7.8.23
Well, this is the first post written to you from the US of A. In melancholic spirits. Happy to reunite with my people here, sad to leave behind my people there, and grateful I have so many to call "my people" near, far and in-between. I think there is a lot to unpiece and reflect on, so while working on that, today I present to you...Yaaaa-yaa-ya-ya-Yakushima!!
Yakushima? Now where is this? No, it is not the home of the Yaks, but rather, home of Japan's most ancient old-growth forests. Ha. My jokes entertain me, myself, and I...and I have no shame.
In a far-off island below the tail of Japan lie green canopies and root networks and crystalline water and red-faced monkeys...truly the land of Princess Mononoke. But in real life! And yes! I beheld trees that were spiritual relics of our world: 1000 years old! 2000 years old! 7500 years old!? These trees towered over me in a way I assume ants see people. It was so humbling to be in the presence of life that withstood so many years of human folly. And it wasn't just the presence of life, but the continued drive and hope for life. Trees that were destroyed did not just stay to end up carcasses. Rather, they served as nurturing ground for new life: trunks 2500 years old served as foundations for 2000 yo trees that also served as foundations for the newest generation, 500 yo, of trees; mother trunks sustained mini tree saplings growing in a circumference around their roots; patches of moss grew wherever water and sun met...there was always a beginning to what may have once been thought to be an end.
Seeing such a strong example of the determination to continue "being" and "living" encourages me to also just "be" in my own walk of life. I grew up thinking I needed to be something and do everything for everyone. Though I am trying to grow and be content being a) myself for myself and b) a person of love as an attestment to my faith, I still find myself acting out of the belief that my actions and self should be dedicated 100% to please those around me. I know, it's ugly. And I think I'm really learning to grow out of this, yet, I have to be truthful and recognize that as a human, this still is a part of me. Of course, I think it is essential to serve others and treat others in a way that wholly respects and shows compassion for them; however, I really want to step away from the egotistic and dishonest pride I often find behind wanting to do the "right" thing for the attention and praise of others. So, seeing these almighty trees do so much for their environment by purely standing and growing has reminded me that no, I do not have to live my days for what I think other people expect/want of me. What I have to do is breathe, love, and simply be. Dang, this became a little deep, personal and probably inarticulate...but alas, they are my thoughts, and they do stem from Yakushima, so unabashedly, there you go.
Regarding the actual trip, some highlights I don't want to forget:
- A typhoon canceling my ferry, and trying to save my whole trip while eating the glazed mister donut bought in said typhoon.
- Waiting out the typhoon after landing in Kagoshima at a spectacular library found in the middle of a department store.
- Striking up a conversation and random photo shoot with the einstein-haired man living across the street from my stay.
- Having all of Moro's Rock to myself on a day that was completely clear and sunny--something extremely rare (according to a veteramn mountaing guide who has hiked this over 700 times, that day was the best view he'd ever witnessed)
- Eating half-off sashimi and cucumber after a day at Shiratani Unkyo (Princess Mononoke Moss forest!)
- Becoming friends with a local orange-farmer-mother with her child in an open-air onsen overlooking crashing ocean waves
- Going from one onsen to another via hitch-hike method (a kind 4th grade teacher picked me up and drove me T_T) after getting off at the wrong busstop while holding ALL of my luggage
- Eating a yaki-imo on the way to Yakushima in the ferry.
- Starting my 10 hour hike to see the Jomon Sugi with my minsuku owners' homemade onigiri bento.
- Filling, finishing, refilling, finishing, refilling, finishing then refilling my water bottle with the clearest stream water you'll ever see.
- Rewarding myself with the Matcha Ganache Cake Yuki gave me when I finally reached THE JOMON SUGI.
- Being struck in awe and wonder over and over and over, and once more, over, again throughout the sacred forests of Yakushima.
And, without further ado, the pictures that probably record my adventure far better than my verbal snippets:
heheh some iphone pics and vids to add to the yakushima tale...lots of good food!
secuirty-guarded chesecakes at the supermarket LOL
my supermarket dinner for night #1
this never-before-tasted rice and sweet-potato energy beverage that was SO good
only got this after seeing a line outside its window, and holy HECK what a good obanyaki
my pre-jomon sugi morning bento!
this incredibly tasteful and scrumptious tonkotsu ramen for only 450 jpy? that's literally about $3, like whut
a huge tuna they were about to auction off at 3PM
the buffet station at the supermarket
of course japan has a roasted sweet potato vending machine
and i got a roasted sweet potato to eat on the ferry towards yakushima!
the sea-scape 10 minutes away from my stay...I had my dinner here my last night in Yakushima
my ticket to go on the bus towards the Jomon Sugi Trail!
self-timed pose in front of a large ancient cedar trunk
aesthetic posing in fron of the grand yakushima view from moro's rock
the beauty! gah!
more of the beauty! more of the gah!
big tree wow
sign to go to theeee onsen!
trees treees treeeeeees
inside this HUGE trunk...it had a whole river and temple inside it!
my bus ride on the way to the trailhead of Jomon Sugi Trail at 5am
the ocean waves in front of the open air onsen I went to!
the island in all its glory on the bus ride toward shiratani unkyo
water sounds in the moss-forest, shiratani unkyo
the iconic moss covered forest section that was heavily used as inspiration for princess mononoke
the view from moro's rock!
huge ancient cedar trees right in front of me!
the best radio taiso to be seen as of yet
