November's End

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday, and we always have a house brimming with guests in Durham. On the one hand, I appreciated the respite from the hustle and bustle of the Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's stretch; on the other hand, I knew this season would bring some homesickness. 

Japan does celebrate a Thanksgiving holiday, called Labor Thanksgiving, during which they give thanks for hard work and production. Labor Thanksgiving typically occurs on November 23, though this year it was on Monday, November 24. Although I was missing our usual celebrations, we made up for it by celebrating Thanksgiving twice in Japan - once on November 24 with another family from the U.S. at OIST, and once on November 27 with our U.S. friends at Kadena Air Base.

I didn't have many kitchen tools, but with store-bought pie crust and disposable pie plates, I managed to adapt "Nana's Sweet Potato Pie" with a common Okinawan ingredient -- beni-imo, the purple sweet potato. "Nana" is John's paternal grandmother, and her pie is legendary in the Dolbow clan. Although I never met Nana, I have come to love her through her recipes. Her sweet potato pie - usually made for our Thanksgiving by my mother-in-law - is nothing like the sweet potato pie that you often see, which is made with orange sweet potatoes and tastes similar to pumpkin pie. Nana's sweet potato pie is made with white sweet potatoes and almost has a custard-like consistency. And although my attempt did not taste quite like Nana's, the beni-imo sure made it pretty.

On Labor Thanksgiving, we joined another family for our first feast. Zoe's BFF from preschool and her parents invited us for a wonderful meal at their apartment in Onna. The mom had ordered a turkey online, and we all enjoyed the traditional side dishes.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos from our American Thanksgiving, but it was a huge success. We joined my high school friend Meredith and her awesome family, along with some other friends of theirs, for a huge turkey, a ham, and all the fixins. There was too much food, lots of kids running around, and plenty of laughs. Just like home.

Maddox and her friend pretending to be Shisa

The rest of November just kind of puttered along. One day, Maddox and her friend read a story they had written to Zoe's class. It was super-cute, and Zoe felt very proud to have her big sister there doing something so important.

Another random November day found us at American Village where the girls could get a little taste of Christmas, albeit while wearing shorts.

We passed some time at a place with optical illusion paintings which made for fun dramatic play and cute photos.

No, Zoe! Don't let go!

Careful, Maddox!

The final event for us in November was a fundraising event for the preschool and daycare which Zoe attended at OIST. They had several handmade crafts by members of the OIST community, games, baked goods, food vendors, and an enormous yard sale. Maddox made a few dozen Rainbow Loom bracelets which she donated to the craft tables. They went like hot cakes!

Maddox and her friend also got henna tattoos which made Maddox feel like a teenager. Speaking of teenagers...somebody got a hold of Daddy's Ray Bans and gave us a glimpse into our future.

Here ends November. Just a few posts left in December before we return to the U.S.A.!

Where It Ends and Where It Began

We had already been to many sites near the southern tip of Okinawa, so we wanted to make sure we made our way to the northern tip of the island as well. So on this beautiful clear day, we headed to Cape Hedo, the northernmost point in Okinawa. The drive was about an hour and a half, mostly along the western coast.

The monument above commemorates the end of the U.S. occupation of Okinawa, and the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972. I am not sure why this monument was placed here, although perhaps because it is just 14 miles south of the island that marks the next prefecture in Japan.

Cape Hedo also marks the place where the Pacific Ocean (to the East) and the East China Sea (to the West) meet.

The cliffs are about 230 feet high...

...which of course seemed like a perfect reason to go exploring on them.

We walked down a path the girls discovered near the cliffs and came upon this small altar where they left a couple of coins. I do love that there are so many nooks and crannies in Okinawa. It is almost always worth it to go off the beaten path.

This monument was given as a symbol of friendship to Kunigami Village (where Cape Hedo is located) by Yoron Island which is the next island in the Japanese chain. According to one website, this is a statue of a Kariyushi which is a legendary bird-fish creature, but I couldn't find corrobration of this fact, or why it would symbolize friendship. Whatever it is, it was worth a photo!

Maddox at Cape Hedo (Hedo-misaki)

Panoramic looking east towards Pacific Ocean from Cape Hedo

Peace is part of the ethos of Okinawa.

Before leaving the end of the island, we needed a quick lunch. It took us some time to decide between the Octopus Balls and the American Dog.

After lunch we headed just a few minutes down the road to Dai Sekirinzan, which is thought to be the geologic birthplace of Okinawa. These were the first rocks to emerge from the ocean to create the island. The limestone here is over 200 million years old, and the soluble limestone has been eroded over the ages to create some really cool formations.

After taking a shuttle bus from the base of the park along some roads that were "less traveled", we arrived at the visitor's center. From there we chose to start our exploring with the "Strange and Big Rocks" path.

There were many signs, all in Japanese, that showed how some of these formation were supposed to look like other things: dinosaurs, faces, birds. It took a lot of squinting, and seemed a lot like finding shapes in the clouds, but the formations were really cool regardless!

There were also sites that have sacred meaning and which have been places for worship throughout the centuries. On our way along one trail, we came upon a group of worshippers as this is still considered a location of significance and power.

At the top of the hike (thank goodness there were lots of stairs to facilitate the "hike"), we got a wondeful view of Cape Hedo. This was almost more beautiful than being at Cape Hedo. It's cool to see the tip of the island from this vantage point.

After some refreshments, we walked back down to the base through an equally interesting forested path. Not great lighting in the photo below, but this banyan tree was one of many that were along our hike.

Dai Sekirinsan ranked as one of the top three places we visited on the island. Admittedly, my rankings are related to the happiness of my kids at said places, but this was one of our favorite days. I am so glad we kept making the effort to explore, even as our time on Okianwa was nearing an end.

Best Last Morning in Kyoto

We had just a couple of hours before we had to catch our train to the Osaka airport for our flight back to Okinawa, but we wanted to see what we could. After a breakfast from Mister Donut (it is so crazy which chains are popular in Japan), we walked just about 5 minutes down the street from our hotel where we had seen what looked like an interesting temple. 

The temple is called Nishi Hongan-ji which translates to the "Western Temple of the Original Vow". Nishi Hongan-ji serves as the head temple of Shin Buddhism, one of the most widely practiced forms of Buddhism. Built in 1591, the temple is a good example of the design during that period. Once inside the gates of the temple grounds, the sound of traffic and city life disappeared.

In the main courtyard, we were greeted by this enormous, 400-year-old ginko tree.  My photo doesn't do justice to the colors of the foliage.

The main building was beautiful from the outside, but we weren't entirely sure about etiquette, so we hesitated at first. Since this is an active temple location and not a tourist destination, we wanted to be sure we were not intruding on any ceremonies.

While we were taking in the site, we observed people going into the temple and we could hear music coming from the inside. So we removed our shoes and quietly entered.

One of my favorite photos of our sabbatical, especially Zoe's boots with the left/right confusion.

We didn't take any photos inside as we weren't sure of the custom, but I found this photo on another site that shows the altar that we were greeted with.

We sat in some chairs in the back. There were monks singing and some worshippers who were kneeling on the tatami floor. It was a stroke of luck that we found ourselves there, and it was one of my favorite memories of our trip to the mainland. It certainly felt like a message to this frazzled mother to just sit and breathe for a moment.

The Karamon gate shown below has been designated as a National Treasure of Japan, and dates back to 1573.

Nishi Hongan-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were fortunate to see so many of these World Heritage Sites during our time in Japan. Listening to the news today about more of these UNESCO sites in Syria being taken over and likely damaged, if not destroyed, is heartbreaking. The history that these sites represent is incredibly important to preserve, no matter where they are located.

What started out as a morning of "well, we have nothing better to do" ended up being one of my favorite mornings of all. And perhaps I gained just enough patience and calm to survive the train to Osaka/Kansai Airport, our flight to Okinawa, and the one-hour drive back to our apartment!

Coming Soon: Only one month left in Okinawa - time to check the bucket list!

Iwatayama Monkey Park

Our last full day in Kyoto required some kid-friendly activities.  So we headed back to the Arashiyama district from yesterday, but instead of Zen temples, we walked to the top of Mt. Arashiyama to the Iwatayama Monkey Park.

The park is home to over 100 Japanese macaque monkeys. The monkeys are used to people since this is a popular tourist destination. They roam free and as you get closer to the top of the mountain you start to see some along the path and in the trees. Zoe is hesitant around dogs, and she felt the same about monkeys, but Maddox was intrigued.

At the top of the mountain, we bought some banana slices and Maddox had a great time feeding the monkeys.

Perhaps the most fun we had at the Monkey Park was drawing on the chalkboards and pretending to be monkeys ourselves. Here is Zoe, displaying her full name and age.

Maddox adopted an alter ego, "Phil the Monkey".

I think this is one of my favorite photos of me ever. And it accurately described my feelings at the time.

Besides seeing cute monkeys, the top of Mt. Arashiyama afforded some beautiful views of Kyoto and the surrounding mountains.

The Arashiyama district, which includes the locations of the temples we had visited the day before, has been designated as a Historic Place and Site of Scenic Beauty in Japan, and it is easy to see why. Even with a cloudy day and foliage not at its peak, the scenery was beautiful.

The Oi River

After the Monkey Park, we made some attempts to find a place to eat nearby, but the whole district was absolutely swarming with busloads of visitors. It was pretty overwhelming for the kids and parents alike. So we headed back towards our hotel, and after some chill time, we used the "divide and conquer" parenting strategy. Maddox and I went to Kyoto Station for some souvenir shopping (Maddox is the best consumer in the house), and John took Zoe back to the nearby playground.

It was much less crowded than our first visit there since it was a weekday, and Zoe certainly gained her courage. She likes to observe for a while before trying things, but she eventually is willing to do most things Maddox does. She just has a little caution, for which we are grateful!

Dinner on our last night in Kyoto was the best -- Kobe beef burgers! Maddox and I split one to start, and she declared it the best burger she has ever eaten. Yes, indeed it was. So we split another one, but then saved room for dessert.

I am glad I am writing this blog with some distance between then and now. During the trip it was pretty stressful - hotels with our kids posed some challenges, the kids weren't always good sports about trekking around, and figuring out meals and transportation weren't always easy tasks. We ate at McDonald's more than I care to admit, and it wasn't filled with delightful family bonding that I always imagine. But with some distance, I can better appreciate what we did and what we saw, and I am filled with gratitude for the opportunities and adventures. Hopefully the kids will be, too.

Kyoto: Temples and Bamboo

Despite being just a few blocks from Kyoto Station, we actually took taxis a few times in Kyoto. The public transportation was good, but did not always stop close to where we were going. Or close enough for Zoe's preference anyway. The taxis in Japan are lovely -- seats covered with the equivalent of lace doilies, and doors that open automatically when the driver stops to pick you up. We were barely legit enough to ride in one.

Our first stop was to Kinkaku-Ji, a.k.a. The Golden Pavilion, a stunning Zen Buddhist temple. The history of the temple dates to the late 14th century. The pavilion has been rebuilt and restored, most recently in the 1950s after it was set on fire.

The pavilion is covered in gold leaf, and the setting is perfect. When I see iconic places like this, they hardly seem real.

I asked Maddox to take a photo of John and me so we could prove we were actually on this sabbatical. Zoe was all about the photobomb. That girl is going to have wrinkles along her browline before she's 6. (The furrowed brow is a Sy family trait that I think my siblings and I all inherited.)

It's hard to know which of these photos (above or below) is the better Christmas card photo. Maddox certainly makes a case for the one below. We didn't really have enough layers and jackets for the weather we experienced in Kyoto, so John kindly gave his jacket to Maddox. Doesn't she look grateful?

Once through the main area of the temple grounds, there are souvenir shops and a shrine to light prayer candles. I wish I had written down the exact sentiments for each of our candles. The girls chose something like "everything your heart desires" which they translated to "Santa will bring us everything on our Christmas lists". I think I chose something for stress and John might have chosen continued health and safety for our family. Or maybe I wished for everything on my Christmas list, too. Or for a flask.

After nearly catching John's jacket on fire, Maddox had to relinquish the oversized coat in order to offer her prayer.

Since Kinkaku-ji is such a popular place and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a common stop for bus tours and school trips. This is what a school group looks like in Japan:

It's a far cry from the "everyone wear your class tie-dye t-shirts to the berry patch". Don't get me wrong, I value the freedom of expression and individuality in our culture, but there is something oddly appealing about scenes like this.

Right outside the entrance to Kinkaku-ji was the Zip Cafe. For some reason, "Zip" and "Zipper" have been nicknames for Zoe since she was an infant. I think my sister started it because she kept thinking of "A Girl Named Zippy". Anyway, clearly we had to eat at the Zip Cafe. Also, because they served pancakes!  We ended up inviting a couple from San Francisco to join our table as seats started filling up. It was fun to talk with other Americans about what they had seen and done so far.

The Zip Cafe had good food -- prepared by one lady on a small stove -- but I was most intrigued and impressed by the toilet. The sink drains right into the tank -- no wasted water! And also perfect for Japanese-sized spaces.

After lunch, we headed to another UNESCO World Heritage Site - Tenryu-ji Temple, or the Heavenly Dragon Temple. Although the Zen gardens were beautiful, the main attraction for most visitors here is the bamboo garden.

The entrance to the bamboo garden is near the North Entrance to the temple grounds. Almost immediately, it feels other-wordly.  The path is well-groomed dirt/gravel, and there are occasional rickshaws and even motorized vehicles that come through, but most visitors are walking through.

There were several Japanese couples in traditional attire walking the grove. I never did figure out if they had been elsewhere for a ceremony first and then just enjoyed the walk or if there was a reason for their traditional dress in the grove itself. As was often the case, many Japanese on the mainland in particular loved watching our girls. We asked one young couple who seemed to enjoy watching Maddox and Zoe to take our family photo.

In return, I asked if I could take their photo, a request they seemed happy to oblige. Aren't they beautiful? If you look at the young man's shoes, they look like wooden flip-flops. The young woman is also wearing them as they are the main traditional footwear. The socks they wear are designed specifically for these shoes, with a place for the thong of the flip-flop. Although mostly used with traditional dress, you can buy these "flip-flop" socks everywhere. For some reason I didn't buy any - one of my few retail regrets.

After being immersed in these centuries-old temples all day, we headed to the very modern Kyoto Station to find a place for dinner. I think the aesthetic of Kyoto Station is questionable. It is a very modern glass and steel building that dominates the central area, and it seems out of place. It's beautiful in its own modern way, but odd to see in Kyoto!

Although it was just mid-November and although we were in a predominantly non-Christian country, Kyoto Station was ready for Christmas! There was a huge Christmas tree and the stairs were lit up with various designs. The designs changed with the music and showed a Christmas tree, gifts, and other holiday themes.

The places we visited this day were incredibly memorable and worth the treks. I am grateful to have visited places of such beauty and such peace. I am also grateful that there was a McDonald's in Kyoto Station to feed the kids. Both/And. The sabbatical has been full of a lot of both/and experiences and emotions. One of these days, I will accept the fact that this is pretty fundamental to the human experience. One of these days.

On tap for tomorrow: Monkey Park!