Tokyo Marathon - 2023

It had been in the making for quite sometime, actually multiple years. We applied for entry with charity, got into the race in 2020, but then Covid hit. So for the last two years the race kept getting postponed. The stars finally aligned this year and the race is on and we are on our way there.

At this moment, on March 1st, 2023, at about 7 pm Eastern time, I am writing this on my new MacAir, in the plane, half way to Tokyo, to the enigmatic mysterious island of Japan. All I know of the place is that Japanese are amongst the most polite people I have ever met. I also have some patchwork of information bits such as, the US nuclear bombed this country during tenuous WW2 conflict and that this is an aging, hardworking society of very proud citizens, that have held on to their culture and traditions even against the onslaught of mad relentless westernization the world has seen over the last couple of hundred years, colonization and all. I also know some about their bloody history of of warring factions until in the late 19th century the entire island came to be under the rule of one emperor. The proud warrior traditions, the Japanese aggression in Manchuria, Korea, Philippines during 2nd world war. Beyond that the Zen and other Buddhist inspired philosophies, the incredible attention to details, Japanese Gardens and the ceremonies. I did read the autobiography of. Geisha and got a little sense of the cultural mileau of this people. 

Then there are the current political concerns against an aggressive China and a few other miscellaneous information tidbits such as Abenomics, and that the last Prime minister got murdered not too long ago. This knowledge clearly is cursory and patchy at best. In other words I do not know Japan or it’s people. So this trip clearly is an opportunity to soak up the place, it’s people and the cultural norms that makes them tick. It is indeed an exciting journey of exploration in that sense. Isn’t this what I really want to do. Explore lands and people and what bids them together. I have a good mind to vagabond a bit through the place and feel it. The street food, the local music, the local ceremonies of any kind, the Dharmic backdrop. What are the temples really about? What makes Japanese love and hate themselves the most, what makes them love and hate the west the most, and what about India? Where does India fit into their mental map? Isn’t it the land that peacefully exported Budhism, a way of life to live fully and seek the unknown? Indeed unknowable? All the subsequent branches of Japanese thought such as Zen and a million other streams that flowed from a thawing mind of a seeker. 

I have no illusions that I may barely be able to make in dent in any of these, let alone all. But to feel the place as a seeker myself, this week of Japan and all that is beautiful in this place is the quest. And I want to see and know the ugly too. The resentments and the scars. Yes, the scars define us just as much as the glowing beautiful skin tone on us sometime. I want to know them too. I want to know all.

And in addition, I have a race to fit in somewhere there as well. It will get done, one breathing, available moment at a time. It will indeed.

The plane is full of other marathoners, with a bunch of Indian folks from US as well. I love the spirit and enterprise of these people, immigrants especially, who barely grew up with a road to run on, lest the traffic or dogs will get them, as happens almost everywhere in India. The psychological make up of pushing forth into new frontiers is inspiring. So is it, for anyone regardless of where they grew up, choosing to run 26.2 miles, on the other side of the world, at significant expense of time and labor. 

Running, racing is just as much about exploration as is loafing about in the woods or in a concrete jungle, or taking a ship to a remote island. The frontiers one explores in running are internal though. It’s an effort to go past the layers of the obvious to the subtle as far as our own make up is concerned. An effort to see beyond what is manifest, to the forces that cause the manifestation of our lives as it exists today. There are layers of us, aren’t there. From the visible to the psychological, layers upon layers. Ability to plan and stick to a goal, ability to take pain and discomfort, ability to project one’s aspirations and achieve them… all these layers, get wonderfully explored in a rather benign way through running. Even our fears, our ability to engage with a big goal, mental and physical fortitude and discipline, these and anything one has ever read in a self development book can all be laid bare in just one race preparation and execution. But, rarely do we look at it that way, in the beginning of our running journeys. Initially for years together, running is about running. The cadence and heart rate and speed and lungs and legs. There are layers there too, but rather on the surface. Then comes the excuse layer, that I am this way or that way, layer. Then at some point when we are ready, as the student is ready, the master appears. That master could be a race that we really engage with, heart and soul. This marathon isn’t that one for me. That will come soon enough though, I feel. 

Until then, the journey is about playing with the waves, swim some, dive some, pick up some pebbles and pretty looking shells and live. Living too is important, whether we are discovering or not. This race is is about living some on my own terms. 

Life indeed is beautiful, isn’t it.

Friday Jan 3rd:

Yesterday was about landing in Tokyo and finding my bearings. All worked out as we landed in time late afternoon, I acquired the Japan Railways pass, exchanged money and moseyed over to my hotel hear the airport itself in an Uber. It is a huge multi-storied property, very clean and meticulous and floored me with how fabulous the breakfast was with at-least 20 vegetarian dishes that I gorged myself on, topped up by strong Japanese coffee, in small cups. The coffee is a great metaphor for the Japanese people I think, which the hotel is primarily catering too. I may have been the only non-Japanese at the breakfast today. I hope the luck continues. 

The only downside was no breakfast conversation even though I tried with a couple of people. No English, they said.

Narita express from Narita airport to Shinjuku was pretty straightforward to get to. It’s a bright and beautiful day here is Japan. The countryside along the tracks here is either small plots of lands carved up for cultivation or small houses and apartment buildings, with some scattered office and industrial buildings as well. Mostly small plots of land though. Perhaps in the ensuing summer the crops will be there. The roofs are sloping as one would imagine in an area where it gets quite cold also and snows aa well, although Tokyo gets 60 inches of rain but only 3-4 inches of snow a year.

Along the way, thousands upon thousands of neatly stacked apartments, in efficient looking buildings and the mind reflexively goes to a place of gratitude. A vast majority of humanity, does live in very small spaces indeed compared the relatively large houses and living spaces we get used to in the US, even without being rich. Yet, how does that co-relate with happiness, is still a wide open question in my mind.

Here I am not referring to “money does not make you happy” cliche. It clearly does and it clearly does not also. I am talking about whether people living in close proximity to each other thrive better psychologically and emotionally? or Alternately, like in the West, leading a life physically and emotionally somewhat distant from each other is a better way? The jury is out I think on that question. Although, I would bet on the previous rather than the latter. 

Narita express chugs along, after dropping the passengers at Tokyo station onwards to Shinkuju. That is the last stop. I got into the correct train, even met and made friends with Yamamoto on the ride to the bib pick up area. Yamamoto is a very Japanese looking Japanese. man of about 30 years of age with thick, stylish glasses. He is running his first Marathon and has trained 3 times a week. In my mind I am wincing at the pain he will have to endure in the last six miles. I keep that to myself and I share an encouraging fist pump nevertheless, and he looks encouraged. May be. We then stood in some lines and got the Bib without much hassle. Took pictures at the Expo and even had the very enthusiastic volunteer put the medal around my neck before I even ran the race. It’s a pretty gold colored medal that has 2020 date on it. I guess they are keeping it that way and not handing medals at the finish line. Technically I could head back already. It is absolutely funny how Men and Women all over the world find a unique joy in these medals that may be equivalent to the kick they got with Firetrucks and Dolls, when children. 

On the train ride back and forth I could not help noticing how so many Japanese men and women wear nicely polished black shoes and men mostly stick to black or dark blue suits. There seems to be a cultural pressure to conform and they oblige. On the road, in the trains, black shoes and black suits, men and women. You can’t miss it.

The APA hotel in Shinkuju is again a tall building and small but efficient, neat and comfortable room. This part of town is rather like Times Square, with the same hustle bustle and neon signs and lots of eating places. The toilet seat has a nice cleaning function that I totally got used to. I did get to bed early last night( Friday 4th), since the walking about, training about and time difference had caught up. I needed rest.

Sat Mar 4th

Feeling hungry this morning and Ma’s home made laddoos are in the suitcase. Mama Mia…

Today’s plan is a shakeout run, some light sightseeing, early dinner and off to bed. I will meet the NJ gang for the first time since I got here. Looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, although what I have been doing, feeling through the place at my own pace and discretion  is quite fulfilling in it’s own way. 

So met up with the NJ gang and had our morning shakeout run of a few miles. Lots of pictures including one with an Ethiopian athlete who by default would be treated as an elite even if he did not have a crew in tow taking pictures and videos of him. 

Once back at the hotel, got ready and headed out for Senso Ji shrine also known Aksaka Temple. There was plenty of orderly crowd there, incredible variety of street food and a a beautiful shrine/temple. The temple is devoted to Bodhisatva( the aspect of Budhism that deducates itself to helping those who suffer, aside from a person’s own enlightment). The temple was first build in 628 AD, has a colorful 5 story pagoda and a street lined up with 90 shops many selling interesting street food. 

What was quite heartwarming to see was so many young Japanese couples in their Kimonos. There were also many young women, usually in groups of two or three in beautiful Kimonos strutting about. They were clearly enjoying a beautiful sunny day, all dolled up, taking in the Sun and the pleasant vibes of the place, that they were themselves contributing to, unknowingly perhaps. They were talking excitedly as young women do, enjoying street food, checking their fortunes at this elaborate set up where one would shake a tall box with a small hole from which only one chop-stick size stick could come out. These sticks carried an inscription that pointed to a small shelf in the wall which upon opening had stack of papers with the fortunes spelt out on each one. One had to pick up the one on top. So many people, mostly young, were enjoying finding out their fortunes. And, if some did pull up a misfortune, they could tie the paper at a row of strings and leave it behind. That was also arranged and available, so none would walk away sad and worried. 

All the tricks we play to peer into the unknown or the unknowable, I thought. 

The question remains as to whether a meditative mind like Budha’s could peer into the past (as in past lives) or for that matter future. Are there realms of awareness that do tie every being to each other like one fabric as against the awareness of being discrete beings that we carry with us. Is there more to life than what the physical and material development of past few hundred years have understood or the heaven/hell doctrines that have been proposed by certain religions. Is there anything at all to these Shrines and Temples beyond making us feel good. I believe there is. But I am far from knowing what it is. 

Meanwhile the street food, the beautiful architecture, the sense of heightened awareness that being at a place like this brings would have to suffice. 

I already feel a little centered here in Tokyo, Japan of all places. Despite the language barrier, the place seems to have accepted me much more than I thought it would. I have made no friends here to speak of. But the gentle demeanor of the people amongst each other makes the place seem accepting in some way. There is nothing crude here it seems. There isn’t even a trash bucket in the entire city, yet it is clean. Even the women who accosted me for a massage(clearly a euphemism) seemed to be gently bowing while enticing me with the promise of a hell of a time and upon my refusal, stepped away just as politely as she came.

One sees a lot more injured humanity in other big cities than this one seems to have, is all that I am saying. And I am likely very biased because I came in here with a soft corner already for this place and it’s people. May be it’s all hidden. May be it is harder to live and behave like a basket case and hence such high suicide rate in this country. 

Tomorrow is race day. Had an Early dinner with the gang at Ashoka, an Indian restaurant and I am in bed already. Lights off time shortly. Will run, best I know how, tomorrow and let the chips fall where they may. That’s all what I can do. 

Mar 5

Slept lightly but sufficiently, I think. Race day morning is always special. There is a calm that sets in. I generally live lower on anxiety level than other folks. But when all that can be done is already behind, it is best to let go even more. 

Today it is even easier since the start time for the race is 9:00 am. Typically it is much earlier than this, more like 7 am, and we also have to drive to it some way. Here we only need to walk a mile or so. Hence feel a bit more relaxed. Usual rituals such as shower, breakfast etc done. Will relax a bit before heading out. 

So what do people partake in this “racing” madness to the extent they do. Some will tell you all sorts of lies. They will tell you that they like to compete against themselves. That running is life for them, such a great metaphor. All that may be true to limited extent only, since if it was true, they could just run around the place where they are and be done with it. Compete with self, metaphor business.. all of it can be accomplished by counting one tree after another, one utility pole after another. 

What I think is at play here is a sense of belonging above all else. To belong to this club of people called Marathoners, then this club that runs sub 4 hr marathon, then the six majors club and on and on. It is an obsession that one gets pulled into willingly, and is a rather benign and healthy one as far as obsessions go. Progressively you get so many friends who are into this stuff. So we keep on going. Much like other people and their lives. Nightclubbing, gardening.. whatever. Although can gardening be an obsession? Not so sure about that. It has to release endorphins in some copious quantities for it to be one. 

March 6th, the day after:

Race was organized well except for severe lack of porter potties at the starting area, making the lines snake through all of Tokyo it seemed.The race check in, bag check in was organized flawlessly. Along the way, innumerable volunteers who would break into cheers at the simplest Arigato(Thank you) shouted at them. My own legs held up well untill 2/3 of the race and then limited training caught up. Still finished in decent time of 4:29 for me. Next one will be better I tell myself. Lots of miles need to be run and biked and swum over the rest of this year, but for now, I pinch myself that I am here and the race is done and I can truly immerse myself in this place, half a world away from where I live, Japan. 

Two specific things about race that were a bit diaconcerting. Number one was the sheer number of people running at the same time. The staggering of race start was not done as effectively I thought, causing the entire duration of the race to be crowded. Typically you see the first 3-4 miles more congested and the race opens up after that. It wasn’t the case here. Second was that the route included large sections where people are going one direction on this side of the road and coming back the other side. That gives the impression that you are really behind, which is not really the case, but feels a bit more tiring. Other than that there were plenty of places to take a bathroom break. Water stops at frequent intervals and fabulous views of Tokyo skyline. Like other big races plenty of cheering crowds on both sides of the road al through. 

March 7th, 8th - Kyoto

Shinkansen(Bullet Train) bound for Kyoto, does not weave through the countryside. It shoots like an arrow right outside the Tokyo station after taking a few brief perfectly timed stops. The inside of the train is spacious but utilitarian, not luxurious. The broader than subway cars create a sense of space, more akin to an airplane that a train. These trains now do up-to 200 miles an hour and and carry a million passengers a day. 

The country side is littered with houses, buildings etc, but with remarkably few having solar panels. The overall feeling of the train-ride is it being as perfect as a train-ride can be. Everything is just right, including the day. Trains seem to have evolved out of this landscape of things being just right for what they are meant to be. There seems to be a silent hand bringing order to the system. The silent hand of being dutiful, diligent and meticulous about the tasks one undertakes. Like the bumble bees, doing this or that and doing that well. And so the hive looks just how it is supposed to look. Providing shelter and succor to all involved. What a great reflection of the society at large. The government’s basic duties of providing infrastructure and support to it’s citizens to fulfill their potential seems to be well in place. Society’s reverence for order and civic responsibility has percolated up into individual heart’s. Order that is not about stifling, but releasing human potential, as evident by the size, scale and depth of Japanese economy. Even though Japan rates lower on “subjective wellbeing” scale, where freedom for opinions and life-choices count, that scale seems to be a western lens scale, graphing societies that west does not and will not take time to understand, on their own criteria. Not being a social scientist here but life expectancy is co-related to a feeling of well being. That’s just nature’s law. Japan leads the world in that. So kudos to a people and their ethos for doing good by their children. For giving generations, the means to self actualize through a life steeped in work ethic, traditions, culture and relationships. Needless to say there are problems of aging society here, but they will figure that one out too, perhaps.

The helpful-ness of the people, if they can understand you is remarkable. They will go way out of their way for that. 

Shinkansen bullets through the countryside and Kyoto is just a few minutes away. The train will reach there on the dot, timed to perfection to exact seconds. It’s beautiful to to be around people who take that much care. That care is reflected in the smallest of shops on how the goods are displayed. The cashier never missing to take a bow, and an enthusiastic waiter even stepping out of restaurant where you ate, to give multiple bows when you are leaving because you are a visitor from another country, before rushing back to manage the 25 tables he was managing entirely on his own. But he did not step in until you had firmly turned your back and were on and away. Smallish, chunky little fellow wanting to do it just right. Ah! Japan. 

The girls next to me in the train, young adults I think, giggled plenty, took some pictures and did some social media, giggled some more, ate their boxes of Sushi and have fallen asleep. They all wear pretty, thigh high skirts. They all look younger than they likely are. They all look so beautifully Japanese. Needless to say, phones are everywhere in every palm all the time

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for about a 1000 years till 1868, when the last Shogun reverted his powers to the Emperor. Shoguns were military rulers who ruled with the help of feudal lords who each held sway over their vast land holdings with the help of Samurai warriors. The first Shogunate was established in 1194. They were under the Emperor, but pretty much were the de-facto rulers. The last Shogun, Hokusai handed the political and military power back to the Emperor in 1868. 

Another important part of Japanese history is that it is only one of two countries that did not get colonized in Asia. Second one is Thailand. When Japanese saw what was happening around the world and in Asia in terms of colonization, they isolated themselves and shut off any trade and ports to westerners for about 200 years. The western powers were colluding to open up Japan, and use their traditional tactics of “Flag follows Trade” by forcing open 5 Japanese ports for trade. Infact an American General had visited the Japanese port a year before, with his multiple battle ships to give a veiled warning. The following year, on July 8, 1853, American Commodore Matthew Perry led his four ships into the harbor at Tokyo Bay, seeking to re-establish for the first time in over 200 years regular trade and discourse between Japan and the western world.

So the opening of ports caused a major disturbance in Japanese politics with revolt from Samurai lords against the Shogun. Upon fall of the Shogunate, Emperor Meiji took it upon himself to build Japan into a modern industrial and military power to prevent the outcome of colonization that the other Asian countries had faced. That momentum into becoming an industrial and military power pushed all the way into the period of second world war. 

So for over a thousand years, up until 1868, Kyoto was the seat of power, of Emperor’s residence and of Shogun’s residence. Kyoto was also not bombed during WW2 like Tokyo was. This has made Kyoto the cultural capital of Japan with a lot if it’s heritage sites intact. It has over 2000 temples, now 32 Universities with the second most prestigious one in Japan, the Kyoto University as well. 

It is surrounded by mountains, onto which which construction is not allowed, making the geographical spread much more limited than the vast expanse of Tokyo for example. With 1.4 million people, Kyoto is quite manageable to deal with, to get around and to appreciate. It has also limited the height of the buildings that can go up, with Kyoto station being the highest building in the city. That has also contributed to keeping a lot of it’s old charm alive. Like pretty much everything else in Japanese culture, the city planners have done a good job in being stewards of the city, for the short time they are, viewing it in the context of the extensive arc of history. Context and the full story, the flowing of the river from its origin all the way to the sea, is a mindset evident here and in so many other manifestations big and small in Japan. From food to art to manners and social conduct to pressures on the individual to conform to work ethic, all seem to have this underlying ethos at work. More on that later. 

Temples and Shrines, over 2000 in the city will leave you in bewilderment if you are paying attention. A striking example of that was the Rengeoin Sanjusangendo Temple. It has a 1000 life-size statues of Budha, each unique but each with 21 pairs of arms and aside from the main head, 11 immaculately done small heads of Buddha in the crown. Each Budha representing a unique virtue and each arm carrying an object signifying a quality or an action. These Buddhas are then being guarded by a few dozen fierce looking gods, that were protectors of some specific Buddhist virtues. Half way through this army of Buddhas was a gigantic sitting Buddha in meditative repose. Your jaw is on the floor and mind in a bewildered amazement trying to assimilate and make sense of it all. The size and scale of not just the physical statues but the philosophical backdrop, the depth of searching that must preclude an endeavor like this, the devotion, dedication, expenditure of treasure and emotion all still living together in each of the Buddhas for the now hundreds and hundreds of years of their existence, all to reach deeper and deeper into our own virtues as exemplified by Buddha. You scan the environment over the 30-60 minutes it takes and step out into the courtyard, where a giant bell hangs, alongside a Japanese garden of perfectly placed rocks and trees and in a waterbody. There is also the sound of water flowing, which according to description underneath sounds like a human cry. 

You just wanna sit down and let it settle in some. There is too much you have observed. The Japanese garden helps. You sit still. That’s all you can do. Untill the gong sounds. They are closing the temple in a few minutes. You come back to reality. 

Another equally powerful and moving experience was the Shinto Shrine of Fushimi Inari. It has 10,000 gates and 12000 steps to climb. The gates are painted traditional mandarin orange and they keep going on and on and on … It is a deeply meditative experience, although mine was distracted in being with friends. It was only when some of the folks had turned around and the walk changed from curiosity to picture taking to amazement to finally being available to experience of what the shrine was offering, through this walk of maybe a mile, with these ongoing gates over your head like a blessing. At the higher reaches were some nice views of Kyoto city, but right at the top were these innumerable gates, of all sizes, countless of them shorter and shorter in size. As a conjecture perhaps they meant that as we progress through the grosser experiences in life, and move up in your awareness and understanding, there are smaller, finer gates of understanding to go through. Whatever was the meaning and purpose of those gates, as an allegory or moving through life your’s life’s journey of experiences, in helping with the goal of connecting more intimately with the Universe, the impact of the place was felt deep. The extent and scale of physical space in helping you get there was massive. I did feel the hunger of a monk, to know and discover the spiritual world better through these physical props, likely steeping in higher energies of hundreds of years of spiritually more advanced men walking these steps.

But alas, what do I know. It takes time and it takes time. To be there, to just be. The tourist agenda of meeting with friends for dinner also had a place and somehow we all managed to marry the two. 

The Emperor’s palace was alright, with a lot of history, the Golden Palace breathtaking with three stories of different architecture. The lowest was built in the structure of the house of nobility. The second story, with no windows architected as the house of a Samurai and the top in the image of a Buddhist monk’s residence. The top two floors covered in gold with millions of gold leaves having been used to for it. It was once destroyed by arson brought about by a disgruntled monk but was rebuilt in the eighties during the bubble economy of Japan. The house is set in absolutely breathtaking backdrop of mountains and surrounded by a small lake, the landscape around it an extensive Japanese garden.  Peace and tranquility prevails all around it. It was used as a retirement home by a noble who had made his money trading with Chinese and then upon his death donated it to be a Buddhist shrine for a specific Buddhist order. 

I visited few other temples and palaces, each more unique than the other, most remarkably in their setting. I largely walked away from the entire two days thinking that Japanese don’t mess around when going about creating a structure of beauty. The Japanese mind also sees a specific project a part of the whole, in its geographical and historical context, more so than perhaps any other mind that I have observed. These places are not just an oasis of calm and peace and beauty that have sprung out of the landscape. It is more like the landscape itself has been meticulously, carefully and very delicately adapted to sing a particular melody, in harmony with the backdrop of history and topography it is part of. The outcome is soul stirring, but you have to take a moment to sit down and relish it. Allow oneself to just meld into the environment and become one with it, even for just a teeny tiny bit. It’s a hard thing to do on a agenda of running from one temple and palace on a tourist’s budgeted time to another. But it is also the easiest thing to do, to just fall into it. Just let yourself go for a little bit.

Interestingly, unlike hindu temples, there were no deities in many of the Shrines and no human figured deities in any of the temples I visited. I do have to look into the symbolism of two wolf like animals figures, standing guard in the Fushimi shrine. On another observational note, there are many many sects of Buddhism in Japan and their founders are worshiped in the shrines specific to them. This perhaps because even as an individual master found a way of seeing and teaching the truth, it grew a following, on the bedrock of larger Buddhist philosophy. Multiple streams melting out of the endeavors of multitude of seekers through the millennia. 

Ah! Japan.

One could talk about food just as much as about the temples and palaces. The detail, the variety, the beauty of serving it well, the manner of serving it, all like the Octopus hands of a way of thinking. The thinking is about a highly polished and refined sense of aesthetics that are supposed to just drift into our sense but not hit them hard. Nothing jolts you. It just draws you in and as you pay attention, there is more detail that someone has cared about and there is more detail and there is more detail. 

The million small shops in and around Kyoto station, selling food and goodies and gifts, were just as artfully arranged to maximize productivity as a business must, but also not crowded in any way. Neatness, structure and detail. Same was with the processes. 

Two days in Kyoto, and two evenings in Kyoto, one of which became magical quite accidentally. But for you understand that, you need to understand another aspect of Japanese social and cultural history, the Geishas.

A Maiko is an apprentice, typically between 16-20 years of age. A mature Geisha is called Geiko.. over 20 years old. In Kyoto they are called Geikos, where as in Tokyo they are called Geishas. 

There are only 70 Maikos and 200 Geikos (or thereabouts) left in Japan, most are in Kyoto, because this cultural heritage is from Kyoto… it having been the seat of power and wealth for a millennia. 

They train hard, learning dancing, tea ceremonies and I am sure other stuff( including but not limited to sexual) for years before being allowed in the society by the house and Madame that raises and supports them. Then for years and years they are paying back the debts owed to the house and much later become free to keep all their earnings. Some never do, based on their longevity in the marketplace. 

A couple of hour ceremony attendance with them cost upwards of 1000 USD and you need to be referred by someone influential to be with them. 

Maikos and Geikos are a rare sight as they move from program to program in a specific part of the city, the Gion area. The best chance is seeing them perform dance or other ceremonies for large audiences. 

We lucked out in meeting an actual Maiko(apprentice Geiko). We talked to her, admired her physical appearance, perfect clothes, perfectly done hair, all the accesories, even the ears were painted in the same reddish tinge that her lips and eyebrows were. She had the right accouterments in her hair for the season/month. We spent an hour of the most memorable time, trying to see past the painted face, talking to the person trying to discover the person, with modest success. The bar tender translated some and it helped.

Aside from the wonder of seeing a human dolled up as she was, with layers and layers of tradition and beauty and aesthetics, I felt a tinge of sadness as well. Her hair takes a week to set, during which time and after that, she sleeps on an uncomfortable contortion of a pillow, that she eventually has to get used to. The silk on her Kimono is extraordinarily beautiful. She is radiant and smiling. So much thought and effort has gone in to make her look as pretty as a human may be made to look. But she is also Maiko. You can have her at a price. Powerful men, wealthy men, influential men have been having her at a price. She has been devised, designed, shaped, painted, trained perfectly to please powerful men perfectly. That’s her lot in life. That has been the lot of all Geikos and Geishas for thousands of years and each those Geishas could tell a thousand stories about men, about their own tales. This is also a part of the river that Japanese society is and has been. The river that keeps flowing but changing ever so slowy.

So it was, Japan. The Japan I saw was part of a whole fabric that has existed and gotten woven together through the millennia and will be. It does not jolt or surprise your senses with any violence like a Las Vegas strip might. It engages and draws them in, so you can discover the layers at your willingness and pace. You are seeing only a part of the river, at this moment time, but in that you are seeing the whole river too, from the time and place it started flowing. That is the beauty of staying consistent with your traditions and cultural ethos. The river flows gently but forcefully. It has a place to go, far out into the future with Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and Military build up due to Chinese belligerence in it’s neighborhood. They are doing it, they will do it. But the food will continue looking pretty in small packages. The cities will only get more and more comfortable for average Japanese. They will still bow, they will still be courteous. They will still hold the Buddha virtues in the highest esteem. The trains will run on perfect schedules. The city streets won’t still need garbage bins because all Japanese will carry their garbage home. They will over pour the Sake as tradition demands. They will expect exemplary behavior from their citizens who will continue to take pride in Japan and not leave it’s shores, moving elsewhere for economic or other reasons. 

It’s a beautiful river. It is true to itself. It will stay its course. I hope it does. 

Surely under the surface there are cries of pain and lonliness too. It is hard to live by strict social standards all the time. It is hard to conform and lose a bit of individuality in the process. 

But then what do I know. What does anyone really know.