A little late on the good wishes, but I hope for a prosperous, healthy and joyful 2012 for all my friends and family. I am looking forward to lots of adventures, making new connections and venturing to places I haven’t been before. Nothing planned yet, but I’m getting itchy feet.

Kagura Dancer at Onyujima Tondo

Things are always pretty hectic at the end of the year. With only a week between Christmas and New Years’, it seems I spend all seven days in the kitchen preparing and eating food.  We had a nice gathering with the local out-of-towners on Christmas Day, played board games, ate good food, listened to holiday music and exchanged funky gifts. On New Years’ I made lots of traditional dishes: kuromame, konbumaki, nitsuke, namasu, kinton, lotus root balls, and yuzu daikon-My new favorite recipe  (in Jpn)is for the lotus root balls-I usually  make them as patties. No pictures of the New Year’s feast, though-after completing a Flickr 365 project of 2011, my enthusiasm for taking photos has waned, and I took the day off- but I  did sign up for a 52 photos group…) we had Jiro’s mom home for one night, she was so relaxed and clearly enjoyed being home, but the support she needs at night is really too much for us. It seems that we’ll just be bringing her home for day visits in the future.

After Jiro’s mom returned to the care facility, Jiro and I drove  up to Usa in the northern Oita Prefecture to visit old friends. We lived in Usa when Kai was born and our friends there all have kids around his age. Several of them are now married and have kids of their own! When we lived there we did a bit of farming-shiitake and rice, and our friends there are still growing their own rice- I think I’d like to do that again…It was good to get out of town and we enjoyed the drive- stopping to take a couple hot spring baths and visit a couple old Buddhist sites in Ajimu.

Tondo Bonfire

His mom has not been doing so well the past couple of months. She had pneumonia caused by aspiration of food in mid-December. She was pretty sick for three or four days, but recovered. Then yesterday she had a mild stroke , and although she was weak, she seemed to be okay. This morning she got another bout of pneumonia and is really weak. She is now in the hospital on oxygen and an IV- I am praying that she will be in better shape tomorrow. It is so hard to see her gradual physical decline. She really wants to come home and I think she is losing her will to keep going. I haven’t felt this sad in a long time.

But, there is also GREAT news today. The translation and writing project I’ve been working on since the end of October is finally done. I am pretty pleased how it came out. The web designer was really easy to work with and she created a site that exceeded everyone’s expectations. I already noticed one editing miss of mine and am sure there will be more. I am continuing to translate recipes for them and hopefully we’ll be going to the US this year to introduce shiokoji to the US market. Lots to be excited about. Kojiya website

Also I’ve been asked to teach part-time 4 mornings a week at a university in Oita- the hours are really convenient for me. If all goes as planned, I’ll be teaching the first term  (April to July) and maybe even the following term in September. It’ll be nice to be working with college-age students again. Now I’ve got to get some new clothes!

Last week I went with some friends to the Tondo festival on Onyujima- a small island just a kilometer or so from Saiki Harbor. Tondo festivals are held in January in towns across Japan. A huge  bonfire is built using straw, bamboo, and everyone’s New Year’s decorations and it is set on fire- people pray for good health and success in the new year. On Onyujima there is a kagura dance prior to the bonfire and the local kids play taiko. Bowls of udon with the local specialty gomadashi sell for 100 yen and of course there is also the typical Japanese festival food- yakitori, fried chicken and french fries- at typically high prices- 300 yen for a bag of fries!

Mountainside Statue at Sen no Iwa in Ajimu

We are having our coldest winter weather this week-there were even a few snow flurries on Wednesday, but spring comes soon here in southern Japan- maybe in two or three weeks. Jiro’s planted about 25 fruit trees in a large field near here- I’m thinking I want to plant pumpkins in the rows between the trees to help keep the weeds down. Keeping busy!

Early November Ryougoji

After a creepily warm autumn, the temperatures have finally dropped below 18°C  and it is starting to feel like winter. Until last week I was still waking to the buzz of mosquitos. The fall colors arrived late and seemed a little less showy than in previous years, and the camelias and

Fall at the base of Shiroyama

narcissus are blooming in the warmer parts of the garden. One of the dahlias even put out a blossom last week. Weather forecasts say to expect a colder winter than usual, I guess it will arrive later this month. Nights and mornings are cold enough that we need to light the kerosene space heater now and there’s always a pot of hot tea on the table.

I’ve got no excuses for neglecting the blog, I just haven’t felt like writing. Sorry to those of you who check in and see the same heading week after week.

Thanksgiving dinner was the highlight of November. We’ve shared the meal with the Asari family of Kojiya for three years in a row now- I think we’ve passed the threshold for establishing a tradition. A couple other expat friends have joined us and it definitely feels like a holiday. The Asaris got a new commercial oven this year, so I was able to order a larger turkey (12 pounds) and roast it at their house. I even found frozen brussel sprouts, Japanese kabocha works fine for pumpkin pie, and I made cranberry sauce from dried cranberries. It’s tough being so far away from my family during the holidays, but we’ve come up with a good substitute here.

I took Level 2 of  the JLPT on December 4th. It was really tough, I took a couple practice tests beforehand and did fine, but the actual test was quite a bit more difficult. If I pass it will only be because of extremely lucky guessing, but I think I’ll take it again next year. the results don’t come out until mid-February, by that time I won’t care. Regardless of my score, I am becoming a stronger reader and am motivated to keep improving.

After the exam, I joined a friend and three of her friends and went out to dinner and then to a hot spring bath at Hyotan Onsen. I hadn’t been there since before Kai was born- of course, it’s been upgraded. A perfect way to end the exam day! We lived in the hot spring town of Beppu when we were first married and took hot spring baths every night-wish we lived closer to a good hot spring now.

Shiroyama castle wall

Working pretty hard on the Kojiya website content- we’re aiming for the end of the year for the launching of their English site. For those of you in Japan, think about coming down to Kyushu to take a workshop in using shiokoji or making miso next year!

The kids sent a holiday package with advent calendars, winter teas, chocolate and almonds for Jiro’s Christmas truffles and chocolate almonds, and a copy of Mother Jones for me. Thanks to them, it feels a little more like Christmas. We’ve got several gatherings over the next couple weeks. In Japan, it’s customary to go to Bonenkai (literally: forget-the-year party), end-of-the-year parties. On Christmas I may have a few people over for stew and cornbread and a day of board games. We won’t have a tree and Santa’s not going to be stopping by, but I definitely want to share a meal and hang out with friends.

It’s been a rough year for Japan and the nuclear disaster still is worrisome….I can’t see any benefits to nuclear energy, the dangers are too great. The news from Fukushima continues to be depressing. Sunday marked the nine-month mark since the earthquake and tsunami, lots of damage still to deal with and infrastructure that needs attention, but the Japanese government is discussing the purchase of new fighter jets. Aaah

My hope for next  year and every year is for the end of war…

Stay warm this winter.

No promises, but will try to write more soon.

day after the torrential rains and rising river: check out previous post for contrast

Not sure why I’ve been avoiding writing. I often think of lots of things to write about when I am running, but I never seem to follow through. But I think I will have more time to write now because there has been a huge change in our life.

persimmon

Two weeks ago, we moved Ba-chan to a care facility. We had been talking about it for a little while and had consulted with her social worker. She had been declining over the summer and was communicating less and less with us. The hardest part for me was dealing with incontinence and her associated shame- we tried so many different strategies- but nothing seemed to work. The past month, she was moving less and sitting in one spot for extended periods of time. We were concerned that she was withdrawing and getting lost in her own head. A few weeks ago we left her for 45 minutes while we had a visitor at our place. It was around her bedtime and we left out her pajamas for her to change. She usually is able to get changed on her own if we set out her clothes. When we went back to check on her, she was crawling on the floor in the dark, completely confused and scared. We turned on the lights and she was like a small child… We got her settled down and I helped her get changed and into bed. I knew then that she was not in good shape and we set up visits to care facilities to check them out to find a good place for her.

Inagaki during rice harvest season

Everyone had told us that it was hard to find a place with openings and we would have to wait awhile. We got on the waiting list at two places and two days later we got a call back from the place we really liked. It has an on-site day care program, so she can go to planned activities for 5 hours every day. She also gets physical therapy once a day. They do her laundry, serve good food and she has a private room. I was a wreck on the day we took her. She really didn’t want to go- “Do I have to go?  I really want to stay at home.”  She only went after Jiro told her that she was moving there for physical therapy and that when she can walk more steadily, she’ll be able to come home. It was so hard to leave her there. she was so sad. I cried all the way home. BUT when  we went to visit her a couple days later she was more talkative, initiated conversation with us, and  was trying to walk more. She was more like she was a year ago. I am sure the stimulation of having people around all the time has helped her keep more engaged. It was really reassuring. Since then I’ve visited her several more times and although she still wants to come home, she is making friends and is smiling more. The staff deals with her incontinence in a matter-of-fact way and hopefully she feel less stress about that. I think when she was at home, she was always trying to hide her messes and spent a lot of energy and emotion pretending?? that there wasn’t a problem.

As for us, it has made a huge difference. I can leave the house and not be worried about her falling or doing something dangerous. It’s been two weeks now and I am finally feeling like a huge burden has been lifted. Everything happened so quickly- we weren’t expecting to find a place until at least  next spring. I am now trying to figure out what I am going to do for work. I am considering teaching a few more classes but am networking to see what’s out there. Any ideas or leads?

View of Saiki from Ryuuozan

I am working with the koji shop, Kojiya, on a big project. They are expanding and want to target the English speaking market. So I am helping with their website content and they will finally be publishing an English version of their cookbook that I translated. They are also making several You Tube videos in Japanese and want to make some in English. I’ll keep you posted.  I’ve also helped a friend who runs an online business selling crafts from Oita with some translation work recently. I’d rather do translation than teach English, but I need more experience before I can pick up more work. We’ll see.

I’ve been keeping pretty busy around here. I got in our winter garden and everything has sprouted- lots of greens, daikon radish and kabu. As I was planting, I remembered that less than three years ago, Ba-chan was still gardening a bit—now it’s my garden. I had left one garden space right outside her residence for her to tend to, but she never made it out  this year. I think I’ll plant flowers there, so it will be nice when she comes home to visit.

Taiko at the starting line at Tour de Saiki

I participated in a cycling event here in Saiki. I rode the short course- 26 km along the coastline of Saiki. It was a beautiful day and the riders were rewarded with a huge kaisen donburi (fresh sashimi rice bowl) at the end. Lots of fun and great exercise. I also hiked a local mountain here Ryuuozan (Dragon King Mountain) 317 meters. The view from the top was great- I hadn’t seen Saiki from the south before- really beautiful. The trail was well-maintained which is unusual for these local mountains, but I had to use my walking poles as spider web whackers. There are several mountains in Kysuhu with this same name and in Saiki there are two-although the kanji is different. I found a couple websites (here and here) that introduce hikes in Oita and it’s been fun exploring. Oooooh, another translation project.

I’ve  also become involved with some local activism against dredging up industrial waste from a pulp plant that closed 40 years ago. There are plans to fill in a bay off Onyujima with the sludge and then dump waste from construction projects there, too. This plan was approved 15 years ao, but was stopped by opposition of the local residents, but there are plans to start up again. I’ll write more about that as I learn more.

Also, the Japanese government has come up with a plan to distribute rubble from the disaster areas all over Japan including rubble that has low-level radiation. Several regional governments are refusing to accept the rubble, but many people think that the burden of the waste should be shared by everyone in Japan,not just Fukushima. I don’t know why they don’t just dump everything in the 30 km exclusion zone- as noone will be able to return there for at least another generation… It seems that the money spent transporting the waste could be better used to support the evacuees and their resettlement.

shinto priest blessing at our home

Closer to home: In our neighborhood there are about 20 homes. Most of the families have lived here for several generations. There are only two families with children and most of the people are over 60. Four times a year women from the neighborhood gather to pray for safety, good health, good harvests and to avoid natural disasters. A Shinto priest comes and performs a ritual and then everyone shares lunch together. The responsibility for hosting rotates throughout the neighborhood and in September it was our turn. I had never attended one , so I really had no idea what to do and Ba-chan was no help. So I asked several people and never got an entire explanation from anyone. After asking 5 or 6 neighbors, I was able to piece together what  I needed to gather to set up an altar for the Shinto priest- one bottle of sake, one sho of rice, two sea bream, 3 types of seasonal vegetables, another small dish of rice, and 7000 yen…I also had to serve lunch to everyone, but luckily the local custom is to order boxed lunches. Until a few years ago, this gathering (Murabito) was an opportunity to show-off your cooking and everyone tried to outdo each other. So I ordered lunches, made pumpkin muffins and had lots of fresh fruit. A few neighbors showed up an hour early and helped me get it all set up. It went well and everyone left satisfied, Whew! Ba-chan enjoyed having everyone there, but she  didn’t really participate in the conversation. It was interesting to hear the local gossip about people who aren’t even alive anymore, I heard stories about Jiro’s grandmother-she was really fashionable and a little arrogant. The neighborhood has decided to end this tradition once the current rotation ends- another tradition that is dying out.

Autumn sunset

Enjoying the fall, can’t wait for the leaves to turn red and yellow and orange.

Looking down on Hatozu Beach

I’ve been back for a couple weeks and am finally getting back into my groove. Drove out to my favorite beach for an end-of-summer swim and even made it to a local festival. I’ve started getting the garden in shape, but haven’t made much progress because of all the rain. I’m planning to plant lots of greens for winter and also daikon and kabu. The weeds were taller than me when I got back, but I expected that. I’ve harvested a few zucchini and jalepeños and I’m hoping to find carrots in the next area I get cleared.

Banjyo River rising

The rain has been relentless. Two typhoons are contributing to the rainfall-one has passed and the other is moving very slowly this way. It sat above Okinawa most of the weekend, so all of our rivers are swollen and low-lying areas are flooded. It doesn’t look good because the winds and full-on rain haven’t hit yet. We are very close to the river, but I think we are relatively safe because of the way it bends just a little upstream from here. But I’ve never seen the river this full and am a little worried. I feel nervous, but at the same time I am super interested to see what will happen.

Coming back after being gone for 6 weeks to see Jiro’s mom was hard. Even though she hasn’t changed much, I found myself surprised how disengaged she is and how she confuses so many things. Her sister and sister-in-law both passed away while I was gone, but she doesn’t remember. She can’t follow through on anything she begins- even changing into her pajamas- unless someone guides her. I forgot how much energy it takes to support her, especially because she fights the help. Today I found myself getting short with her- she was out on the covered veranda trying to bring in laundry-she was using a curved weeding knife (check the photo below) to pull the clothes off the laundry poles, sitting in pooled water.  The laundry was still wet. AARGH! I was already disappointed because the day care service brought her home 4 hours early because of concerns about flooding. And I have a feeling they won’t be open tomorrow.

Kama- weeding tool (image from www.smithandspeed.com)

I’ve started back studying kanji and am really rusty. The JLPT is in December, so I am studying for that. I took a practice test yesterday and did okay except for the longer reading passages. I’ve got a short translation job to get done next week and hopefully I’ll get more jobs soon.

Well, I’ll keep this short and post again soon. Thanks to everyone who helped to make my trip back to the US so much fun- and sorry I missed seeing everyone I wanted to see. Can’t wait for next summer.

Fresh fruit at Shilin Night Market in Taipei

I arrived last Tuesday after a nine hour layover in Taipei and I am really happy to be here. The weather is gorgeous- perfect August in Oregon.

I am writing a blog for my English students while I am away from Japan. Check it out.

Another month has passed and other than thinking about it, I still haven’t taken any steps to post more frequently. We had a super dry spring and farmers were worried about the lack of rain, but then the rainy season arrived just  in time. All the rice fields have been planted and the summer critters are out- dragonflies, cicadas, praying mantis, snakes, centipedes, cockroaches, spiders, frogs, caterpillars, hornets, wasps…I have to check my shoes and shake out clothes before I slip them on lest I get stung or end up squishing some bug. Our garden is totally overgrown with weeds- need to get it in shape this week. Bought a low rolling bench to sit on while weeding, kneeling for hours is painful.

In January I set a goal to get fit this year. Now that it’s been six months, I guess I can write about it. I started the Couch to 5 K program and after nine weeks, I was able to jog 30 minutes. I used podcasts to help me keep track of the time and I can’t believe that I have been able to stick with it. I jog 3 days a week and walk, swim, or bike 3-4 days a week. There is an awesome path along the river and I run different routes so I don’t get bored. I am now doing interval training to build up to 8K and am now two weeks into that program. I never have enjoyed running in my life, but now I look forward to it and think I will participate in a 5K this autumn.

The other day while walking an older man called out to me and starting asking me questions. “Do you have diabetes?” No. “Then why are you running so often? You look skinnier than you used to. What kind of health problem do you have?” I explained that I am just trying to stay fit and build endurance.  I had never met this man, but am aware that a lot of people know who I am because Saiki is a pretty small city. I have to be careful what I say to people, including strangers, because word spreads fast and often the strangers are connected to Jiro’s family. He then started asking me about where I was from and wondered whether I grew up in  a city or the countryside. I told him I grew up in a coastal city south of Los Angeles. So he jumped to the next logical conclusion that there must be a lot of fishermen there.  I nodded and started across the bridge. He kept up with me and he started with the compliments. “You are really amazing, taking care of your mother-in-law.”I shrugged off the compliment and kept walking. “Even after your husband died, you still came back to Japan to take care of her.” Huh? I explained that my husband is alive and well…..”Aren’t you Yonezawa-san?” Yes. “Didn’t your husband die several years ago?” NO. And then I realized that he had confused Jiro with his older brother and that the local stories are are pieced together with fragments to construct something that makes sense.

Banjyo River full after rains

It also reminded me of a conversation I had with a woman who chatted with me while we were doing the annual river cleanup. She wondered if I was running the ranch that my husband had planned. I had no idea what she was talking about and just smiled and said I wasn’t running a ranch. Now I realize she also thought I was the wife of Jiro’s brother. I wonder how long it will take for the story to be amended…

Because I deal with the altered reality of Jiro’s mom every day, I am never too surprised when I hear strange information. The other day we were watching a show about the development of the test for determining blood type. Trying to keep her engaged, I asked her what her blood type is (all Japanese people know this information about themselves). She thought for a little bit and told me that she is Type C.

Read a “delightful” book- The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa. I really loved the story of a housekeeper who works for a mathematics professor with a memory impairment. I rented the DVD and will watch it later this week.

Rice fields

Two more weeks til Oregon!

Links related to Fukushima

The news continues to be troubling.

Mainichi Newspaper TEPCO: Uphold Share Values or Stop Further Contamination????

Ten Thousand Things Karl Grossman & Ann Landman on Fukushima

New York Times Japan’s Safety Myth

They Lied to Us Michio Kaku

Atlantic Wire Meltdown: What Really Happened at Fukushima

The Asia Pacific Journal    Nuclear Workers and Fukushima Residents at Risk: Cancer Expert on the Fukushima Situation

Newly planted rice field

How can it be three years since I arrived? Originally I believed that we probably would stay three years or so- I realize now that we will be here as long as we need to be and there is no timeline. Now feeling comfortable with that and am feeling less loss than I had been.  Even though I still miss working in a stimulating environment, I have learned to appreciate lots of time to explore my own interests. As long as I can take a month-long trip back to the US each year…

Yonezawas in Saiki

Kai and Nina’s visit ended so quickly but we got in a good hike, sightseeing, great food, visits with relatives and friends. I’ll see them in Oregon in a couple months, so it was easier to say good-bye this time. It is really a treat to have them both here at the same time and we made a trip over to Nagasaki and also to the town of Imari to see Japanese porcelain.

We went to the Peace Museum and Peace Memorial Hall in Nagasaki. The last time I was in Nagasaki was when my mom and her friend came to visit about 28 years ago. I was pregnant with Kai and we did a road trip around Kyushu. It is surprising how little has changed. However, the Peace Museum has been updated and there is a very powerful Peace Memorial now. It was designed by Akira Kuryu and the main part of the memorial is an underground hall with 12 pillars lit from above, at one end of the hall there is a tall stack of records listing all of the victims names.  A sacred place to honor those who lost their lives and to pray for world peace.

Imari teacups

It was pouring rain during the entire day we were in Nagasaki and to end our visit in that city we went to the Peace Park and got completely soaked. The memorial in Nagasaki is less visited than the one in Hiroshima, but I think it is important to visit both sites. The horror of nuclear war is incomprehensible. Both museums present a strong case for the  elimination of nuclear weapons and an end to all testing.

Looking at the photos of the city after the bombing I was reminded of the current devastation in Tohoku. Nagasaki and Hiroshima are now both thriving cities and hopefully Tohoku will eventually be rebuilt. It is hard to believe that Japan is still committed to nuclear energy after experiencing atomic bombs and now this serious nuclear accident which is still emitting radiation.  I am so tired of the daily reports of cover-ups, misinformation and blaming. The politicians in this country are so pathetic. They tried to pass a no-confidence vote of the Prime Minister last week in the middle of this disaster. How can they be so splintered when the country needs a united government to pull them through this mess? The citizens are reportedly frustrated and angry, but politics continue as usual. For now Kan is still Prime Minister, but a potential successor is already being named.

Three months after the disaster, news coverage is still focused on the recovery and also nuclear power plant- there is so much uncertainty and hopelessness in Fukushima. The contamination is extensive and Japan’s food and water supply is definitely affected. We are somewhat safer down here, but I am definitely reading labels more carefully to check the origin of fish and seaweed.

Aaah, it’s so easy to fall into the worry and anxiety trap. I actually am pretty careful to limit nuclear power crisis information input, because I get so overwhelmed and paralyzed.

Zenzai

Nina and I had a day together in Fukuoka after Kai left. We covered a lot of ground on foot, visiting downtown shrines and exploring side streets. We had a macrobiotic lunch and then went to a old sweets shop for a bowl of zenzai, mochi in sweetened beans.

I am taking a weekly tai chi class and also a stretching class. Both classes use music, but what is funny to me is that both teachers use tape players and we spend a few minutes every class waiting for the tape to rewind, and then partway through class the music abruptly ends and the teacher has to turn the tape over. Why don’t they have CDs or some other music source?

Rainy season, cool days before the heat of summer arrives. I’m on mukade (monster centipede) alert and will start wiping all surfaces daily to prevent the accumulation of mold and mildew. I’ve started our small vegetable garden. I’m giving tomatoes one more chance-some sort of fungus got all of the tomatoes the past two years. Stuck a couple in pots, maybe that will make a difference. Lots of cilantro volunteers that are already bolting. The weeds are intense and the pressure to be out there weeding makes it hard to get into summer relaxation mode.

Nakasu sidestreet in Hakata- boy playing with cardboard box

Spent the day up in Oita today- found a really cool vegetarian sushi cookbook. The author writes a blog In Japanese with lots of really great vegetarian recipes. This is her recipe blog (in Jpn). Ooh, she has a blog in English!

I realize this blog posting is terribly disjointed. I have been trying to figure out how to use this blog more regularly and think I will aim for shorter posts more frequently and work on longer posts over time. We’ll see. Need to make some changes to keep it going.

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Ryougoji in April entry gate is decorated with banner.

We live in a neighborhood called Ryougoji, named for the temple at the end of our lane. In Japanese it’s written 龍護時 and means Temple of the Dragon Protector. It’s a small temple and although there is a residence on the grounds, the priest doesn’t live there. It was associated with Togamure Castle which was built in 1527, but when the daimyo Mori Takamasa came to Saiki he had it destroyed to build a new castle in a more strategic location. (if you have more accurate information or more details, please comment).

Ceremony on final day of celebration

Every year there is a 3-day celebration in April and they open the altar to show an old Kannon statue. People from all over Oita come to see her during these three days. The temple is decorated, old scrolls are brought out and displayed and visiting monks also come to chant. On the third day there is a big gathering after the prayers, there is a mochimaki- the monks throw mochi and sweets to the crowds and everyone scrambles to get some. After seeing this celebration for three consecutive years, I have become more curious about the significance of this particular Kannon.

Some of the scrolls

I had heard a story about the Kannon swimming to Ryougoji from the largest temple in town Yokenji and then found the story online. I’ve translated it, but now I want to know more. Here is the translation (original story)

THE KANNON THAT WAS THROWN INTO THE RIVER

In the 10^th year  of the  Keicho Era (1605) at the peak of spring, there was a lively gathering of drinking, and singing at Yokenji, the temple where the remains of generations of the Mori family are now kept. All the samurai of Mori Takamasa were enjoying the festivities. Everyone including the lower ranking members of the court were encouraged to join in the revelry. Even the Daimyo Takamasa Mori was having a grand time. They were celebrating the placement of the thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy (Kannon) statue that had been moved from Ryougoji, the temple of the recently ruined Togamure Castle.

In the quiet of the following morning the head monk went into the main hall of the temple to chant the scriptures. Holding his prayer beads, he looked up, but he couldn’t see the Kannon. Panicked, he looked around and found the Kannon lying face-down as if she were crawling away from the temple. “Who did this?” he yelled at the young monks. “How can you be so careless with the Kannon?

The  young monks replied that they had nothing to do with it, there is no way that they could have moved such a heavy statue. They moved it back into place, but the next morning and every morning after that, the Kannon was always found face down below the altar.

After six days, the head priest declared that he was going to figure out who was behind this. On the 7^th night, the angry head priest stayed all night with the Kannon watching carefully. But because it was a long night, he drifted off to sleep. When he awoke, the Kannon was face down again. The frightened priest reported to Mori Takamasa what had happened. Takamasa called his kerai and consulted with them but they had no idea. They called an exorcist to pray. The exorcist stood in front of the Kannon hands pressed together, mumbling. Finally he reported “The Kannon says she wants to go back to Ryougoji.”

Hearing this, Takamasa was really upset seeing as they had just celebrated the arrival of the Kannon. He asked his people what they thought. They worried about what disaster might  befall them if they stopped the Kannon from returning, so they recommended returning the Kannon to Ryougoji. However Takamasa really didn’t want to give up the Kannon and came up with a plan, ”What if we build a hall on the Wada Hill and enshrine the Kannon there so she can see Ryougoji.”

A little while later, the hall was completed by several skilled carpenters. No sooner had the kerai declared this a fine solution than the Kannon was again lying down facing Ryougoji. Takamasa was furious. “How dare the Kannon do this when we have honored her in celebration. All of the land and people of Saiki belong to me, why won’t this Kannon obey me?” And why does it need all these extra arms, two is enough!” and he broke off all but two of her arms.

“If you want to go back to Ryougoji, go back on your own!” he screamed as he threw the Kannon into the Banjyo River.

Everyone watched nervously, worried about what would happen to the Kannon-sama. To everyone’s surprise the Kannon started swimming upstream against the current towards Ryougoji.

Later the arms that Takamasu had broken off grew back and it is once again a thousand-armed Kannon in Ryougoji.  Ryougoji is a temple known for protecting women for safe birth and also for women who are hoping for a child. And now every year on the 14^th day to the 18^th day of the 3^rd month (old calendar) people  come to the temple to pray.

Monk with prayer book

So now I want to know where the statue originally came from. Are the arms, in fact, older than the rest of the statue? And I wonder about the scrolls that are displayed at the same time. I guess I’ll have to initiate a conversation with the monk there.

It’s getting warmer, Kai and Nina arrive in Japan in less than a week and arrive here in about 10 days. Can’t wait!

I’m making chirashi-zushi for dinner tonight. Hope to get in a few more blog entries in the next week. Want to write about a couple trips I’ve taken.
Wish I were with my own mom for Mother’s Day!

Clean up after your dog! Several cherry trees had these handmade signs hanging from them.

Started this post a couple weeks ago, I’ll write a bit a more and try to post again in a couple days.

Jiro comes back tomorrow (he’s been back two weeks now) after a really quick trip to the US. He has to set foot in the States at least once a year to keep his green card alive, so when he found out last Wednesday that there is no forestry work for a week- he bought a ticket and left Friday morning. He has few errands to run and will pick up some kayak stuff for me, too.

I worried about being here with Ba-chan alone because she has seemed more confused in the past couple of months, but it hasn’t been too bad. I guess there isn’t anything too surprising anymore. Actually she’s had several good days in a row, but there is still one morning and evening before Jiro gets home (knock on wood.) All went well, although when we were eating dinner the night before Jiro came back, I told her that the next night Jiro would be home and we’d be having dinner all together. She then asked if I had prepared a place for  him to stay and then asked if he had married yet. I’ve learned to just go along with what she says to avoid her total confusion, but I think she must have thought I was talking about Kai. While Jiro was away, we arranged for her to go to daycare two extra days that week which was a huge help. When she is home all day, I have to mop at least two times to clean up messes. She really needs the stimulation that she gets there.

Since the weather has been warmer, she seems more engaged and is a bit more active than she was all winter. We have arranged for her to go to a short-stay facility a couple times a month to get her used to staying away from home. It’s the next step towards putting her in a care facility.

Kannon Statue in Ryougoji

On the Sunday morning that he was gone, I noticed a steady stream of neighbors heading to the temple at about 8:00. I asked what was going on and was told it was the annual temple cleanup. So I grabbed a couple garden tools and joined in. We swept the paths, raked leaves and pulled weeds. The next weekend was the celebration of the opening of the temple treasure- an old Kannon-sama that is open for viewing only 3 days a year. In the next post I’ll write about the story behind the statue.

The top story on the news continues to be the Fukushima nuclear power plant fiasco and the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake. So many incredibly sad stories, and there are still many people living in gymnasiums. It will take a LONG time to recover. In addition to the forced evacuations in Fukushima, there is a lot of nuclear contamination. They have used road scrapers and bulldozers to remove the top level of dirt from school play yards, but there is nowhere to dump the waste.

Here are a couple links. I will write another short post soon. Been enjoying the warmer weather, started the garden and have taken the kayak out a couple times.

Organic farmers in Japan dealing with nuclear disaster

Operation Tomodachi Relief Effort- American troop assistance to be paid for by Japan

The first cherry blossoms on the top of Mt. Shiroyama

I’ve been accumulating lots of links, so I need to get this posted. I think this will be my last disaster-centric posts because there are lots of other, more informed people writing about the changing conditions.

nanohana

Little things bring lots of joy, a bird overhead- nesting twigs clasped in its beak, cherry blossoms starting to bloom, yellow-capped preschoolers on an outing. I’ve gone out with friends a couple times and people are slipping back into “normal” life. The tone is still muted- with constant news coverage of the aftermath of the disaster and the nuclear power plant crisis- most people are guarded and worried. Down here in the south- we have none of the anxiety-producing aftershocks nor blackouts-the only direct effects are the unavailability of emergency supplies like flashlights and cookstoves, and a limit on the amount of bottled water that one can buy. Gas prices are going up and the yen is starting to lose value.

The annual Spring Festival of our city was canceled- there is a sense that this is not a time to celebrate. However, families and groups of friends will still gather for hanami-picnics under the cherry trees (usually lots of alcohol and singing involved).  The difference being public vs private.

Evening Sky in Ryougoji

It’s expected that we will have rationed electricity this summer- perhaps rolling blackouts, so we’re trying to anticipate what we need to get in order to make that easier.  We don’t have air conditioning, but I can’t imagine the hot, humid days without an electric fan. Our biggest concern is the fan on the composting toilet- the odor will be awful. I know it’s trivial compared to the situation of the people of Tohoku, but summer is going to be tough for everyone. I can’t imagine living in Tokyo in the summer without electricity for even short periods of time.

I am feeling a lot of anxiety about Fukushima. It is bad and there is no end in sight. The news is grim and it must be very frightening for families anywhere near there. There is nothing we can do, and I’m fairly certain that we don’t face any danger- but there are thousands of families that are in danger and they can’t do anything either. I just hope that the crisis gets under control soon. I don’t feel one ounce of optimism and will be actively involved in the anti-nuclear movement that is starting to arise again.

Sea Level signs were posted all over town last summer. This one between our house and the river says it's 9 meters above sea level. Another one at the end of the street says it's 4 meters. I look at these differently since the tsunami.

Things are remarkably the same as always here. Jiro is working hard doing forest work and also he’s also trying to keep up with his artwork. He just finished a couple pieces for a group exhibition here. It’s been exactly one year since I quit my city teaching job and I think I have finally adjusted to an eternal summer vacation.

Ba-chan is not doing so well. Occasionally there will be a day when I think she’s all better, but it never lasts more than a day. We try to make her life comfortable, but dementia is cruel. I think it’s hardest now because she has an awareness that she is not thinking or behaving normally. It’s tough for us, but I know it’s tougher for her.

I took out the kayak last week. It’s going to be a fun spring and summer. I also bought my ticket to go to the States for a month (end of July-end of August) so I’m feeling pretty set. Now I just need a decent armchair.

Links Previous post has lots more links

Earthquake and Tsunami Alerts

Japan Meteorological Agency

US Geological Survey

Great Tohoku Earthquake Info

Disaster Japan Comprehensive Resource List

New York Times Interactive Map

Great Tohoku Earthquake Updated Announcements Blog: Gakuranman

Japan Pictoureal Photojournalist Blog

US Relief Efforts

I am constantly thanked for the efforts and support from the US and other countries. I was really surprised to see the extent that the US is involved now.

US Forces Relief Work Incredible! This is for March 20th. Look for updates

More US Efforts in Japan

Personal Messages and Appeals:

Watanabe Ken’s Kizuna311 Project (Kizuna means “bonds” 311 is the date of the earthquake)

• Message from Ken Watanabe in English
• Kizuna311
• You Tube Kizuna311
• Watanabe Ken reading Kenji Miyazaki (in Japanese)

Global Voices Online Bloggers from all over the world on the Japan earthquake

Ways to Help and Contribute

Of course, Red Cross, Mercy Corps, Doctors without Borders are all involved but here are some other ways to contribute. Previous post

Quake Relief the Soundtrack

Peace Winds America Japan Relief

Japan Volunteer English resource site for people wanting to help

Project Hitori Jyanai Send a photo with a personal message to the survivors

Nuclear Crisis

Propublica Report on Japan’s Nuclear Disaster

Unsafe at Any Exposure Dr. Ira Hefland, board member of the Physicians for Social Responsibility

Not Chernobyl from The Diplomat

What to Expect Next

Politics, Radiation to Decide Fate of Land Near Japan’s Fukushima Reactor

After the Earthquake: A long, hot summer Spike Japan

Welcoming a New World First-person account