The last few days though, we were refreshed when the breeze cooled us a bit and found ourselves sweltering if we were inside for too long. As we moved through the streets, the temples and other settings whether ancient or futuristic I was taking it all in afresh. There have been many occasions when the place is just too crowded for my liking, but I have reminded myself to keep pace with those around me and to take in what I can of the surroundings.
The blossoms have edged into the light, but remain timid for the most part. Rains on Wednesday and Thursday may abbreviate the season this year before the flower reach their popcorn glory, but that may depend on whether downpours prevail or the country gets a light drizzle to send the macrophotographers into a tizzy with the extra detail of a bit of moisture to kiss the flowers. Without the cherry trees in bloom, my eyes have drifted to familiar friends: the carpets of moss that provide ground cover at so many temples, the ferns that complement them and the shadows that seem to be more poetic or present than they are in other places in the world.
As we wound down our last full day in the country before conceding ourselves to our return tickets, we trekked around Osaka one last time and I navigated the trains with ease that had been lacking earlier in the week. It gradually started coming back to me but throughout the last day or so there have been pangs of recognition that there was so much left unseen. That is the reality even if I’m at home but it is acutely so when trying to repackage 8-years’-worth of “you gotta see” into 11 days on the ground. For Gabe there will be an idea of the lasting impression in a few weeks or months and it will be interesting to hear what he regales me with as he recollects his experience of this place. It will be interesting to see if he targets more of the same for his next trip or if he pursues a mix of experiences that are angled toward a different overall experience.
There is the sense though that the Japan he has seen and will discover will be different from the one I know. The question will be whether the differences in our perceptions of the place are superficial or intrinsic. Will he remember the odd process of buying a ticket into a temple from a vending machine, but only after having the cashier at the break a Y10,000 bill into Y1000s to put into the machine and then having that same cashier tell us we could put the ticket into the small plastic box that sat on the ledge in front of her. Will he grasp the near sacrilege of a Hard Rock Cafe being not only in Kyoto, but in the neighbourhood of the city normally the reserve of the geishas and maikos that shuffle through the narrow streets of tea houses in ancient Gion?
Much will tumble through my head as I process the trip over the next few days and weeks. I feel wistful after this long overdue visit to a place that retains the status of second home, a place that has remained with me and informed me throughout the decades that have passed since I left in 2003. I still gravitate toward the country, its cultures, films, music and books. As for the books, I scanned a reasonable collection of Japanese novels in translation this afternoon, hoping to discover one that might appeal to me during the trip home and beyond. During the subsequent train ride, Gabe was fixated on his Nintendo so I picked up my new novel and in the second paragraph came across a direct reference to one of my favorite (English-language) novels. The serendipity of this connection from the one book I chose from all the options available was a reassuring point to conclude upon.
I will dive into this tense little novel, Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight, throughout my travels tomorrow and I will contemplate the serendipity that occurred today and at the outset of the trip as well. I would have liked to have more chance and coincidence mark the trip, but there were also occasions to note where I took matters into my own hands to ensure the trip went the way I wanted. I’m not often one to push things my way, but it was good to see it pay off and keep this little adventure on track. Next up is the trek back to Tokyo on the shinkansen and on to the airport to begin the return to home.
