OSAKA & KYOTO, JAPAN

World Tour of 2013
With Brigit and Sophia (Sonya)
Osaka, Japan March 17, 2013


Departing Guam the Pacific Princess steams along in a North-Westerly direction for Japan.  Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands.  The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun - origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun."  Our port of call is Osaka, Japan, with a population of 2.8 million. Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city.

A gateway to the East and catalyst of commerce, Osaka, Japan's economic engine has always been at the hub of life in Japan.  While Osaka is home to monuments from Japan's past including immense castles and shrines, we opt to spend our day in Kyoto, the cultural and spiritual heart of Japan.  

Fan fair welcome to Osaka

Osaka to Kyoto
Our day begins by arriving in Osaka and making our way to Kyoto via subway and Shinkansen (bullet train).

Osaka Subway.  With Sophia's expert New York subway maze maneuvering we find the correct subway train.

Delighted to be on the correct subway and on our way to Kyoto

  The array of food possibilities inside the train station are endless.

Shinkansen (bullet train) from Osaka to Kyoto.  Train travels 200 miles per hour and what would have been a 90 minute bus ride takes a mere 20 minutes.  

Delighted to be on our way to Kyoto via bullet train

City of Kyoto, Japan.  Brigit had the good fortune of living in Japan for several months and guided us to several important Kyoto highlights.

Arrived Kyoto and hop in taxi with map to Sanjusangendo Temple (note the suit and white gloves of most Japan taxi drivers)

Sanjusangendo Temple
A short taxi ride from the Kyoto train station and we arrive Sanjusangendo Temple.  
Esquite lighting outside Sanjusangendo Temple

Esquite lighting outside Sanjusangendo Temple

At 394 feet in length, Sanjusangendo is Japan's longest wooden building, which is filled with 1001 statues of Kannon, all beautifully carved from Japanese cypress.

At the center stands a six-foot tall statue of Kannon (Quan Yin), the Buddhist goddess of mercy and compassion.  She has 11 faces and 1000 arms and been designated a National Treasure.  The central Kannon is flanked by 1000 more life-sized Kannons, who are covered in gold leaf and stand side-by-side 10 rows deep.  These statues have 33 arms, each of which are said to have the power to save 25 worlds.  At the front of the 1001 Kannon stands 28 status of Japanese deities and two Buddhist temple guardians: Raijin, the god of thunder, and Fujin, the god of wind.

Photos are not allowed inside the temple (these two above were copied from the Internet)

We purchase several small notebooks and the temple monks sign each book

Visiting gardens outside temple

Lunchtime now we travel by taxi approx 15 minutes to the Gion, the geisha district. 
It is here where "Memoirs of a Geisha" was filmed.   Unfortunately we did not see any geisha, as they usually come out after 6:00pm, although we had a traditional Japanese lunch overlooking the Kamo river. 

Taxi driver proudly shows us picture of Samurai(s)

Outside restaurant overlooking Kamo river

Inside restaurant for traditional Japanese lunch in the Gion area of Kyoto

Lunch is a 7 course meal, each beautifully prepared and arranged. Sophia's reaction: What's this?

Sophia is not so sure about this Japanese meal and considers the option of a nearby McDonald's instead.  She tries a little of this and a little of that, settling on her favorite vegetable tempera

Lunch is also served sitting on mats outside

After so many courses and full tummys we bid our host thank you ("arigato") good-bye and can understand how the Japanese people stay so slim and live so long with such diets.  Lunch cost $150 US……nobody said Japan is cheap.

After lunch we wander the narrow alleyways of the Gion area lined with traditional Japanese tea houses, shops and restaurants.

Several shrines. Many are seen throughout Japan.

Kiyomizu Temple
Our next stop is the Kiyomizu Temple.  Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu was founded in 778 on the site of a rushing waterfall.  Its waters are believed to have mystical powers if you drink.  Visitors are invited to use a cup attached to a long pole, you'll achieve success in school, live a long life or find love. 

The quaint street leading up to the temple is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants and ryokan (Japanese-style inns).  It's a steep walk uphill to the temple but the reward of viewing one of the most celebrated temples in Japan is definitely worth it.

Our day in Kyoto concludes with the bullet train and subway rides back to Osaka.

Once back in Oaska we take a ride on the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel to enjoy night time panoramic views of the sea, the entire city of Osaka and the Pacific Princess ship below.

Bidding farewell to Osaka and Kyoto we re board our ship for our next day's port, Hiroshima, Japan.


My observations of Japanese People
By Sophia

A threading of cultural tradition weaves through the makeup of Japanese people and runs deeply, like a fingerprint.  This imprint runs along the collective psyche within the Japanese and has to do with “the code of honor” that becomes as important as breathing to them and is ever present. But it has its light and dark forms.

In its dark form, we have what may be the highest suicide rate among teenagers who believe they haven’t achieved their highest reflection of scholarship or haven’t been accepted into the University of their choice. They take their lives to reflect their “dishonor”.

In its dark form, we have the act of kamikaze during World War II, which became the willingness to commit suicide if it meant plunging one’s plane into the belly of a warship. To die with honor meant a good death.

A Samurai became exceptionally imprinted with this code of honor and his life became secondary to his life of service in protecting rulers.  A samurai only fought with his sword  and could slice through 10 men in one swoop of his sword.

In the movie, The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston takes a samurai sword off of Kevin Costner’s wall (her bodyguard) and starts swinging it about, as she closes in on Kevin Costner. He remains serious and unmoving as she approaches with the sword.

Kevin extends his hand out to receive the sword from her. She gives it to him. While holding the samurai sword between them, Kevin takes a delicate, transparent silk scarf from around her neck and then throws it into the air. The scarf comes down on the samurai sword and it is effortlessly sliced in two.  Whitney’s face betrays her shock--only then realizing the deadliness of the sword she swung.

The code of honor of the Japanese is also self evident in the workmanship applied in creating a Samurai sword. The sword smith is usually part of a generation of masters going back hundreds of years. It is an art meeting the highest standards taking months to create, so by the time the samurai sword is polished, it has a life of its own.

We see that code of honor in the way Japanese cars are made to last over 100,000 miles, reaching at times over 400,000 miles.

Dishonor is not an option in Japan because when one person does something dishonorable, it means ruin for the entire family and extended family.  Dishonor is death by invisibility, scorn, rejection and exile.

On the other hand, the honor code is self evident in how meticulously the entire country is kept. There is NOTHING to be seen anywhere that is litter.  I know because I looked expecting to see at least one overlooked piece of gum or tissue.  I even looked around train tracks or behind garbage cans. There was nothing.

Brigit and I took the bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto--the place made famous by Geisha women. Looking into backyards from the train--once again, there was neatness.

In Lima, Peru, the government had hired employees to keep the streets clean and they were out in numbers, everywhere in the capital, sweeping and cleaning from early morning to evening.

In Japan there was NO ONE cleaning up, anywhere. It was then I realized that there was no one cleaning up because the Japanese people wouldn’t THINK of littering!

 Men in white gloves assist you into trains. Cab seats are covered in laced doilies. Everywhere you are met with the greatest respect with everyone bowing after every exchange.

When I lived in New York City, I lost 4 bikes to theft, after progressively attempting to protect them on the streets with bigger and better locks and chains. Each time I returned, they were gone.  I gave up on bikes as a means of transportation in New York City.

In Japan, I noticed immediately that all bikes were parked on the street without chains or locks.  Stealing a bike in Japan is inconceivable, no matter how poor a person is.

Which brings me to realize that there are no homeless people in Japan. Everybody works, even elders until they can’t work any more.

In Osaka and Kyoto, most men and women were dressed like they were going out for the evening. Teenagers dressed in the latest styles. It was a fashion show wherever we went.

People everywhere are most helpful. But beware! You’ve got to know where you’re going, do your research in advance, and have a Japanese written alternative to places. Very few people speak English in Japan, except in hotels.

People get around very efficiently via public transportation--by trams, subways, and a bullet train. That bullet train cut a 90 minute ride into 15 minutes!

One last thought. Japan keeps its indigenous population purely Japanese by keeping their borders closed to immigration. The Japanese will look like Japanese for a very, very long time to come.


Lots of love to you all! 
Talk to you soon.  Love, Brigit and Sophia

*****