Thursday, March 31st, 1988

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Nothing much happened today.  I went to the grocery store and bought yet more junk food.  I think I also bought hamburger- but am not really sure if that's what is is or not.

Karl is in Hiroshima, and Linda Lee is at a conference somewhere so I've been on my own.  It hasn't been bad though...no major problem.  Sachiko called today to see if I was going to "chaachie" tonight (Maundy Thursday services).  Told her I wasn't sure (but really was- that I wasn't going).

I went down to the park to the "green sale". This is where various flower and plant merchants all congregate to sell their stuff.  I went to look, but of course ended up buying a peace lily and a miniature carnation plant.  Hey, you can never have too many plants, right?!

After I brought them home, I left again because the walls are tending to close in on me these days.  I took my camera and took various pictures around my area.  I shot a couple of Shinto/Buddhist shrines, and took a fair amount of pictures of Himeji Castle.  It was fun shooting them because I walked all over the Himeji Castle paths and parks.  I looked down over the moat wall high above a street of Himeji into the moat which was full of Japanese carp- all bright oranges, whites, and black.  There were also ducks, swans, and a flock of geese.

During the latter part of my walk on the castle grounds, the sun was setting behind the mountains.  What a sight!  It is also a full moon tonight, so I stared at it for awhile (wishing that I was staring at it from my front porch in Fairfield).  Walks are usually good for me when I'm homesick and depressed, adn this one was great.  The castle is so beautiful, and the sunset, the surroundings, and the fish and birds made it a very enjoyable outing.

Not much else to report at this point.  Today is dad's birthday, and I wish very much that I was there to sing and eat cherry pie with them.  But alas, tis not so..

Walk Around Himeji Castle

Paths lead in directions I'm not sure I can go,

the signs give no clue, as they're foreign in print and idea.

The castle looms up ahead, majestic and graceful-

a white heron, they say, poised in flight.

Architecture I understand.  Even though the design is foreign, 

I see workmanship and love of the craft.

I pass the poised heron and heat towards the perimeter.

Walking upon the moat wall I see the sunset behind mountains not so far away.

A full moon, pale in the still existing sunlight sits in the sky, 

ready to take over when the sun has gone to light my side of the world.

In the moat below, blurry shapes of Japanese carp float just below the surface,

very big and bright, but nonetheless blurred in the murky water.

The chill in the light losing air only deepens my withdrawal into myself-

as if the language and culture barrier weren't enough of an inward thrust.

Night falls, and the castle, illuminated by modern white and green flood lights

doesn't fit the ancientness and majesty of its build, 

much as I don't fit yet in this foreign land, unnatural to me.

I bid good night, and head for the comfort of my lonely apartment, 

as the moon becomes active and glows in the now darkened sky.

Now if that depressed you a little, what about this little pip of a poem...

It's not really that far, you know,

the sun shines there, and the moon glows here...

however, 

the moon glows from the suns shine

so here and there are basically connected.

Does that not make home seem a little closer than it once did?

...no...but it was a noble effort.