SADATO

Journeys in Japan Pt 3

For the past few days I was up in the mountains of Koyasan in Wakayama (no internet), visiting the area where the monk Kobo Daishi established his famous sect of Buddhism.  I stayed in a temple called Ekoin (which was pretty much a ryokan, or Japanese inn) and explored the vast Okunoin graveyard where many famous Japanese are buried, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Takeda Shingen.  On the second day there Typhoon Gulchol hit Japan, and although I didn’t experience it’s full force due to being so high above sea level, the winds and rain were still ferocious.  Earlier I had prayed at the temple where Kobo Daishi is supposedly meditating for eternity and asked him to ensure a safe journey - perhaps having the typhoon pass through while I was staying at his mountain was his answer.  

Now I’m in Kyoto, home of the famous Shinsengumi and the last capital of Japan until the Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown in the late 1860s, and the Emperor restored.  I’ve forgotten how I love Kyoto.  It was one of the few cities spared during the bombings of WWII, and because of that many old buildings remain dotted around the city.  I’m sure there would be more if the Japanese didn’t have a thing about tearing down historic sites for parking lots.

 As I walked through the Imperial Palace grounds today I saw a man walking his dogs hold up a piece of food, whistle at the sky, and then a hawk suddenly swooped out of nowhere and snatched it out of his hand!  I couldn’t help but wonder, what would this area look like 150 years ago?  Instead of a jogging troop of baseball players there would be a marching troop of monks, instead of various couples riding bikes there would be various lords, samurai and courtesans.  And of course, there would be a man with his dogs with the ability to summon hawks out of the trees.

[Images in this post include the Studio Ghibli Museum and Tokyo.  Next part will include photos of Koyasan]

(Source: sadato)