In the morning, after Sachiho and I folded up our sleeping mats at the home of Sachiho’s dear friend Ryoko Okuda, the owner of Planet Flower (“Fashion from Nature”), a natural fiber clothing store in Osaka (who I’d met first at the Rainbow Festival, and who came to our show at Chakra and then drove us to her home to spend the night), a Buddhist monk came over to lead us in prayer in front of Ryoko’s home altar.
Ryoko’s home, a one-story house in a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Osaka, has, in traditional Japanese style, windows that are also doors, and tatami covered floors that change from bedroom to living room to dining room to temple as needs dictate.
Her small bedroom is full of the beautiful clothes she sells in her store.
Even the bathroom wall is blessed by angels.
Ryoko feeds us a lovely breakfast of fruit and raisin bread toast and tea, and walks us to the train. We bid her a fond goodbye. She will meet us the next day in Nara and drive us to Fumon-ji Temple.
Across from us, three generations of Japanese women snooze to the rhythm of the train, and, above them, an advertising model grins.
Sachiho and I made friends with four little girls on a school field trip.
We got off the train at Yoshino, a mountain village famous for its hot spring resorts and temples, and took a taxi to this lovely place, where we would relax for the night.
Sachiho’s friend Yatchan, a ceramic sculptor, is the son of the owners of Sakoya, the most luxurious ryokan (traditional style Japanese hotel) in Yoshino, and, for a special family-and-friends price, he has gotten us the premier suite, and the price includes gourmet dinner and breakfast, served by our own personal hostess in kimono!
We had a suite of rooms, one large room where we would sleep and eat…
…plus this lovely sitting room…
…with this gorgeous view of the mountains, with bamboo and pine forests…
…and our own outdoor hot springs bath…
…and our own indoor hotsprings bath. Plus a two-sink bathroom with a huge mirror, loads of bath towels…
…a kimono with jacket each for our stay…
…and tea served upon our arrival…
…made from sakura (cherry blossoms) with a sauce made from kudzu (arrowroot starch), two products for which Yoshino is reknowned. Yoshino is lush with cherry blossoms each spring, and packages a famous, slightly salty tea, made of the dried blossoms.
Alicia Bay Laurel 