A Taste of Traditional Japan
When we think about our most memorable times in Japan, we remember the taste of those precious moments in which we were able to escape modernity and experienced traditional aspects of their culture. We fell in love with their onsens (hot springs), the old towns of Tsumago and Magome, visiting temples hidden in natural settings, and cultural performances.
During our trip, we visited three different onsens in the areas of Tokyo, Sapporo, and Kyoto. This experience was extremely interesting, as our shyness towards public nudity put us in touch with the different norms and customs between Latin America and Japan. Our desire to experience this culture by not passing up this unique opportunity encouraged us to overcome the anxiety and let ourselves relax in the pools of mineral hot waters. We visited outdoor and indoor onsens and learned about expected behaviors in these facilities. Takaragawa Onsen, a delightful group of outdoors pools lying by the river side, was a perfect introduction to this part of Japan’s life. Some Japanese will tell you that the only distinctively aspect of their culture, that is something that didn’t ultimately originate in mainland Asia, is the bath. There are accounts of onsen bathing in Japan’s earliest historical records, and it’s pretty certain that the Japanese have been bathing in onsen as long as there have been Japanese.
Another of our favorite experiences in Japan was taking the path from Magome to Tsumago town, which has been connecting both villages for centuries. This pleasant three-hour walk was decorated by the colorful hortensias in bloom, the sounds of the river, traditional farmhouses, ancient waterwheels, brightly green rice fields, and the lights of sun filtered between the leaves of the forest. As we reached Tsumago, we were welcomed and hosted by an older couple at their home. This homestay accommodation is called minshuku. The experience was fulfilled with delicious Japanese meals, a traditional bath, sleeping in a tatami room, and wearing our kimonos. The warmth of our hosts went beyond language barriers, making us feel comfortable at all times. Tsumago featured beautiful traditional architecture with the mountains as a background. It transported us to a time in which the speed of life in Japan was different. At night, the silence and few lights along the streets make you feel like you have gone back in time.
We also fell in love with the different Shinto temples surrounded by nature that we visited across the country. Shintoism is Japan’s ancient and original religion, and it is deeply rooted in the way of Japanese life. Shinto has no founder, no holy book, and not even the concept of religious conversion, but Shinto values, for example, harmony with nature and virtues such as magokoro (sincere heart). In Shinto, some divinity is found as kami (divine spirit), or it may be said that there is an unlimited number of kami. You can see kami in mythology, nature, and human beings. Japanese people feel gratitude towards kami and dedicate shrines to many of them. Zen gardens with their simplicity beauty were wonderful places to relax and contemplate, as well.
In the cities to Tokyo and Kyoto, we were able to attend cultural performances of traditional arts of Kabuki Theater and Kyomai dance. Kabuki is characterized by character’s attire, makeup, and story of Imperialist time. Kyomai is a Kyoto style dance born in the 17 century that adopted the elegance and sophistication of the Imperial Court manners. This dance is performed by Maiko and Geisha which attract people with their colorful costumes and gorgeous staging.
These experiences made our visit to Japan unique compared to visiting other Asian cultures. These traditions have existed and been enjoyed by the locals in the islands for centuries and now continue to attract tourists. We are very fortunate to have experienced this taste of traditional Japan, but a taste is just not enough, we are looking forward to our next visit.
