November 2017 – Curious Touring

Final Reflections on Japan

Posted: November 08, 2017 Under: Japan By Brian Woolford no Comments

Japan invited me to slow down and live a bit more in the moment even though the whole country seems to be on time and in a hurry at the same time. From the lack of constant input comes creativity.

There is always a more artful way to do something.The Japanese people can take simple flowers from a garden, a well-chosen vase and create a visual morsel.

Not all will notice, but notice the ones that do.

There is a difference between looking and seeing. Looking can be superficial. Seeing is multidimensional and boosts colors, increases my sense of smell, and my connection to the surroundings.

The words of Cedric Wright:

In all heaven and earth, there is one thing to do: take your time.

I have seen Japan through the painter’s eye, thanks to the typhoon rains.

I understand the negative space better. It is what is left unsaid, not included, left out, and superfluous. Leaving what is left more important and treasured.

The negative space encourages the viewer to be part of the creative process and to complete the scene in their own vision. The “artist eye” takes more than two eyes. It takes a soul with vision.

Thanks to Mario & Liz for all the hard work that they did to make the trip such a memorable experience. And to all of our travel companions, whom I hope will be friends for life.

With Aloha,

Brian & Vicki

Japan November 8, 2017

Finding the Tokaido Road

Posted: November 07, 2017 Under: Japan By Brian Woolford 1 Comment

Before coming to Japan I had this romantic view of the Tokaido Road between Tokyo and Kyoto. The old pathway was the inspiration of the famous woodblock prints by Hokusai and other artists. It was traveled by Samurai, bandits, conspirators, and commoners.

My vision was: carefully restored buildings staffed by ancient shopkeepers with tastefully handcrafted goods and 50-year-old water stained price tags. I’m walking a path with a few shoppers dressed in traditional costumes, geta echoing off stone pavers and no overhead wires. Incense, mixed with woodsmoke and the unfamiliar but pleasant smell of cooking is the stage set.

Wake up! you missed this scene by at least 200 years. The beginning of the Tokaido Road can be found on Sanjo Dori, translated: 3rd street. Fires, no building codes, and commercial pressure have mostly buried the historic area.

Right around the corner is Teramachi, loosely translated means you can shop, drop, eat, and repeat all in a covered mall about one hundred times the size of your nearest Costco.

The self-guided architectural tour brochure says about the neighborhood:
“We believe a resilient, attractive community is nurtured by a good balance between the wisdom for preserving what is good, and the enlightenment to appreciate regeneration.”

Maybe I will be able to find the history sometime in the future. I just need to keep looking.

Kyoto, Japan November 7th 2017

Respect

Posted: November 06, 2017 Under: Japan By Brian Woolford 1 Comment

Rice fields outside of Oomoto, Japan

Respect is something that feels more prevalent here than in the US. Is it taught by nature, the previous generations, or in school? I think the answer is yes.

Ancestral Respect: One of the reasons that the rice fields are still tilled is that it would be dishonorable to the previous generations to let the fields lie fallow even though it is not the most efficient use of the land. Every once in a while you see a small photovoltaic installation in the middle of farmland. Once the PV installation is in, the revenue far exceeds the more labor-intensive production of rice or vegetables. But that would disrespect the past.

The rocks, trees, and waters of the mountains are believed to be sacred and harbor divine spirits. The people have a deep respect for the natural environment and commit huge resources to groom, preserve, and maintain them. And they throw away their own trash. As the trees age, they offer support to them, just as they do for their aging population.

Moral code: I’m not sure what is taught in school but if you believe the author Alex Kerr he says part of it is conformity. Maybe that’s one of the reasons that the Japanese are not gunning themselves down in the streets.
Each morning the teachers bow and greet
every student with “ohaiyogozaimasu” and
the uniformed kids are taught to bow back. When you bow, you do it side to side so you can make sure that you are dipping as deeply as the other person and not showing any sign of disrespect. When it comes to the work life, the population overworks themselves not for the sake of the company but to assure that their coworkers are not having to do more than their share.

Nature Worship: We have gardens and parks in the US but they are not like Japan’s. Here on weekends and holidays thousands come to the gardens to walk, take selfies, and eat snacks but there is not a scrap of paper on the ground or an un-invited weed.

When it sees garbage, the mountain weeps and the streams sigh.

Wabi-Sabi: This is a difficult concept to explain but I think it is partly the celebration of the aged, rustic, and imperfect things, those that carry the spirit of the maker. They have a patina that can’t be duplicated by production. It is the essence that flows through an inanimate object that has no value but is the most valuable aspect of that thing. A respect for the history, the people responsible, and a celebration of that impermanence.

In most cases, the locals go out of their way to be kind and respectful towards us as visitors, and when they don’t, it’s a bit of a surprise. As a traveler in Japan Arigato will get you a long way. I do love America but there are a few things that are Made in Japan that we could learn.

This chapter title was suggested by Beth, one of our traveling companions. Thank you, Beth, for the inspiration.

Oomoto Japan November 6th, 2017

Another typhoon forming

Posted: November 04, 2017 Under: Japan By Brian Woolford 1 Comment

The third typhoon in as many weeks is on its way to Tokyo. It is predicted to make landfall on Sunday, exactly a week after Saola, and two weeks after Lan. As with all typhoons, this one is very unpredictable. The Japanese, as usual, have a wait and see attitude toward each storm. But I think the damage from this disturbance could reach beyond the city and could affect the whole Asia Pacific region. I have named the storm Typhoon Trump.

The recent Abe election was a mandate for change in Japan, even though the players are all the same. The geopolitical structure in the Asia Pacific region has the potential for a tectonic shift. With the risk of over-generalization, Trump says to the Japanese: “you need to protect yourselves”. Abe will probably ask for dial back on the defensive constitutional stance which would allow Japan to rearm against the political threat posed by Crazy Korea. Then the Chinese and South Koreans who are all reluctant neighbors need to re-evaluate their “defense framework”, upsetting the region’s balance of the last 50 years.

Trump’s approval rating here in Japan is even lower than in the US, and he hasn’t been here yet. The Japanese are always on their phones but they don’t often say what they mean. The written language is iconographic and meant to express ideas. A series of characters can be interpreted by five people in five different ways.

The writer Andrew Juniper explains it this way:
“FURYU MONJI, literally, not standing on words or letters denotes the zen concept that no deep understanding can be transferred by the spoken word.
Those who do not know, speak, those who know speak not”.

I expect that Trump will be incapable of “speaking not”. The more he says, the farther the harsh wind spreads. I am hoping that Typhoon Trump does not turn into category 5 storm. Otherwise, the cleanup may last months or years.

Sharing the farm table

Posted: November 01, 2017 Under: Japan By Brian Woolford no Comments

We had a farm visit scheduled just after the second typhoon, Saola. The plan was to pick vegetables and deliver them to a farm-based Charter School where we would all cook our lunch with the kids in the school. The fields were rice paddle deep in mud so when we arrived, the teachers were preparing the food for all of us. The children had been looking forward to the day with the gaijin (foreigners) for weeks. They were preparing some of the food on a brazier in the middle of the entryway.Charcoal fires and smoke-filled rooms inside the home are a bit strange and I think we were taken aback. The teachers and the kids didn’t seem to mind. The floor looked like dirt but had been replaced by concrete sometime in the last century. This is a real farm to table experience.

One of the children was struggling to shave Bonita flakes and I offered to help, giving them all a laugh. They were impressed with my dried fish shaving skill. I told them I had been a Japanese fisherman in a past life but they probably didn’t believe me or understand.

We all ate together on the tatami-covered floor, trying to understand each other but united by the fresh vegetarian food. When the meal was over, I told our translator that my tradition after a great meal was to help with the dishes. He said they would probably say no. When he asked and after the laughter stopped they invited me in. Now they had to show me the routine. No dishwasher, no soap, just hot water, and a simple washcloth. I felt a warm welcome in the kitchen. I guess the language of pitching in is the same in all cultures.

When Julie complemented the soy sauce that was being served, the principal took us out in the back to show us how they make their own. They use five-gallon plastic buckets filled with soybeans, spices, and herbs. They start the fermentation process in May and bottle in December. The principal says that her mother and at least five generations before her have used the same recipe. And, it is a dying tradition.

The next event took place at the nearby tea house. The children served us a traditional tea ceremony in kimono that their moms made for them, especially for this day. These are Michiko’s (one of our guides) tea ceremony students. Joining us was a local reporter from Kameoka, documenting the big event in Oomoto Charter School program. Today was another unexpected experience that the description “farm lunch” could never have prepared us for.

Kamioka, Japan November 1, 2017