Forever changed

Summer holidays are here. The season begins with kendo gasshuku (剣道合宿, best translated as camp or retreat). My stretching/yoga/exercise regime finally paid off as I was able to do kendo properly. In general keiko, you have to stretch, lifting the shinai(竹刀) with your left hand up to your forehead. With my general poor health I'd forgotten, but from now on I'll do an hour of basic practice everyday.

A week later was the Sumida river fireworks display. It was hotter than I can ever remember, but still crowded. I feel like there were more yukata this year. I can only imagine that daily life has become difficult so festival events are good chance to escape, even if it's only for short time.

I wanted to do kendo keiko the next day, but I was too tired and had to get ready for the long trip. I drove from Tokyo to Hiroshima, a total of 2160 Km, over five days. It was a brilliant experience but I never want to do that again.

We left Tokyo on Monday and drove all day to Aichi ken, to a ferry at the end of the 渥美半島, which might to Akubi penisular. The ferry took almost an hour to 鳥羽, which I read as Toriwa. This is the home of Mikimoto cultured pearls (but I know nothing, so the name in English might be wrong). Ryokan, onsen, beer and bed.

We had to visit Ise jingu in Mie ken. Last year, my kendo sensei went to a hachi-dan match here, and it's very important to the the Imperial family. It's mentioned in the Tale of Genji (元治の物語, written 1000 year ago. I'm a beginner, I don't know what I'm looking at.

On from Mie (三重県) ken to the border of Okayama/Hiroshima ken, to my late parents-in-law's birthplace, Tojo (東城). Some relatives live in Niimi (新見). Tojo didn't suffer effects of the bomb, but the black rain slightly affected Niimi. On the way out, we visited a shrine (国司神社), which was cathartic.

Directly south, we took another ferry to 'gas' island - so named because of a secret poison gas factory in WWII. It's a nature reserve now and a museum dedicated to the victims of the poison gas production. Mixed emotions - different times, different morality. A taste of the next day, Hiroshima city.

There a two strong memories - the A-Bomb Dome and the castle. 300,000 civilians died there and the castle, the center of Japanese imperial military was destroyed. The military target is a consequence of war, but I can't deal with civilian slaughter, genocide, terrorism, mass destruction, what ever word we use. The preparations for the ceremony the next day made my cry. I couldn't hold back the tears when I saw a block of seats for the bereaved families...people going about their daily business. Kokushi-jinjya helped a bit.

20 years ago on the cover of my first Japanese language book was the torii at Itsukushima jinjya. Finally I got there. Buddhism is almost pure logic. Everything is cause followed by effect. The military planners in Horoshima castle made it a military target. Shinto, on the other had is all human feeling.We look at the shape or form, of the torii, or the kanji drawn with a fude brush, or the movement in kendo, and think of the deeper meaning. Itsukushima jinjya is beautiful and the A-Bomb dome is very sad, but both help us to understand a deeper truth.

There was not enough time at Miyajima (宮島, also called Itsukushima=厳島). Six or seven hours driving got us to the shore of Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan. Sashimi, sake, onsen, beer, bed. Finally Saturady, eight hours driving back to Tokyo. I feel physically tired but spiritually stronger than ever, ready for the next step. I want to practice and rehearse kendo, shakuhachi, shodo and learn more about Noh theatre, Iaido, and shinto.

Sunday afternoon and I want to sleep, I think it's catching up with me now, because it has been an exciting two weeks.