My trip to Japan started with a brief respite in Tokyo before heading north to explore the Sacred Mountains and experience the local Ryokans and onsens.
Outside of Nikko, we hiked a typical Japanese trail. There are few switchbacks and the elevation gain was accomplished by climbing up rocks and boulders. Some trails had rocky steps while others were remnants of steep, swift mountain streams. The air is fresh but very heavy. The humidity can be oppressive when the temperature is merely 80 degrees. The tree-line is also much lower than I expected, perhaps 5800 feet.
The national religion of Japan is Shinto. It does not have either a founder or official dogma. Shinto is described as an animistic practice. Living and inanimate objects such as rocks and streams are infused with a divine spirit. Mountains are considered sacred because they are the dwelling places of “kami,” the spirits of nature.
.There is a long tradition of mountain worship with shrines dating from the 400’s. The Japanese revere these natural features as places of divine presence and power. Mountains are seen as a connection to the spiritual realm, with their peaks representing the closest point to heaven
Shinto is frequently blended with Buddhist traditions and there are areas that have both shrines (Shinto) and temples (Buddhist). The garb of a monk in northern Honshu is practical and symbolic. The spiritual training focuses on both mental and physical development. Aspiring monks spend many hours hiking in the mountains. The arduous treks serve to strip away worldly concerns and purify the spirit.
The shrines are situated in beautiful wooded areas. The Tori gate marks the transition from the pedestrian to the sacred. There is a small fountain before the gate for cleansing your hands and lips. Stone steps lead to the shrine where you can entreat the deity. There are thousands of deities. Each shrine is dedicated to one deity , though paths that are part of the shrine/temple complex often have a series of spots dedicated to a variety of spirits.
After ascending the steps to a shrine, the deity is summoned by clattering the bells. The bells are reminiscent of a cowbell and the discordant noise serves to get the spirits attention. Then you bow twice, toss an offering into the box, clap twice to scare off evil spirits, silently offer your prayer and conclude with one deep bow and one shallow bow.
I was amazed by the divinity of the shrines. The mountain temple, Risshakuji, was my favorite shrine/temple. The Tendai sect of Mahayana Buddhism established the temple in 860. A sacred flame has been burning ever since. It is set atop a forest of old cedar trees. The 1,000 step stone path leading to the temple was adorned with moss covered stone lanterns. As you ascended the path, the shadows changed and the scent of the trees and the decomposing leaves blended together to produce an intoxicating outdoor incense. The path seemed both primordial and eternal. I felt calm and awed. It was a singularly unique experience.
While traveling in the north, we stayed at traditional Ryokans. The country inns, Ryokans, provide a room, a communal hot bath, dinner, breakfast and a yukata. Your shoes are removed immediately upon entry to the building. Some of the inns required slippers others allowed you to go barefoot. The room is covered with tatami mats. The top layer of the mats are made of a woven rush grass which traditionally covered baked dried rice straw. The mats were originally used by the nobility and weren’t prevalent among commoners until the end of the 17th century.
The mats have a pleasant feel however I had difficulty getting enough traction when rising from my futon. I’m sure the problem was the tatami flooring and NOT old age and inflexibility.
We arrived in the Ryokans in the late afternoon. I quickly learned to slip on the yukata, a Japanese cotton robe with an obi sash and head off to the onsen, the communal hot bath.
There’s a male and female side to the hot bath. Many of the onsens have high mineral content as the baths are supplied by volcanic springs. Check your modesty and technology at the entrance – no phones and no clothes. Your yukata, towel and any personal items, watch, jewelry, hair brush, are placed in a basket. The washing stations have a small stool, cleaning products and a hand held shower head. You cleanse thoroughly and then enter the bath. The outside communal bath in the Oirase region looked out into a tree lines river gorge. It was beautiful and restful.
The first ten days of my time in Japan has been spent hiking. Some of the hikes have been challenging. Instead of switchbacks, the paths frequently run along and through old steep stream beds. Much of the ascent on two hikes was spent climbing up and over boulders and rocks. The uphill was hard but the downhill was treacherous. There was a light rain and the path was slippery. Even the hewn stone steps of the temple in Haguro-San posed a challenge in a light rain.
The transportation was clean, efficient and varied. We traveled on subways, local trains, bullet trains and in private cars. Everything was clean and quiet. No one talks on a phone while in a train or on the subway. More unusual is the lack of trash cans. There were very few public trash cans. You are expected to take trash with you and dispose of it at your residence.
There are large beverage machines throughout neighborhoods bordering trails and tourist areas. If you purchase a beverage or a bottle of water, the container will need to be recycled at either a local 7/11 or an infrequently, a beverage dispensers which with a recycling bag or bin attached to it. I would have thought that the lack of garbage bins would contribute to a litter problem. But the opposite is true. The lack of trash containers gives the city and surrounding areas a crisp and tidy feel. It also is more efficient and less expensive for the local municipalities.
After a couple of days in Tokyo, with Kimberly and Bryan, I’m off to explore the area between Tokyo and Kyoto. More to come!