Japan 2022 I was one of four in the U.S. chosen for a fellowship to the Kezai Koho Center annual summer program. I had actually been selected in 2020, but did not get to go because of COVID for two years, and then had to reapply.
I ran around the Imperial Palace grounds almost every morning, and there were other runners and walkers. It was about a 5k around it.
From my hotel breakfast area, looking out at the Imperial Palace grounds. Hidden in an area that is closed off to visitors is where the emperor lives today. I would walk around the accessible parts of the grounds on my last day in Tokyo.
Here I am in Asakusa, a popular area of Tokyo with a lot of great shops. One of my colleague's wives was apparently about my height, and my colleague wanted me to try on this traditional summer dress to see if it would be okay for his wife. I considered buying one, but did not. It was fun to try on.
Sensoji (浅草寺, Sensōji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples. Buddhists have temples and Shiinto have shrines. That is one thing to know. This temple had swastikas. Sad how this ancient symbol was manipulated later.
We went to a restaurant that was once a training stable for sumo wrestlers. The performers below sang traditional songs in a ring for us. The two gentlemen had once been coaches (from what we could gather), and the lady is one of their daughters). We had a traditional hot pot meal with sushi. This was one of my favorite experiences in Japan.
We visited a few schools. This one was a private school, and we had some fun conversations with students. High school is not mandatory in Japan, but the government does provide schools for those who want to attend, and there are also many private schools.
We went to one of the Canon businesses. This one was mostly a recycling center for printers. 99% of a printer gets recycled and used again. It was pretty interesting.
One morning we went to the Bank of Japan and got to meet with financial gurus, who explained some of Japan's economic policy and also some of the challenges it has had.
This was a public high school, and we taught a lesson. My colleague Kate (from Massachusetts who was a blast to be with) and I taught a lesson about imperialism. We had some interesting conversations about how Japanese students learn about this with their complicated history on it.
These young ladies took us on a tour of the school and showed us some of the calligraphy that was done in the calligraphy club. Isn't it beautiful?
We went to a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. This was such a fantastic night with these new friends!
The cleanest public restrooms you will ever see are in Japan. Look at these at the stadium! I was obsessed with the toilets there and how clean everything was.
Same public school as before. I brought some huckleberry taffy from Wyoming to share with these students, and we got a gift for the teacher, and she gave one to us. All gifts in Japan, by the way, must be wrapped.
At the Meiji Jingu shrine. This is a Shinto shrine for the Meiji emperor. He is the one who modernized Japan. This is an entirely human-made forest that holds the shrine. The Tori gate above has the emblem of the chrysanthemum on it.
This gentleman, Mr. Harold Wright, is American, but fluent in Japanese and spent decades translating the poetry of the Meiji emperor into English. He gifted us each a book of the poetry, which was just being published. I love the poetry, and it gives you a sense of the spirituality and desire for peace of this emperor. In the photo above, Mr. Wright is reading some of the poetry on the sign for us in English.
My colleagues and I journeyed out to the different parts of Tokyo in the evenings when we had free time on the metro lines. By the end of the trip, I felt quite comfortable navigating the metro lines of the biggest city in the world. From Wikipedia: Shibuya Station (渋谷駅, Shibuya-eki) is a major railway station in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, operated jointly by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Keio Corporation, Tokyu Corporation, and Tokyo Metro. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan and the world (after Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Ōsaka / Umeda) handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the city center and suburbs to the south and west.[
One day we learned how to do kintsugi pottery mending, a beautiful and healing art form that has great symbolism. Then we went to an art and history museum with a beautiful garden.
We practiced on inexpensive small dishes that were purposely broken, with fake gold, but it was a fun process, and I loved this experience. From the Art and Object website: https://www.artandobject.com/news/kintsugi-pottery-mending-fragile-art-anxious-mind
Almost my favorite part of visiting Japan was wandering in the many gardens. These are spectacular and meticulously tended in Japan, and I felt such peace and balance in my visits there, usually taking a little time for a meditation on a bench or rock.
You can always recognize a Shinto shrine with the Tori gates. There are thousands of them in Japan, and I loved learning about Shintoism and the kami spirits.
This pool with hydrangeas was near Kamakura, a city where we went to see two giant buddhas (one outside that you could take photos of, and one golden one inside, which you could not photograph). The gardens here, and the walk along the hydrangea path (a whole mountain of them blooming right then) were so memorable.
In a bamboo forest in Kamakura.
This is the famous Buddha I discussed above. It was once covered, but that was destroyed over a century ago in a tsunami.
I am rushed, so these ended up out of order, but this is me working on my kintsugi pottery.
We went on a private tour to the Japanese Parliament (Diet) building. The Diet was not in session. It was such a privilege. The balcony seat is for the emperor, but it has hardly ever been used.
Some of the meeting rooms in the building.
One of the entries.
Outside the Diet building with my colleagues.
Wandering on one of the nights in Tokyo. This is in the Shinjuku area.
The famous Godzilla peaks out here. I spared you the several photos I took of this, which for some reason was quite obsessive for me.
In the Golden Gai neighborhood, which is more like old Tokyo and how it would have looked before WWII. This was a blast going in here and finding a place that welcomed tourists with signs in English. Notice that it is not that crowded. We were there after Japan had just opened to groups only, and even then, it had been days. No Chinese were there, and the metros and streets were not nearly as crowded as they normally are.
We found a famous little ramen shop upstairs of a shop, which seated about a dozen people. You ordered from a little coin machine, and were served up the best ramen! This was such a fun night!
More gardens. I loved them immensely.
We spent quite a bit of our time at the KKC in a beautiful building in Tokyo near our hotel. On this day, we were going to be talking on a panel in front of a bunch of business people and dignitaries.
I loved the iced matcha in Japan! Kate and I are enjoying one of our last treats together.
Our final dinner with the KKC staff, who truly become wonderful friends. They took such great care of us, spoiled us, and treated us with the most incredible and warm hospitality always.
These last photos are some different experiences meeting with wonderful Japanese leaders. Above is the former ambassador to the United States, Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki. We had a delightful meeting with him, and he shared some valuable perspective on Japanese foreign interests and policy.
The above photo is from a breakfast we shared with an important member of Parliament, who met with us one morning.
Another photo from the private high school we went to.
My hotel room. It was quiet and peaceful, and I always slept well there after the first night or two.
At the Emperor's palace grounds.
I went to the Modern Art Museum in Tokyo on my last day. It was peaceful and quiet, and held some amazing pieces of art.
These two women were the absolute best! To Akemi (left) and Ikuyo (right), I have not met nicer people. What a wonderful experience you created for us, and what wonderful care you took of us. It is fun keeping up with them on social media and WhatsApp. I am still learning about Japan and cannot wait to go back!
The panel discussion we were part of near the end of our experience. We were asked to discuss how COVID had affected our areas and teaching. I was the least affected of the four teachers, that was very clear.
Mr. Atushi Yamakoshi is reading our certificate of fellowship and presenting them to us during our final dinner together.
Below is the final report I wrote about my experience, which was required to send to KKC. They published it in a newsletter.
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