There were parts of this trip that were certainly limited due to my lack of internet. I did not have the opportunity to research sites once I got here. My travel plans were all contingent on how close they were to my hostel. I could get to almost nothing that wasn't connected to some kind of major transportation hub.
On a trip where I had pleasantly discovered that my text service came with me for free in every other country, this disconnection from every kind of digital contact was new.
It didn't really sink in until after the first few days. After already seeing what I had come to see within the first 48 hours of being here, I was becoming curious about what else was out there. But I could not just type in a quick search to find out.
Luckily, the hostel had maps of the Beijing subway that cited major attractions on it. This became one of my primary guides. I simply took a new attraction each day and explored a small part of the city with each one. My nights would be filled by talking to other travelers in the hostel bar. We would talk about what we had seen and we're going to see. If a few of us had the same ideas, we would go together.
Who knew? The simple art of conversation still exists and works as a valid exchange of information. Along the way I met someone on my Great Wall tour that shared a kung-fu show with me. I met someone the next night and we decided to share the Forbidden City together. Another new friend was determined to see pandas in China, so we spent a day at the Beijing Zoo. There were four of us who got together to do nothing more than play card games in the bar for four nights in a row. When one of them left, someone else who had just arrived joined the game. I left having exchanged information with five or six different people in as many countries.
Unexpectedly, it seemed easier to meet people in an environment that seemed so foreign. It turns out, the need for human interaction is pretty important to us and only when it is limited can it be appreciated in its fullness. It was without the distraction of constant digital noise,
I found connection.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
...without explanation.
It's a cold, rainy day today. I had thought I might visit the Forbidden City today, but the majority of it is outside in the weather. Almost all of the historical sites in this ancient city are exposed to the elements. I did take note, however, of a museum that sits right next to Tian'anmen Square. I resolved to wait out the rain gathering whatever information I might find there.
Even getting into the museum ended up being a bit of a chore. Trying to get to the front door, I was directed with point of a security guard's finger to go to the security check. This security check walked me right to the crosswalk that took me into Tian'anmen Square. Despite the rain, I took my time walking through the square to soak in the atmosphere.
It's a bustling place with endless waves of tourists who are mostly Chinese snapping their selfies and hurrying to the constant lines at each entrance. Security guards stand on every corner and many seemingly random points in between. They appear bored more than anything. A deeper sense says that despite the commotiont there is very little going on here. It is more just a space for events to happen when they need to, rather than a space that has something happening all the time.
I continue on to the next cross walk that takes me back to the side of the museum. There is a stone mob of people staring directly down at there cell phones. Past this I see a small building unattached to the museum that just a few people are rushing to. The building has lots of Chinese I can't read and the word "passport." I head towards the building. After elbowing my way to the front, as is the custom in China, I hand the clerk my passport. She types something into her computer, then hands me my passport with a slip of paper. I take the piece of paper with me to the side entrance of the museum. As I hand it to the woman attending the door, she passes me through to a security check.
After passing through the security check, I now have free reign of the museum itself. I discover a space much larger than I thought with much more information. There are nineteen galleries that span five floors. Each gallery proves to hold several rooms worth of specific history. One holds the history of currency. Another holds the history of literature. A third holds a history of weapons. A fourth holds a history of international relations.
The gallery that captures my attention the most is the one that has a history of the country as a whole. This gallery is by far the largest and has mutliple roomed sections that each contain a major chapter of China's history. It begins with fossils demonstrating early man's presence on the vast continent. It continues with exhibitions demonstrating development of tools. It is followed by exhibitions of early societal structures and finally compounds into the countless dynasties that stretched out for thousands of years leading up to modern day Chinese life.
What I found most fascinating was how much could be interpreted by such a vast expanse of history. Walking through the birth and growth of this very foreign culture, I found a sense of my own becoming. There is an ongoing cycle from growth to creation to destruction to growth to creation to destruction and on and on again. It can be found in any society around the world.
And it could be seen plainly walking through the halls where I could not read a single sign. While the displays were all in Chinese, the story itself was clear. Some stories are so universal, they need no explanation. They can be found not in examining our differences, but rather by observing our similarities. It is in these stories,
I found meaning.
Even getting into the museum ended up being a bit of a chore. Trying to get to the front door, I was directed with point of a security guard's finger to go to the security check. This security check walked me right to the crosswalk that took me into Tian'anmen Square. Despite the rain, I took my time walking through the square to soak in the atmosphere.
It's a bustling place with endless waves of tourists who are mostly Chinese snapping their selfies and hurrying to the constant lines at each entrance. Security guards stand on every corner and many seemingly random points in between. They appear bored more than anything. A deeper sense says that despite the commotiont there is very little going on here. It is more just a space for events to happen when they need to, rather than a space that has something happening all the time.
I continue on to the next cross walk that takes me back to the side of the museum. There is a stone mob of people staring directly down at there cell phones. Past this I see a small building unattached to the museum that just a few people are rushing to. The building has lots of Chinese I can't read and the word "passport." I head towards the building. After elbowing my way to the front, as is the custom in China, I hand the clerk my passport. She types something into her computer, then hands me my passport with a slip of paper. I take the piece of paper with me to the side entrance of the museum. As I hand it to the woman attending the door, she passes me through to a security check.
After passing through the security check, I now have free reign of the museum itself. I discover a space much larger than I thought with much more information. There are nineteen galleries that span five floors. Each gallery proves to hold several rooms worth of specific history. One holds the history of currency. Another holds the history of literature. A third holds a history of weapons. A fourth holds a history of international relations.
The gallery that captures my attention the most is the one that has a history of the country as a whole. This gallery is by far the largest and has mutliple roomed sections that each contain a major chapter of China's history. It begins with fossils demonstrating early man's presence on the vast continent. It continues with exhibitions demonstrating development of tools. It is followed by exhibitions of early societal structures and finally compounds into the countless dynasties that stretched out for thousands of years leading up to modern day Chinese life.
What I found most fascinating was how much could be interpreted by such a vast expanse of history. Walking through the birth and growth of this very foreign culture, I found a sense of my own becoming. There is an ongoing cycle from growth to creation to destruction to growth to creation to destruction and on and on again. It can be found in any society around the world.
And it could be seen plainly walking through the halls where I could not read a single sign. While the displays were all in Chinese, the story itself was clear. Some stories are so universal, they need no explanation. They can be found not in examining our differences, but rather by observing our similarities. It is in these stories,
I found meaning.
Monday, November 4, 2019
...without a plan.
When I arrived in China, I had nothing more than my hostel booked. People before and during the trip asked me many times why I was going to this country. Tian'anmen Square and the Great Wall. Outside of these two places, I had no idea what to look for. I trusted that the Great Wall was a big enough attraction that I would be able to find my way there once in country. Tian'anmen Square was no further than five or six blocks from my hostel.
I was fortunate enough to view Tian'anmen on my way to the hostel, as well as several times after that simply because it was on my way to other sites I decided to visit. When checking into my hostel, I immediately noticed a sign behind the counter advertising their "Ancient-Secret Great Wall" tour. I signed up for the next day.
I was pleased to find that the main descriptions they put on their sign proved to be true. Their tour was simply a bus ride, a twenty-minute explanation of the history of the wall, three hours of free time to explore it, a provided lunch on site, and then a return ride back to the hostel. It was nice to have a tour that did not try to sell anything extra or take you to any shopping sites along the way. Additionally, the part of the wall we went to is between any main tourist sites. This means that we had most of the wall all to ourselves.
After returning to the hostel, a new friend I had met on the tour and I signed up to see a kung fu show that evening. It was only as we were leaving that I realized that this time the transportation provided was only one way. We ended up having to find our own way back. This took us down many streets we never would have seen otherwise. It gave us the opportunity to see Beijing outside of the attractions that draw so much attention. Three hours after the show ended, we came walking back into our hostel near around 1am.
It was a good second night in the new country.
Thinking back to my experiences these first few days and throughout the rest of my time in China, it was the unexpected encounters that stuck with me as the most memorable. It was finding a corner full of old men playing cards in the park. It was discovering a gaggling group of girls chasing some celebrity with their camera phones. It was the smiles of the old ladies on the subway when I gave up a seat for them. It was the excited children playing in the zoo and the happy parents looking after them.
While I appreciate the history each of the many UNESCO sites provided, it was the moments in between them that portrayed how everyday life looks for the people in China. This was the reason I had come here. It was in the unplanned moments,
I found purpose.
I was fortunate enough to view Tian'anmen on my way to the hostel, as well as several times after that simply because it was on my way to other sites I decided to visit. When checking into my hostel, I immediately noticed a sign behind the counter advertising their "Ancient-Secret Great Wall" tour. I signed up for the next day.
I was pleased to find that the main descriptions they put on their sign proved to be true. Their tour was simply a bus ride, a twenty-minute explanation of the history of the wall, three hours of free time to explore it, a provided lunch on site, and then a return ride back to the hostel. It was nice to have a tour that did not try to sell anything extra or take you to any shopping sites along the way. Additionally, the part of the wall we went to is between any main tourist sites. This means that we had most of the wall all to ourselves.
It was a good second night in the new country.
Thinking back to my experiences these first few days and throughout the rest of my time in China, it was the unexpected encounters that stuck with me as the most memorable. It was finding a corner full of old men playing cards in the park. It was discovering a gaggling group of girls chasing some celebrity with their camera phones. It was the smiles of the old ladies on the subway when I gave up a seat for them. It was the excited children playing in the zoo and the happy parents looking after them.
While I appreciate the history each of the many UNESCO sites provided, it was the moments in between them that portrayed how everyday life looks for the people in China. This was the reason I had come here. It was in the unplanned moments,
I found purpose.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
... without a ride.
I am willing to admit that I was a little more apprehensive visiting China than some other countries. I have certainly heard rumors of secret surveillance and hostility towards Americans. My hesitation was further heightened by an article I read that claimed nothing associated with Google works in China. While I know many of you are immediately sensing I rely too much on the internet, please understand my phone is a Google product and so I was concerned that it would not connect to anything. This would mean no internet, no maps, no GPS, no phone calls and no text messaging. All in a country that may or may not have any signs in English. For this reason, I took the extra measure of setting up a ride from the airport ahead of time with Hostelworld. Feeling secure about my decision, I made no extra effort to look up how to get to my hostel from the airport ahead of time.
Needless to say, I was a little upset when my ride was not at the airport as promised. I was not all that surprised because I had read some previous reviews that said their transportation had not shown up. Other reviews raved that they were very happy they did not have to navigate their way on their first night to a hostel in a busy city.
I had also read that the drivers would wait for forty-five minutes after their pick-up time, which in parentheses stated typically at the time the flight arrives. With this in mind, I specifically requested the driver an hour after my flight arrived. As I walked out of the immigration, customs, and baggage claim to the arrivals area an hour and a half after my flight arrives, I knew I had a fifty-fifty chance. The odds proved not to be in my favor.
After walking up and down the line of signs without my name on any of them three times, I began to try getting help with the information desk. They let me use the phone to try to call the phone number listed as the contact for Hostelworld's rides. No one picked up the phone and no message machine came on. I asked the information clerk how I could connect to the internet. They gave me a connection password. My phone said it had internet, but couldn't pull anything of any sort up. I tried calling the Hostelworld phone number again using the information desk's phone. Same result; no answer. I hung up and tried the phone number again. Same result; no answer. I walked back through the line of drivers with signs one last time. My name was not on any of them.
I now decided I will just have to make my way to the hostel on my own. I reviewed the information I had printed on my reservation and, fortunately, it had a few simple instructions. When I say simple, that is just what I mean.
"Take the subway from the airport," was the first instruction. It did not specify which subway or where to or where it is at the airport or any other information that would prove to be helpful. The next few instructions were just as plain. Transfer here, get off there, turn here, walk 800 meters.
With these vague ideas I went back to the information desk.
"Where is the subway?" I asked.
They pointed behind them. So, I walked through a long corridor behind them that evidently was the connection between a subway station and the airport. I waited in line to buy a ticket. At the counter they told me they could not take credit card, only cash. I asked about the machines next to the counter, they also only took cash. I asked where the ATM is. They pointed me back to the airport. I went back into the airport. As I entered, the security stopped me to perform a bomb check on my clothing. I passed and went back into the airport. I asked the information desk where the ATM is. They pointed me to their left. I walked a little ways to discover an ATM with an "out of service" sign on it. I walked back to the information desk to ask again. This time they pointed me to their right. Walking twelve gates down, I found another ATM. I pulled out a fair amount of cash and returned to the subway ticket machine. The ticket machine, which only took cash, spat my money back out and displayed the words "no change." So, I waited in line again for the teller, who promptly yelled at me in Chinese when I couldn't answer his question before giving me my change and a single ticket.
Sitting on the subway I was anxiously watching each stop to make sure I got off at the right one. I found my transfer. I walked out of the train into the station and followed a few signs that led me to a crossroads in the crowd. My ticket was taken on my way out. I discover on the other side of the subway gate another subway gate. I had to buy another ticket to transfer. So, I purchased my ticket, got one the new subway line and hopped off at my stop. Scurrying along as best I could with my 30lb backpack, I came up a set of stairs outside for the first time since the airport.
It was here that I saw the first reason I had come to China. The lights outside the subway station were beautiful. The architecture seemed somewhat familiar. As I tried to place it, I began to remember why I had picked the hostel I would stay at. This is the outside of Tian'anmen Square. I hadn't even made it to my hostel yet and I was seeing it along the way.
My pace slowed down despite the weight on my back. I wanted to enjoy my first sight of this historic area. I was not the only one. Many people were snapping selfies and trying to capture the imagery of the square. I continued on down a street that I was not sure of, leading away from the square. I was pleasantly reassured when I saw a sign that had the same name as the street with my hostel several blocks away. I turned down this street to find that the street itself has quite a draw. It has countless storefronts with historical markers that date back 300 years. It has merchants selling the same types of wares that have been sold here through multiple dynasties. The feudal gates to the interior of the city stand at the end of the street.
It doesn't take long to find my hostel now.
Over the twelve days that I am here, my comfort level grows. I saw one of the two main things I came to see by accident the first night. It got easier from there, despite my initial trepidation. The hostel is kind enough to provide maps for travelers to help see major sites. After a few days this becomes little more than a reference for what else to see since it has historical sites listed as attractions. After a week, I have quit taking it with me. In the last few days I am in China, westerners on the street ask me how to find things out of the blue.
If I had never had to make it on my own, I suppose it might have taken more time to acclimate to the traveling here. Sometimes it is the unexpected experiences that grant us the most growth. Sometimes we do not realize how much we rely on others, rather than ourselves. It was only when I was without a ride, without the opportunity to be carried,
I found direction.
Needless to say, I was a little upset when my ride was not at the airport as promised. I was not all that surprised because I had read some previous reviews that said their transportation had not shown up. Other reviews raved that they were very happy they did not have to navigate their way on their first night to a hostel in a busy city.
I had also read that the drivers would wait for forty-five minutes after their pick-up time, which in parentheses stated typically at the time the flight arrives. With this in mind, I specifically requested the driver an hour after my flight arrived. As I walked out of the immigration, customs, and baggage claim to the arrivals area an hour and a half after my flight arrives, I knew I had a fifty-fifty chance. The odds proved not to be in my favor.
After walking up and down the line of signs without my name on any of them three times, I began to try getting help with the information desk. They let me use the phone to try to call the phone number listed as the contact for Hostelworld's rides. No one picked up the phone and no message machine came on. I asked the information clerk how I could connect to the internet. They gave me a connection password. My phone said it had internet, but couldn't pull anything of any sort up. I tried calling the Hostelworld phone number again using the information desk's phone. Same result; no answer. I hung up and tried the phone number again. Same result; no answer. I walked back through the line of drivers with signs one last time. My name was not on any of them.
I now decided I will just have to make my way to the hostel on my own. I reviewed the information I had printed on my reservation and, fortunately, it had a few simple instructions. When I say simple, that is just what I mean.
"Take the subway from the airport," was the first instruction. It did not specify which subway or where to or where it is at the airport or any other information that would prove to be helpful. The next few instructions were just as plain. Transfer here, get off there, turn here, walk 800 meters.
With these vague ideas I went back to the information desk.
"Where is the subway?" I asked.
They pointed behind them. So, I walked through a long corridor behind them that evidently was the connection between a subway station and the airport. I waited in line to buy a ticket. At the counter they told me they could not take credit card, only cash. I asked about the machines next to the counter, they also only took cash. I asked where the ATM is. They pointed me back to the airport. I went back into the airport. As I entered, the security stopped me to perform a bomb check on my clothing. I passed and went back into the airport. I asked the information desk where the ATM is. They pointed me to their left. I walked a little ways to discover an ATM with an "out of service" sign on it. I walked back to the information desk to ask again. This time they pointed me to their right. Walking twelve gates down, I found another ATM. I pulled out a fair amount of cash and returned to the subway ticket machine. The ticket machine, which only took cash, spat my money back out and displayed the words "no change." So, I waited in line again for the teller, who promptly yelled at me in Chinese when I couldn't answer his question before giving me my change and a single ticket.
Sitting on the subway I was anxiously watching each stop to make sure I got off at the right one. I found my transfer. I walked out of the train into the station and followed a few signs that led me to a crossroads in the crowd. My ticket was taken on my way out. I discover on the other side of the subway gate another subway gate. I had to buy another ticket to transfer. So, I purchased my ticket, got one the new subway line and hopped off at my stop. Scurrying along as best I could with my 30lb backpack, I came up a set of stairs outside for the first time since the airport.
It was here that I saw the first reason I had come to China. The lights outside the subway station were beautiful. The architecture seemed somewhat familiar. As I tried to place it, I began to remember why I had picked the hostel I would stay at. This is the outside of Tian'anmen Square. I hadn't even made it to my hostel yet and I was seeing it along the way.
My pace slowed down despite the weight on my back. I wanted to enjoy my first sight of this historic area. I was not the only one. Many people were snapping selfies and trying to capture the imagery of the square. I continued on down a street that I was not sure of, leading away from the square. I was pleasantly reassured when I saw a sign that had the same name as the street with my hostel several blocks away. I turned down this street to find that the street itself has quite a draw. It has countless storefronts with historical markers that date back 300 years. It has merchants selling the same types of wares that have been sold here through multiple dynasties. The feudal gates to the interior of the city stand at the end of the street.
Over the twelve days that I am here, my comfort level grows. I saw one of the two main things I came to see by accident the first night. It got easier from there, despite my initial trepidation. The hostel is kind enough to provide maps for travelers to help see major sites. After a few days this becomes little more than a reference for what else to see since it has historical sites listed as attractions. After a week, I have quit taking it with me. In the last few days I am in China, westerners on the street ask me how to find things out of the blue.
If I had never had to make it on my own, I suppose it might have taken more time to acclimate to the traveling here. Sometimes it is the unexpected experiences that grant us the most growth. Sometimes we do not realize how much we rely on others, rather than ourselves. It was only when I was without a ride, without the opportunity to be carried,
I found direction.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Through the Storm
We all go through dark times in our lives.
We see the storm brewing.
We wait to see what is to come.
As the sky goes from blue to black...
...we look back to see a violent storm.
We have arrived somewhere new.
We enter into places we would rather not.
Our world has changed.
Washed away.
But as the storm subsides...
...love remains.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Five Faces
What do you think of when someone mentions Japan? Do technology and games come to mind? Maybe samurai warriors flow from your imagination. Perhaps beautiful flowering plantlife or endless rice fields stretch as far as the mind wanders.
Many people would argue which of these best represents the "strange little island." Over the course of the past month, I have been able to visit five major cities that represent significant differences in sub-cultures and atmospheres. I do not believe any of these are more or less important than the others. Each represents a part of Japan, just as pertinent to its culture as any other city.
Similarly, we all wear many faces through different chapters of our lives, in different settings, and sometimes simply with different people. Please do not misunderstand me. This by no means suggests we are all two-faced and liars. Rather, it suggests that there is more to each of us than what can be seen on the surface.
As I explore the relevance of each city, I can't help but think of how their representations are paralleled in our own lives.
Tokyo
Tokyo is a modern city. It is cosmopolitan. It has many different parts that all have specific tasks. It has a strong tradition in its castle area, a burgeoning technology in Electric Town, the tried and true businesses in Shinjuku, continued commerce in its world-renowned fish market, and awareness of self in a 47-story free observatory at its Metro Building. This is the first city that comes to mind for many who visit Japan.
In the same way, when others think of who we are, it is the face we show them. It is the face that holds some tradition, but adapts to new situations. It is the face that relies on what has worked for us in the past, while trying to share with others what we have developed of ourselves. It is the face that stares back at us from the mirror.
Kyoto
When I asked the hostel owner what there was to see in Kyoto she pointed out seven different sites on a map. Five of these were historical temples or shrines. Kyoto is what we see in the movies. It is the old buildings. It is the cultural hub of ancient Japan. It offers a glimpse into what has made Japan what it was in the past and has become today.
This city represents our deeper traditions. There are deeper roots within us than many of us realize. There is a face that holds onto not only what has worked, but what has become our purpose. There is a part of us that says, "This is who I am." It does not matter if we say it out loud or to ourselves. It is always there nonetheless.
Osaka
This city is described as being the major rival to Tokyo. It is a city that historically was founded by and for merchants, rather than samurai. It is and has always been a city of commerce. With Tokyo representing Japan as it is, Kyoto representing Japan as it was, Osaka represents Japan as it will be... or so everybody in Osaka will tell you anyway.
Just as Osaka believes it is the city of the future for Japan, we all dream of a person we would like to one day be. It is this face that we try to share with others intentionally. We do our best each day to live as the individual we hope to become. While holding onto the purposes that have brought us this far, we all continually look for ways to adapt and evolve. Ever becoming a greater version of ourselves in the process.
Hiroshima
No visit to Japan would be complete without visiting Hiroshima. It is described as the trip that every person on the planet should take at least once in their life. It is heavy. It is hard to visit the Peace Memorial Park and see all the monuments for countless types of people's who were killed. It is heartbreaking walking through the museum and the victims' information center to hear first-hand stories of how this terrible event effected individual innocent lives. But it is overwhelmingly inspiring to appreciate that the park is open 24/7/365. The museum is free to the public everyday of the year. Hiroshima has led the fight against war around the world. The city did not rally to blame anyone. They did not cry out for retribution. In their suffering they found their own voice and stand unified in sharing it with the whole world: "No more Hiroshimas."
While these monuments, efforts, and information can demonstrate the need for peace, we can never know the extent of the suffering each individual felt dealing with the repercussions of the first nuclear bombing. However, we can find in ourselves suffering and turmoil that often feels like nobody could understand. In our suffering, we mourn. In our suffering, we unite with others who share experiences similar to ours. And, most importantly, if we can find the strength that this community found, in our suffering we find hope to fight for it to never happen again.
Itoshima
Itoshima is a seaside city that most people have never heard of. It is a beautiful agricultural community that is surrounded by sprawling green hills and long sand beaches. While it is mostly unknown, it produces much of Japan's vegetables and houses the world-renowned Ichiran Ramen factory. Life is slow here.
Our place of peace within ourselves often goes unnoticed by others. There is a part of us that is simply who it is. There is a part of us that accepts things simply as they are. This is our face of peace. And though most people we interact with will never know where it comes from, this place of peace is where our productivity comes from. This is the face that provides for most of the others.
Many people would argue which of these best represents the "strange little island." Over the course of the past month, I have been able to visit five major cities that represent significant differences in sub-cultures and atmospheres. I do not believe any of these are more or less important than the others. Each represents a part of Japan, just as pertinent to its culture as any other city.
Similarly, we all wear many faces through different chapters of our lives, in different settings, and sometimes simply with different people. Please do not misunderstand me. This by no means suggests we are all two-faced and liars. Rather, it suggests that there is more to each of us than what can be seen on the surface.
As I explore the relevance of each city, I can't help but think of how their representations are paralleled in our own lives.
Tokyo
Tokyo is a modern city. It is cosmopolitan. It has many different parts that all have specific tasks. It has a strong tradition in its castle area, a burgeoning technology in Electric Town, the tried and true businesses in Shinjuku, continued commerce in its world-renowned fish market, and awareness of self in a 47-story free observatory at its Metro Building. This is the first city that comes to mind for many who visit Japan.
In the same way, when others think of who we are, it is the face we show them. It is the face that holds some tradition, but adapts to new situations. It is the face that relies on what has worked for us in the past, while trying to share with others what we have developed of ourselves. It is the face that stares back at us from the mirror.
Kyoto
When I asked the hostel owner what there was to see in Kyoto she pointed out seven different sites on a map. Five of these were historical temples or shrines. Kyoto is what we see in the movies. It is the old buildings. It is the cultural hub of ancient Japan. It offers a glimpse into what has made Japan what it was in the past and has become today.
This city represents our deeper traditions. There are deeper roots within us than many of us realize. There is a face that holds onto not only what has worked, but what has become our purpose. There is a part of us that says, "This is who I am." It does not matter if we say it out loud or to ourselves. It is always there nonetheless.
Osaka
This city is described as being the major rival to Tokyo. It is a city that historically was founded by and for merchants, rather than samurai. It is and has always been a city of commerce. With Tokyo representing Japan as it is, Kyoto representing Japan as it was, Osaka represents Japan as it will be... or so everybody in Osaka will tell you anyway.
Just as Osaka believes it is the city of the future for Japan, we all dream of a person we would like to one day be. It is this face that we try to share with others intentionally. We do our best each day to live as the individual we hope to become. While holding onto the purposes that have brought us this far, we all continually look for ways to adapt and evolve. Ever becoming a greater version of ourselves in the process.
Hiroshima
No visit to Japan would be complete without visiting Hiroshima. It is described as the trip that every person on the planet should take at least once in their life. It is heavy. It is hard to visit the Peace Memorial Park and see all the monuments for countless types of people's who were killed. It is heartbreaking walking through the museum and the victims' information center to hear first-hand stories of how this terrible event effected individual innocent lives. But it is overwhelmingly inspiring to appreciate that the park is open 24/7/365. The museum is free to the public everyday of the year. Hiroshima has led the fight against war around the world. The city did not rally to blame anyone. They did not cry out for retribution. In their suffering they found their own voice and stand unified in sharing it with the whole world: "No more Hiroshimas."
While these monuments, efforts, and information can demonstrate the need for peace, we can never know the extent of the suffering each individual felt dealing with the repercussions of the first nuclear bombing. However, we can find in ourselves suffering and turmoil that often feels like nobody could understand. In our suffering, we mourn. In our suffering, we unite with others who share experiences similar to ours. And, most importantly, if we can find the strength that this community found, in our suffering we find hope to fight for it to never happen again.
Itoshima
Itoshima is a seaside city that most people have never heard of. It is a beautiful agricultural community that is surrounded by sprawling green hills and long sand beaches. While it is mostly unknown, it produces much of Japan's vegetables and houses the world-renowned Ichiran Ramen factory. Life is slow here.
Our place of peace within ourselves often goes unnoticed by others. There is a part of us that is simply who it is. There is a part of us that accepts things simply as they are. This is our face of peace. And though most people we interact with will never know where it comes from, this place of peace is where our productivity comes from. This is the face that provides for most of the others.
Monday, September 16, 2019
A Walk in the Park
Atomic Bomb Dome
At 8:15am on 6th August 1945, the first atomic bomb in human history was dropped on Hiroshima. Although, the Atomic Bomb Dome was located almost directly underneath the explosion, it somehow avoided complete destruction and the remains of the building still stand today. The residents of Hiroshima decided to keep this tragic reminder of war intact. The site was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996.
Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound
The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound is a large, grass-covered knoll that contains the cremated ashes of 70,000 unidentified victims of the bomb.
Korean Cenotaph
When the atomic bomb was dropped the lives of more than 20,000 Koreans were suddenly taken. Within the monument’s stone chest is a register bearing 2,663 names of Korean A-bomb victims who have been identified.
Memorial Cenotaph
The names of all those who lost their lives are inscribed inside the central stone vault regardless of nationality. It currently holds more than 290,000 names of those who lost their lives to the bomb and new names are discovered and added to the list every year.
Mother and Child in the Storm
Monument of the A-Bombed Teachers and Students of Elementary Schools
Children's Peace Monument
This monument was dedicated on Children's Day, 1958, to Sadako Sasaki, who was exposed to the atomic bombing when she was 2 years old. She developed leukemia ten years later and passed away. Shocked by her death, her classmates put out a national call to "build a monument to mourn all the children who died from the atomic bombing." With the support of students in more than 3,100 schools throughout Japan and nine other countries, including Great Britain, this 9 m-high bronze statue was completed.
Standing on the top of the three-legged dome pedestal is the bronze figure of a girl holding up a gold-colored folded paper crane. On the left and right flanks of the pedestal are suspended boy and girl figures symbolizing a bright future and hope. The stone underneath the pedestal is inscribed, "This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world."
Peace Bell
This was installed with the aim of abolishing nuclear weapons and bringing about world peace. Cast by expert bell-caster and national treasure Masahiko Katori, a world map without national borders is on the surface of the bell to symbolize a single, unified world. People are free to strike the bell, so please take the opportunity to do so with a prayer for world peace.
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