Japan: June 10-19, 2018. Miscellany

Some things I saw or experienced on our trip simply defied explanation or words. Some were just  things that stuck with me -- or that I wanted to stick with me.   Many things I found meaningful or interesting, but I could not categorize.  This post is a compilation of the silly, the interesting, the surprising, the mindboggling, or simply the un-file-able.


Hats for Cats were for sale.

As we rode our bikes the last day by the river, we saw not only fields of small plants planted in rows: rice patties, but we saw subsistence farming at the river's edge.

Everywhere we stayed offered magnificent views.  This is the view of a temple from our ryoken window. The lotus flower in the front is in a fountain. The streets are empty because the earthquake just happened.

Streets in Japanese cities are very narrow. Cars, bikes and pedestrians on the same road just make it work. During one of my bike rides, I slowed my bike when I saw an older woman with a walker.  She and I linked eyes and nodded to each other -- a gesture I saw people use to signify recognition, respect, a notice that "I see you," or a simple "thank you."  Then a black car (cars were either black or white there, much like the clothing) nearly hit her.  She didn't flinch, but slowly walked around the car, which had stopped just shy of her.  She then stopped, and walked around the car again. She was passive aggressively keeping the driver stationary, demonstrating true quiet power of an older woman.  I stood back, leaning on my bike watching.  When she passed me, she looked up at me, nodded and showed a smirk. (The first two photos are in Kyoto, the next two in Tokyo.)

Kyoto street, homes.

Toki Temple bell

Large bells are rung by a swinging external clapper. The first one I saw was in Toki and overlooked the village and had a marvelous mountain view. For size scale, I could easily walk upright underneath the bell.

At least twice at or near temples, we saw herons.  These herons, large and gray, seemed oblivious to people around them -- which is what we'd expect from birds that live in the city.  One was just hanging out at a large moat on in Kyoto outside To-ji (5-story!) Temple Pagoda.

In Toki, I walked many miles on narrow roads not on maps or Google.  I ran into an older woman who appeared very concerned about me.  We could not communicate. I imagined she was asking if I was lost.  She also pulled food and cold water from her bag, encouraging me to eat and drink.  She was genuinely worried about my well-being.  I know it was odd for a gringo (for lack of a better word) to be bumbling around her neighborhood.  She is on the left side of the road in this picture, just past the bridge.)

Ok, so this is not Japanese, but this was a chair I liked in the first hotel lobby. 

Many of the playgrounds had interesting play items -- things to do that were simply different, and unique.  I'm sure many would not past muster in current US safety regulations; I was brought back to some of the creative play areas of my youth when I saw them.  (Each playground also had a clean and well maintained bathroom as well.  Often it was a squatter instead of a bidet.)  This playground in Toki (found on my walk to the American-Modeled mall) had a several-story long slide made of colorful rollers.  I hiked up and rolled down several times.  The speed (or lack thereof) was perfect for me as well as 3-year-olds. 

bottom of the slide

Top of the slide is at the end of the steps

 

The small town of Toki was proud of two things: ceramics and an American-Modeled shopping mall.  Refer to a different post for ceramics; the shopping mall, on the outskirts of town, was a mall that many Japanese people traveled two or more hours to visit.  It was modeled, they say, after a mall in Colorado.  Familiar with many malls in Colorado, I decided I needed to see this mall.   Indeed, when I arrived, it was clear.  The mall was modeled after the Castle Rock outlet mall off of I-25 just south of Denver.  The style of buildings, the stores (Yes, even Brooks Brothers and Bath and Body Works) and the fact that everything was in English marveled me.  The food court was the same, but with a Japanese flair to the food. Longing a little for American food, I ordered spaghetti.  I got Japanese noodles with a spicy sauce that may or may not have been tomato. Sitting areas for eating outside were clearly American: octagonal tables with umbrellas and chairs off the ground. The wide walkways, the lighting, simply everything: I could have been in Castle Rock.