Accommodations: Yachiko Kyoto

Accommodations: Yachiko Kyoto

Accommodations: Yachiko Kyoto

From Angel Gibson:  We begin today luxuriously at 6:30am with breakfast right here in our hotel. I’m still getting used to having little pieces of fish, pickle and miso soup for breakfast, yet somehow it tastes delicious or is it I’m just plain hungry? Japanese food disappears in my system about 1/2 hour after eating it but it is presented to us as an art piece in beautiful colors, variety and texture.

At 7:30am we are on the way in taxis to a tea ceremony training temple to do Spiritual Exercises. We are led to a private room which is normally not available to the public. However, this is one of those times where Steve Beimel has cultivated these magical relationships that create unique opportunities for us to be part of the Japanese culture. We get cozy sitting up straight or laying down on the mats and after listening to a John-Roger, audio excerpt we go into Spiritual Exercises. We are brought back to this world by the strains of a flute played by a master musician. The head monk instructs us on breathing as a way of staying present. We are taught how to hold our hands and bow. The melody is haunting and takes me out again as I chant my tone. After a second melody is played we are brought into a tea ceremony teaching room. We line up on the floor in this room that is rectangular in shape. Little dishes with two covered sweets are put on the plate that is set in front of me with a bow. We bow back. Then comes the tea. The guest of honor is our Traveler, John Morton. The tea is being prepared in front of him. The tea server goes through delivering the tea like a finely choreographed ballet–each move done on purpose. The monk explains that when the tea in the special cup is placed in front of us, we first bow to the tea server, and then we bow and say to the person on our left, “Please excuse me for your not getting your tea first.” Then we lift our tea cup to God and say in Japanese “I receive.” We turn the cup 2 times to the right and then drink the tea completely, ideally in 3 gulps. Et voila! We have graduated from our first tea ceremony.

After doing roll call we board taxis again and head for this huge complex of Japanese and Chinese temples and tea houses. Before entering, we call in the Light, and chant. We tour this one house that belonged to a shogun and has its own cemetery.head monk instructs us on breathing as a way of staying present. We are taught how to hold our hands and bow. The melody is haunting and takes me out again as I chant my tone. After a second melody is played we are brought into a tea ceremony teaching room. We line up on the floor in this room that is rectangular in shape. Little dishes with two covered sweets are put on the plate that is set in front of me with a bow. We bow back. Then comes the tea. The guest of honor is our Traveler, John Morton. The tea is being prepared in front of him. The tea server goes through delivering the tea like a finely choreographed ballet–each move done on purpose. The monk explains that when the tea in the special cup is placed in front of us, we first bow to the tea server, and then we bow and say to the person on our left, “Please excuse me for your not getting your tea first.” Then we lift our tea cup to God and say in Japanese “I receive.” We turn the cup 2 times to the right and then drink the tea completely, ideally in 3 gulps. Et voila! We have graduated from our first tea ceremony.

After doing roll call we board taxis again and head for this huge complex of Japanese and Chinese temples and tea houses. Before entering, we call in the Light, and chant. We tour this one house that belonged to a shogun and has its own cemetery. The Japanese maples are just starting to show signs of red and as we walk up through the tall bamboo and pine I am reminded of walking through the Amazon forest and it seems strange to be in Japan thinking about Brazil. Still we are staying in the present or at least getting back to the present as fast as we can, and loving it. The view off the porch in the main house was stilling with the backyard a mixture of turning red maples and light green. The inside of the house had dark lumber as the accent color making the decor very dramatic to my taste. A short cab ride later and we are at lunch. It is Liz Bixby’s birthday so we’re celebrating with a vegetarian lunch. Again there is the presentation that makes our lunch art and interesting tastes that makes our lunch an adventure.

After lunch we walk a few blocks to a main street where Steve Beimel tells us we get to be like kids and watch a parade. It is a special festival today celebrating the history of Kyoto. While we were waiting for the parade to begin, we purchase some cookies to have with coffee at a lovely coffee shop. Olga Schmal, John Morton, Richard and Karen Powell, Marilyn Carasso and I (Angel Gibson) feel downright spoiled sipping our espresso and munching on almond and raisin cookies and macaroons as we watch the beginnings of what turned out to be a fabulous pa The Japanese maples are just starting to show signs of red and as we walk up through the tall bamboo and pine I am reminded of walking through the Amazon forest and it seems strange to be in Japan thinking about Brazil. Still we are staying in the present or at least getting back to the present as fast as we can, and loving it. The view off the porch in the main house was stilling with the backyard a mixture of turning red maples and light green. The inside of the house had dark lumber as the accent color making the decor very dramatic to my taste. A short cab ride later and we are at lunch. It is Liz Bixby’s birthday so we’re celebrating with a vegetarian lunch. Again there is the presentation that makes our lunch art and interesting tastes that makes our lunch an adventure.

After lunch we walk a few blocks to a main street where Steve Beimel tells us we get to be like kids and watch a parade. It is a special festival today celebrating the history of Kyoto. While we were waiting for the parade to begin, we purchase some cookies to have with coffee at a lovely coffee shop. Olga Schmal, John Morton, Richard and Karen Powell, Marilyn Carasso and I (Angel Gibson) feel downright spoiled sipping our espresso and munching on almond and raisin cookies and macaroons as we watch the beginnings of what turned out to be a fabulous parade.

Who knew that this would be the treat so far of the day! With Steve Beimel doing a world class commentary the history of Kyoto parades before us. Shoguns, Samurai, Warrior maidens, ladies in waiting, warriors and writers were all portraying the famous and infamous characters who had ruled and reined in the city of Kyoto. Some of us watching are experiencing our various karmas walking by in color. Gasps, tears, laughter are some of the experiences members of our group are having. My favorites were the Shoguns and the princesses–the Warrior Queen and the Lady writer–I recognized something there as they rode by me. As the parade comes to an end we give Steve Beimel a standing applause of appreciation for the knowledge and scenes from Kyoto history he filled out for us (and another Esprit Travel group that just happened to be in the vicinity too.)

We walk back leisurely to our inn. Some of us go to the baths and others to rest and then don our takata robes for dinner followed by sharing with John Morton. I noticed that though the sharing was so on-purpose for me, my head nodded frequently, and others didn’t even try to remain seated but went horizontal not to long into the first sharing. We are so grateful and so full, and it’s time for more rest, for tomorrow has more adventures in store for us.rade.

Who knew that this would be the treat so far of the day! With Steve Beimel doing a world class commentary the history of Kyoto parades before us. Shoguns, Samurai, Warrior maidens, ladies in waiting, warriors and writers were all portraying the famous and infamous characters who had ruled and reined in the city of Kyoto. Some of us watching are experiencing our various karmas walking by in color. Gasps, tears, laughter are some of the experiences members of our group are having. My favorites were the Shoguns and the princesses–the Warrior Queen and the Lady writer–I recognized something there as they rode by me. As the parade comes to an end we give Steve Beimel a standing applause of appreciation for the knowledge and scenes from Kyoto history he filled out for us (and another Esprit Travel group that just happened to be in the vicinity too.)

We walk back leisurely to our inn. Some of us go to the baths and others to rest and then don our takata robes for dinner followed by sharing with John Morton. I noticed that though the sharing was so on-purpose for me, my head nodded frequently, and others didn’t even try to remain seated but went horizontal not to long into the first sharing. We are so grateful and so full, and it’s time for more rest, for tomorrow has more adventures in store for us. God bless us!

Accommodations: Yachiko Kyoto

Travel across Kyoto to Tenryu-ji temple for SE's, followed by visits in Arashiyama.  A exploration of the private villa at Hogon-in. 

Accommodations:  Princess Kyoto Hotel

Touring in Kyoto, including the Moss Garden Temple.  Every month on the 25th the flea market at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine called Tenjin Ichi. The locals affectionately call this market Tenjin-san. 

Accommodations: Princess Kyoto Hotel

From Angel Gibson: Today we say goodbye to Kyoto, to Marilyn and Adam Carasso (who return to the U.S.), and we head for Nagasaki. To prepare for this transition all of us go to the Saioshin Temple for Spiritual Exercises (S.E.’s) and to meet with Sarturai Sensei, a famous mask maker. We do our S.E.’s in a cozy little room. It is nippy this morning but the edge is taken off the coolness with the warmth of all of our bodies and the meditation by the Traveler. As John Morton speaks, he prepares us for Nagasaki and our S.E.’s. As he talks, tears start to stream down my face. I am not alone in the quiet weeping.

After S.E.’s we meet in the next room with Sarturai Sensei. He is a master mask maker and has created many masks for the No theatre in Japan. Saturai’s face is radiant as he speaks to us of his training to do masks. The hardest mask to do is that of a 16 year old girl. For to show the purity and innocence of a young girl the mask maker must come from the purity and innocence inside themselves. Steve Beimel demonstrates with one of the masks how the mask can change expressions simply by being tilted down and up. Sensei shows us how he starts a mask with a block of wood. I see that mask making for Sensei is a meditation.

Soon it is time to depart for the train station. We have time for a little shopping and sweet goodbyes to the Carasso’s. Then we head for the first of three trains we will take today to get to Nagasaki. On paper it seemed that the 6 hours of train travel would be long, but the time seemed to evaporate. We have a little excitement though. In changing trains Steve leaves his computer and our train tickets for the next train on the last train. Miracle of miracles the conductors communicate with each other, Steve hops trains quickly (hear the theme music for Mission Impossible), and rendezvous with the last train’s conductor and his computer/our tickets and hops the next train back to us. He returns; we cheer, marveling at how cooperative and enthusiastic the Japanese are at helping us out. All is well that ends well and we arrive in Nagasaki. There is time to freshen up and go to dinner at a nearby hotel. John then takes sharing. Many of us are bobbing and weaving as John talks. Some of us just surrender and put our heads down or lay down. John looks gently out on the room and sees that our bodies are ready to go to rest, and he sends us off with a blessing.

Overnight: Nagasaki Princess

Touring in Nagasaki, including Ground Zero and Peace Museum.

Overnight: Wakaba Ryokan

Accommodations: Wakaba Ryokan

Travel to Karatsu

Accommodations: Yoyokaku Ryokan

Accommodations: Yoyokaku Ryokan