A "Sound One Cannot Make Alone"

For those of you who have been following my journey this past year in Kyoto, I am humbly grateful. Although we may not have connected personally, I am thankful for your support and truly hope you have found some inspiration on your own journey and a new appreciation for the beauty of Japan through some of my writing. For those of you who have emailed along the way, many times those encouraging words came just when they were needed.

If you have been living on planet Earth, you have likely been following the rapid developments concerning the coronavirus. Originally, my plan had been to leave Japan at the beginning of April, just after the Spring bloom of cherry blossoms in Kyoto. My timeline has moved up a bit as flights are already being cancelled coming into Japan and the U.S is considering travel restrictions on incoming travelers. As you know, the development of the virus has changed plans for many people. Schools have been closed in Japan for the month of March. It is always possible you could be reading a very different post from me in a couple of weeks.

As I now begin to consider my journey back home, I realize that I have a collection of more than enough experiences, stories, images and inspiration to continue this website long after I am back home and will continue to do so until I run out of things to write about Japan. I hope you will continue to enjoy it. I have actually purchased a round trip back to Kyoto in the Fall, but we will see what the days ahead bring all of us. As my friend Sokan, the monk of Seikenji Temple wrote today, “It is as if an era of great change has begun. Along with the changing society, ups and downs and changes. I think some people feel more. Is there something that doesn't really change at such times? Seeking the most important thing, but not bringing in the desire, I want to sit seriously.” Or as Loo Tzu wrote “Stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.”

If you have been following from day one, you know that for the most part, this last year was a solo journey for me, one of solitude and introspection and exploring not only the beauty of Japan and its arts and culture, but also an exploration of my own self and inner path. For the better part of almost 9 months, I found the solitude I sought in my tiny Japanese house, my many walks all over the city of Kyoto as well is the centuries old trees along the Imperial Palace Garden path. I finally broke 600 miles walking in 8 months. Through these months I found a peace within myself through hours and days of meditation and simply taking this year away to be with myself. If every person could have this gift I believe the world might be just a little more peaceful place.

I never cease to be amazed at the miracle of life and the interconnectedness of it all. Just a month ago I was prepared to leave Japan for Thailand and then make my way back home. I did not travel due to precautions about the coronavirus. Today it is more prevalent in Japan. It had been quite challenging for me after almost 8 months to make many real connections in Japan, largely due to my own inability to speak the language. This has been a valuable lesson I have learned before spending another year in a foreign culture. Yet in some ways it has been a richer experience, not knowing what anyone is talking about while out hearing daily conversations. Knowing the experience of being an outsider. It has allowed me a much more inward journey. As I return home, I will be the guy befriending every lost and confused foreigner I can find, as I now know what it is to walk in their shoes. I am excited to have reconnected with my Japanese teacher in Austin and look forward to focusing more concentrated efforts on learning the language so I can talk to all of my friends the next time I return.

Just as I had booked my ticket and prepared to leave, one unplanned and unpredictable day as I was having my coffee at the Imperial Gardens, I met a beautiful soul named Mayumi. It seemed almost as if we already knew each other. Some would call this random, yet I was compelled to introduce myself. Because of that one impulse and meeting and conversation, I have since met one person after the other who I now truly consider as friends here in Kyoto. What a miracle it all is. This miracle of interconnectedness and synchronicities has happened to me over and over again since my first adventure to China. I believe there is a book is cultivating itself in the back of my mind this has now happened to me so many times on my journeys.

Since meeting Mayumi, that led to meeting my new friend Noriko. Noriko has spent time at Plum Village in Thailand and also traveled and worked on Peace Boat. From meeting Noriko, I met the beautiful Keiko and her daughter, Kanon. Keiko is a clothing designer who creates only organic clothing and is passionate about making the world a better place. Through Keiko I met my new friend, Yasuha, who is an inspiring photographer and all around beautiful person in the world. Mayumi also knew that I was interested in Zen meditation and working in a Zen garden, so introduced me to my friend Sokan, who is the head monk at Seikenji Temple, where I have worked in the garden and attended zazen and tea meditation. Sokan and I became immediate friends which led to many conversations and my joining him for martial arts training with his Master teacher. Through Sokan I was introduced to new friends Kentaro and his beautiful family. This led to the opportunity to stay in their home during the month of March while they are traveling. Kentaro is a documentary filmmaker in Tanzania and this perhaps leads to an opportunity for me to return to Kyoto in September when they travel again. One of the first people I ever met in Kyoto was Kelsey from Australia. We discovered many common threads and have shared many experiences, conversations and encouragement for one another. Through Kelsey, I met the lovely Asami, her roommate from Japan. As I have written before, many of the most amazing things that have happened to me came as a result of being lost. One day, early on, I was lost finding my way home and stopped into what looked like a random shop to ask for directions. There I met Mayu and her husband, who run Be Kyoto, an artist gallery near my home. Mayu introduced me to my sumi e teacher, which has become my great love during my time here. All of these connections threading together.

There are far too many images to post here, so please visit my gallery of friends here:

https://www.sundaysinkyoto.com/post/gallery-of-friends

I will share this story in closing, as I have had so many experiences among my travels that could be considered beyond explanation. One day, I had been invited to visit a famous onsen with my new friends. We were sitting in the car outside the post office waiting. I was sitting in the back seat and looked up outside my window to catch eyes with the peaceful old man sitting in the car right next to me. We had one of those exchanges that lasted for minutes with the deep, smile that only comes from a few wise souls. The next thing I know there was knock on the window and he told my friends that I was meant to have this picture he had painted. He was both an artist and calligrapher. The image was of Bodhidharma, who was the monk who established Zen Buddhism. The writing was painted in kanji so of course I could not read it. When I asked my friends to explain what it said, they told me the words were as follows…..

”There is a sound in life that one cannot make alone.”

I was struck deeply at the significance these words had for me as they captured my entire journey to Japan. I had left everything behind to come here completely alone, not knowing another soul in Japan. For almost 8 months I had walked this path of isolation until through one person, Kyoto and Japan opened up it’s doors to me. My time in isolation and introspection had served its purpose and I had found peace within myself. But it was now very clear that “there is a sound in life one cannot make alone.”