Buddha rockin everywhere

After the fiasco that was Kyoto, things really started to look up!

As per usual, I’ll start from the beginning.

I had a field program the last couple of days while in the port of Kobe, and we had to meet with out group in the union at noon. So I got up early with the idea in mind that I am going to take a morning stroll around Kobe before I needed to be in the union- but my plans were thwarted by torrents of cold rain.

Normally, rain wouldn’t stop me from going somewhere- but with only three and a half hours to spare, it wasn’t worth going out, getting wet, and having to come back and change before departing.

Soo I decided to stay in the terminal and use the wifi while I waited.

I headed back onto the ship to grab my laptop because I could not get my phone to connect after fiddling with it for 20+ minutes. Which was the best decision despite the fact that I had to go through security again.

Anyway. It was a great decision. My computer connected quickly and it was bliss.

I did what most folks my age do when they have a computer- I immediately logged onto facebook.

Shortly after doing so, a message popped up from Taylor saying something to the extent of “OH MY GOSH YOU HAVE INTERNET” I messaged her back to confirm this, and then requested that she got on skype.

She couldn’t figure out her password….but fortunately- facetime worked! I can’t lie…as soon as it connected I started tearing up. We had a great talk, and got caught up on some of the things that we’ve been missing out on! And it’s a good thing that we covered our bases- because then Mark called! Taylor graciously allowed me to answer him. Then the water works came again. Which was slightly embarrassing this time because my neighbor on the ship, Molly, saw it happen. Oh well. Sometimes you just can’t control it, you know? I got to talk to him up until it was time for me to return to the ship- and it was wonderful. Hearing a familiar voice in an unfamiliar place is so comforting.

After I closed my computer, I returned to the ship once again to collect my packed backpack and head to the union. I was the first one there (which is a little odd- I’m often late) and waited for folks to arrive. I hadn’t heard of many people signed up for this trip, and none of my close friends were participating so I was a little uneasy about not knowing anyone.

About 10 minutes into waiting, a few people started filtering into the room and I began to chat with a girl named Sydney that sat down alone. It was funny because it was one of those moments where you meet someone and your personalities click pretty much automatically. Which was glorious- because we had to take a three hour bus ride into Koyasan ahead of us. It flew by, because I took a nap along the way.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not really a fan of sleeping in front of people that I don’t know very well. I’m the type that falls asleep with my head back and my mouth open- I consider it a win if I don’t drool or snore.

Moving along…

I woke up after about an hour and the scenery of Kobe was long gone. We were driving along a winding road on the edge of a mountain with a more mountains laced with fog surrounding us. It was a sight to see.

And I’d love to show you. Unfortunately I have difficulty posting photos now, but I’m hoping to go back through these posts at the end of my voyage and post images accordingly. Sooo, if you wish to have the full experience, you can wait until May to keep up with me. Or you can just ask me about it when I get home- just be aware that you will likely have a difficult time getting me to stop talking about it. Ye be warned.

ANYWAY.

We made a few stops along the way including shrines and structures that had significance in the beliefs and practices of Buddhism before we reached our final destination.

There was a large horizontal wheel with several cogs attached to it that can be spun when a group of people work together and in unison. Supposedly, if you spin the wheel you will become more knowledgeable. Easy enough, right? So as a group we split up and took turns turning the wheel and then proceeded on our tour.

We went to a- you guessed it- Buddhist shrine.

It was unlike the one that we went to for my field lab.

First off, we had to remove our shoes, despite the cold, and walk inside the equally as cold shrine.

It was a huge square building with five Buddhas and sixteen pillars on the inside. Everything was so beautifully painted- I wish I could show you. Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed inside- so there’s not even a picture to be posted at a later time. But not even a photo could capture the atmosphere. There was something about being in a foreign place of worship with people worshiping a foreign god that was incredibly eerie. The inescapable smell of incense, and the thin cloud of smoke it produces really added to the mood.

I must say…as cool as it was, I was looking forward to putting my boots back on. Any layer of warmth I could get access to suddenly became more appealing than anything else.

The heaters on the bus also sounded like heaven to me. And they were.

We got back on the bus and headed to our final destination, the Kongobuji Temple, which is where we would be staying for the night. We took a tour of the premises and then settled down on the floor of a large, red room for tea. We sat on the floor in two circles (not because of any sort of ritual, purely because there were two small heaters in the room and we crowded around them) and were given bowls filled with green tea and packaged rice pancakes. Is that the technical term? Probably not. But I’m rolling with it.

After we finished our tea, our trip liaison stood up in the center of the room with a sheet of paper to put us into our previously assigned rooms. Sydney and I were not thrilled about this new development. We had already decided we were buds for the trip and were not down to be split up.

As our trip liaison began calling out the room assignments, one brave soul asked if we could choose our own roommates- after giving it a brief thought- she agreed! SCORE

Boys stayed on the floor that we were already on and us girls were all led upstairs by one of the monks. We walked down a long (and COLD) hallway, split up into pairs, and moved into our new rooms! We opened our sliding door to a very traditional room- sans beds. The room had a small space heater in the corner, special night-time kimonos (which we were not supposed to put on until after dinner), and a table in the center with a blanket attached to its edges- which we learned had a heater beneath it.

OH. And have I mentioned that the temple had awesome wifi?

Of all the places I have visited and will be visiting…I would have never guessed that the monks would have the best hookup.

It became mine and Sydney’s haven.

At least until dinner.

We were sad to leave our toasty little room and venture back downstairs- but the monks prepared us food and were going to make up our beds during this time, so how could we decline?

OH. Remember those bedtime kimonos that I was talking about? About half of the guys came to dinner with them on. I suppose they misheard the instructions. They were asked why they wore their pjs to dinner- it was quite comical.

But onto the food- I had a very interesting experience with their food.

The teachings of Buddhism include that the taking of any sentient life is wrong, so only vegetarian foods should be consumed.

They prepare their meals very particularly.

Perhaps peculiarly is a better description.

For each meal, there should be five colors, five cooking methods, and five colors. There should be a grilled dish, a deep-fried dish, a pickled dish, a tofu dish, and a soup dish.

There was one item…maybe the grilled one, that mysteriously tasted exactly like meat. And was an apricot..? Weird stuff, man. Rice is my new best friend.

OH. And there was also an orange. I’ve never been a huge fan of oranges- but my ways are changing quite rapidly.

After dinner, we shuffled back to our room in our slippers (no real shoes allowed in the temple) –and the temperature seemed to have dropped significantly. We could see our breath and chill bumps began forming on our arms and legs. So we shuffled faster. All I wanted was to rush to brush my teeth, wash my face, and return to the warmth that out blanket table contraption offered us.

You know how I’ve been complaining (just to you) about the chilly hallways? I spoke wayyy too soon. They may have had wifi, and the hot blanket table thing (I’m sure there’s an actual name for it- I just have no idea), but they do not have a hot water heater.

I had to give myself a pep talk in order to wash my face.

The best way I could describe the temperature of that water is aggressive. Aggressively cold. I was THRILLED to get back to our room.

Keep in mind, at this point in time, it is about 8 pm. It’s been a LONG day. So what do Sydney and I do?

Sit in mostly silence for 3 ½ hours on the monk’s wifi.

God bless ‘em.

It was bliss.

Until we had to get up and going at 5 am the following morning to join the monks for their morning activities as well as have our belongings packed up and ready to leave.

Not only was it an early morning, but as I slid open the shade for our window- the outside of the temple had turned into a winter wonderland.

That’s right, folks. The girl who hates the cold is in the mountains of Japan in winter.

And our itinerary includes walking outside in the snow (in some super fancy sandals)  to meet the monks for their morning prayers and a fire ceremony.

That's right, folks. I wear socks and sandals even in foreign countries

*and if you look at the SAS photo blog, one of my pictures made the cut!

After the ceremonies had concluded- we trekked back out into the snow and into the main hall for breakfast.

Remember the “rules” the monks use to cook their lunches/dinners? This does not only apply to dinner, we had some sort of fried okra for breakfast.

Which completely goes against everything that I have in my mind about what a breakfast food is. BUT, it did the job and that’s all I can ask for!

After breakfast, put our bags on the bus, and took a walking tour of Japan’s largest cemetery and the mausoleum of the founder of Shingon Buddhism (the kind of Buddhism that our monk friends practice). The walk to the mausoleum takes you past 200,000 tombstones, belonging to feudal lords, prominent monks and well known Japanese companies.

And if you know me, you know that I have a slight, I wouldn’t call it a fear, but an aversion to cemeteries.

You can ask my ultra morbid family about that (I’m looking at you, Dad, Grandma, Patti, and Mike). It’s quite real.

We wandered back to the bus and made our way back to our home. The returning ride seemed to go by so much more quickly- knowing the people you’re on a bus with does help. And bottles of franzia. That also makes for an interesting ride.

As it turns out, I knew a few people on my program, but none of them very well. There’s something about being in a strange country, consuming bizarre food, and experiencing new things together that really brings a group of strangers together.

I could not ask for a better end to my time in Japan.

Onward to China!

Things I love about today:

1. The fact that this trip made up entirely for my negative experience earlier this week

2. Monks and their mysteriously fast wifi

3. New pals

4. Bus sing-a-longs

·      courtesy of franzia

The grass was much greener on this side of Japan, even though it was snowing.