Dear family and friends, You have already read Anna's "Final Blog", but I want to share about my last temple visit, which I squeezed in just a few days before we leave Japan. As I write, today is our last full day in Japan. Anna is patiently waiting for me to finish working on her computer, so she can pack it up. In a couple of hours a friend is coming to take our final five big boxes , including this computer, to the post office (hope that goes well!!) Over the past two years my understanding of Japanese history, language and culture has grown and deepened - but I still feel like I have just scratched the surface. I find myself returning to places I have already seen, viewing them with a better understanding of how they came to be, the people who built them, the symbolism inherent in details of the buildings, and how they have been altered or maintained over the centuries. About 3 months ago a found a wonderful book titled "Another Kyoto," by Alex Kerr. Thanks to this book, the list of temples, shrines and gardens that still I want to visit has grown significantly - we will just have to come back again one day! The day after our last day of school Anna took the boys to see the new Star Wars movie. So I grabbed the opportunity to visit Manpukuji, a temple with a fascinating history, which I learned about only recently, from Alex Kerr's book. Be warned, this is a blog post for temple-lovers! The video is long and rambling, full of little details that were exciting for me, but may not interest everyone. Below, at the end of this post, I have copied in some background notes about Manpukuji. You may want to read this first, as it will help you understand what you see in the video - and why I was so keen to visit. In the final part of the video I made the mistake of turning my phone upright, so the video is narrow, oops! I'm not the expert "vlogger" that Anna has become. Manpukuji is about 45 minutes by train from Kyoto, very near the town of Uji, which is famous for its green tea. When I arrived at the temple gate I realised that I was hungry, and that I would need to eat lunch to really enjoy the temple. Across the road was a small restaurant, where I ordered "Tenpura Don", a bowl of rice topped with tenpura. The meal arrived as a set, with miso soup, pickles and a cup of cold black bean tea. Oishikatta! Delicious! The video starts with my introduction, as I sit in the foyer of the restaurant after my meal. It was so hot ourdoors, Japan was experiencing a heatwave. I lingered awhile in the air-conditioned coolness before venturing out to see the temple. In the video I talk about several of the large Chinese-character inscriptions hung above gates, and entrance ways. One fascinating thing I forgot to mention was about the inscription "Eyes of a Blind Mule". This was written in China by the Zen master Hi'in as a caution to his student, Ingen (temple founder), to stay true to the Zen tradition. Experts in calligraphy can tell that these characters have an odd, lop-sided look. This is because Hi'in wrote with his left hand. His right arm was cut off by another monk during a debate about the Buddhist teachings! Slide show of my photos: Some notes about Manpukuji
Founded by Zen master Yin-yuan, known in Japanese as Ingen Ryuki (1592-1673), Mampuku-ji (or Manpukuji) is located south of Kyoto in Uji. Manpukuji is the head of the Okaku sect of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Ingen was originally from China, where he was head priest at Obaku-san Zempukuji in Fujian Province. At the advanced age of 65 he was invited to Japan by the Chinese community in Nagasaki. With the support of the Imperial family and Tokugawa Shogunate, he founded the Obaku Sect, Japan's new Zen sect, bringing a blast of fresh air to Japan's then-stagnant Buddhist community. He came with an entourage of disciples and craftsmen.He was granted some 80 acres on which Mampukuji was founded in 1661 and built in Ming Chinese style - which makes it an unusual building in Japan. Manpukuji was built in 1661 along the lines of Chinese (Ming era) style of the time, introducing new techniques and designs which had heretofore never been seen in Japanese temples. The symmetrical layout of the grounds of the temple bring a kind of lightness to the air. The teachings of the monks during the time, when Japan had entered a period of isolationism, were not limited to the teachings of Zen. The monks of the Obaku sect brought advanced techniques from China, and had a major impact on Japan's society and culture as experts in land reclamation and bridge-building, and in setting up Japan's first library. The first thirteen abbots of Manpukuji were all Chinese immigrants, which continued the Chinese influence on the temple which served as a conduit for fresh ideas in such varied fields as art, calligraphy, diet and medicine from the Asian continent. Mampukuji Temple is famed for its pine trees and architecture. The Japan Sencha Tea Ceremony has its headquarters at Mampukuji and organizes a large gathering in May every year. Temple Architecture Altogether there are over 20 buildings in the temple complex, many of them made from teak imported from China and Thailand. The main object of worship at Manpukuji is an image of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni (Gautama Buddha). There is also an unusual image of Hotei, the Chinese "Laughing Buddha" or "Fat Buddha" seated on a raised dais. The temple's museum (Bunkaden), which is open in spring and autumn, has an image of Ingen and a complete set of Buddhist scriptures, completed in 1678, after 17 years of work. The temple's approach crosses the temple grounds both lengthways and width ways. Paved with flat diamond-shaped stones arranged in the diagonal, it was designed to resemble the scales of a dragon's spine. Its name refers to the unique stone edging on both sides of the pafh. The buildings of Obakusan are a Buddhist temple layout modeled on the Chinese Ming style. The main temple is a high-roof space that is set off from the front room and nested between halls of the same size on its left and right. The temple remains in its original form. Its style is rare to Japan and is seen as a representative Zen Buddhist temple complex.
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Well, here we are, in our rapidly decluttering apartment, surrounded by a few lonely pieces of furniture and half-filled brown cardboard boxes. In just a few days we will leave Japan. It does feel rather like farewelling a fond friend. If it were possible to imagine Japan as a beloved being, she would be enchanting and full of grace, yet mysterious, incomprehensible and sometimes dark, with hidden, undiscussed secrets. Japan is profoundly moving and endearing, but we know we can never completely belong here. It feels good to be returning to that other elongated volcanic island chain at the far side of the Pacific, to what is more familiar and comfortable. It will be a a relief to instinctively understand the nuances of a familiar culture and more basically, to be able to express what we want and need precisely. This inability to communicate effectively became starkly apparent this past week, as we negotiated postage for some of our belongings. One lunchtime several days ago, Roger and I used a school trolley to trundle two 30 kilo boxes down the street to our local post office. The friendly assistants did not look excited to see us, because Roger had forgotten their recommendation when he previously posted two big boxes: "Please, take your large boxes to the main Nishijin post office, 15 minutes walk away." Fortunately, they graciously agreed to accept our packages and patiently helped us fill out the paperwork. For 1½ hours we discussed and translated each item of the contents, first with Roger's adequate spoken Japanese, and then, after he returned to work, with me resorting to Google Translate for tricky items. When all else failed, I played a version of Pictionary, (how do you draw a Japanese wall scroll??) After unpacking the boxes and removing several offending items (take note, essential oils and chest rub are prohibited in airmail from Japan to NZ) I securely re-taped the lids. As I finally farewelled the boxes I was asking myself: Do we really need all this stuff? Later in the afternoon, the school received a message: Could we please urgently return to the post office. When school finished, we left the boys in care of friends and Roger and I hurried back. The ever polite and patient post office staff explained that we needed to go to the main post office (where we should have gone in the first place!) to remove one more prohibited item, a small bottle of insect repellant. Roger understood this much straightaway, but there seemed to be another problem - the staff repeated a particular phrase several times before it became clear: "After removing the insect repellant, do you want us to reweigh the parcels to adjust the postage?" "Ah, dai joubu, dai joubu, irimasen" (It's OK, no need to do that) Roger assured them. It was, no doubt, slightly painful for the staff to know there was a few yen discrepancy in the postage price - but that is what has to be suffered in dealing with foreigners! We made the sweaty bike ride over to the main post office, where the staff were expecting us. From the front counter, the message that we had arrived was passed through several layers of post office hierarchy until a clerk came forward to deal with us. He showed us our box and then, satisfied with our nods of recognition, took us into a side room to open it. Fortunately the offending bottle of insect repellant was not deep, and within a short time it was removed and the box re-taped - for the third time! Mission finally accomplished, we returned to our boys at the Horikawa stream and shared a well-earned drink with our friends. We are almost done packing. Just 3 or 4 more boxes to go… Over the last three weeks we have been working at Summer School at Kyoto International School; me in the office and Roger with a large class of students mainly from Kyoto, Taiwan and China. Gabriel and Jesse have also been attending Summer Camp, which are mostly just fun activities, including several outings to places like the railway museum and Nijo castle. The most famous summer event in Kyoto is Gion Matsuri. Last night, the boys had a sleepover with friends, while Roger and I visited friends near Gion and took in the incredible street scenes. It was a hot humid evening, with thousands and thousands of people strolling on the streets many in colourful yukata (light robe). Enjoy this short video: Recently as a family we brainstormed some things we will miss, or not miss about Japan. What we will miss:
What we will not miss:
In the past few months, Roger and I have both challenged ourselves to learn the basic rudiments of a couple of Japanese arts, Roger played around with a calligraphy ink brush (above) and I tied myself in knots learning how to wear Kimono. About learning to wear a Kimono I have had an interest in textiles, weaving and historical fashion for many years, thanks to my mother's love of handcraft and my aunt being a specialist in the subject. Our school in Kyoto has ikebana (flower arranging) lessons for children, taught by an extremely elegant and refined women. She is also an expert in wearing Kimono. Together with a couple of other women from school, we were lucky to receive her patient tuition over many weeks. I can pretty much do it now, in a bumbling amateurish sort of way, and hope to get together with any kimono-wearing ladies in Nelson to practise my skills. It is without a doubt, the most challenging garment I have ever put on, and qualifies as some sort of spiritual and physical yoga. It is a Japanese art form, right? It takes 45 minutes for me from start to finish, (10 minutes for my teacher), and requires extreme patience (reminds me of life with one toddler and one small boy) and an efficient air conditioner. I have ended up sweaty and feeling hopeless on several occasions, and asking myself: Why am I doing this again? It could become rather addictive and expensive once you start appreciating the variety of Kimono and obi (belts). I had bought a few obi to make into cushions back in NZ, and now I am not sure I can bring myself to decommission these stunning wearable items. I have just one kimono, but it can be transformed by the obi I choose. Lucky I am leaving Japan, otherwise I may develop a dangerous obsession in the antique fabric markets of Kyoto. It has been a great summer so far. Here are a few more favourite moments from May-July. What’s next for the Wilde family? On July 26th we fly from Osaka to Sydney, where we visit Anna’s sister. On August 3rd we arrive in Auckland. We will buy a car (hopefully arranged prior) spend two weeks travelling through the North Island visiting family and friends: staying in Wainui, Coromandel, Waitomo and Wellington. We cross Cook Strait and return to Nelson on August 16. Our little house on the hill is waiting for us, thanks to two excellent tenant caretakers. A week later Roger will resume his kindergarten job, and Gabriel and Jesse will go back to school. I will unpack, get into the garden, and start teaching HypnoBirthing classes again. In February I hope to begin studying towards a degree.
We are fairly certain this is not our final goodbye to Japan. But who knows when we will next return? We do know that when we come back, there are many special people to visit and places still to explore - we have a list of Kyoto temples we still want to see! Thank you to everyone who helped make this adventure possible and magnificent: family and friends in New Zealand; the community at Kyoto International School; our friends and neighbours in Kyoto; the kind and hospitable people we visited in Europe; the thoughtful and adaptable visitors to our Kyoto home. And thanks to you, for reading our stories! Your interest and comments have helped make it fun to share. Much love to you all, Anna, Roger, Gabriel and Jesse PS Here is an eclectic video collection of experiences over the last while: The Inland SeaOver spring break we hired a car went on a road trip, or perhaps a water trip. Over 8 days we took 4 ferries as we traversed the inland sea of Japan: from Kyoto to Himeji; across to Shodo Island, then to the city of Takematsu; around the east coast of Shikoku Island and the pacific coast of Kochi; over the mountains to Matsuyama; by ferry again to Hiroshima, and then home. The inland Sea of Japan is a beautiful, tranquil body of water holding thousands of Islands. Roger : As we travelled I finished reading this fascinating book. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/421446.The_Inland_Sea The author, Donald Richie travels through the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, including some of the places where we stayed. His writing is full of observations, opinion and insights about Japan, the Japanese and their attitudes toward gaijin (foreigners). Highly recommended! We left Kyoto on Sunday afternoon and headed south-west, past Osaka and Kobe to our destination, a small campground not far from Himeji. It was a local council operated park, resplendent with billowing boughs of pale pink blossom. In the centre was a wonderful playground, popular with our boys, and many other children swarming in for cherry blossom-viewing picnics (hanami) with their parents. The carpark was a 5 minutes walk from the tent area, however sturdy metal wheelbarrows were provided. This was a well-equipped campground, good value at 2000 yen ($26NZ), despite the lack of warm showers (and the fact that we couldn't even find the cold showers). We enjoyed a fairly decent first night in our tents, the hard ground fortunately cushioned by the added luxury of our double futon - but slightly less comfortable after the unexpected arrival of an extra small body, which squeezed in the middle). Morning was dewy but sunny, so while our tents dried we ate porridge, brushed our teeth and the boys returned to the playground before we packed up and set off. HimejiHimeji castle is "a hilltop Japanese castle complex located in the city of Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period." Travel guidebooks and websites all agree: the most splendid time to view Himeji Castle is during cherry blossom season. We just happened to arrive at full bloom, along with hoards of tourists and picnicking locals. It really was a magnificent sight. There was a long queue to enter the main keep of the castle and our time was limited, but Roger bought a ticket anyway and explored all the gates, paths and courtyards. I succumbed to the boys enthusiasm and went to the neighbouring zoo, praying hopefully to see only small farm animals. I was sorely disappointed. Teeny weeny Victorian style cages held all the big animals you don’t want to see: lions x2, bears x 2, polar bear, giraffes x2, elephant etc. Tragic. Therefore the highlights of the zoo were several fairground rides, during one of which Gabriel thought he’d ‘caught some G’s’. The joy (of the castle views) and sadness (of the animals) in Himeji is captured perfectly in the photo booth image. From Himeji port we boarded a ferry to Shodo Island, where we camped for two nights. The weather gods were indeed blessing our plans for outdoor adventures, with little wind, sunny days and comfortable temperatures. Shodo is a beautiful rugged island covered with craggy rocks, lush vegetation, and the curious addition of thousands of olive trees. As we passed a white authentic-looking Greek chapel, surrounded by olive trees above the blue sea, I had to do a double take; it could have been the Mediterranean. Our campsite was quaint and quiet. I guess we were on the extreme early end of whatever tourist season exists on the north coast, so we were only campers. The caretaker popped by once-a-day to collect our minimal fee for the night. The hot shower looked promising, however my 100yen coin failed to dispense anything but freezing cold water; it was a chilly start to the day. Were it not for the onsen (Japanese thermal pools) we would have been rather dirty after a few days camping. Most days we made a visit to an onsen. On Shodo we found a gorgeous place high on a hill, which included indoor and outdoor hot pools, a steam room and sauna, and views out over olive groves to the sea and distant islands. Another highlight on Shodo was lighting a driftwood fire on the beach in the evening. Takamatsu and ShikokuFrom Shodo we took another ferry to Shikoku. The inland sea is crisscrossed by ferry routes in multiple directions. The ferries are uncomplicated drive-on/drive off affairs, with many sailings per day. That morning we arrived at the wharf just ten minutes before departure, but still managed to pay, and drive on board in time. We (Roger and Anna) fantasise about returning one day to explore more of the hundreds of intriguing islands in the Seto Sea, where the pace of life is slower than on mainland Honshu. On landing in Takamatsu city Gabriel, Jesse and I visited a renowned garden. Meanwhile, Roger visited Shikoku Mura, an open-air museum featuring ancient farmhouses and buildings from around Shikoku. Shikoku is Japan’s fourth largest island. It’s west coast borders the inland sea, while the Pacific Ocean lies along the long rugged east coast. We drove a solid four hours from Takamatsu to a remarkable rocky promontory, Cape Muroto, the south eastern tip of Shikoku. The coastline was stunning, similar in places to the atmosphere of the Kaikoura coast. Our well-manicured campground was perched up high on the bluff above Cape Muroto and was empty aside from two stray bikers in their one person tents. Due to the curious absence of an official, we had to leave the payment , hopefully correct, in an envelope secured under a stone bowl. Here the showers were excellent and hot, although the onsen down the road was great too. A very clean family left Muroto on another sunny morning. After some rock hopping and beach-combing we headed north-west to Kochi city and then into the mountains of Ehime prefecture. It was around here that we started noticing pilgrims. Shikoku is famous for a pilgrimage route of 88 temples - and with the spring weather many pilgrims were tramping the roadsides. Pilgrims amble along in their purple and white garb, carrying a stick and wearing the requisite wok-style straw hat. It can take a couple of months to do the whole pilgrimage by foot, but apparently car, scooter, bike or even tour bus are valid options. Once you have your costume, mala prayer beads and a little stamp book (to be stamped at each temple) you’re good to go. As we drove along, noting the wandering pilgrims (“Oh, there’s another one!"), pink and white sakura (cherry blossoms), yellow daffodils and bright green spring foliage all made for a poetic scene. At Cape Muroto we loved Hotsumisaki Temple. We became increasingly fascinated by stories of the monk Kukai, in whose footsteps the pilgrims travel. The Kochi coastline is dotted with long pebbly beaches, rice paddies and Tsunami towers. The door to enter the tsunami tower carried a sign with the following translation. The route through the mountains was stunning, with cherry trees still blooming on the hillsides and steep drops down to clear rocky rivers. We paused near a mountain town called Kumakogen. This town is part of the 88 temple pilgramage route, but another claim to fame is its month long springtime hinamatsuri festival, seemingly embraced by all amateur window dressers down the Main Street. As we drove slowly through, there were thousands of regal dollies dressed in their finery and displayed proudly on tiered stands. We found our cosy mountain cabin just as the gathering rain clouds started to spit. (Thankfully, our camping days had coincided with perfect weather.) The little house was like a nice kiwi batch only Japanese-style, with low tables and futons. It was good to spend two nights and a day doing very little. Roger, however, managed to have his own adventure when he went to get a haircut... Roger continues with the amusing tale of the Kumakogen Barber: The young manager of the camp village laughed when I asked him to recommend a local hairdresser - he explained that he always had his hair cut in the city of Matsuyama, about 40 min drive away. That felt like too far, so I decided to try my luck at any barber I could find in the nearby town of Kumakogen. It was a short search, thanks to that international barbershop beacon, the red white and blue revolving pole. I entered the spacious but somewhat cluttered shop and was greeted by the proprietor. He had one gentleman in the barber chair, while another waited, enjoying the care of an electric massage chair. “Hair-Katto kudasai” I asked in my mangled Japanese. “Hai, hai” he replied, Yes, yes. Then he added there would be a short wait. “Dai joubu” I said, That's fine. As I sat down, the gentleman waiting made a few friendly comments, some directed to me and some to the barber. I realised that I could barely understand anything of their local dialect. I smiled and nodded. Then I realised they were repeating a question to me: Had I come from such-and-such hotel? No, I replied, then explained where I was staying, with my wife and boys. “Ah, sou desu ka...” Is that so? they said. The barber turned on a huge TV beside me at high volume. An office drama show put an end to conversation. Within ten minutes the gentleman in the barber seat was finished. The two other customers swapped places, and the barber brought a tray with refreshments for the one who was freshly cut and shaved: a small bottle of Yakult (probiotic drink) and a small bowl with... was that raw egg?? Or a small mikan orange in syrup? I couldn't be sure. The treats were consumed and, after receiving a brief massage from the electric chair, customer number one departed. I settled to reading my book. Fortunately by now the barber had turned off the TV, realising that I was not interested. I wasn't paying close attention the barber's work, but I began to notice his slow but deliberate and kind manner. His customer received not only a haircut, but also a full shave, eyebrow and nose-hair trim, occasional hot face towels and other details that I have rarely seen at a barbershop. At some point I realised that I had been waiting nearly an hour already, so I began sending text messages to Anna, explaining that I may be slightly later than I had expected. Then, just when I thought the elaborate ritual was complete, the customer was now getting his hair washed! I sent Anna another message. I was on holiday and really had nothing else I needed to do, but I felt impatient. When I finally got to sit in the barber's chair I said to him, as clearly as I could manage in standard Japanese: “Just a haircut, thank you. Please trim the back and sides but leave the front about this length” (I was actually repeating instructions from Anna). First, the barber wet my hair, He then proceeded with the haircut using clippers, then scissors. It seemed fairly quick. He removed the plastic gown and tidied away the trimmings. Nearly done, I thought. However he then applied a hot towel to the back of my neck, and rubbed in some lotion. He brushed on a lather of shaving cream and then shaved the back of my neck. Nice touch, I thought. Then he leaned the chair right back so I was completely lying flat. He applied hot towels to my face, then shaving cream and lotion. About now I realised that he had misunderstood my Haircut Only request. Or he had chosen to ignore the request. Perhaps, from the start, there was no question that I could have anything but the full deal. I decided to relax and allow myself to enjoy the experience, which proceeded as follows: A full shave, with repeated attention to tricky areas around mouth, nose, and throat. - Ear trim: inside, outside above below, behind. - Ear massage: pressing, stretching, pulling. - Ear wax cleaning, extremely thorough. - Forehead massage. - Nose massage (yes, really). At this stage I was returned to sitting upright, then: - Hair shampoo, scalp massage. - Leaning over a sink to rinse. - Invitation to rinse my face, and dry it using a towel. Barber takes over again, applying face lotion. Once more, my seat is reclined so I am fully prone. The barber produces this electric machine about the size of a hair dryer, shaped like a hammer but with double rubber-mallet-type heads. This was used to gently pound various body parts: - Face, ears, forehead - Shoulders, arms, hands, fingers. “Omoshiroi!” I said to him. (That’s interesting!) Encouraged by my feedback he continued using the machine to massage my calves and feet - even with my shoes on. “I wouldn't normally do all this,” he said. “This is extra, no charge.” He began to talk about the health benefits of massage. I could understand a small part of what he was saying, and that was only because I have some familiarity with shiatsu (Japanese finger-pressure massage) and Chinese medicine. He talked about the importance of moving the chi (life force). He started to talk about cancer and other issues, the result of stuck chi. He put away the massage hammer and picked up his hair dryer. “This is not a usual hair dryer,” he said, showing me the label: 'Bamboo Charcoal Ceramic F.I.R. ION hair dryer'. He explained benefits of this device, little of which I understood. Once my hair was well-dried, he proceeded to direct the hot air over my shoulders, arms, hands. Then calves and feet. He lifted the bottom of my trousers (longs, fortunately) and directed hot air up my legs! By now I was openly laughing. Finally, over an hour later, I was trimmed and rejuvenated. But I still had to receive the final offering: Yakult probiotic drink, and - yes - raw egg! “Do I drink this in one go?” I asked. “Yes, that's best”. I slurped the egg back. I mentioned that I often eat raw egg mixed into hot rice for breakfast. He gave firm approval. He talked about the benefits of raw egg. He handed me a photocopied paper about egg, all in Japanese. He then found several other pamphlets of information. He began to talk about how he once had cancer but was, apparently, cured by raw egg. He had more documents to show me: a folder of writing and photos about his condition; a stack of postcards, perhaps from the doctor who advised or cured him. The cost for all this attention: 3500 yen (about NZ$45). It was more than I had expected to pay for a haircut, however I felt grateful for this bizarre but nurturing experience! Before I left his shop there were more gifts: Four eggs and a small bag of locally grown oranges, along with recommendation to drink an egg that evening, after visiting the onsen (bathhouse). “If you are ever back here, please come again!” I returned to Anna and the boys much later than expected, but in time to cook dinner. Anna laughed at my story - and offered to fix the haircut when we returned to Kyoto! After two nights in the mountains, we drove to Matsuyama bright and early. Following a friend's recommendation we visited Ishite-Ji Temple. There was a mysterious stone tunnel behind the temple complex, which led right through the hillside and out to a curious collection of wooden sculptures. HiroshimaAfter Matsuyama Castle, another ferry ride: north across the Seto sea, past countless islands, through tight channels and under two huge bridges, to Hiroshima port. Temperatures were plummeting as we arrived in Hiroshima. We had a couple of hours to spare before check in to our Air BnB apartment, so to warm up and relax we bathed at a huge onsen complex, which had a variety of indoor and outdoor pools. Later that evening an temple buddy of Roger's treated us to the Hiroshima speciality, okonomi-yaki (savoury pancakes cooked on a hot plate). The next morning, wrapped up in puffer jackets and with some nervous anticipation we drove to the peace park and museum. “It was intense”, said Gabriel “But I learnt some things. Before, I didn’t want nuclear bombs, and now I really don’t want nuclear bombs.” It is a sensitive and carefully composed exhibition. We left the museum thoughtful and deeply moved. We walked around the peace park and signed the petitions on the bridge near the restored ruins of the peace dome. It was still freezing and my hay fever symptoms were elevated; however the unpleasantness of hay fever had been firmly put into perspective by the stories of the bombing. Even though we were slightly numb from the museum and the cold wind, Roger was keen to take the short ferry ride out to Miyajima Island. The famous Tori gate and shrine built over the water were beautiful, and it was a joyful contrast to atomic bomb history. Here is the cliched but gorgeous living room wall family photo...
It was a memorable trip. Now we have begun the final term at school. Only three months until we return to NZ! |
AuthorAnna Wilde (with some help from the whanau - Roger, Jesse and Gabriel) Categories |