Category: Japan

Took the bus from Paleiochora to Rethymno and on the way from the bus station (bus stations are surprisingly lovely in Greece) to our hotel I saw locals swimming at this little spot so I stripped off and jumped in. Heaven.

This is one of a pair of komainu, which from the 14th century onward, began to be placed outdoors to guard shrine and temple entrances.

Komainu always appear in pairs, with one having an open mouth and the other a closed mouth. Together they represent the sound “a-un”, the Japanese transliteration of the sacred Sanskrit syllable “om”. This syllable symbolizes the beginning and the end of all things, similar to “alpha and omega” in Western traditions.

The komainu pairs embody the principles of yin and yang, life and death, and the dual nature of existence. The open-mouthed “a-gyō” represents the beginning the active principle, and the inhalation of the breath of life, while the closed-mouthed “un-gyō” symbolizes the end, the passive principle, and the exhalation of the last breath.

So as my trip is nearing the end, I feel an achievement in my Aikido training, knowing that this is just the beginning of a long journey. 

Had a nice and peaceful morning visiting the local Shinjuku shrine where I met the komainu on the picture and then afterwards the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. Then headed to the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center for the last day of Aikido training on this journey. 

Planned and booked accommodation for the next parts of our holiday from a hammock Scott hung overlooking the beach. Modern times!

So made it through another really hot and humid day, again 3 Aikido training sessions with different Sensei’s. It’s very dame dame ( no good; not serving its purpose; useless; broken) to hang the Gi’s over locker doors. The doors should always be closed and look neat.

A pomegranate picked by Scott climbing a tree in Chania, Crete.

Another day of sightseeing in Tokyo, this time in Hamarikuy Garden. Beautiful and really relaxing garden near the old Tsukiji fishmarket and the harbour.
The trees are being really well looked after and this made me think of my brother. Lots of achievement put in to this park.

Tube, train, plane, bus, walk, check out rooms and find this one….from Crouch End, London to Chania, Crete, Greece.

Busy day, with lots of impressions all day. Sightseeing in Yanaka area, lots of temples and a big graveyard. Got a bit lost, but managed to find the last shoguns grave (Tokugawa Yoshinobu, born Oct. 28, 1837 and died Jan.22. 1913).
Then managed to find a really nice okonomiyaki restaurant near Shinjuku station.
Then back to the hotel and getting organized for the next days to come in a tiny room and even tinier bathroom.

Using up everything in my fridge to make a packed lunch for my journey up to London. I saved money by going on a very non direct route which involved a bus replacement service from Reading, stopping everywhere on the way to Staines. And then a train onto Richmond. Was it worth it?…an achievement of patience and money saving….

A really busy sightseeing day, people everywhere and loud noises everywhere.
Found this quiet little corner with calm and peace.

A stunning walk from Goran Haven along to Dodman Point with my rambling crew. Such beautiful weather day too which encouraged a skinny dip at a secret beach. Picking this as our rambling day was quite an achievement as all the other days have been yukky!

Achieviement to adapt to Big city life after a week in rural Japan.
A long day with sightseeing

I could easily have stayed at home all cosy but I had a word with myself and got out and about for the art openings across town for the New Contemporaries. I saw some faces I like, experienced the fine art and peddled home uplifted.

All mornings the past week have been a challenge to get up before 5 o’clock. This friday morning in particularly, since last night there was a Dojo party untill 3 o’clock in the morning.
So a huge achievement to get up after a couple of hours sleep and then rake in front of the shrine and then 6 o’clock training afterwards.

The weather has been changing every 5 minutes from glorious sunshine to pouring down with rain and hail. I dressed in all my waterproofs and then…the sun came out but I was ready…

Achievement getting a good nights sleep, when sleeping on traditional tatami mats in a dormitory and getting up at 4.50 in the morning. Walls are thin and at times a bit of slumber serenade is heard.

Picked up some rubber flooring near Alternun where Otto was born. Found it on fb marketplace and is the solution for what to have as the flooring in my bathroom. Afterwards went for a very, very wet walk in the beautiful lanes and fields of Bodmin moor.

It’s a pretty busy schedule here in Iwama; Getting up at 04.50 in the morning to clean the garden, then morning training from 6 o’clock to 7.30 then breakfast and after that 2 1/2 hours of weeding and cleaning in the garden and Dojo.
Then lunch and training again.
The humidity is nearly 90% ( my estimate ;), so after each training I need to wash my Gi.
The local laundromat, must have their machines from Denmark, because it says ‘møntvask’ on the front.

Went to pick my van up from the garage. I’m so proud of Otto for being clever enough to run alongside my bicycle. He knows to stay on the same side and to go the same side of lamposts etc as me so we don’t get tangled.

Getting friendly with the locals in Iwama.

A gorgeous lazy morning in bed, a walk in a forest with Otto and the first roast of the season. Hello equinox. A really unexpected lovely day.

Walked to the top of mountain Atakusan to train jo.