Sol Levante

Ok guys, l agree with ya all that this is not a tropical sunrise but l tell yo that it was my first time to see the sun rising here in Japan ... EH? all these yrs not even once?! what a shame and lazy and we are in the Sun Rising Land!!! ironic uh.
But do u know a beautiful thing ... when l passed my first new year here 2000/2001, do u think that at midnight the japanese people will start with small bombs, bim bum bam and all kind of BOM BOOOM? noooo absolutely ... not like in italy, so noisy! not like in india when there is diwali, even more worse thats looks like to be in the middle of a stupid american war ...
and here how they do it?
with much of my surprise, when midnight clocked, to my ears there was silence ... may be the clock was wrong? ... but no, N my girl-"sister"-friend, said "ssssshh listen closely ..."
ddoooooonnnnnn ...... ddoooooooooooonnnnnnnnn ..... ddooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnn
at continuum ... it was the big bell that was playing in every shrine and temple around in the town .... sssoooooooo nice. l could not believe how intelligent and aesthetic were these japanese people!!!
So on the midnight of the new year they do this and also there is another beautiful option to celebrate the new year and thats is even more beautiful ... in the night go to the mountain, usually on mount fuji, the very symbol of japan, on the top of it and look silently the sunrising.
This is, in my feeling, a very very beautiful way to welcome the new year ... and no l didn't get a chance to go to mount fuji yet ... l will some day, each thing at its own time.
So lets say that, although l wasn't on the mountain and it wasn't a new year time, after traveling all night leaving from sannomiya on July 23 at 22:29 arriving in kokura at 6:08 fresh morning time ... here is another symbolic way, that l'm became aware right now, of a new beginning, a new welcoming ... in fact kokura is the first station of kyushu, a different island.
so the story is like this:
traveling at the night
leaving honshu, the main japan island ...
arriving in kyushu just when the sun rise
a new island
a warm welcoming
and a new beginning too!

Kobe

So here l am after a very simple japanese style dinner, half boiled broccoli and carrot with somen (very thin noodles that u eat with tsuyu ... allright, when u'll come here u'll see) and some mayonnaise with tarako and ... ok but what happend after Arashiyama?
Nothing much, just had a meeting with a sweet woman in kobe area and l slept with her ... l mean l slept in her house ... and she was sweet because when we were having great conversations we weren't getting each other much ... LOL ... my english for her was funny and her english for me was even more funny!!! so for about 80% af the talking was like exchanging gibberish!!! and the most amazing thing for me was: just arrived at her station we went immediately to some restaurant and we weren't hungry in the first place, and the restaurant was small and full and l had a BIG bag ... the owner came out and said that we had to wait for about 30 minutes and if we had to eat there, the bag might have been better if l was to leave it outside because no space for it ...

AOH???

So l asked to Y "your home is close by?" ... "yeah" ... "then lets go there to put my bag away and come back since we have 30 min..." "nooo we better wait" "but l dont wanna leave my bag outside the shop while we eat ..." "no problem, we are in japan, nobody will steal ur bag" "l know l know ... it is not the stealing point. lt is just that l cannot eat relaxed knowing that an unobserved bag is outside ... u can eat with joy because u dont give a shit about my bag.
otherwise we go some other restaurant u recommend..." "l'm recommending this one"

well guys the story goes on and as ya all know very well, when a woman say a thing ... end of story! but l managed to convince her to bring the bag at home!!! YAHOOOOOOOO!!!
Then we had a nice dinner, a nice gibberish time and then the next morning first thing was to leave again, yeah just one night in one place ... l like the saying "just 1 night and then move on".
ln that morning l bought the famous 18KIPPU to travel on, it was cheap and didn't have any hurry and moreover it was a chance to see different places with its local peoples ... certainly each place has its own flavor.
But l had to book a seat for the night train, MOONLIGHT KYUSHU. so guess what?
didn't see any beautiful flavored places from SANNOMIYA to KYUSHU!!!
because from where l was staying to go to south kyushu to the friends place ... was a looong way to do it in a day ... had no choice but to travel at the night.
l PUT the ticket in the pocket because it was no time to use and went in another area of kobe for 2 night and 3 days. l finally cooked spaghetti in the house where l was staying but couldn't cook more than twice because the kitchen was unbilievable dirty!!! lets not talk about this and don't dare to ask me how dirty it was uh!!! ...REALLY DIRTY!!!
2 days and sho` sho` chalom baba.
Had an interesting meeting with another friend that was living near by and visited sannomiya city and the port of kobe ... now, sannomiya, l loved it.
Usually l dont like much the city (HELLO! l'm living in tokyo) but sannomiya had a beauty of its own ... yeah l could live there ... just a cool place.

The Master of the Shouts

before going on with with my diary,
l'd love to post what my Master Osho shared about Zen Master Rinzai ...


Rinzai is one of the most loved masters in the tradition of Zen.
The first transmission of the light happened between Gautam Buddha and Mahakashyapa.
The second great transmission happened between Bodhidharma and his successor. Bodhidharma took the ultimate experience of consciousness from India to China;
Rinzai introduced the same consciousness, the same path of entering into oneself,
from China to Japan.
These three names - Mahakashyapa, Bodhidharma and Rinzai - stand like
great peaks of the Himalayas.
One of the most difficult things is to change an experience into explanation, and from one language to another it becomes almost an impossible task. But Bodhidharma managed it, and Rinzai also managed.

Osho - excerpt from "Rinzai: Master of the Irrational" chapter 1


Rinzai is one of the most famous Zen masters.
Just as Bodhidharma took dhyan to the land of China, Rinzai brought from China
-- his Chinese name is Lin Chi -- the same lamp, the same light, to Japan.
It is a tremendous transmission from one land to another land,
from one master to another master, and it is the only tradition in the world which is still breathing, still alive.

Osho - excerpt from "Turning In" chapter 3

The Zen Master

Arashiyama ... l had only 3 hrs because l had a meeting with a friend that gave me a one night staying at her place near Kobe and l planned to rent a bicycle so l could move faster in the zone.
Just out of the station there was a couple that could not understand japanese so they asked me to help although my japanese isn't that good ... well, to survive here in japan l can manage but to translate for somebody it is just impossible!!! especially me.
But with my surprise l managed to help them to get what they wanted ... and l understood perfectly well that l could translate ... sometime l just wonder how it is possible and wish to be so all the time, this is what l call mystery. Also because l'm deaf!!!
Anyway l saw the point that it was useless to rent a bicycle because l had very short time so l said "Ok so lets stay near-by and lets go to see Tenryuji temple" ... it was just a 10 min. walk from the station and to go there u had to pass a bridge ... it is a very beautiful place, just the surrounding hills and the river and the small town ... it was perfect.
Then l found the way to go to the temple and on the road to it, on some point there were 2 big ponds full of lotus flower, they weren't open but still it was amazing to see all these lotus flowers together ... that autumn tree picture that l posted previously, was on that path that l'm talking right now ... for the first time l could feel some real beauty also because there was almost
nobody around as if that wasn't a place for tourist ...
Well l reached the temple, bought the ticket and went in and l REALLY WENT IN!
As l walked, my jaw literally dropped down and l was overwhelmed by something that was invisible but so tangible and so powerful ... l practically was in a awe state ... the scenery, the pond, the hills, the bamboo groove, the sound of the water ... l don't know how can l describe ...



2 hrs passed by so fast but so fast that l didn't wanted to go away, rather l wanted to stay and live right there! going out to the exit l was asking to myself "what kind of place is this? finally something real worth of!" then l asked to the reception to give me a pamphlet about this place and as they gave it to me, immediately a started to read (usually l don't give a shit about the history but this one ... exception) and what l read? l just quote this only: Tenryu-ji (Temple of the Heavenly Dragon) is the head temple of the tenryu-ji branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.
Oh my gosh! this is from Zen Master Rinzai!!!
l heard a lot about Rinzai from my Master Osho ... thats why l was also feeling so familiar that atmosphere ... it was a blessing gift that V gave to me.
When l got the chance l wrote to him telling him that l'm greatful for his recommendation and he replied that he never went there and that he did not know what it was about this temple ... l said "WHAT??? oh my my ... l can forget about Tenkawa, about Kyoto temples but Tenryu-ji ... no, thats is unforgettable. Then it is my turn to recommend it to you!!!" LoL

Going Out

To walk is good ... so l walked.
from fushimi inari shrine l went stright to kyomizudera ... yeah nice, took few shots and kept moving ... K advised me to go to have a walk to the path of philosophy and he told me "l dont know why they call it The Path of Philosophy, but never walk together with ur girlfriend on that path otherwise u'll separate ..." and l was listening this kind of bullshit because first, separation is inevitable and second l'm not on these kind of superstition and moreover l told him
"really? but l'm going alone ... and l'm getting separate anyway!"
l saw this path, it is very nice ... expecially to walk together with the beloved one ... it is a sweet path really and it was bringing directly to Ginkakuji and thats where l had to go as my last one of the day ... since walking require long stretched hrs!!! it was much more nice than kyomizudera ... well they both are beautiful, have their own beauty ... Kyomizudera is kind of wild whereas Ginkakuji is more zen-like with garden and artistical expression with stones ... anyway they both didn't tell me much and it was crowded too, when there are too many people around with cameras (l also was there with camera allright) l feel like a little bit out of harmony with the place ... may be l was tired! but pleased and happy to go back to the hotel.
u think l went to sleep? nnoooooooo just taking shower and have dinner, a set of sushi mmmmhhh and then close by there was the famous Gion, it is a very beautiful place with old style traditional japanese houses ... l loved it very much!!! l also spotted 1 geisha that was sitting at the entrance giving a good farewell to the customer, painted all white with kimono and all that stuff ... wow l putted the retro gear and l asked if l could take a shot at this beauty ... they told me, in a pissed way, to ask to the owner that was just closing the door of the car of the customer and so l asked very very politely "sumimasen, chotto kiitai mono ga arimasga, kanojio ni shashin totte mo ii deska?" (excuse me, l have a question to ask, could l take a picture to her?) just simple uh ... and she answer "oooh ... nononono" ... OK OK OK thank you and gave a wink.
Then l saw Gion in the next day in the morning time ... night time is more nice thought, did some shopping near by buying famous pickles in a famous street shop that l forgot whats its name and few original style sushi and fry potato at macdonald, YES MACDONALD! the fast food place and l hate it! but fry potato is ok, only this l can buy moreover l had to go back to say to put SALT!!! aaaw.
Paid the hotel took my stuff and VIA to Arashiyama ... a place that V recommended.

Going On

Then what l did? try to guess a little bit ...

Kyoto

Ok fellas! this time l gotta move on alone, in fact V went back to TYO and l was with K .. he insisted on help me to find a place to stay even if l said do not worry (see when l wrote about osaka) so we decided to stop by in some internet-cafe to find out a room somewhere ... well what can l do if people like to help? ... so lets make them happy!!! l had my own logic and it was like this: l stayed for 4 days in V family's place and they refused to accept some of my economical share so l said that at the most l'll find some hotel, if l cannot find a cheap ryokan or guesthouse or dormitory , for 2~3 days it was perfectly ok 4 me to spend a little bit more ... anyway l'm thankful for the help that l got, may be it was part of the flow, then why go against it?! so as we sat down in internet cafe, in just 5 minutes K found out a nice acceptable priced hotel room in a nice zone too!!! he asked me if it was ok 4 me? but sure ... book it and lets forget about it! lt was this one: Le LIOND'OR and l recommend it if u have no choices and if u are there of course! (but l paid 4000 yen one night against the 6000 yen that they are showing now in their HP...might have been lucky). thanx K.
It is just in front of Nijo Castle ... didn't have time to go there thought.
2 days l stayed in kyoto... l know l know that itsn't enough to see everything after all didn't l say that tourist l am not? right away. then l preferred to spend more money 'n' time down in the south where there is wild nature and sea ect ect ...
With all the majesty and beauty that kyoto had to offer, where did l go first? Fushimi Inari Shrine! when l saw the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" by steven spielberg l remained enchanted by these red gates ... so l went there and when l entered inside the place and l was looking for these gates, l didnt know where they where and l didnt ask to anybody to show me the way, l just let my feet to go ... in fact after a while l felt a kind of sensation that l was on the right path and then WOW and walked through almost all of these gates ... it was a long way but l liked it, l liked, while walking, the effect of light/shadow flickering in betweens ... it was worth it but l never thought that it took almost 2 hrs to go through almost all!!!

Tenkawa

Here we see another giant!!! so after we took the water we went in one place that was nearby and it is a famous "spiritual" place, tenkawa.
The meaning of this word is very beautiful, Ten means heavenly, heaven, imperial and sky.
Kawa means river. Tenkawa the "divine river".
When l got of from the car, the first thing my eyes pointed at was to see on the stage this BBBIIIIIGGGG giant drum!!! and l love this type of japanese drum, its sounds has a quality of its own...it penetrate so easily inside yourself...and l'm a lover of the percussion.
there is some kind of understanding between me and the drum so l asked to somebody, that was on the stage, if l could give some good drumbeat on the big one...HAI DOZO!...yeah ofcourse in japanese. Like a flash l took off the shoes and flied on the stage directly there!!!
plof plof pppplllllofffffff.....???....hey, whats that? l was very much surprised to find out that the skin was soooo soft!!! it needed real sticks and not my bare hands...what a fool l was but...hihihi....l switched immmediately to the other ones and l played a little bit to each one of them!!! mmmmhhhh l could not stop but l had to because...it started raining!!!
LOL l might have been a native american indian!!!

All Right!

l mean ... All Stright!!!
Ok lets go on a little bit...after all, today is sunday and it was my holy"meditation"day so, the next day we went off to deep nara nature about 1 hrs and half by car not because there were monuments to see... yes there were but we went with the purpose to get 100% pure water in one spot, that japan listed as one of the naturally purest water ... the moment l got off from the car and started to see big river flowing with so much splendor and its continuous sound of the race towards the ocean made me feel much much but much better!!!


Then, for the first time in japan, l walked in a real path of wilderness side by side with the river and waterfalls and long suspended bridge and ... suddenly, the last piece of the path l had to face a major change ... l was also a little bit surprised, to see on the either sides, these trees standing so tall and straight all together!!!! well, it may sound so natural and normal for u but for me, after l enjoyed jumping like a deer in the zig-zag path with all kind of natural forms 'n' stuffs, that u usually see in tv in "National Geographic", for about half an hr and then, after a small turn and crossing a 1 meter bridge ... and see like u see in the picture above ... l felt like l went back to TYO!!! (got it?)

The Biggest

Back at home for dinner ... with much surprise, V's poppa bought just for us 4 of these very giant oyster ... it was soooo unbelievable BIG!!!! l had the honour to open ... well, not exactly an honour because some yrs back one guy brought to our home in TYO very fresh scallop and l never opened, l heard that need some practice before u can open the scallop in a right way... but he was so busy and therefore asked me if l could do it ... ok l can try why not? and so he explained how to ...so when l had the scallop in my hand and it was open enough to put the palm of the thumb between the edges of the shells so to avoid the immediate shut..and just when with the knife l started to cut, the scallop of course wanted to save himself but l was shocked of how much power he had for shutting down...it was to late for me to give up ... l had to finish, while l was cutting l could feel the life struggle of the scallop and when l finally cut the upper part l felt all the force vanishing ... it was a very bad experience for me!!! l practically killed him. And l told to this guy "You rascal!!! why you have to make me a killer? next time just bring it already opened ..."
so when l saw this oyster at the beginning l hesitated but then l thought that they will be opened anyway...so it is better that l do it with love and awareness.



lt was the most good raw seafood that l ever ate!!! when l was eating it tears wanted to come out of my eyes .... sooooo fabulously good.

The Exit

l like this shot of a no-ass man stepping down toward the exit after a full day of touristic experience

Shy Shy Shy

Oh they got me!!! l felt like a big star and they all fell in love with my long hairs ... they were also so cute that it was right to shoot back!!! ... then l gave the camera to some korean boy who was trying to speak english so l said "instead to talk, please, just go over there and shoot me with these sweeties and very very exaggeratedly SHY!"

The Big Buddha

ln the morning we were at horyu-ji then few others and here we are, in todai-ji, after playing with deers ... ah but did u know? the horn of the deer is so soft and weird when u touch it....it is like to touch a velvet cloth with some honey over it ....blleeeeeehh. good touching experience tought. And also, when you go away from this place there are shops that sell DEER SHIT CHOCCOLATE!!! yep, u heard it right. So hilarious and how come? simple, for them everywhere is a toilet place...just like indians in india...so while walking and shooting on the path towards the big buddha, u will inevitably encounter some serious shit!!! and so somebody might have said "hey hey this 'out of deer stuff' looks so much alike to choccolate...well! l will start a business di merda (of shit in italian)" and on the pack of these small choccolate balls there is really...anyway l think that l talked enough shit.
and it is here that l met my korean fans...

Isn't Enough?

well...the party is over...at the least 4 me. The real party was going to begin because l took my slim camera, that shoot very good movie quality against the non totally satisfied still picture image quality...anyway l started to shoot a movie to V playing with these sweet deers, well they were playing him!!!...oh my gosh it was such fun!!!

Well V didn't allow me to post his movie ... so hope u enjoyed the red fishes instead ...

The Tourist

ok here back l am! after a good back-hairshaving to facilitate the ventilation in this very humid hot season...and of course l took shower so l can go on refreshed...
Lets go back to the fisrt day in nara, July 15, V's poppa immediately planned the day to bring me around to the most important touristic spot in which all of them are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage...now l have to say something, just a little bit, of me...what l am, l have still to find out...what l'm not, l can say: I AM NOT A TOURIST and l dont give a shit about monuments ect...but ok...it means that this time l had to play the part of the tourist shooting with the camera almost all the time and run here and there like a chiken (please no offense to tourist people) because there is so much to "see" in such short time!!! what the hell??? l would prefer to enjoy one place to its fullest than jumping from here to there and from there to over there...aoh?!
Relax, l'm not complaining...it is just how l felt it...and in a way it was good too because it was something new to me to behave like ones and in a way l started to love taking pictures, now it is becoming like a passion!!! V's poppa was, almost all the time, trying to explain to me the history of what we were seeing, he is an history lover...and l mainly dont care about history but what could l do? l was his guest. We had good time together anyway...and all these deers!!!!
suddenly l found in my hand few biscuits and l started to give to whoever was coming closer but they were coming in branch!!!! just like sheeps!!! and sometime they also bite u (not with teeth of course, just like an oldie without denture...l even got bitten on my balls!!!) LOL! just to get a little piece. now it is sunset time and l wanna go play with the drum on the river side...

Osaka

This shot l took on July 18 my last day with V.
ln fact he had to go back to TYO and we had a meeting with another friend in osaka and so l was around with my almost heavy bag and they were sooooooooooooooo much worried about me!!!!
Because l did not have any plan or booked some hotel...try to imagine to have somebody in front of u and u ask "so from now where are u going?" and l "bho. who care?! in this moment l'm with u, having a little time together, eating some lunch then V go back and K, another friend, will be busy and l will thing about myself later on...if l am not worried at all about my situation why should u? this l really dont get it!!!" ...LOL... u should have seen how V was worried, unbilievable, as if l was an helpless child...but what the f**k?!...OOOOOOOHHHH first of all l'm 30 yrs old and second l was just flowing in the moment so, if this moment is perfect how can the next moment be otherwise?

A New Beginning

When finally we arrived in kashiba and going out from the station, l saw this blu lighted neon tunnel and l fell in love with this view...for me it was kind of a warm welcoming instead of the usual exit that u see in 95% of the stations...it looks pretty cool and that blue mixed purple color is also my favorite one. So the trip went very smooth, l saw a little bit of difference between tokyo people and osaka people as well the enviroment...TYO is much more organized and clean and cool and TYO people are more stiff comparing the aliveness of osaka people...it is said that osaka people are a little bit aggressive, too much talking and movement, too much show...just like the south italian people...but to me, it may be true what other says and who care what other says, they are much more alive than TYO people, much more relaxed and YEEEAAHH kicking all around!!!
so what?! thats the beauty!!! it is not a coincidence that most of the famous comedians with very great sense of humour are coming from OSAKA!!! l look the japanese TV programs, even if l dont understand much...there is one guy, shimada, and l like him, l love his way of making fun, he is a genius and so even if l dont understand each word of what he says, with the help of subtitles (japan has many elderly who dont hear good, so it is usual to see subtitles in a very playful way...maybe u can have a glimpse here: funny japanese videos ) it make me laugh so easy!!! anyway what l was saying about the trip? AH....so l reached in V family's place, quite a cool place near the hills...oooooooohhh finally a little bit of wild nature...luckily we did not meet typhoon upon our arrival...in fact it passed by in the middle of the night.
just perfect...just very symbolic too: leaving on a risky storm, sleeping with the storm all over the house and waking up on a new fresh day...a new beginning.

One Way Ticket

Oooooh and the day came! actually it was July 14 (2007 of course) and we, me and V, had to catch the famous japanese shinkansen, train bullet, at around 8:30 of the night leaving TYO.
lt was my first time to travel by shinkansen...l thought that, while on board, l would see the houses, trees , peoples, dogs & cats disappering in a matter of seconds from my view at the speed of 300 km/h...well, just as normal as any train and not even so speedy as l expected but real comfy! just like in the airplane...yeah it was like that. With nice flashing-smile of these almost cute japanese "stewardess" that each half an hour would mop the floor!!! only in japan so much devotion about cleanliness, even V (and he is a real japanese...samurai type!) wondered for such devotion! what about me? l think it is the blood type A. (this is another story...may be l'll tell u later on)
So the plan was that around 11 o'clock of the same night we would reach in his family place, kashiba, in the city of nara.
Then l noticed one thing when l was traveling, that whenever l make an existential trip, my departure day is always on the new moon...so with my surprise l saw that the moon wasn't there on 14 July!!! and not only this...it was announced through the media that the biggest and the strongest and most powerful typhoon of this year (and may be of all its precedessors) was going to pass by over us!!! in fact there was the risk that the train would stop to operate if we had to meet typhoon on the way...many people cancelled the trip and we didn't, we chose to go and pass through.

Once upon a time...

...just 1 month and half ago`, a friend of mine and lets call him V, came to eat pizza in my little japanese pizzeria hut. But the trouble was that, first he forgot that he was invited to eat pizza and l invited him just the day before and before going bed!!! so l prepared everything like in pizzeria for just 3 people and he was not coming...so l called him and told him to forget about pizza and to go to f**k himself somewhere else (it was not the first time that he forgets...but how can one forget an invitation? can u?! so it was the second time and u know what? as l learned, and still learning, from my master, Osho, that to forget and/or make a mistake is perfectly fine. Just dont make it twice.) he came anyway because he knew that it was better to screw himself in my pizzeria and, second...he ate already!!! well...of course it was not a problem for me at all because l told him do not worry ... that at the most he could have brought back some pieces and eat the next day but no...basically because l could have eaten all the pizza l was making and l need some kilos of fat e meat on my slim-fatfree-body. The truth is that my pizza was so oishi (good in jap) and he could not say a simple no and ... LOL hahahaaaa (u'll get it after...just let me finish with him)... and he managed to eat almost one full round pizza!!! he ate the end admitted that it was too much (l did not force uh) and said: the irony of the destiny!!! V the the day before, the day he was invited, before going to sleep he swore to himself that he have to stop to eat more than necessary... meaning as much as the body says OK. and the very next day...LOL!!! But he is a sweet guy, we are still like brothers since l came here in japan 7 yrs ago`.
Anyway in the middle of the pizza dinner, suddenly, V said "AH, this saturday (and it was tuesday or wednesday) l go down to my family place in NARA!"
now u have to understand this before l tell what l answered....already last year he asked me if it was ok for me to go down in his hometown to help his poppa to take pure water in deep mountain and somehow never happened to go...so on the pizza night l answered almost before he could finish the sentence "OK LETS GO!".
Thats how it started this small odissey.
And l was just came back from a month stay in italy and l never went outside tokyo for all these yrs!!! so l was feeling so perfectly right to move on...there was that, u know, 100% yes.