Japan Part II
You will never know what hidden gem you might find if you take the time to look.
Welcome back! More tales about Japan and the people and places therein. If one thinks about what possibilities exist in Japan, of places to see or things to do, allot of people conjure the cherry blossoms in the Spring, or the vibrant Autumnal colors, as seen pictured to the left. Some even think of feudal Japan and fierce Samurai, along with martial arts. From my perspective, Japan is all of that, but so much more. The shot to the left is from the Hida/Takayama area of Japan. There was a modest bridge that crossed a gorge and this view was on one side of the bridge. For being a series of islands, Japan has a scenic beauty that’s unique to itself. They can have all sorts of weather, including some snow in parts, and the things that one can do in Japan, during the winter months, are unique to Japan. More on that later.
Also, in that same area of Hida/Takayama, there is a place called Kamikochi. Kamikochi is a wonderful, scenic, hiking area with mountainous vistas, beautiful bodies of water, even a Buddhist monastery that had even more beautiful areas to see. This place is near and dear to my heart as it is where I asked my beautiful wife to marry me. Within that Buddhist monastery, in fact. But, whether that is your plan or not, it is a beautiful place to hike through. There is a snack area/restaurant about mid-way through to satisfy any thirst or hunger issues you might have acquired along the way. The main trail winds up being a large circle, I don’t remember there being other trails that came off of the main one, but I’m sure there are more strenuous trails that travel upward, but we took a long time with photos, proposals and such, that going to another trail would’ve brought us into the night time. Photographic opportunities abound in this area, not many opportunities for longer exposures but the vistas are fantastic!
Kotokuin Temple, in the Kamakura area, has one of the largest outdoor Bhuddas, that you will ever see, in the world. Daibutsu, or Great Bhudda, stands, or sits in this case, about thirty feet high. He is impressive in his meditative posture and there are a few temples in the area that you can go through. We were there late in the day so one of the temples had closed. The history/lore of the Bhudda is awesome. In the 1300s, the Daibutsu was actually indoors. A tsunami came and destroyed the structure around the statue. The village people rebuilt the structure around the Daibutsu, only to have it taken out again, by a tsunami. The village people decided that the Daibutsu was indicating that he wanted to be outdoors, so they did not rebuild the structure that housed him. After that, no more tsunamis came around.
If you’re a history buff, on any level, Japan has got to be a trip for you! There is so much to take in that you can’t help but be in awe of the history, and how far back it dates, that has occurred throughout the centuries.
When next we meet, I will finish-up with Japan and share a little bit of insight as to why, only from my point of view, Japan is the closest thing to Nirvana that I’ve come in contact with. Join me then!
