Stones from “Lost in Translation”

The orient has always been an area of interest for me and in early 2009, I got to reap the benefits of a two-year-long preparation.  After endless research and much anticipation, I embarked on a two-week excursion across central Japan.  It was the experience of a lifetime.

To say Japan is beautiful is a gross understatement.  Naturally, cultural differences abound.  However, in my naiveté, I did not expect those differences to be lurking around every corner, and rooted deeper than the 300 year old trees.  It was so refreshing to be out of my element and comfort zone.  What better way to be attentive enough to soak up my surroundings and notice every beautiful detail?

Japan is all about balance, at least from what I could see.  In a country where technology is king and bullet trains fly, there are also slow, arduous pilgrimages to climb Mt. Fuji on foot.  There are loud arcades and karaoke bars as well as quiet, methodical tea ceremonies.  Large-scale modern architecture is located next to small wooden shrines and even in the mega city of Tokyo, trees are just as sacred as commerce.  And no matter where I was, life in Japan seemed to have a natural order and rhythm to it.  The only exception being the sidewalks.  The Japanese are so adept at riding bicycles, that walking down the street is dangerous and chaotic because they can navigate themselves with a few inches of space.  And no acknowledgement is made when one is coming to pass you!  But, perhaps that too balances everything out, considering that all traffic laws are followed, all cross walks are used and people even stand single file inside lines painted on the ground when waiting for the train.

Cultural pride is evident everywhere.  The people I met and spoke to were overjoyed when complimented on their country.  They are proud of their language, their traditions, their landmarks and their beautiful cherry blossoms.  They always sounded honored to hear how excited I was to see their country and experience their culture.  Likewise, they were excited to practice their English and share stories about vacationing in the US.

Gates

I was comfortable in Japan, considering that the entire trip was outside my comfort zone.  Even though the food was completely different, toilets were holes in the floor and, in some remote places, no one spoke English at all, I still felt comfortable.  I think I needed to experience being at the mercy of another culture.  I needed the feeling of having to adapt.  This trip was my first real opportunity to have that experience, and I learned that people are people.  They can look different and sound different, but with a healthy respect for a new culture, there’s no reason to fear the experience.  Japan was nourishing for the mind, body, and soul, and I left with a renewed appreciation for the human spirit.

Largest wooden building in the world.

In 14 days I passed through 7 cities, each different, but amazing.  Tokyo and Kyoto are the places I spent a little extra time, given that there are tons of things to do and see, but all the smaller stops were just as exciting.  There was viewing Mt. Fuji and experiencing some hot springs in Hakone.  A day in Nara let me see the largest wooden building in the world.  On the rural island of Shikoku, a stop in Kotohira let me experience a fancy, traditional Japanese inn, called a ryokan, complete with a 7 course dinner!  And while staying in Tokushima, the Iya Valley vine bridge and waterfall were easy to access.  Osaka was the last small city to visit, and it was filled with unique things like a shrine shaped like a lion’s head and a temple with a graveyard surrounding it.  Plus, the river that cuts through the city was just breathtaking.

Shrine

Once again, I saw so many things that I had only seen in movies or read about in books, up until that point.  Plus, there were countless points of interest I didn’t even know about until I happened upon them.  The research paid off, the effort was worth it, and I realized that an obsession was born.  I couldn’t stop there.  After surviving another trip of a lifetime, I understood that my life needed to be made up of trips just like that.  There are so many cultures, so many awe-inspiring things to see, and so little time.