Kamakura Winter Peonies at Hachimangu

on all sides,

the peony wards off

rain clouds

– Yosa Buson (1716–1783)

I’ve entered into the phase we military spouses refer to as short-timers. We have six months left of our tour here in Japan and with the flip of the calendar into a new year I seem to have been hit head on with the meaning … I’ve begun the season of “lasts.” As in … this will be the last time I go to the Tokyo International Quilt Show – ever. As in … I will not get to see the Yamate Western style homes decorated again.

It also begins a phase of firsts – making the time to experience those things I’ve wanted to see but somehow never made the time to. This is how I found myself last week, standing in the Winter Peony exhibition on the grounds of the Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, crossing off one of those items on my short-list. The past two winters I had seen the posters for these winter beauties in the train station and had made mental notes to myself to go see them but other priorities apparently got in the way. Now, without another winter season ahead of me here in Japan, I had to make time or the opportunity would be lost.

Among the many things the Japanese Way has led me to appreciate, is the way they take time out to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of nature. There were eight of us who took the train ride over from Yokosuka to Kamkaura last week. It was a cold windy day with clouds moving in and out of some desperately needed sunshine. As Buson said in his haiku “on all sides, the peony wards off, rain clouds” – the peonies were beautiful and of course left me … inspired.