Travelling by high speed train to Kurashki district where we were met by and stayed with our next hosts Akinobu, Mariko and their two cats Bo and Ginkgo.
Over the next few days we cycled and walked, visiting historical places that are not much visited. Tamashima had once been a scattering of small islands but, at some point in the Edo period the land was reclaimed as paddy fields and for cotton growing (apparently because can stand briney soil). It was a major port and many old wooden buildings and the Temple remain. There is a museum at the Old Yunoki house where a Samurai Kumata Ataka commited ritual suicide to protect the people of Tamashima. Apparently there was a blood stain but, it had been cleaned thankfully. Suicide like this was considered honourable even heroic and made it possible for the new governors to be accepted by the people. No just stepping aside here in that time!
The Edo period (1603 – 1868) was a time of relative peace in Japan. The shogunate, headed by the shogun, controlled the government and unified the feudal lords, who in turn managed their respective domains. It was the time of a rigid hierarchy with the Samurai as leading class. It was also the time of isolation from the rest of the world, as trading and movement outside Japan was strictly controlled. Japan also prospered in this time! I think this is a period that is very much romanticised by the west.
The next day we visited a really lovely Temple Entsu-ji, on Mt. Hakuka. This is where Akinobu and Mariko married!
Monk Ryokan, who’s statue is above was a monk and hermit. He seems to have been very gentle and loved children and would play with them, forgetting to beg for food.
As I try to broadly research the things we see I end up going down rabbit holes and this was no exception. Apart from having beautiful gardens and buildings it is a temple of the Soto sect, a form of Zen Buddhism. I won’t even attempt to explain that, I ended up researching something in China! All I can say is everything is connected especially China and Japan!
We took our hosts from dinner in a large restaurant that is now about to be sold as the Japanese tourists are travelling further afield these days. It was in such a lovely spot high up and overlooking the area. I wonder what it will become, hopefully not derelict?
Mariko is an amazing cook, she is self taught as her mother didn’t cook! She was also not at all phased when two more Sevas members from Denmark also arrived! I don’t have a good photo of them but they were fun and played cards with us after the meal on the last night.
While Akinobu took the Danish girls out on the cycles we walked with Mariko and had the most wonderful experience.
Apparently if someone asked you to go to their house for a visit in Japan, generally you don’t go! Anyway this man who knows Mariko suggested we visit his wife, and so we did! She was shy at first she was soon chatting to us and showing us the amazing paintings and drawings her husband had done and the sculptures of her father-in-law. Some of the carvings are now in Temples. Sorry but I don’t have any photos! The woman herself was the daughter of a Buddhist monks and after Thailand where monks are not allowed to marry this was very interesting!
Lastly this was on a post in the temple, it’s rather beautiful but not friendly! It’s a Kissing bug and they like blood!
The Travelling Bee 