After breakfast with a view over this big city, we took a bus to the Daitokuji Zuihoin temple. Like Tokyo and Osaka traffic is orderly with lots of bicycles.
Again this was a Buddhist temple.
We were met by a charming monk who joked away that we, americani, had terrible posture. We sat cross legged on tatami mats whilst he suggested we throw away our sofas and do this more regularly. He made us breathe in deeply through our nose, then out, again through your nose, as slowly as possible. He encouraged us to sit up straight so we could take in more oxygen. Between suffering with your knees sitting cross legged, and back hurting from the effort of sitting straight, we could learn something from the elderly Japanese who can do this for hours on end. Our guide Tomo, sits on her haunches yet when I tried it my knees were unable to cooperate. We should all do this at home to become more limber!
We were met by a charming monk who joked away that we, americani, had terrible posture. We sat cross legged on tatami mats whilst he suggested we throw away our sofas and do this more regularly. He made us breathe in deeply through our nose, then out, again through your nose, as slowly as possible. He encouraged us to sit up straight so we could take in more oxygen. Between suffering with your knees sitting cross legged, and back hurting from the effort of sitting straight, we could learn something from the elderly Japanese who can do this for hours on end. Our guide Tomo, sits on her haunches yet when I tried it my knees were unable to cooperate. We should all do this at home to become more limber!
Our friendly monk then had some green tea served whilst joking away. It is hard to drink tea cross legged and we struggled to remember to turn the lovely pottery bowl twice clockwise so the pretty pattern faces out whilst drinking ( so your lips don't deface the pattern), then back two turns counter-clockwise when you finish. You never put your bowl down whilst drinking but use your left hand as saucer whilst holding the bowl with your right. As green tea is a bit bitter you are first given a wafer of sugar to eat. Then you drink your tea. None of this western mixing sweeteners into your drink!
Inside one of the entrances we found a beautiful cross section of a red tree which was highly polished, so we asked our friendly monk to stand in front of this reflecting the red. ( this is Johnny's shot as I was dealing with camera issues).
The way they rake patterns in their gravel is amazing, with an artfully arranged rock here and there or a stone lantern.
Our type-A photographers were busy jostling for position elbowing each other aside, so the monk suggested we should meditate for ten minutes. This time we sat on cushions on an elevated bench ( much more comfortable!) in a room walled by bamboo-rice paper screens. The soft light is inducive to quiet thought. Breathing in and out slowly, no cameras clicking, we slowly emptied our minds. Like chastened children we emerged much more mellow and appreciative. It was wonderful and I highly recommend it to anybody under stress; take five minutes out of your day sit quietly ignoring phones or external distractions!
This time it was to a traditional kyudo hall of Japanese archery. They use very long bows and arrows made of bamboo and eagle feathers.
There is a ritual like tae kwondo where you walk in and bow. Here it was to a japanese flag. The ending "do" means an activity judo, kyudo etc.
There is a ritual like tae kwondo where you walk in and bow. Here it was to a japanese flag. The ending "do" means an activity judo, kyudo etc.
More or less everywhere you have to take your shoes off and walk in your socks. It takes a skill to take your shoes off without putting your socks on the floor. You step up, after remiving shoes, onto a platform usually with a tatami mat. Your shoes are not discarded willynilly but placed with the toes facing outwards for when you come back. This took a balancing act many of us failed.
At the kyudo we were net by an elderly lady, a man and a younger girl, all wearing traditional archery outfits: kimono tops and skirts for the ladies and a sort of shirt and skirt for the man. They showed us the bows and arrows and explained the ritual. The shooting took place in a gallery outside with the targets 40 meters away in the garden. We sat quietly and observed the ritual bowing, tying up kimono sleeves or taking arm out of sleeve for the man. It was very balletic and followed a traditional routine. They draw two arrows, insert them one by one and take two shots. They are graded according to ability. The older woman, being best was number 7. The man six, the girl five. All shot well.
We watched two rounds before they offered to let us try. Johnny, Kirk and James went back to get changed into the skirts and tops as did Sarah our dreamliner pilot from New Zealand. It took a lot of strength to draw the bow and torque your chamois glove so a notch caught the string and held it in place before you attempted to add the arrow. Practise was indoors with a hay target a few feet away. Kirk excelled and was allowed to go outside and managed to score a bull's eye on his second attempt whilst the rest floundered. It usually takes three months of practise before you grasp the skill. Forget being accurate at it!
We watched two rounds before they offered to let us try. Johnny, Kirk and James went back to get changed into the skirts and tops as did Sarah our dreamliner pilot from New Zealand. It took a lot of strength to draw the bow and torque your chamois glove so a notch caught the string and held it in place before you attempted to add the arrow. Practise was indoors with a hay target a few feet away. Kirk excelled and was allowed to go outside and managed to score a bull's eye on his second attempt whilst the rest floundered. It usually takes three months of practise before you grasp the skill. Forget being accurate at it!
Back at the hotel we had a photo workshop session for a couple of hours to learn about how to be more focused and creative with your work. We are trying to get away from taking snapshots and getting into photo art.
For dinner we were on our own. Too tired to be adventurous we went down to the lower floors of the hotel where there numerous restaurants. As some were completely full we found one tucked away in a corner and climbed the few steps to discover we were the only ones there. I pointed out that that was an ominous sign but as they had Japanese beef on the menu Johnny wanted to try anyway. I ordered sashimi. Our sake arrived in a bowl of ice with pretty lathyrus flowers in it.
Whilst we watched the waiter/ chef prepared my sashimi and Johnny's beef before our eyes. Beautifully presented in various attractive bowls, we had a sumptious meal. Japan us full of wonderful restaurants and different culinary experiences. They are not cheap but worth it given the meticulous presentation and freshness of ingredients.
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