Stacy: Day 2 - A Day of Worship
God was looking out for us today! Kristen and I were particularly excited about the first activity of the entire trip: (Roman Catholic) Mass at "Catholic Church Nara." (In the city of Nara, Japan).
I had contacted them a couple of months prior to our visit, asking them to verify that Mass would not be cancelled on this day (Nov 5) because they have a strange schedule due to there not being many Catholics (or Christians) residing in Japan. Shinto (shrines) and Buddhism (temples) are the dominant religions here. Shinto is the native religion.
I didn't take any photos of the Church, except of this beautiful, blooming rose).
Why? We were too flustered with 1. Walking up to the Church and seeing tables where we needed to write information (name, phone, email) on a paper that was all in Japanese. 2. Being asked if we had masks as we approached. Japan got rid of their mask mandate this Spring. Now, we all have masks, and are happy to wear them when necessary, but for whatever reason, three of us couldn't find our masks. ((I mean, we did all had a rough 24+ hours, and couldn't remember where we put them in our daypacks.)). They were very kind, and got us some! 3. As I drifted off to sleep the night before, I remembered that I had forgotten my neat booklet that I had altered and printed from one that Kristen found. It had the Mass in Romanji ("the romanization of the Japanese language"). We wanted to pray in Japanese! I had wrinkled mine after printing, and put it under some heavy books on my dining room table. Where it still is. Luckily, I had emailed the file, so just used my phone.
It was so wonderful to participate in Japanese Mass! They bow at some interesting times (I couldn't tell you when, anymore), and it was just plain neat to hear all the prayers.
So, why was God looking out for us?
Remember how I emailed them about it being cancelled?
For an unknown reason, their priest did not show up. But, there was a Philippian priest visiting Japan with his family! They were simply there to attend Mass. Seeing that no one had showed up, he asked them if he could celebrate. And, so he did.
He must know Japanese because he gave a homily first in Japanese, and then in English! I guess he can also read it because I'm guessing the book priests read from (in Japan) to say the Mass would have Kanji in it... But, I have no actual idea.
How do I know this? He came up to us after Mass, and started conversing with us in English. It took me a good minute to realize he was the priest without his vestments. 😂
Why did he come up to talk to us? Well, this church is the closest Catholic Church to Nara Park, and all that it encompasses (it is extremely large!). They must get a lot of visitors. Everyone who helped us before we entered communicated the bare necessities in English (they were all 60 years old, or older). So, after the parish announcements, at the end, they had all the "gaijin" (foreigners) stand up and say where they are from. We all stood.
They have all the foreigners gifts!!! I hope they survive our suitcases... Clockwise, mine is at the bottom (6 o'clock); then, Nando, Kristen, and Aaron. They're origami boxes with an origami crane inside! So lovely, kind, and thoughtful. We are grateful.
Next stop: lunch! We meandered down to the popular street for eating and shopping. Well. Actually, I had no idea about that until we got there. We were actually headed towards the restaurant I could eat at safely, and we passed so many amazing shops! The area was bustling!
Like in Spain, Google kept trying to lead me to the wrong location! However, it also happened to Nando, on his phone, a couple hours later.
Finally finding the restaurant, we split up. Kristen and Aaron will join us for many meals, but they don't want to miss out on anything, and I don't blame them! I have no choice, and am just happy they join us when they do.
Had a "mystery" sushi platter (my only listed option)! And, wagyu sushi (I took a chance)! And, they gifted me my own bottle of GF soy sauce!
So, here's the thing. I, obviously, have only ever had American sushi, and an used to American fish. It's not to say that this food wasn't good, because it was!!! However, the fish was... Not nearly as intense in flavor as in America. For example, salmon: my favorite fish (otherwise I don't eat fish, unless it is raw, in sushi). Salmon has such a strong, beautiful flavor in the US. Here, I could barely tell it was salmon, the flavor was so subtle. All of the sushi were like that.
And I started with the one on the far right. I believe it was cuttlefish or squid. It, like all the seafood on my platter, had very little flavor. Why this particular morsel was notable: it was slimy without actually being slimy (the meat was sooooooo smooth), and whomever cut/butchered it left a very thin line of some part of it that simply would not be cut by my teeth nor tongue! I sat there chewing it for 15 minutes, and made very little progress. So, Nando gave me a napkin he got from somewhere. ((Japan does not use napkins! I had to bring some from fast food restaurants at home just so I could wipe my lips after each meal.)) I made sure no one was watching, and then spit out whatever it was I had eaten.
Besides the "missing" flavor of the fish, it was very yummy.
The wagyu sushi was tasty. They brought out a blowtorch, and pretty much said, "say when!" We kept it pretty rare, but the outside was definitely partially cooked. It had some gristle, though.
We met back up with Kristen and Aaron to go find the famous mochi shoppe, Nakatanidou. It's gluten free! (They do not use mizuame.) They famously put on a demonstration on how it is made. The second time I managed to get closer, and grabbed this video. There are better videos out there!
I believe they use green tea in their mochi. This was filled with red bean paste, and covered in soy flour. I'm intolerant to soy, and started feeling a bit strange, so didn't finish my mochi. But, it was very yummy! The green ingredient made it taste so much different than the mochi back home. The soy flour tasted like roasted peanuts. Red bean paste cannot be described--it can only be experienced!
The reason we came to Japan in November was to see the fall colors. Many parts of the world have been extremely and unseasonably warm this year (Japan included). These first two days were 80-85 degrees! We were expecting 60-70 degrees.... Nando and I each brought 2 tshirts, last-minute, but we should have brought a third for tomorrow.
Refueled and rejuvenated, we began exploring Nara! We first toured two different Buddhist temples.
The first was Kofuku-ji, where there's a large golden Buddha statue. Here, I bought a Goshuincho (a book for Goshuin). I believe "Goshuin" translates to "red stamp."
Check out this link for an explanation/guide better than I could ever write:
When it was my turn in line, (I was so nervous!) I successfully asked for the "goshuincho and goshuin," but did not see the price for the Goshuin listed anywhere. As the monk? wrote it, I kept asking Google Translate "how much does the Goshuin cost?" But she kept getting the word "Goshuin wrong, and thus would throw off the entire translation.
The couple behind me were now at the second counter window to buy things, and kindly told me, "Ikura des ka." I forgot that I did not need to use the noun, but I had wanted to differentiate because I knew how much the book was because it was listed. I slapped my forehead in a "Duh!" movement, and thanked them.
But, before I could ask the gentleman doing the calligraphy, a wonderful Japanese lady (visitor) stepped up to ask if she could help me (in English).
I apologized, embarrassingly explained that it was my first time, and told her what I wanted to know. The whole time, the monk had an amused, but not condescending, smile on his face.
One reason why I was so nervous is because I felt guilty--you're supposed to pray before obtaining Goshuin because it's a sign of pilgrimage. Yes, I'm a tourist, and I thought this was a beautiful way to remember the holy places I visited. I am being respectful. Many foreigners obtain goshuin. I haven't heard any stories of them turning anyone away from buying Goshuin, but I was too chicken to go pray! It was busy there, and sometimes the ornery Japanese judge foreigners, and let you know through facial expressions. More on that later.
Transaction successfully finished, I joined the others, and we toured the rest of the temple. No photos were allowed inside the large, rectangular building with the large Buddha statue.
On the way to second temple, Todai-ji, deer were everywhere! The following text is something I blatantly stole (and night have slightly adjusted)
And, then we went on to visit our first Shinto shrine! Beautiful place especially as the sun was approaching dusk. Sunset here is at 4pm. I am not joking
This Shrine is famous for it's lanterns. Thousands of them! Kristen said she thinks they light all. Of them. Once a year. I have no idea when.
I prayed at the Shinto shrine (my first!), and did it correctly! Then, I went off to get my first Shinto Goshuin.
Deer fighting
I'm going to stop here, now, so you'll finally have something to read. We pretty much went back to Osaka to eat dinner, and then back to our hotel.
Nando and I ate okonomiyaki for the first time! Even though it was yummy, I don't think I'll eat it, again. Maybe if it weren't gluten free? That might make a difference with the "pancake." Cute place. The chef, a young lady (mid 20s?) was completely in charge, all by herself. She called people inside, took orders was cashier, and cooked!!! There is another location, so I believe she only manages this location.
Anyway.
Next blog hopefully coming soon!
