IKI ("KI")

If you want to read the full story, start here: Koyasan story - Part 1

The day after a night's rest in the Buddhist monastery was Kobo Daishi's birthday which this year coincided with the 1,200th anniversary where he introduced esoteric buddhism to Japan.  There were festivities and cultural demonstrations on every corner and at every temple.  

At the monastery where we stayed one of the monks told us that we should head to the main temple around noon because that was where the Kobo Daishi birthday celebration/ceremony was to take place.

When we got there we saw a lot of monks dressed in really nice robes heading to the temple and within we could hear chanting.  It was loud chanting.  I was imagining the whole hall to be very full of monks in prayer.  I was sort of tip-toeing, trying to get a better look from afar because I felt there was no way we would be allowed inside.  This was when Chase, a 25-year-old guy from California who was traveling alone, noticed me and introduced himself.  He said he ran into a Japanese lady who was giving tours for free today because of the special occasion and asked if my friends and I would be interested.  

SHE. WAS. AWESOME.  She was incredibly engaging and knowledgable about everything.  I think she was excited to show foreigners around since they do not get too many tourists in Koya-san.  But most importantly, she got us into the birthday celebration in the main temple. =)

I don't know how to even describe it.  There must have been about 200 monks all sitting together towards the middle.  There was one monk seated towards the end that was leading the prayer and here and there the whole hall would join in when it was their turn.  The further away you got from the center, there would be young kids not older than us that looked like they were in the process of becoming monks, and then travel groups of Japanese people from all over Japan, and then us.  Chase, Una, Tehilah and I were the only non-Japanese people there.

I was able to sneak a video of the experience:

Now for the Kanji!

気
Kunyomi:  いき - "iki"
Onyomi: キ - "ki", ケ - "ke"
Meaning: spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood

Jōyō Kanji taught in grade 1
JLPT level N5
113 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

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ŌGI ("SEN")

Lorayne and Jake are the two people from
the right.  Here we were playing a
Japanese game at the festival that night!
I won.. ahem... :D

Besides Una, Tehilah and I staying at the monastery, we also met a really nice girl from Singapore named Lorayne and a really kind yet introverted guy named Jake from California.  Each of them had been traveling with others but came to Koyasan on their own.  Jake was trying to enjoy his last week in Japan because he was to start Medical School soon.  I think this was mostly occupying his mind then. 

Other than us, we were staying at the monastery with a group of old ladies that danced with folding fans.  They were going to perform the next day so they were practicing that evening.

One lady in particular, though she did not speak one bit of English, became my friend! Haha.  When I was peaking through the sliding doors to catch a glimpse at the rehearsal, she was very insisting that I come inside and sit down to get a better look. =)

We even exchanged numbers and email and I told her (through Google Translate) that I would email her as soon as I learned Japanese. =)

My new Japanese friend was this old and incredibly nice lady!

Here some videos of the ladies practicing their fan dance at the monastery:

Now for the Kanji!

扇
Kunyomi:  おうぎ - "ōgi"
Onyomi: セン - "sen"
Meaning: fan, folding fan

Jōyō Kanji taught in junior high
JLPT level N1
1805 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

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TANOSHII ("GAKU")

"Playing Lecuona" movie poster

This is an unusual post today because it is not related to travel necessarily but I recently saw an incredible film that I feel the need to share.

Last Friday night I went to the Coral Gables Art Cinema here in Miami to see the film "Playing Lecuona".  If you are living in the Miami area and are of Cuban descent, or you appreciate good music, you must absolutely go check it out.

The movie follows pianists Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés, was also a well-known pianist), Michel Camilo, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba as they write their own interpretations of Ernesto Lecuona's masterpieces and preform them.  

 This film will be playing through this Thursday, July 7th, at the Coral Gables Art Cinema.  If you are not in Miami, check your local theater listings.

Who was Ernesto Lecuona?

Ernesto Lecuona was a Cuban pianist and composer who was famous worldwide for his incredible talent in songwriting and exceptional skill on the piano.  He is the author of more than 600 pieces and is often said that he was as influential in Latin American music as George Gershwin was in the United States.

Just watched "Playing Lecuona" at @gablescinema - what beautiful music!!! #Lecuona #musicaCubana #cuba #maestro

— Kamilah Acebal (@KamilahAcebal) July 2, 2016

The song that appears on the film that I loved the most was Gonzalo Rubalcaba's interpretation of Lecuona's "Andalucía", performed with the master Spanish guitarist Raimundo Amador.  It's so beautiful.  Check it out: 

Now for the Kanji!

楽
Kunyomi:  たのしい - "tanoshii"
Onyomi: ガク - "gaku", ラク - "raku"
Meaning: music, comfort, ease

Jōyō Kanji taught in grade 2
JLPT level N4
373 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

Common Kun compound(s):
楽しい  - たのしい - "tanoshii" - enjoyable, fun
楽しい思い出 - たのしおもいで - "tanoshiimoiide" - happy (sweet) memory

Common On compound(s):
音楽 - オンガク - "ongaku" - music, musical movement

Where:

音
Kunyomi:  おと - "oto"
Onyomi: オン - "on", イン - "in"
Meaning: sound, noise

Jōyō Kanji taught in grade 1
JLPT level N4
491 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

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KAWA

For my study abroad program to Japan, China, and S. Korea with the University of Miami School of Architecture, I had the opportunity of living in Kyoto, Japan for a little over a month.  

A very kind waitress taught my friend Miguel and I how
to make origami!

I loved Kyoto.  It is a very traditional city as it is the center of Japanese culture and of Buddhism in Japan.  This is where all Japanese people travel to in order to learn about their traditional culture, with almost a third of the entire Japanese population visiting there annually.  

Kyoto is also the city where the oldest people in the world reside, where there are people over 110 years old. 

There are also a number of universities in Kyoto.  I found this mix of really old traditional people and a lot of college students to be very interesting.  Along with the presence of many universities is the presence of many college students from all over the world studying abroad here.  I met people from all over including Canada, Austria, Switzerland, France, Finland, Mexico, Venezuela, Singapore, China, Sweden, Australia and more.  

Awesome nights hanging out at the Kamogawa with
my friends Una from China and David from Mexico

I met most of them at the KAWA (Kamogawa river)! =) Kawa means river in Japanese.  In Kyoto, most young people at night will buy drinks from a nearby convenience store and then head to the Kamogawa and just sit with their friends on the river bank and drink, talk, and be silly.  This is where I made lots of new friends in Kyoto!  Including this one Venezuelan guy named Jorge Eduardo, who had been living in Japan for over 9 years and spoke perfect Japanese.  This guy was hilarious!  He had a very latin, friendly personality which I think amuses the Japanese a lot hahaha... 

He called our nightly visits to the kawa, "kawagando" (this joke may only make sense if you know some Spanish, sorry about that!).

"Vamos a kawagar!" - Jorge Eduardo Padrón

Part of the "kawa" group from Left to Right: Jorge Eduardo (Venezuela), Tyler (New Jersey, USA),
Shimaa (Saudi Arabia & China), ME! =), Lucas (Austria), Philip (Switzerland), Una (China), David (Mexico),
Sofi (Finland), Aky (Venezuela).  In the very back: Luis Miguel (Mexico), Priya (Canada & India),
Alexandra (Romania), Ashley (New Jersey, USA)

Now for the Kanji! 

川
Kunyomi:  かわ - "kawa"
Onyomi: セン - "sen"
Meaning: river, stream

Jōyō Kanji taught in grade 1
JLPT level N5
181 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

          










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HI

The other day I stumbled upon this video which gives you a sort of crash course on the entire history of Japan in a humorous and entertaining way.  Check it out:

 Thanks Bill Wurtz for this awesome and hilarious video! I've seen it way more times than I care to admit. =)

I've always found Japan's name in Japanese to be very beautiful.  Japan is commonly referred to as the "land of the rising sun".

In Kanji, Japan is written as: 日本 - にほん - "nihon"
Breaking the name down:
日 - に - "ni" - sun (in this case, but can also mean day)
本 - ほん - "hon" - source, origin (in this case, but can also mean book)

The sun plays an important role in Japanese mythology and religion as the Emperor is believed to be the direct descendent of the sun goddess Amaterasu.  The name of the country as well as the design of their flag reflect the importance of the sun for the Japanese.

日
Kunyomi:  ひ - "hi", -び - "-bi"
Onyomi: ニチ - "nichi", ジツ - "jitsu"
Meaning: sun, day

Jōyō Kanji taught in grade 1
JLPT level N5
1 of 2500 most common used kanji in newspapers.

In Kanji, the common name for the Japanese flag is written as:
日の丸 - ひのまる - "hinomaru"
Where:
丸 - まる - "maru" - means circle (in this case, but can also mean correct)

A photo I took while on a hike in the mountains in the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan

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