also took me to her healer who gave me a lymph treatment for TWO hours. It hurt a lot while it was going on, (Miyuki and Kakumoto-san were laughing like crazy as I was screaming in pain), but I feel so much better now. Miyuki's husband, Tsuyoshi, cooked delicious meals for us. They have also now become dear friends.

On Saturday, I took the train across the inland sea to the island of Shishoku, Japan's fourth largest island. In its largest city, Matsuyama, I met Hitomi. Hitomi is a beautiful young woman who lived with me for 3 months at the end of 2006. She and I became fast friends during that time, and I always wanted to come see her in Japan. In fact, she's the reason I came to Japan, and I'm so glad I did. It was too hot to do any touring, over 100 degrees and humid, so after taking me to lunch, we headed east to her parent's house in Mishima. Since they knew about how close Hitomi and I are, her parents and grandparents welcomed me like the queen of the world. Only Hitomi speaks English, so verbal language was pretty non-existant, but we still understood each other and laughed a lot. You'll see in the photos below that I look very happy. Hitomi's family provided me with a real Japanese experience. It was pouring rain on and off all day on Sunday. We took a drive into the mountains to a resort of sorts. They have a spa there, and a tea plantation, and they make their own tofu. So we ate green tea soba noodles with fresh tofu and drank strong green tea. They also treated me to a traditional tea ceremony where I learned a bit about this beautiful tradition. Coming home, they wanted to dress me up in a kimono. Hitomi's mom and grandmother brought out many of their kimonos for me to choose from, a dozen or more. We all thought one that was made for the grandma 57 years ago would be best. It took all three of them at least 15 minutes to dress me in this beautiful kimono, and I have to tell you it had a huge effect on me. Wearing it transported me back in time and space to ancient Japan. I felt prim and proper, serene and elegant. A sweet calm came over me. I didn't want to take it off.

So, Hitomi left to go back to Matsuyama last night and left me here with her grandparents this morning. Here I sit at the family's computer with the mountains very nearby out the window to the south, and the inland sea very nearby out the window to the north. Finally I have the time to write to tell you about my travels so far. In about an hour, Hitomi's parents will be taking me to meet my first farming family and begin a new chapter in this journey, on top of a mountain in Japan. There's so much more to say about my impressions about Japan, but I have to run off now. I was hoping to figure out how to format this blog to incorporate the text with the photos, but it's not happening this time. The photos are pretty much in chronological order so you can follow along from top to bottom. Click on any photo to make it larger.

I look forward to your comments and of course your blessings.

May the whole world come to know the kindness and love I have felt in these first days in Japan.

Blessings to all for a new year filled with peace, love, and connection among all people,

Araya