I made a trip to Kyoto yesterday.

We went to Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera.

My two favorite temples in Kyoto.

I know I should have visited a temple I had never been to, but I really wanted to visit my two favorite temples when I had a chance.

We first went to Ginkakuji. Ginkakuji means "The silver temple" but it isn't made out of Silver.

There is a temple called Kinkakuji which is made out of gold and I heard it is a very beautiful temple but I was always more attracted to Ginkakuji.

I can't tell you why, but I always felt a connection with this temple.

I think there is a similarity to that feeling when you are dating.

Sometimes you are attracted to people that are not physically beautiful and you love someone because they connect with you.

(Don't get me wrong, Ginkakuji is really beautiful)

We walked through the tasteful landscape and enjoyed the luscious trees and moss that surrounded the temple.

I can confidently say that there was only 5% Japanese tourists in the area.

The rest were all foreigners.

Chinese, Korean, British and American were the majority.

My friend I was with said she had never been there even through she had lived in the area for 6 years.

Japanese people don't seem to appreciate what they have.

They don't realize what beauty they have.

I am Japanese as well, but maybe I wouldn't have realized how beautiful Japan was if I had never moved away.

I thanked the temple and Masayoshi Ashikaga for building such a beautiful temple and shared it with us for centuries.

I left the temple feeling cleansed and hot from the Bonchi madness.

Just got into Osaka.

I think the humidity is about 99% and the temperature is about 95 degrees.

I would hate to live in this everyday, but it feels really good. I missed the humidity.

You know it is humid outside when you can wave your arm and feel the air.


I haven't been here in seven years.

There is noise everywhere.

I didn't hear it when I lived here.

The train running by and people talking.

The electronics, cars and sirens.

The electronic voices talking to you on the street, bathroom, stores and train station.

This wasn't all noise to me when I lived in Tokyo.

I didn't hear it.

People adapt well.

When I first moved to Idaho I had a hard time falling asleep in the quite.

I was scared of the wide spaces.

I felt claustrophobic in the open field with no noise.

Now I feel claustrophobic in small places like I should be.

Two completely different cultures embedded in my mind.

Which am I? After years of contemplation, I still haven't figured it out.

I dream of being in Japan when I am in the States and I dream of being in America when

I am in Japan.