This art-form Shodō that is also a way of life and has its own philosophies was working its power on me. It was all very Zen.
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Pearls, A Film Poem Made After Visiting Mikimoto Pearl Island
Pearls, a film poem by Sydney Solis, featuring Pearl Divers from Mikimoto Pearl Island, Japan.
Earthquake in Osaka
It was an ordinary morning here on the 35th floor of our Shinmachi Osaka apartment June 18, 2018. We had just returned the night before from a whirlwind two-day tour of Tokyo with my two kids who are visiting from Florida. We were exhausted, and my husband called in sick to work. I was in … Continue reading Earthquake in Osaka
Writers in Kyoto Annual Poetry Reading, Plus Jazz June 24
You are cordially invited to the Writers in Kyoto Annual Poetry Reading on June 24. It will feature jazz accompanying the Kansai region's many talented poets who are gathering at the The Gnome, at Nijo Kawaramachi in Kyoto (For map see here.) Happy to say that I, Sydney Solis, am master of ceremonies, humble poet that I am. … Continue reading Writers in Kyoto Annual Poetry Reading, Plus Jazz June 24
Otaue Shinto Rice Planting Ceremony at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shinto Shrine Celebrates Life and Farming
Along with the heat of summer and rainy season, shrines all over Japan host rice-planting ceremonies to pray for a plentiful harvest. Called the Otaue Shinto Service, since ancient times, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shinto Grand Shrine here south of Osaka hosts the largest ceremony in the nation and has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk … Continue reading Otaue Shinto Rice Planting Ceremony at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shinto Shrine Celebrates Life and Farming
Dine on the River and Catch Noodles in Kibune, Japan
While the summer heats up in Japan, one place to cool off is the mountainous town of Kibune on the outskirts of Northern Kyoto. Kawadoko, dining on traditional Japanese food served while sitting over the floor of the Kibune River, is something not short of spectacular. On a recent trip with Community House and Information … Continue reading Dine on the River and Catch Noodles in Kibune, Japan
My Japanese Summer – List of 10 Things to Do in Japan!
Should I stay or should I go now? That was the question posed to myself after realizing that all of the expats I know are leaving Japan for the summer to visit their home countries or simply to escape the summer heat. Now, I have lived in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands where … Continue reading My Japanese Summer – List of 10 Things to Do in Japan!
Sutra Copying, Yoga and Zazen in Kyoto
To be admitted to Saihō-ji 西芳寺 Zen Temple in Kyoto and view its famous moss gardens you first have apply for permission months in advance. If accepted, you then pay 3000 ¥ and are required to do sutra copying. Sutra copying was something I had been eager to do when I signed up for this trip with … Continue reading Sutra Copying, Yoga and Zazen in Kyoto
My Japanese Chiropractor and The Year Of Healing
I have been seeing my Japanese chiropractor for almost a year now, and the results keep amazing me!
Conscientious Japan’s Ethos – In Pictures
Japan works as a society because its Buddhist principles regard every person and object of nature as worthy of reverence and part of one's own self. There is no separation. What you do to another is what you do to yourself, because you are a product of nature, and nature is a product of you. … Continue reading Conscientious Japan’s Ethos – In Pictures
