Incense Chapter - Lafcadio Hearn

Lafcadio Hearn was one of the most respected writers on Japan. From his book "In Ghostly Japan" comes the "Incense Chapter" with wonderful descriptions and perspectives of a different age. . .

Incense Chapter

Nanshu ji

I thought perhaps we might take a little break before the next chapter on the Japanese Incense Ceremony (Kodo) and in this brief intermission show you my favorite spot in Japan.

I saw many wonderful temples and Shoguns Castles when I was in Japan. Myoshin ji and and Nara were overwhelming, and the Shogun’s Castle in Kyoto was fascinating, not to mention the restaurant at the gate which Nakata San said was the most famous tofu in Japan. It is the only time I’ve liked tofu in my life, this was amazing. I never had sushi before my trip, it’s not easy getting a Southern boy to eat raw anything that’s not fruit or vegetable. However, after being introduced to sashimi and sushi by Nakata San I ventured into a stand in the fish market at 4:00 a.m. and managed to order where nobody spoke English.

Nansu ji is a small temple tucked away amid Sakai City and on our visit we only saw two other people besides the aspirant monk kneeling at the door and on occasion told by the monks he should go away, he would not be let in. He would be there three days on his knees on hard boards, allowed in only at night for some rice and a short nap.

Nanshu ji is small and perhaps not very impressive to most people but I loved the place as soon as we entered. Inside you will find the markers for Sen no Rikkyu’s and Tokono Joo’s ashes. There is a three or four mat tea room built by Rikyu and this is where they both practiced. It so impressed me the feeling I had there is still with me after six years.

I hope these few pictures will bring to you some sense of what it was like.

Entrance

Grave Markers

Zen Rock Garden

Butsandan with Statue of Monju (Manjusri)

Zendo

Posted Aug 31, 2004 on Alices Restaurant

"Dear David Oller

We came back from South India with no problem. We got some seeds of Sandalwood in Mysore, and we'll send you some pieces later. Many Sandalwood trees that I saw in Mysore and Bandipur last time were stolen by the leader of India's major sandalwood smuggling ring, Veerapan. He is very famous gang of Sandalwood. This photo is of white flower on old Sandalwood in Bandipur.

Sandalwood tree has red flower during young tree until 15 to 20 years old, and red flower changes to fruit. And the fruit changes to seed. But when the tree arrives 15 to 20 years, it stops to grow fruits and seeds. It has only white flower.

K. Nakata

In The Beginning

Looking at the 24 members in our new Facebook Group I’m reminded of the humble beginning of Alice's Restaurant on the Original “OneList” group that was taken over by Yahoo. We knew each other better in those days and although the group was much smaller, for me, it was much nicer. I was doing a lot of research in those days, so there was more to write about. The new environment is stimulating me and formulating some new perspectives. I’m also enjoying the Twitter bits, although I wish people wouldn’t write so much in the “Text” language. I do like the space limitations: brevity, after all, is the art of expression.

Welcome to Alices

"The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get" Was it Alice that said that? Or perhaps the Rabbit or Mad Hatter. That's what most would say, but actually it was Satchel Paige. It does seem to capture the moment, whomever said it.

In time I might come up with something to Blog about, but for now, we'll have the Twitter Feeds. Remember you can also join us on Facebook.

David