Kobe, land of steaks and enlightenment

Not ten minutes from our hotel in Kobe's city center we found the Suma-Dera Buddhist temple. We had visited a Shinto shrine, but this was our first Buddhist temple. While much of the Shinto belief system resonated with me, I found the peace and tranquility of this temple to be a calming and soothing presence. The quiet promoted contemplative thought.

Suma-Dera is nestled into the verdant mountainside that overlooks the city of Kobe. The day started out rainy and cold, but it felt right for this setting. The exposed wood of the buildings, the green copper roofs, the carefully pruned trees that peppered the grounds...it all seemed to have naturally sprouted out from the earth. There was a oneness and stillness here that almost forced me to face some of my inner turmoil.

Vibrant red Japanese maple trees frame a traditional wooden temple building in autumn scenery.

Black and white panoramic view of flooded houses and buildings along a waterway during a natural disaster.

Autumn maple trees with vibrant red and orange leaves hang over a tranquil pond with stone embankment reflecting the foliage.

Specifically, Steph and I had been consumed with out kids. Link had transitioned to middle school only a few months before and we were all having a rough go of it. Wes had some diagnoses that we were not expecting that kind of rocked our world in addition to this. Add to that mix that Steph's planning and coordination company virtually blowing up last year (a great thing), and my photography business starting to take off as well (another great thing), and the stress of finding peace with our children had been very, very real.

I'm not much of a believer in anything, but when I came across a statue of Jizō Bosatsu, the Buddhist deity that protects children, I took it as a sign. I made a donation and spent a few quiet moments praying for Link and Wes before continuing to explore the temple. Needless to say, my time at Suma-Dera was enlightening.

Wooden planks and walkways extend over a tranquil pond surrounded by lush greenery and trees.

Na-i na-i, Sika! Na-i, Na-i!

An hour and a half long bus ride brought us to Nara, where we visited another Buddhist temple, Tōdai-Ji. Made famous for housing the world's largest bronze Buddha statue, the temple of Tōdai-Ji is something of a spectacle and drastically different from the Suma-Dera temple we were at just a short while before.

Tōdai-Ji was absolutely packed. There were people from all over visiting the temple, doing everything from paying homage to the great Buddha to taking pictures of the incredible visages contained within. The connection I had felt to the land and the temple at Suma-Dera, the spirituality that came over me in a great wave, none of that was felt here and I'm sure that the crowd was largely responsible for that. It was impressive, sure, but...something was missing.

Panoramic view of Himeji Castle in Japan with autumn foliage and blue sky.

Ornate ceiling detail with lotus flowers and decorative patterns in a traditional Asian temple or palace interior.

Ancient Japanese temple lanterns made of bronze stand in a row at a historic Buddhist shrine.

Bronze lanterns with ornate traditional Japanese architecture line the pathway at a historic temple.

Then something amazing happened.

Very famously, Tōdai-Ji temple is surrounded by Sika deer. These deer have become known internationally for their distinctive bow, made in an effort to finagle food from temple-goers. We had already seen a few Sika on the walk up to the temple. As an animal lover, I was immediately drawn to them, but I was focused on getting to the temple and knew we'd have more than enough time to encounter the Sika after the temple.

When we'd finished with the temple, I took off to explore on my own. And that is when I encountered this very special Sika.

I've already written about my unconventional beliefs. But having grown up with a Taino great-grandmother who spoke beautifully about the spiritual world we inhabit, I am often conflicted about what I believe. What I am certain of, is that I don't know anything for sure. Which is why I believe that this Sika was not like the rest.

All the other Sika I saw and interacted with were concerned with only one thing: eating. Most respected the call of "na-i, na-i" meaning I have no food for you. But all were possessed by hunger. Majestic as they were, they all seemed like animals. Not this one, though. Shintoism teaches that the divine can embody and live in the everyday. If that's true, then this Sika was more than just a deer.

It stood before the gate of Tōdai-Ji, seemingly observing and taking in all the goings-on at Nara. Pedestrians whisked by, unaffected by this dignified creature. I approached it slowly, with my M3 in my hands and shutter cocked and ready to make an exposure. It bowed, and I returned the gesture, but did not say a word. We stood in front of each other for what seemed an eternity, eyes locked. It's presence was reassuring and motherly, as if telling me that some unknown force would sweep through and make life easier. It was transformative. I finally raised the camera's viewfinder to my eye and, having judged the lens' minimum focus distance accurately upon my approach, made one of my favorite portraits I've ever made.

I bowed once again and said "arigatou gozaimasu" before the Sika bowed in return and finally looked once more beyond me and onto the throng of people moving across the Nara temple grounds.

A sequence of black and white photographs showing a cityscape view with industrial buildings and urban development.

I seemed to float after that, moving upon the air from one beautiful vista to the next. Through it all, I felt the sort of liberation of spirit and worry that comes only from enlightenment. My interaction with the Sika had been an epiphany. All this worrying about Link and Wes, about their futures and how they'll make it in life, but why?

The universe provides. She is mother to all and ensures for us a warm and safe nook for us to nestle into. They'd be alright. And so would I.

Black and white architectural photograph showing a modern building entrance with glass windows and geometric shapes.

Kyoto After Dark

The drive from Nara to Kyoto was shorter than the previous one. After about an hour, we found ourselves in the old capital of Japan. It was dark when we arrived, and dinner was eaten fairly quickly. Many of our students were tired, as were many of of the faculty. But a few of us hit the streets after lights-out and found a bustling night life in Kyoto.

The alleys were narrow and ancient, giving the feeling of time travel. Except all the people out this late looked chic and ready for a long night of food and drink.

Gabe and Rob, who had been to Kyoto before, were like dogs with bones. They had visited a whiskey bar on their last visit and were hunting for it from memory.

Dimly lit narrow alleyways in Japan at night with glowing signs and street lamps creating an atmospheric urban scene.

A dark tunnel-like hallway with arched ceilings and warm glowing lights creates an atmospheric architectural perspective.

Dimly lit Japanese street at night with glowing lanterns and neon signs illuminating the narrow alleyway.

After about ten minutes of exploration we found the joint. As a lover of Japanese whiskey, I was excited to have some while actually in Japan. The bar was quiet and dignified. There were two others at the bar when we had arrived, but they left shortly after we arrived. We savored our drinks, sipping slowly and deliberately, before ordering a second round. We decided, however, that to maximize our time in Kyoto this night, we should do a bit of bar hopping. So we settled up after that second round and hit the streets once more.

We stumbled upon a lively bar with an extensive menu of beers, foreign and domestic. We slid into a corner booth and ordered a round.

The music selection was great, featuring 70's rock and roll classics that resonated with Gabe and me. As musicians ourselves, these sort of guitar and synth driven tunes are the kind of vibe that puts us at ease. It could not have been more different from the vibe at the whiskey bar, but we are complex creatures and can feel right at home in more than one environment.

We had a couple of rounds of beer, enjoying conversation amongst ourselves with a bit of head bobbing and banging along with the tunes. But we had an early start the next morning, with a long day filled with exploration of Kyoto prefecture. So we finished our beers, said goodnight to the bartender, and went back to our hotel. Because tomorrow held the activity I was most looking forward to on this nearly two week long adventure: Fushimi-Inari.

To be continued in Adventure in Japan, Part IV.