12.19.2010 Family Temple visit to Kyoto

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Today is a big day! The my host family and I are going to a family reunion at a temple in Kyoto, to pray for a loved one who passed away. I was told to dress in all black so I threw on a suit and we were off to Kyoto by train. This time we changed trains about 5 times to get to Kyoto and then a bus to get to the temple. The streets were packed since it was Saturday and it was a “cheaper” shopping day for people, especially since it’s so close to Christmas. The family and I stopped at a small Chinese food restaurant for lunch. Kaori was kind enough to make sure nothing had nuts or shellfish in it, so I ended up eating chicken ramen; very tasty by the way.

After food we walked to the mall and looked around to get a few items before going to the temple. Everything is so close! I come from Minnetonka and that’s and that about 50,000 people, but nothing is close enough to walk to. It may not seem like much but I really enjoy walking around and looking at all the different places, people, and trinkets. People watching in Japan are both funny and entertaining. Everyone seems so rushed and at times I feel as though people look at me like “what the heck are you doing in Japan”? Also I am trying to get used to all the small differences in Japan. For example while on the elevator you must either be on the left side (walking side) or the right side (standing).

We walked to the temple and I got to meet the whole family, I was worried since I can only speak a little Japanese, but I managed to get by with some polite words and introductions. At my family reunions when a family arrives or we meet someone new, it is common to shake hands and hug family members. This was different since no one hugged or showed any physical affection to one another. The temple was exquisite and Kaori’s sister Midori kept pointing out the small Totoro at the gate entrance. The entire temple was wood except for some pieces outside. The praying room had a large gold deity in the middle surrounded by gold artifacts. I was not able to get any pictures due to the fact I am not allowed to. We sat down and the ceremony began with prayer. The priest walked out and said a few before the 40 minute prayer. After the prayer the priest spoke to Kaori and said “he had something for me”. I was very shocked and puzzled as to why he had something for me. The priest grabbed a small paper and handed it to Kaori after the ceremony and explained that his daughter was traveling around the world. He was also interested to find another person other than Japanese at the temple. After many thanks and many bows we exited the temple and thanked the family for letting me see their temple. The temple visit was very spiritual, it tough to put into words but it was unlike any other place I had been. Kaori’s father needed to stick around so Kaori, Midori, and I grabbed a bus to shinkyogoku shopping arena. After a few days it gets easier and easier to take pubic transportation, even the train, but I am still very new to anything other than a car.

Our first stop was to get something to eat so we ran to sanmaruku café. The coffee was delectable and the French toast sandwich was superb! The only fault with this place was that there is smoking allowed in the café, and in Minnesota smoking indoors is strictly forbidden. After food we then made our way to the mall and “wow” it is so difficult to get around! You bump into so many people when walking across the street! This was by far the most amounts of people I have seen in one place at a time. I eventually meandered my way through and make it to the arena and I must say it looks just like photos from movies. The street showcases an array of unlimited stores with enough flashing signs to give you seizures. We ended up walking around taking pictures and just looking at the different stores. I laughed when I saw Lacoste and some other stores that took up more space than the local stores. During the walk though we passed three shrines and were able to get into one. We walked in and at the entrance there was a large bronze statue of an ox; I was told to pet the head if one were to wish to be smart. After walking for a while Kaori told me one of the famous Osaka crabs was close so I went ahead and ran to get a photo! There is a larger and crab located at Dotombori and I will grab a shot of that one as well.

We eventually got tired and ended up going home. On the train ride back, I looked around and it hit me that I was away from home. A that moment I felt like a complete stranger in a place that I had no idea or no clue what was going on. I feel very fortunate to have someone else to help me in Japan. I know that I would not have had such a great adventure today if it weren’t for Kaori and her family.

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Photos

Midori and Kaori
Midori (Kaori's sister) is on the left and Kaori is on the right