Learning to Lead Tour Leader Training
Although I secured my job in the tourism industry I was feeling more insecure than ever. The orange hot mocha I sipped did little to calm my nerves. Thankfully this tour was a live training and observation journey, so I wouldn’t be in charge. When I arrived at the hotel I was relived to discover the first day of the tour was for greetings. We would make sure that they were checked in. The welcome briefing and dinner were both postponed due to the late arrivals of the guests.
A slight emergency related to my visa popped up. I had to go to the office to take care of it. One of my least favorite things about Japan was the paperwork, bureaucracy, the needlessly strict adherence to rules. I found myself on the rush hour trains, the life of a Keishain was not an easy one. Modern life in general was a seemingly bleak and endless cycle. There was struggle to survive and stand out in the world. Protecting your dreams and hope was growing increasingly difficult.
Another Three Years?
My VISA extension meant that potentially I could spend the next three to five years in Japan. Was this the right move? My love for the country was waning and not mutual. Due to the nature of uprooting my entire life you miss out on things. I had skipped out on some important facets of being an adult. Investments, properties, credit score, savings, and even my retirement are luxuries I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore. Depending on whether I decided to stay in Japan, the Japanese government would keep a large amount of my pension.
Being in Japan seemed like being in a toxic relationship. You love a girl you know that might be bad for you. At times she treats you well , but at others it seemed like you were a plague to be extinguished. I was starting to question whether it was the correct move given my ambitions and preferences. Oppositely, I promised to save and give this tourism thing a try.
Welcome to Japan
I reflected on my time in Japan when I was on tour instead of a guide. Almost a decade ago my impression and experience in Japan was naive. It was nice to have the novelty and wonder of exploring a part of the world for the first time. While the novelty and excitement wore off, when I interact with people new to Japan I get the dying embers of passion flickering in my mind. I had to reframe things I have become use to seeing. Convenience stores, public transport, politeness, and so many more things that have become a normal part of my background would need to be made interesting again.
To all travelers looking to come to Japan I’m sending a warm welcome. Despite living here for almost six years I find new interesting things every day. Now that I’m a tour guide it’s almost my job to learn, discover, and share my findings with the world. Although my deep passion and emotional love for Japan has been reduced to glowing cinders, the initial curiosity I had for Japan has been reignited. Perhaps it’s due to my desire to be a high performer at work, but I’ve always been interested in Japan.
As a tour leader it’s not enough to be interested, you have to be an expert. In other words you had to be obsessed.
Duck Syndrome: Baptism of Fire
When ducks swim they carry a beautiful grace. It’s almost surreal to watch them glide across the mirrored surface of a lake. As water trickles in their wake observant individuals will see the the subtle image of their small webbed feet kicking. Like my favorite character Falco from Super Smash Bros. Melee, they make something so difficult look graceful, elegant, and effortless.
It’s my dream to do that in life. Whether it is art, music, gaming, writing, or this video production, I want to make it look easy. And while it does get easier over time, the gold is always buried under mounds of hard effort. Being a tour leader is a bit like that. To the customer’s perspective everything looks easy, effortless, and fun. That can’t be a hard job right?
Briefing
From shadowing the initial briefing I had deduced that this job was going to be very difficult. While some part of the journey would indeed be fun, managing a tour takes a variety of skills and knowledge. I’m quite fond of the thought out itinerary as it will give me an objective measurement of time management skills. When I learned I was neurodivergent I know I find comfort in correct procedures and courses of action. Despite being the pioneer of the laidback lifestyle I needed to tighten up the slack in my attitude on tour.
Things that would be not a big deal when traveling solo looks unprofessional when traveling in a group. Small things like knowing the weather, the larger itinerary, and the Daily transfers and schedule would be important. Every small detail would need to be scrutinized to deliver the best seamless experience for my customers.
Oppositely one of the aspects of the job that terrified me was managing and socializing with the human being. Unlike games, maths, automation, and the usage of software, I couldn’t wrap my head around human behavior. Even my own human behavior remained inexplicable at times. My own emotional landscape was largely a mystery, but having closely observed the human specimen, I noticed that little gestures and actions went a long way. To me interacting with people and asking them questions about their life was interesting. As an introvert it’s another way to survive as I liked to keep my thoughts to myself.
How Much Do You Love Japan?
One of the aspects I used to feel confident about before I started this job was my knowledge of Japan. My favorite thing about life is every now and again it will serve out a dish of humble pie. That can be in the form of bombing a live performance( that one hurts) or a subtle more gentle loving reminder of how much more you have to grow. I know that I need to work on Japanese, art, music, and social skills like storytelling, but my knowledge gap about Japanese history and culture caught me off guard.
Learning about Japan before I started living here was a passion of mine. Not only did I ingest a variety of videos, articles, and documentaries about the country, I also took a number of Asian and Japanese history courses in university. After living here for almost six years now I don’t think the learning has stopped, it was a different type of hands on personal anecdotal experience. Upon shadowing my senpai, my curiosity to read books and do scholarly research on Japan had been awakened.
Tokyo Tourism Day 1
If you live in Japan you can easily take the giant metropolis that is Tokyo for granted. I remember doing my own travel to Tokyo a couple times in my life. First as a tourist, then as a domestic resident. During my travels I had either planned around events or friends to show me around. When I had the freetime I simply wandered around and let Tokyo reveal itself in the way it wanted. Now that I’m a tour leader, it’s pushed me to take a more active approach to gaining knowledge of Tokyo.
Sensoji
While I still need to work on my briefing the tour I run starts at Sensoji Temple. It’s a large tourist attraction that features the Kaminarimon. The giant lantern is an iconic symbol of Tokyo a representation of the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo. It was around this time when I realized that I would have to do a lot of studying about not only locations in Japan, but my sorry excuse for Japanese proficiency skills. The two statues guarding the temple gates make the sounds “A” and “N” the beginning and the end of the Hiragana alphabet.
This represents the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. The endless circle of life is one of the things I’ve continuously mulled over in my mind. The duplicity between black and white, wake and sleep, and finally life and death were thoughts that kept me awake at night. I thought of the time nearly seven years ago I was here as a tourist. While I was excited to be in Japan I didn’t quite understand the appeal of what I was looking at. Although now in my maturing age I see the latern in a new light. . . lame pun intended. At my ripe old age I’m beginning to fully appreciate the history and magnificence of a simple thing such as a giant lantern.
Flames that Feel Familiar
The next stop on our adventure was a fire ceremony. This was unique to a sect of Japanese Buddhism. While the fire ceremony is certainly a lot more exciting than a stereotypical Catholic Mass I couldn’t help but be reminded of my childhood. This ceremony past the fire was more similar than different. The smell of incense was not unique to Buddhism. Hymns, pianos, and organs were mirrored by Taiko drums, chants, and bells. I guess God was trying to get me into the church one way or another. . . My conscious mind balances on thoughts of eastern faiths as well as that of the christian one. Perhaps what we called god was trying to say “Hi, I miss you, how are you doing?”.
The priest walked out and gave somewhat of a homily. The other side of the earth was no different from what I had at home. After the ceremony we took the time to walk around the temple and observe the many faces, lives, and forms of the Buddha. The concept of many lives, realities, and universes was one that piqued my interest. Was it because I loathed my own reality, body, and life? It was a running joke between my friends and I that I wanted my next life to be a cat girl . . . ah ha haa. But I didn’t really think about what a pain that would end up being.
Living in The Moment
As part of my own shallow studies of the recordings of one of my favorite Gurus, the deceased Alan Watts. I knew it was important to place my mind and fully experience the present moment. Another part of my mind realized I only wanted to do that to get a one up on the universe. I had searched for enlightenment outside my body, reflected inside my mind, but the only time I found it is when I stumbled upon it in the dark.
The moments where you can fully let go, be vulnerable, and live fully in the present moment in life are few and far between. When you can it sticks in your mind and you become addicted to chasing that feeling that feeling when you feel at one with the universe and everything just flows together. Funnily enough chasing that feeling is also one of the things that blocks it.
As I walked past the many faces of Buddha the glass figurines held a deeper secret. Just as every raindrop in a storm reflects and refracts the other drops. Within the tiny buddhas were reflections and images of my own form. Was I a dream or thought at some point?? Considering my birthday nearly 9 months after Valentines’ day I was most likely an accident. Put perhaps like a good Bob Ross painting, life has no accidents.
Train Tickets, JR Pass, Lunch at Last
After the ceremony we took the metro to Tokyo Station. I had been to this particular station more times than I could count. What I knew about it was that on the Marunouchi side was the classic station look, parliament buildings, and an area for those in the upper echelon of life. There was a great Taco place within the station, a massive bus stop, and a McDonalds where I ate at too often. I remember doing a stupid dance outside of it in attempt to get more Tik Tok followers. . .but I don’t have that star power on the dance floor.
As a tour leader it’s your job to sort out nearly 20 rail passes and make seat reservations on a number of connecting trains throughout our journey. Thankfully the train schedules were provided by the office and the Japanese staff member would help to get you the seat reservations. It was an intimidating amount of logistics and information to keep track of. Because I was there on a shadow tour I had time to eat lunch and visit Starbucks. Our main tour leader stayed behind to get the reservations. I realized that it would be nice if I provided the person stuck getting the tickets would get coffee. Instead of ordering anything for myself at Starbucks I simply managed to get a coffee for my trainer.
Meji-Jingu
The shrine is one of the busiest shrines in Tokyo. There were two main religions in Japan and Shinto is very similar to native american practices. There are gods of mountains, spirits of lakes, and even monsters that need warding off. This shrine was built at the end of the Meji Era to celebrate the life of the emperor. With nearly two hundred thousand trees it’s nice to have a taste of nature in the middle of concrete jungle. It also gave me a slight moment to review my knowledge of the area as a week before I gave a tour to my fellow trainees.
After the shrine we headed to Harajuku station. I was lucky enough to see the old station before Japan Railways modernized it. The funny thing is that it was modernized for the 2020 Olympics . . . it seems that they didn’t really need to change it after all.
Shibuya Station
When people think of Japan, they tend to think about the Shibuya Crossing. It has been featured in so many films that it has become a modern pop culture representation of Japan. Lost in Translation, Fast & the Furious, and a variety of anime feature the location. This is a location that I had grown accustomed to. Like many Japanese residents I saw the crossing as more of a utilitarian necessity as opposed to a tourist attraction. It was a symptom of living in Japan for too long.
Tokyo Tourism Day 2
Hamarikyu Gardens
After the first day of tourism we would hold an optional excursion to the Hamarikyu Gardens, the Tsukiji Fish Market, and Akihabara. Seven years ago I traveled down a Sumida River Cruise which ended in the Garden. The garden itself was originally used in the Shogun Period for hunting ducks. It was opened up during the Meji Restoration when it was made imperial land. One of the garden’s unique points is the Water in the channels. The water rises and falls with the tide as it’s ocean water.
Some other features of Garden include Sakura Trees, the oldest pine tree in Tokyo, and a tea house. There is a flower garden that is regularly managed and changed throughout the year. Seeing the Sakura trees about to bud put me in a contemplative state of mind. Sakura trees represented a lot of things in Japan. Mainly the passing of time, the fragile, fickle nature of life and existence. The budding flowers made me recognize that another year had passed. The dreams I had clung onto so tightly were just that dreams. The fantasies that I tried to grip onto had to be let go.
Who was I? What was I doing here? Why was I never able to achieve what I wanted? There was no time to think about existence when the customers had started to wrap up their free time. As I changed masks from contemplative Marco to conversational Marco I found my search to understand eastern thinking bore some fruit. I was able to answer questions and translate my thoughts about Japan into words. All my rumination and research about Japan meant that I could conversate a long length about Japan. This skill was quite useful as a tour leader.
Tsukiji Fish Market
The Tsukiji Fish Market is one of those places that have changed recently, but the perception of it has not. Contrary to popular belief you cannot watch the Tuna Auctions, they aren’t even located there anymore. There is still quite a lively seafood market, and I do mean lively because some of the product you can buy is still alive. For seafood lovers it’s a great place to try authentic Japanese seafood, don’t expect california rolls here. Because I had a seafood allergy I ate at Sukiya. Not exactly a great restaurant but one of Japan’s big three Gyudon fast food places.
Akihabara
After lunch we headed back to our hotel, but we stopped at the nerd paradise of Akihabara. It was a place I was all too familiar with. A number of artists I followed online held Galleries there from time to time. For fans of Anime, Gaming, and any nerdy activty online Akihabara was like a wonderland. Only once in my life I had gone to a maid cafe, it was a lot of fun. I don’t imagine I’d go there more than once in my life because like the area in general Akihabara felt manufactured. Perhaps it had to do with my disdain for the modern state of social media interaction. Commercialization had infested of every aspect of my life, I just wanted something real and organic.
Well in terms of experiences. I would actually prefer living inside of a computer or a virtual space. I’ve gone over this topic before on my Blog so I’ll let it rest this time around. I however feel that you can build real organic friendships in virtual spaces.
Headed to Nagano, My Second Hometown
As we headed back to Tokyo Station to catch the train to Matsumoto Nagano, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgia. The firstr time I moved to Japan after my ALT training I had caught the same train. The Azusa Express train wasn’t as fast as the Shinkansen, but it offered better views of the surrounding area.
When I first went to live in Nagano I had actually taken the wrong train. Instead of catching the express train I had used the normal train. This turned the three hour journey into a six hour trek. At the time I had no idea, but looking back I was glad to have taken the wrong train. I was so happy to just be in Japan. Perhaps I was looking to recapture that joy I hadn’t felt in so long.
Bittersweet, Melancholy, Matsumoto
The world has no place for sensitive men, I thought as we made our way through Matsumoto Station. The small station only had two exits. A collection of shops, stores, and restaurants lined the east exit. I had spent a lot of time near the station area seven years ago. It’s where I walked on the weekends when I wasn’t grinding League of Legends. The ramen place where I had met my girlfriend had closed down. The sting of memories involving young love was intensified as the ramen place I had met her was now closed. The world continues to move on yet I have a hard time letting anything go.
Our hotel was a posh hotel close to the station. After dropping off our bags, we took a short stroll to the castle. I’ve had multiple laps around the castle, it was a daily fixture of life in the small city. The many walks of life, the many laps around the life wheel. I used to exercise around the castle, go on dates, drinking parties, and even picnics under the cherry blossoms there. I had been through the castle multiple times, thanks to personal expereince I knew during early spring it was a good idea to wear two pairs of socks.
As I went through the castle I had to explain my knowledge of Japanese history to some of the travelers. Even though I had been through the castle a number of times I went through like it was my first. There is always something new to notice about an area. The small details of little weapons or the changing seasons around the castle itself give it many faces.
Yokocho
After a picnic, some photos, and a lap around the castle it was time for a meal. One of the places I had always wanted to try but never had the courage to was a restaurant right by our hotel. Outside the restaurant was a mix of Kanji signs and the large windows often showcased a number of content Japanese customers eating and drinking. Six years later I found myself walking in and being a customer. It was quite a cool place with a mixture of different restaurants, drinks, and people.
This night I had a couple of drinks myself. I don’t imagine I’ll be drinking as much alcohol and overindulging on food as this tour, but I wanted to let my hair down a bit. Having been given a lunch and dinner allowance by my company I wanted to relax a bit.
Monkeying Around
One of the main staples of Japan tourism marketing materials is the snow monkeys in Nagano Prefecture. I had also been here a number of times with my family, international school trips, and now with tourists. It was always fun for me to observe animals in their natural environment. Unlike humans animals for the most part live in the present moment. So it’s fun and interesting to simply watch and observe them. Although I try my best to be in a modern monk and zen space I can’t help but let my mind wander. I almost took a job in Nagano, the only other company that was willing to take a chance on me was Snow Monkey Resorts.
I thought about how different my life would have been if I had taken the job there instead of the job I was currently training for. As opposed to a general Japanese knowledge guide, I would have been specialized to Nagano prefecture. There I was also promised Marketing responsibilities and experience. The downsides were I had to move to Nagano, and while it was my home away from home I found I enjoyed the Kanagawa area much more. Either way I was trying to find the “real japan”.
Sadly I think the image I had of Japan in my mind was long since over. The Japan I saw currently had moved past a lot of the practices, customs, and even words I had learned growing up. The bits we sold to the rest of the world had been commercialized and extorted to the greater world. It was as if Japan was cosplaying as an older version of itself, the modern bits of pop culture were almost a hyper reality not reflective of the rest of the country.
It Was Just an Image
Speaking of the image that Japan sells the world, it also sold me years ago in my teens. I remember looking up YouTube Videos, Netflix Shows, and documentaries about Japan and seeing the little japanese macaques in “state of the art” 480p videos. Now they were right in front of my eyes. . .or my lens. . . I can’t seem to place the camera down. Another dream involving slower, lazier, but just as cute animals popped into my mind now. I wondered if I would be able to make my dream of volunteering at a sloth sanctuary come true. Would the poor sloths be just as commercialized as the monkeys? time would Tell.
Dinner with The Locals
Dinner that night was at a beautiful local Japanese restaurant. A local Japanese family with a little old lady as the server. I put my customer service skills to the test and helped the old lady with orders and serving. Using my basic japanese I was able to facilitate communications with the tourists and the restaurant. I had the sauce katsu, unknown to many Nagano is known for it’s fresh and delicious pork.
Modern Monk
Our stay that night was at an inn where monks used to stay during their pilgrimage. The bath was a shared bath, but we made a schedule as british people aren’t used to bathing together. I thought back to the time when I was a newly appointed ALT when all of us just got into the bath together. It was weird for like five seconds, but then you kinda just get over it. I didn’t expect the tourists to understand, but it was just a cultural bridge that we wouldn’t have them crossing. I’ve found that when you get naked physically, you also tend to take those emotional barriers down. Some of the deepest conversations I’ve had were in a Japanese bath. I fully intend to build a Japanese ofuro if I ever get rich enough. . . one of the larger podcasters I know has one in his home.
The morning was bright and early as we needed to make it for the monks prayers at sunrise. Arriving to the prayers we are greeted by the head priest. If you want to receive a blessing from him you get down on your knees and get bonked in the head by prayer beads. It makes me think of the Zen story where during training the Guru will randomly hit you in the head. If you flinch you fail the test. Eventually trainees get to the point where they will just accept they will be hit at some point and stop reacting to it. A modern twist on the story is the mind reading bear.
There’s a wonderful story you may also have read by a German writer Von Kleist, about a boxing match with a bear. The man can never defeat this bear because the bear always knows his plans in advance. And is ready to deal with any situation. The only way to get through to the bear would be to hit the bear without having first intended to do so. That would catch him. And so this is one of the great great problems in the spiritual life or whatever you want to call it, is to be able to have intention and act simultaneous.
Alan Watts
The Beauty of Vision the Nightmare of the Dark
After prayers we were lead to one of Zenkoji Temple’s main features. A dark tunnel maze where the point is to find the key to heaven. Once again this journey through the tunnel is something that I’ve done before. My ex and I had gone through the tunnel years ago. Insert funny sexual innuendo here*. The fear that ran through my mind that time was the fear of being left. A fear that became realized, but it was more than just than just the fear of being alone that scared me. It was the fear of losing everything my vision, myself, the fear of the void takes you over.
They say the point of going through the tunnel is to find the key to heaven. But in my modern interpretation of Zen Buddhism, which is probably inaccurate because it’s through the lens of a DT Suzuki, Alan Watts, weed smoking near college dropout, zen Buddhism has a sense of humor. The real lesson is always hidden. After going through the dark, finding the key to heaven is realizing how beautiful vision itself is. Outside of the tunnel is a mirror where you can see the “reborn you”.
Although I have gripes with the way I look, I was still happy to see the reflection smiling back at me in the mirror. While I’m getting older, there are more wrinkles, and it’s not an anime cat person. . . I was happy to be able to see again. With that the snow painted landscape of Nagano became ever more beautiful.
Monk’s Breakfast
After doing monk prayers it was time for a Japanese monk’s breakfast. A monks breakfast included a mix of vegetables, miso soup, okayu, and rice. Even though the dishes are simple they were tasty. The barebones meals were enough for me to survive on. I had always wanted to study in a monk monastery, if it weren’t for my skin and financial difficulties I might have. If I’ve learned anything skirting the line of poverty and financial irresponsibility in Japan it’s that I didn’t need a lot to be “happy”.
While I was never excited to wake up and live another day, I had everything I needed to exist. I think part of learning to be a modern monk is accepting things the way they were. Perhaps I would never look the way I wanted or achieve the dreams I so desperately desired. Jealousy would creep in as I looked at the lives of online influencers, musicians, and gamers. Still, I had enough to live, whether I wanted to or not I marched on. Like the lyrics in Kayne’s Good Life song despite never being able to catch a W in life I could close my eyes and imagine.
For our western travelers we decided to stop at the train station for a second breakfast. I did my part to support my hometown economy and bought some Starbucks.
Kanazawa The Land of Gold, Blood, and Grace
Kanazawa was up in the northern part of Japan. I had a friend who lived up in Ishikawa prefecture who complained about the lack of things to do. I will have to admit I was slightly jealous of him as he was able to make it into the JET programme. Essentially he and I did the same job for a couple years, but he was paid better. There were other benefits to being part of the JET Programme. He recieved subsidised housing as well as better career prospects after completing his contract. The JET Programme was also nationwide meaning he could be placed anywhere in Japan.
While I admit history seems a little boring compared to the cyberpunk future with technological advances , body augmentation, and cyborg cat girl bodies, the Ishikawa peninsula has a rich history. Kanazawa prefecture was one of the richest prefectures in the shogun era. They produced many of the Koku, or bundles of rice for payment, for the Samurai’s Daimyo. The warlords also benefited from the mining of gold and the production of gold leaf in the area.
The legend behind the name Kanazawa is that someone was going to the well to wash potatoes and there were flecks of gold in the well. Kana-money and zawa-marsh or stream literally means golden marsh.
Modernism vs Tradition
One of the most interesting things about not only Kanazawa, but Japan as a whole is the struggle to balance tradition and advancement. America as we know it is a relatively new country. As a collective American consciousness we don’t mind shedding the old and innovating on culture, beliefs, and best practices. Although we have native american history, many people view america through the lens of a mixing pot of all cultures. The mixing of cultures is what America’s identity is.
Japan on the other hand has history dating back nearly 1500 years. Because it’s an island nation they have struggled with isolationist ideals since the fourteen hundreds. The pull towards tradition and keeping things static are strongly baked into their culture. Japan sees small periods of modernization, but always holds hesitation to changing the way things are done. This dichotomy is at the core of Japan’s identity. It stares you in the face as soon as you leave the station in Kanazawa.
A Gate to the Future a Nod To The Past
When you think of a futuristic gate, I tend to think of things like stargate SG-1. I wished it was a gate to an alternate dimension, a different time, or a different spiritual plane. The reality of Japan’s future gate is a modern take on the Tori gate. Like the rest of life it’s gotten more complex. For me the simple beauty of the Tori gate is lost with the redesign. Instead of a gate representing a move to a spiritual dimension or something sacred it stands for the move to modern life. Everything has become so overdesigned, twisted, overblown and bulky in modern existence. Even our own self image has been crafted and plotted. I sense that it is my own discontentment of modern life that projects meaning onto the Tori Gate.
The vision I had of Japan was no longer the reality that lay before me. Even with Japan’s isolationist origins westernization and globalization had influenced even the Tori Gate. Perhaps my image of Japan never was the reality to begin with. A result of image manipulation, marketing, and misunderstood western ideals. Reality is often disappointing when we compare it to our dreams and fantasies. In the case of Samurai and Ninja, the reality is much darker than we were sold growing up.
There is no Honor in Killing
When westerners think of Samurai, Bushido, Ninjas, and Japanese Lords we often think of honor and a strict code. But there is no honor in killing. It’s preposterous to think of battles as “gentlemanly” when most participants are doing what they have to do to survive. The Samurai’s bushido buddhist roots and code misrepresent the harsh reality and bloodshed involving not only Katanas but muskets and rifles. We would like to think of knights as honest knights filled to the brim with moral integrity, but at the end of the day they are mercenaries. They were not fighting for a just or right cause, but for rice or coin. The Samurai’s loyalty and comitment weren’t something to be taken lightly. That Warlords would jostle for influence with a mixture of combat, backstabbing, political strategies, and betrayal.
From a western lens I like to think of myself as a ronin. Although I work a job, I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I don’t particularly adhere to any political system, religion, or lord, but I like to think that I live by my own moral code. I can’t really call it bushido, but we could call it broshido haha terrible word I know. Broshido would be my self discipline and quest to make a reality as a full time content creator and creative come to light. I haven’t found success in any of these areas yet, but like the wandering swordsman I keep searching for my purpose.
Speaking of the Western Influenced
My blogs lack conciseness. I’m finding like one of my favorite english teachers growing up, I tend to go on these large side tangents. It’s hard for me to talk about Samurai without bringing up media inspired by Ronin and samurai. Most of my readers tend to be on the older end, I’ve always tended to resonate with older people better. I’m not sure younger audiences would have the patience to sit through an hour of my writing as I can’t even keep their attention in a 1-minute YouTube short. Anyway, many of you have seen a samurai film without your own knowledge.
You might remember a time when every movie was a cowboy western. Thanks to my dad, I’ve watched a lot of those films growing up. Many of those tales find inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films. The genre would even go on to inspire one of the most recognizable film franchises of the Early 2000s. Kill Bill isn’t shy about showing its influences. Quentin Tarantino is a fan of not only westerns, but the samurai films that have been inspired by them. Blue Eyed Samurai is a modern example of a film that borrows ideas from all three of those sources.
Samurai House
Although it might sound like I’m harsh on the Samurai for their bloodshed, I understand they are simply a product of their time. While I used to think Japan and western history were much different there are more parallels to European feudalism than differences. I find it slightly amusing as I’m not interested in the eastern european history, knights, or their fantasy and metephysical beliefs, but those in Japan interest me. Perhaps the set dressing is better. There are also slight differences in their philosophy when crafting weapons of war. While in the west we pursued heavier and more bulky swords, maces, and armor Japan’s philosophy was based in balance and speed.
When possible Japanese armor, swords, and even combat was meant to look elegant as well. It wasn’t enough to make things efficient and utilitarian, but beautiful as well. Most of the armor sets we visualize when we hear the word samurai were not meant for battle however. Samurai wear ornate armor for ceremonies, during battle they dawned more subdued pieces. As we traveled through the samurai’s house more facets of feudal Japanese life revealed themselves to us.
Kenrokuen
Kenrokuen is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. It is a shining symbol of what a Japanese Zen Garden should be. People design Japanese Gardens to look good throughout the year and in different seasons. The season we went had a slight blanket of snow on top of it. While the blankets of snow on the garden were really beautiful it was so cold in the snow I froze!!
I Didn’t Freeze Physically
Actually I didn’t freeze physically. For the free day in Kanazawa it was my turn to be a guide. I was doing okay until I forgot one of the six aspects of a Zen Garden.
Six Aspects of a Zen Garden
- Spaciousness
- Seclusion
- Antiquity
- Running Water
- Wide Views
- and. .. .
I froze on Artifice. I remember the tour group staring at me as my mind just went blank. The last time my brain shut down was freshman year of college where I pretty much exposed myself as a weeb in front of a class. When I think back to that moment in college I can just remember my legs shaking. Public speaking wasn’t my strong suit and I hated being the center of attention. . .wait how did I end up a tour leader again?
Despite freezing giving my explanation I stumbled through the rest of the facts I did happen to remember. After the garden was a coffee break at a quaint little cafe. The small flakes of gold in my green tea made me think that maybe there was a shiny truth to the bitter experience of messing up. Like matcha tea, life has a strong but necessary dichotomy. The bitter taste of everyday life gave contrast to the milk and sugar of those moments worth living for. There was gold leaf in my tea, but I never felt like I could shine as well.
Higashi Chaya
The east teahouse district is an area of Kanazawa that more reflects the preconceived ideas I harbored about Japan. The collection of streets look as they had nearly 300 years ago. Although the inside of many of them have renovated into cozy cafes there is a history of Geisha in the area. Contrary to popular belief Geisha were talented in a variety of areas. Singing, Dancing, Playing instruments, and serving tea and alcohol gracefully were the mark of a successful Geisha.
Takayama
Takayama had never appeared in my consciousness before having to go there on this tour. In hindsight I had realized I’d learned a little bit about Takayama before actually having gone there. How you might ask? I’d visited Takayama during my watch of the anime Hyouka. Hyouka is a Slice of Life/Mystery anime that features a literature club and high school life. A lot of anime use high school as a setting because almost everyone can relate to the experience. There are times when I wish I could go back and change decisions I made then, even if impossible life was much more simple back then.
Maybe it’s only in hindsight that I appreciate my highschool years because despite being a more than miserable time for me, it wasn’t as terrible as modern life. As a high schooler people are more willing to give you leeway because you are full of potential. By my age you should have it figured out but I still felt lost on a daily basis. Desptie this, I felt at ease when in a location featured in anime. Matsumoto, Shinjuku Gyoen Park, Suwa, and various locations in Tokyo are more beautiful in some anime than in real life. Being there, I floated in a surreal space and mindstate. The dark heavy chains of reality lightened as I thought of life in my personal fantasy. Sometimes it takes fantasy to show you the beauty in front of your eyes.
Gifu
I had been to Gifu before. Gifu is famous for a couple of locations. All of which have ties to anime. Your Name heavily features the Hida Takayama area which is also in Ghibli films. Higurashi is based in Shirakawago. Ghibli also has a Ghibli theme park and a 1:1 scale recreation of Satsuki and Mei’s house from my Neighbor Totoro. Other than anime Gifu is most famous for Beef and Sake. The Gifu city mascot is a cute little cow. . . it makes me feel bad for eating cow as cows are cute and more intelligent than dogs. . .but oh delicious.
Sake Tasting Brewery
After lunch we bring people to a sake tasting brewery. Sake is unique to beer and things like wine because two of the alcoholic brewing processes happen at the same time. Polished rice is the base for sake. The more of the rice that is polished the more refined and expensive the taste is. As a tour guide I insisted on staying sober, but the sake looked very delicious.
Japanese Office
The last place we visited before going to our inn that day was a traditional Feudal office. The Jinya is a peak behind the scenes of Japanese life and reflects a lot of the mindset of Japanese public face. Where customers and high ranking officials spend their time is clad in ornate decorations. The maids live in a more humble area. The head of the house on the other hand is able to peer into the garden from all sides. One of the most interesting things is the collection and representation of what a Koku of rice is. A koku is the unit of measurement that samurai were paid in. The rice represents what one person’s yearly allotment of food would be.
Hiroshima
After a stay at a traditional Japanese Bed and Breakfast or Minshuku it was time to go to a place I had been trying to avoid. Going to Hiroshima as an american feels a little awkward. Although I as a person hadn’t done anything myself I feel a sense of shared responsibility. During the long train ride, I felt as if my life were on tracks that I had no control over. Both my grandparents had lived through WWII and I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for the conflict. Although we revel in a lot of the advancements made because of conflict it isn’t something we should be proud of. As the speed train grew closer I grew increasingly anxious.
When I arrived in Hiroshima I was taken aback by how large of a city it was. It had a weird sense of beauty I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Our hotel was located right across the street from the Peace Park and bomb dome. The dome stood as a reminder to the destructive capability of humans. The bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima was only little man. It was hard for my brain to fully understand the destructive power of war being as I’ve never experienced it first hand.
Museum
Part of my training to become a technologically enhanced modern monk entails that I be fully present in the moment. I took the time to collect my thoughts as we strolled through the peace park. The park itself stood as a symbol of trying to deweaponize nuclear technology. There is a flame that burns that will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons are decommissioned. My trainer said that as a guide you don’t have to repeatedly go into the museum as it can take it’s emotional toll.
I had never been to the museum so I decided to see it for the first time. Contrary to popular belief people who are neurodivergent experience emotions, we just process them differently. I believed it was important to see all sides of humanity, the bad and the good. The museum was a good way to understand the true destructive nature of nuclear weapons. It was also a good way to re evaluate my own suffering. I had complained my whole life about my skin conditions, but I had never known real suffering as I saw it in the museum. We’ve come to understand the horrors of nuclear radiation through a series of accidents, weapons, and research, but at the time nothing was known about radiation sickness.
Virtual Spaces Involving Atomic Fallout
Pop culture has used Chernobyl, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki as a base for games like Fallout, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Metro 2033, and other titles. Docuseries do a good job of flagging the concerning rise of Nuclear Weapons stockpiling, but I feel as if some movies and games tend to trivialize the nature of the subject matter. While the original Fallout titles had a sense of gravity and dark humor around the matter, Bethesda’s reimagining with the music and wacky antics somewhat take away from that gravity.
While I know that nuclear wastelands offer a fun backdrop for game mechanics involving radiation, nukes, and explosions after the museum I need to rethink the fun factor. Some of my favorite game series turn survival of irradiated spaces into game mechanics. Perhaps a gritty more visceral experience can also be used as a learning tool. I thought that the museum could leverage Virtual Reality to remind us of serious destructive power of nuclear weapons. A V.R. experience of a child experiencing the bomb might be a helpful learning tool. Going through the museum was unsettling as it showed me the reality of the pandora’s box that is nuclear fission.
The Paper Crane
The legend of the paper crane has become an international symbol of peace after Sadako Sasaki’s wish to live. Depending on the definition of life, perhaps she does live on in a way. The legacy of her story has had real lasting impact on the world. I remember growing up in grade school and learning about her story. This is about the same time we first learned about WWII and Japan in school. As I child I didn’t really understand the gravity that she died at about my age at the time. When I think about Japanese origami the first shape that comes to mind is the crane, Sadako’s story comes to mind when I see the paper object.
Itsukushima
Itsukushima is home to Miyajima shrine. This shrine appears to float magically above the water. The floating Tori gate is a symbol of Japanese beauty and millions of tourists from around the world come to see it yearly. I thought that coming to Japan would allow me to get a one up on the universe if I passed through or witnessed the transcendent beauty. Sadly I’ve come through the other side still the same person. There have been times in my life where I have felt that everything has come together and I’ve belonged. Seeing the gate for myself gave me a sense of melancholy as I had accomplished a lifelong goal.
Perhaps transcendance isn’t as grand as we had imagined. Similar to my experience in Nagano going through the dark tunnel, perhaps it’s realizing life and reality reflect back what you project onto it. I had seen the torigate and now the goal had moved.
Kyoto
The crown jewel of Japan is Kyoto. Kyoto is dense with years of history. Shrines, Temples, Castles, Tori Gates, and Geisha are kyoto’s backdrop. The old capital city is what people think about when they think Japan. I myself harbor a giant love of kyoto, perhaps not for the same reasons as other people. My favorite animation studio is in kyoto and I’ve been there for a visit during Covid. Sadly because it was during Covid, I didn’t get to go to the gift shop! During our visit we went to Nijo Castle. Nijo Castle has some of the most famous wallpaper decorations from ancient Japanese history.
Zen Redemption
When it was my turn to take the reigns of the tour group again, I felt a state of calmness. Throughout the tour I continued to build my skills as a leader, built rapport with the guests, and encouragement from my trainer allowed me to know.
I am Enough
My love of Japan and Zen Philosophy is one of the catalysts behind my move. I had been to Kanazawa home of DT Suzuki, which was one of Alan Watt’s favorite eastern thinkers. I had listened to so many Alan Watts lectures that they had become a base for my way of life. My understanding of the material might have been wrong, but the quest to understand Zen Philosophy is the important part of it. I might not have been as well read as Alan Watts, but I gave a short “lecture” on the Zen rock garden at Ryoanji.
I lost myself in the flow of life, connecting my personal experience with my knowledge of zen philosophy and symbolism of the rock garden. The guests recieved the speech properly and it was encouraging to hear good feedback from them. Perhaps my future as a tour leader looked bright.
Osaka West Coast Best Coast
Speaking of bright places, I had only been to Osaka once before. During my previous stay I remained at a hospital. For those wondering yes skin conditions like eczema can morph you into an unrecognizable image of yourself. This time it was off to the bright lights of Namba street. The attitude in Osaka is much different to the attitudes of eastern or even central Japan. Although people from Kyoto act like paragons of Japanese etiquette things are different in Osaka. I think it’s crazy how the west coast of Japan mirrors the west coast of the United States in a way.
I’m a little biased because I grew up in the laidback, rainy, and relaxed pacific northwest. Osaka passes the west coast vibe check for sure. The nature of the industrial history of the city and its gruff past paint the current landscape. They aren’t so uptight with the social rules and Osaka and I felt a sense of pressure relief. The neon lit streets of Namba excited my senses and I lost myself in the sounds and colorful signage of the area. I felt more at home here than I did in Kanagawa.
End of the Tour
With that I had finished my first tour. I took the time to hang out with a friend I had met online playing APEX Legends. My parents told me growing up that nothing good would come from video games, they were wrong. ALthough I’m not an eSports star or a gaming influencer I have forged valuable friendships in the fires of online lobbies. Research shows men can open up better doing tasks together and male friendships are strengthened in stressful situations. I can’t think of anything more stressful then virtualized hyper reality war. I feel closer to my gaming friends than my own family at times. A game like Apex mirrors real conflict slightly <- don’t take that statement out of context.
What I mean is between the intense gunfights in Apex there is a lot of quiet downtime. When you are looting, moving around, or waiting in relatively safe houses there is a lot of quiet time to fill. During this time my Apex group talks about everything our pets, how home life is going, our job situation. So it was nice to finally be able to meet my friend in real life. Because I was able to travel Osaka with a resident he took me to a bar. To my surprise the local Japanese people tend to start conversations. It’s rare that Japanese people reach out even during drinking, not in Osaka I guess!
On My Way Home
With my first tour wrapped up with a trainer my next tour I’d be alone. It took place in two weeks and I was feeling pretty prepared. Messing up in a safe enviorment made me feel more at ease if anything. I’d learned a lot of valuable lessons from my first training tour and I had gotten to see sights I had always wanted.
I want to continuously build my knowledge of modern day Japan, Japanese History, the Language, and Tourist destinations so if that seems interesting to you feel free to follow this blog. I also post videos on my YouTube Channel and other social posts so feel free to follow me there.
It’s been a good journey so far, here’s to many travels to come.
Much Love 🩷🩵❤️ LBM
