Tanigumi Temple
...written on 11.19.02, @ 1:00 a.m.
Mon November 18, 2002
I had just closed the door behind me after arriving home from a 3 hour workout at the gym, when I heard the familiar shuffle of my neighbor, Obata-san. I stuck my head out the door and said "hello" and asked him how he was. He said he was tired and I told him to settle down and relax. Well, really, I screwed up my Japanese and instead of "relax", I said "play".
He then asked me if I had time for some coffee. I took a quick gulp of air and said "10 minutes, ok?" and after seeing his affirmative nod, I zoomed into my apt, flung off my sweaty, stinky clothes and jumped into the shower.
Ten minutes later we were walking to his car and thus began a new adventure . . .
We went to the cafe by Ogaki Castle, but before we went in, I suggested that we have a walk around the park that used to be a ball field. Many leaves were in the righteous autumn process of either turning color or falling and the park staff was busily gathering up the ones that had made it to the ground.
I pointed to the building across the street and asked Obata-san if he had ever been there. He said no, so we went to look at some very old bonsai. Most of them are between 300 and 500 years old. He urged me to take a picture, so I took a few of the plants and then one or two of him.
We went into the "Coffee Club" and ordered some coffee. I ordered coffee from the Dominican Republic and Obata-san had something with a very creamy foam on the top.
The ambience was fantastic! Classical music, rough hewn logs in the ceiling and walls, hundreds of coffee cups all different in style, and the coffee was delicious too.
We talked for a while and then headed out the door. Obata-san asked me where I wanted to go and I said I wanted to see more trees. I had missed my chance this weekend to go to the mountains and I was pretty sure that the leaves would be gone by next weekend.
He drove to Ikeda mountain, where the wind was tearing the leaves off of the trees and spinning the red and gold jewels about. The day was cloudy and I knew my eye could better see the vibrant color than my camera, but I took several shots anyway.
After that short stop, Obata-san kept driving into the mountains and showed me where the different cities were located from the edge of the mountain road. The swaths of mulitcolored trees on the mountains gave them an appealing texture as the silver-gray ribbon of river snaked along below.
We arrived at Tanigumi Temple and drove all the way up the cobblestoned street lined with noodle and souvenir shops. It was beautiful! It was also cold and the clouds were spitting a little, so I grabbed Obata-san's elbow and we walked arm-in-arm.
Since it was Monday, there weren't very many sightseers, so our temple explorations were unencumbered by crowds.
Buddhism and Shintoism are two of the main religions in Japan. The Buddhist enclaves are called "temples" and the Shinto grounds are called "shrines". There were many buildings on the Tanigumi temple grounds that housed different statues, prayer items like candles, incense and monk-blessed amulets and old scripture books. Here are a few pics:
Obata-san asked if I was hungry. Since I'd had only coffee that day before my workout, a small yogurt with wheat germ on top before we left, and then another coffee at Coffee Club, I answered in the affirmative. Problem was that since it was Monday, all the shops were closing as we headed down the steps of the temple.
Plan B was to drive to Riverside Mall for some ramen noodles and then to see a movie. During the ride, I pointed to the almost-full moon and told Obata-san that my first name, Cynthia, meant "Goddess of the Moon". He smiled and said he would call me "Cynthia" from now on and that I was to call him Minoru, not Obata.
The bowl of soup warmed us up quite well and when we went into the movie theatre, we were the only patrons in it! Minoru went charging up the stairs like an excited child, swinging his arms wide from side to side with glee at the large number of places where we could sit. We sat up high in the middle, kicked off our shoes and got comfortable.
The opening credits rolled on the movie and I gave two silent little claps for a couple of actors. Minoru joined me in the second, but then on the third, made a robust and rousing clap since there was no one else to disturb.
On our way back home, on the thin sliver of highway under the silver light of the moon, I said his name softly and then thanked him for a most wonderful day.