What we Americans originally assumed would be a simple $2 train ride, six-block stroll, and pleasant hour or so caressing bolts of fabric was transformed by the Japanese quilters into one of the most fabulous of many fabulous days I have spent here. Hiroko, Hisayo, and Kayoko decided we would visit some temples, climb a mountain, hike three+ miles, and break bread together before winding up our day at Swany's.
When the family gathers for Matt's graduation in June, I hope to re-create this adventure - minus the Swany's in deference to Ancient Mariner, an only child who had to abandon his dream of playing catcher for the New York Yankees because his mother kept dragging him to fabric stores when he ought to have been perfecting his throw to second base. Here are a few highlights for those of you who can't join us in June.
Jufukuji Temple was our first stop. Generally regarded as the first Zen temple in Kamakura, Jufukuji ranks a mere third on the list of the Five Great Zen Temples in Kamakura because it did not originally follow a purely Zen tenet. Masako Hojo, the wife of the first Kamakura Shogun, Yoritomo Minamoto, built this temple to propitiate his soul when he died in 1199. This was about 300 years before Christopher Columbus landed in the West Indies. Masako was perhaps a nostalgic woman as she decided to erect the temple on the site where her father-in-law had once lived.
Masako invited Eisai Myoan to be the temple's founding priest. Eisai is famous for introducing both Zen Buddhism and green tea to Japan after making two trips to China. He probably leaped at the chance to get out of Kyoto when Masako's invitation arrived because his teachings had made him unpopular with the reigning Tendai sect. Zen Buddhism went on to attract a large number of followers among the samurai, including Masako's brothers who served as regents until her children were old enough to take over as Shoguns.
The green tea contribution might have been overlooked if Eisai had not recommended it as a hangover cure for Sanetomo Minamoto, Misako's second son and the Third Kamakura Shogun. Eisai later wrote "Healing Sickness with Green Tea", a two-volume essay considered valuable in terms of medical care and as an example of ancient writing. Two volumes! And you thought I was verbose . . .
A patient person might have waited for those ladies to move before taking a picture of the temple's impressive entrance. At the end of the day, therefore, a patient person would not have a physical memory of the people we later discovered are members of a - you're going to love this, Kate - Haiku Club that meets once a month to visit various locations and compose poetry inspired by those settings.
Maybe the Haiku Club decided to visit Jufukuji because Takahama Kyoshi, a famous haiku poet, is buried in the cemetery behind the temple. One of Takahama's poems was an apt epigram for my day.
Spring breeze !
On the hill I firmly stand
With the great resolve.
Lured on by a flowering tree, Artistic Explorer ignored the barrier erected across the path. "The sign says 'Please Come In'," I quipped to no one in particular and just happened to spot spontaneous grins flashing across a few haiku poets' faces. I have noticed that Japanese people seem inordinately fond of sarcasm which might explain why I am so happy here.
"Bossy, look! Is that a red camellia blossom on the wall over there? That will surely inspire one of these poets." "No, it is key. The words "Sweet Factory" are printed on the red ribbon. This is a key to a candy store. This is what I consider an auspiciously good omen."
We think this is where Masako's ashes are buried (above).
The caves (above) where the ashes of priests and other dignitaries like sculptors and poets are buried are called yagura.
The cemetery was surprisingly ecumenical (see cross, above).
We didn't go all the way to the top of the cemetery but this picture (above) will give you an idea of the terrain behind the temple. Walking up and down steep steps like that every day could be a reason why obesity is not the epidemic in Japan it is in America.
Coming back down the hill from the cemetery, Hiroko, Hisayo, and Kayoko stopped dead in their tracks to point out a pair of squirrels. If I had thought to take a picture of their faces at that moment, I swear you might have mistaken them for three little children seeing an elephant, giraffe, or gorilla for the first time.
It's refreshing to spend time with people who pause to appreciate the little things in life that I too often overlook.
Next: The last time ever I hope you will catch me wearing Japanese pants and a particular sweater.
