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I follow the wide, carefully tended path alongside the river. Pines stretch up to the sky's blue immensity. A lone fisherman in a straw hat prepares to cast from the opposite shore. The Kakusan Gorge is so beautiful, the air so clear, the birdsong so piercing, there's an air of unreality about this walk, as though it exists outside of time. Continue>
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The fishmonger screams to the fruit man that his mussels are so fresh they sparkle; the fruit man shouts to the fresh tofu lady that his peaches are the juiciest ever; and the tofu lady hollers back that her tofu chunks taste the way silk feels. Continue>
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My eyes are supposed to be shut, but I can't keep them from fluttering open. The simplicity of the sight creates an indelible memory. It's dawn and the sun is spilling across the worn wooden floor of the Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto, one of the oldest Zen Buddhist temples in Japan. Continue>
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After six train changes from Tokyo followed by a steep cable car ride, I stepped out into a cloud of mist. I could see nothing; thick pearly moisture filled the tree-fragrant-air. And it was silent. Silent, silent. Continue>
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In old Japan, warriors, priests, and the blind made their entire lives a pilgrimage, walking and begging from one end of the islands to the other. The man who inspired me sojourned alone for forty years, up and down the country, seeking opponents, his passage marked only by the defeated he left behind. Continue>
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In the spring of 2010 I fulfilled one of my deepest desires, a journey to Japan. I chose spring to see the legendary cherry blossoms, which in combinations with ancient architecture and stunning landscapes inspired me deeply. Continue>
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Legend has it that the Kumano region in the Kii Mountain Range of Wakayama is a place where deities descended and now reside within trees, mountains, rocks and rivers. Continue>
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With great anticipation I arrive at the impeccable Hoshinoya ryokan in Kyoto, Japan, and head to dinner. Seated in front of the chef’s counter, my host welcomes me and begins to prepare fresh soba noodles just for me. Continue>
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The sakura remained in bloom longer this season, as if in delicate defiance of recent events, and as an enchanting reminder of the subtle beauty of Japan. Like that of no other people, the Japanese spirit is enduring, perhaps because they maintain a genuine appreciation for the little things—like an awe-inspiring flower. Continue>
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