Just a Foot away

(image by google)

This week’s entry takes us more to a Zen mode, as we make our way to Japan. Here in the United States we have a “personal space” of about 3 feet, which we politely try to maintain to the best of our abilities. However in Japan, the space shrinks to about 3 inches due to the size of the country and the amount of people. I interviewed Mr. Aaron Try, a friend of mine who lived in Japan for six years. To “escape” the hustle and bustle and find some peace, he would go fishing out on a lake known as Ashi no ko, or translated as “Foot Lake” because it looked like a foot. There are 5 outlying lakes around Mount Fuji, he told me, that were caused by volcano activity many decades ago. “I would grab a case of beer and rent a motor boat and go fishing all day. It was an escape for me to be out there all-alone. Sure you’d see other people fishing out there with you, but this was a decent sized lake, not a pond, and though there were other people out there you were still alone.” He said. “It was interesting the perspective, of having to be so close, then going out there and being near nothing.” He said.

            He fished most of the morning when the lake would be covered in fog and one could see only 100 feet away. As it got later the fog would lift and he would come in for lunch then go back out and it would take all day. Eventually by mid to late afternoon you could see Mount Fuji rising up beyond. “If you were close enough you’d have to look straight up to see it.” Aaron said.

("Black Bass" image by Google)

            He fished for black bass, which were introduced by the Emperor Hirohito, and in the back of his mind he would think that these are not indigenous fish. In the middle of the lake, there was a small island which he and his friend dubbed “Rabbit Island” because some one let loose some domesticated rabbits there, and the bred “like rabbits” so there was this small population of domesticated colorful rabbits running around this little island.

(image by Google)

            Lastly he spoke of the temples, which were scattered about the banks of these lakes, and he would read the plaques on their histories, and say to himself, “Man, these temples are older than my country.” Remember, 800 900-year-old temples are considered young in Japan. “The whole country interested and fascinated me.” He sighed, “I can’t honestly think of any one thing that stood out more than the rest.”

           

 Japan can only be described as Unique. There is no where else like it in the world, its culture, its land, people, and cities all carry a dignity and nostalgia about them. As if one were constantly looking into a dream, or painting; at first you don’t believe a place like this could exist, yet it does, every nook and cranny of Japan is covered in history and stories. Will you make one?

(image by Google)