Favorite Things
My days here in Japan are winding down. The pack-out dates
have been set. The tickets back to the states have been purchased. Borrowing
from Shakespeare – parting will be such bitter sweet sorrow.
The Sweet: I cannot wait to return to the states. I miss our
family. I miss our friends. I miss our dog. After three years of living
overseas I have a heightened awareness of what makes me sooooo American, the
good and the bad.
The Bitter: It will be hard to say good-bye to this amazing
country, I’ve learned so much living here in Japan. Learned to stop and pay
even more attention to the details. Learned to appreciate that less is truly
more. I hope that I have also gained a deeper appreciation for all that is
Japan – the ‘Wa’ – the essence of Japan.
Yesterday marked one of the first of many “lasts” for me to
come – a friend and I had blocked out our calendars for a shopping trip to
Kamakura. Not on the schedule was a visit to see hydrangeas but when I
mentioned that perhaps we could start off the day with a “swing-by” trip to one
of the temples in the Kamakura area known for beautiful hydrangeas she
graciously agreed. This is one of the things I love about living here, the
Japanese appreciate, embrace and celebrate the beauty of nature. Where else
would you find hundreds of people – enough to warrant policemen in the streets
directing traffic – all walking towards the same destination, to be wowed by
blossoms? Only in Japan.
Meigetsuin – Ajisai-dera a.k.a the Hydrangea Temple
Located in Kita-Kamakura, Meigetsuin is a short 10-minute
walk from the train station. It is not hard to miss, just follow the masses
because at this time of year with over 2000 hydrangea plants lining it’s
pathways and grounds it is the place
to be for seeing these beautiful plate sized blossoms.
Zen Garden, Bamboo forest, hydrangeas lining well worn old
stone pathways, a small stream with a waterfall and another hidden garden for
my friend and I to discover which is only open for as long as the Irises are
blooming – this temple has it all.
The hydrangea blossom with its many petals is a symbol of
expressing love, gratitude and enlightenment. It is said that the observer can
get lost in the abundance of petals and thus lost in one’s own thoughts –
propitiating higher thought and reaching enlightenment.
I have less than three weeks left here and will be trying in
between the purging, organizing, and all else that encompasses moving a family
of five overseas, to enjoy my final days in this country that has offered me so
much. Revisiting some of my favorites and sharing my final adventures as I get
outside these gates for the last time. Look for more posts to come, hoping to
pass along all that I love about living in Japan and hoping the next one that
follows in my footsteps will see the beauty and of course the inspiration that
surrounds you in the land of the rising sun.
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