Last weekend was a three-day holiday due to the Emperor's Enthronement, so it was decided that me, Sam, Kyoto (the teacher/bartender that supposedly has the hots for me), and several of his friends would head to a festival in the mountains in the northern part of the prefecture.
I spent a very quiet Saturday night in Hyuga with Sam (it's been known to happen) and early Sunday morning, Kyoto arrived at her doorstep in his Jeep, sans roof and doors.
Things were off to a good start.
About 45 minutes into the trip, we met up with the remainder of our party (which consisted of 4 cars and 8 people) and off we headed to Shiba for the Hietsuki-bushi Festival. The festival is a re-enactment of the love story between a young samurai of the Genji Clan and a Samurai's beautiful daughter of the Heike Clan - the sworn enemies of the Genji. The epic feud (much like our Romeo and Juliet) between these two families to control Japan during the 12th century is one of the most famous of all the Japanese legends.
After enjoying the brisk but beautiful ride up, we came upon the tiny mountain town. Squeezing into a parking space and then squeezing through the crowded, narrow streets of the old village, we slowly serpentined our way through the masses to the parade route where - for once - my height had me at an advantage for being able to see over most of the crowd.
I began to hear a slow, low drum beat in the distance and anxiously waited for the procession to begin, watching the on-lookers around me as they, in turn, gave Sam and I a good looking-over. Slowly, the pageantry made its way in front of us and I was soon transported back in time, as all signs of the present faded away and my eyes focused solely on the ancient ceremony which strode past.
The soldiers, both young and old, marched by in somber procession clad in armor that clicked like winter branches against an icy wind. From behind them, I heard the steady, slow and mighty steps of mountainous horses as they made their way up the small street lined with hundreds of eager faces. A horse whinnied, which drew my attention toward the handsome and statuesque Samurai astride a massive, DaVinci-like steed.
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| Japan's Romeo. |
Adorned in a rich tapestry of armor, he stood so tall and grand on his mount that he seemed to reach the ashen clouds above. He looked straight ahead, somber, dignified and determined in his role of lover and soldier. His almost perfect, almond-shaped eyes, shaded by thick, feathery lashes drew me into one, long gaze and spurned a desire for him to turn my way. Yet he never shifted his purposeful gaze. I watched he and his companion until they rode out of sight, at which point I turned my attention to the next procession that would prove even more enchanting than the last.
What I assumed to be Ladies in Waiting were next to pass before us. The kimono they wore were of such colors that a rainbow would have wept at the sight of them. Perched upon their heads were large, round headdresses draped in a white fabric that thinly shrouded the upper parts of their bodies, with the exception that through the front of the veiling you could just make out their silken, white complexions and dark, painted lips. I thought nothing could be more beautiful, more divine, until, close behind, I saw four soldiers carrying upon their shoulders the platform which held the Samurai's love.
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| Japan's Juliet. |
To try to find the words to describe her beauty is almost like trying to capture an autumn day in the palm of your hands. But when she passed my way, and our eyes met for a brief moment, I felt as if I had stared into an ethereal light.
Resplendent.
Perfect.
The slow beating of drums and the low rumbling of horns approaching from behind the beautiful, young lover intensified the already intensely hypnotic scene.
"Now this," I whispered into the din of the crowd, "is the Japan I've been looking for."
As I looked over the heads to Sam, who stood a few feet away, we both smiled, silently acknowledging how fortunate we were feeling. Even the intrusive attention Sam and I were receiving during the breathtaking procession did little to quell the joy I felt. I figured the sighting of two gaijin was probably a less common occurrence in this tiny, mountain village, than was this splendid festival. So, I simply kept my frustrations at bay, offering a friendly smile and hearty "Hello" to all who wanted to greet us with the one of the two English words they knew.
When the cavalcade disappeared behind the walls of the rickety, old village, Kyoto and I hopped back into the jeep (Sam now rode in one of the other cars, no doubt in order to give Kyoto and I some "alone" time - the manipulative wench.) and led the way further up the mountain, along the narrow, curving roads, passing one pastoral scene after the other. Somewhere along the way, as we edged along the road overlooking the valley far below, I noticed something rather peculiar in front of an old, tumbledown shack teetering on the mountain's edge. It was a large, medieval-looking cage of rusted metal bars and within it, two immense, hairy beasts. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me and what I actually saw were, perhaps, two very large family dogs But a little further along, I saw a similar scene and turned to Kyoto with such a look of bewilderment that both he and I began to laugh.
Still laughing, Kyoto asked me if I knew what "inoshishi" was.
Responding with an even greater look of confusion, he pulled over at the next cage and gave me a good look at the objects trapped within. I now know the word for huge, smelly, hairy, black, wild boar. Obviously, these are not house pets, but what appears to be common fare for the mountain folks here.
"Aw, Mom, not wild boar AGAIN!"
Although I cringed at the thought of the creatures' inevitable demise, , I had to remind myself that the only difference between this and passing a pig farm back home...
Sheer volume.
We drove on for quite some time, getting further and further from civilization.
And caged wild boars.
The further we drove, the more I was enjoying the day, despite the cooling temperatures and lack of protection from the elements. I simply wrapped myself in Kyoto's jacket and found warmth from his smile.
He really is a very sweet fellow.
But before you "awwwwww" in unison, I'm just not feeling the sparks.
Yes, he's kind.
Yes, he's fun - and funny.
Yes he's single.
And he's showing me a Japan I would never see on my own.
But I'm just not feeling "it".
Good thing you're all thousands of miles away because I'm quite sure that last comment would have summoned hearty slaps from each of you.
But I can't help it.
If there's no chemistry, there's no chemistry.
Before you verbally assault me, however, I'm not giving up altogether. We continue to do more and more things together and I enjoy his company, so let's just see where that takes us.
Honestly, I was lying in bed last night thinking about all of this and it hit me.
I actually enjoy being single.
I like the freedom.
I like the flirtations.
I like the fact that I've made certain choices in my life without having to consider how it will affect another individual.
It's only the lack of sex that really sucks.
And until someone comes along to change my mind about all of this, there's not much I - or for that matter, you - can do about it.
So, offering forth my very best raspberry, I salute you!
And with that, on with the story at hand.
The further we headed up the mountain, the narrower and less travelled the roads became until they were barely more than dirt ruts towered over by tall pines and snow-capped peaks. About an hour passed when Kyoto finally pulled over beside a river and with his huge, crooked grin, informed me we had arrived. Crossing through the river (there was no bridge), with the caravan close behind, we began to set up camp on an embankment close to where the river tumbled over a waterfall and continued on its southern course through the mountains.
Firewood was collected, tents were pitched and sleeping gear was stowed. For Sam and I, this consisted of several pastel-colored comforters from Sam's house.
What can I say, camping gear did not make the short list of "Things to bring to Japan."
We stuffed the blankets into our tent and tried our best to ignore the obvious... Most likely, we were going to freeze our asses off that night.
Kyoto was suddenly looking more attractive.
Though our camping gear was sparse, our fellow campers accoutrements made up for it. At first, I thought they'd overdone it by bringing practically an entire kitchen and three-quarters of their living room, but I had to admit that all of these luxuries added to our enjoyment of the evening. After settling in, the women (of course) began food preparation and although Sam and I offered repeatedly, they politely refused our assistance. I didn't know whether to be indebted or indignant, but after sitting next to the fire with a blanket wrapped around me and a beer in my hand, I quickly chose the former and spent the remainder of the evening eating, drinking, laughing and stargazing.
I did, in fact, freeze my ass off, but managed to wake the next morning with a surprisingly sunny disposition. Especially considering there were several points during the evening when I couldn't decide whether to cry - as I shivered uncontrollably through the various stages of Hypothermia - or simply skip all the stages of freezing to death and slip into a sleepy coma.
After a leisurely breakfast (which Sam and I, once again, had absolutely nothing to do with) we packed up our gear, cleaned up our mess and headed further north through the mountains.
The scenery was extraordinary.
The autumn colors were at their peak and being in the jeep made me feel as if I had plummeted into a pile of leaves. It's hard to compare the fall colors here to those I grew up with on the shores north of Chicago, except to say that the autumn of my upbringing bellows and blazes and brags of its fleeting beauty; while here, on the island of Kyushu, autumn floats in with a whisper.
Subdued.
Serene.
All along the gravel road which took us further and further into the forest, waterfalls cascaded down the mountainside. As we passed nearby in our open vehicle, I could feel the icy mist against my wind-blown cheeks. I felt so alive and so happy to be alive that I was sure an irrepressible squeal of delight would force its way through my throat at any moment. But startling Kyoto while he maneuvered along the edge of these precarious roads was probably not the best idea, so I suppressed my urge into a smile so unyielding that it made my face hurt.
We stopped and drank from one of the waterfalls. It was sweet and cold and clear. And flooded my mind with wonderful memories of the summers I spent at camp in Colorado.
The higher and higher we climbed, the sharper the air became and the more the autumn colors began to melt away, leaving in their wake forests of naked trees with branches as waxen and sullen as icicles set against a grey, winter sky.The further down the road we travelled, the more I began to understand the significance of the mountainscape, or fukei, which is reflected everywhere (besides those "western-styled" rooms) in Japanese culture.
In traditional clothing.
Earthenware.
Art.
Music.
Even the quintessential Japanese garden is designed to mirror what is seen in a natural mountain setting.
Once reaching the peak, we pulled to the side of the road and climbed out to have a look at where we had just been and there we stood, smiling and giggling and rubbing the cold out of our hands, until the caravan became anxious to move on.
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| Our weekend in the mountains with Kyoto (kneeling) and friends. |
We continued west through the spectacular countryside of Kumamoto-ken until we reached Naidai Jinkyo, an enormous red bridge that spans over a valley and river. The bright red of the bridge set against the deep greens of the fields and forests below was both dissonant and dynamic, making me feel as if there ever was a man-made object created to worship and respect the scenery it intrudes, this was it.
We bought some roasted corn from a vendor set up nearby and strolled to the center of the bridge where we gazed down below at the tiny village and geometrically aligned rice fields. From where we stood high above the rolling terrain, the sleepy countryside looked like the coolest model train set ever. Not wishing to miss a single perspective, I leaned over the edge of the bridge until my head began to spin and a brisk gust of wind set me right again.
As we wove our way back home, Kyoto asked me if I wanted to join him for a dance festival in Nishimura the following week and without a moment's hesitation, I said yes. The festival is known as "Yokagura" or God's Banquet. Beginning in November, the festival gives thanks for a good harvest and offers prayers for next year's harvest. It's a celebration during which people gather weekly at different homes (or public stages) called Kagura Yado. There, participants drink sake, sing and watch dancers perform the "Kagura", ancient theatrical dances which, Kyoto tells me, tell tales of Gods and Goddesses and the creation of Japan.
The dances - and the celebration - last all night long.
I can hardly wait.
All I Can Say Is...
- The other day, as I was returning home after school, a little girl was walking just ahead of me after having purchased candy from the local grocer. Eager to bite into her sweet treat, she tore off the wrapper and threw it on the ground. I didn't mean to startle her, but I've never been tolerant of littering. So, I picked up the wrapper, tapped her on the shoulder and explained in my broken Japanese that what she did was not good and would she please throw the paper in the garbage. I then continued on my way, looking back only once to see her still standing there - wrapper in hand - as chocolate dribbled from the side of her mouth, desperately looking left and right for somewhere to deposit her trash. All I can say is... although she probably only understood half of what I was saying, I think I made an impact on her. I'm just not sure how much the environment will benefit from my scaring the crap out of a little girl.
- Something happened at the office the other day which gave me hope that I was making some progress with my Japanese. Tomioka-san came into the office and noticed that I was wearing my Greek sailor's cap in my usual manner - in reverse. He commented that my hat was on backward. Without hesitation, I corrected him - in Japanese - saying, "Actually, my head is on backwards." The look of surprise on his face (and those who overheard our conversation) was absolutely priceless. Suddenly the entire office was laughing. All I can say is... for the first time since I arrived, I feel as if there's a chance of hurdling myself over the language barrier.
- Sam has been dating this guy in Hyuga and after they'd been out one night, he walked her home. When they got to the door, she thought she'd help him in his assumedly romantic endeavors by suggesting he give her a goodnight kiss on HER CHEEK. His response was simple and direct. He croaked, "SHY BOY!" and ran screaming into the security and dark of the night. Sam sat on her stoop for moments afterward trying to make some sense of it all. She then calmly picked herself up, walked into her house, stuck her head in a pillow and screamed. Combine this with the fact that I spent an entire weekend with Kyoto and he never even tried to hold my hand. All I can say is... there may be a lot of roosters around our proverbial hen houses here, but all they do is "Cock-a-doodle-don't!"
- As for things back in Shintomi… the other day, I got on my bicycle and went to Tonda Beach for the first time since my arrival. The beach is very close to my apartment and quite lovely, except for all the litter. It inspired me to talk to the Board of Education about arranging a clean-up day with my students and trying to get some trash cans, trash bags and t-shirts donated from local businesses for the event. All I can say is... if that little girl with the chocolate bar has spread the story of her scary encounter with me, I should at least be able to intimidate of few children to participate in the event.
- I had my first visit to an elementary school this week. I visited Kaminyuta Shogakko and the entire school was led into the gymnasium to greet me. Two students welcomed me with speeches in English and I introduced myself in Japanese. I was then serenaded by all the students and was invited to play Dodge Ball during lunch break. During the course of the game, I was barely allowed to move my hands - or body - into action, as at least four children on either side of me held onto my arms, dragging me from one end of the playing field to the next, screaming, "Anne-san, Anne-san, Abunai! Abunai!" (Watch out!) I felt like a human wishbone. I loved every second. All I can say is... the stir my visit caused was no less exciting than a child's first encounter with Santa Claus (and considering my recent weight gain, the physical similarities were eerie, to say the least).
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| My first elementary school visit. |
- During the game, one little girl did not move from my side. Her teacher explained that even though my little companion did not like the game in the least, she was willing to risk being hit by the ball for a chance to be near me. And if this wasn't enough, after lunch, I was presented with an armful of gifts the children had made in honor of my visit. There were beautiful origami figures, a paper necklace, paper dolls, an array of pictures illustrating famous Japanese cartoon characters, and even portraits of me. I was also bombarded with questions - one of the most popular being what kind of music I like. Sadly, the answers, Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, and The Beatles left my tiny interviewers with lost expressions. As far as their knowledge of Western music goes, it's either Michael - or Janet - Jackson, Madonna, New Kids on the Block - or nothing. All I can say is... music will NOT be our common ground for promoting international understanding.
- As we drove away from school that day, many of the children ran beside the car, calling out my name and yelling good-bye, and for days, the thought of my visit has brought a huge smile to my face and a pang in my heart. All I can say is.... talk about your ego trip.
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