What earthquake?

Well, I just read on-line that we had an earthquake
here. I never felt it, but it explains why the trains
were running so slowly this evening, and why the
elevators at my hotel aren't working. I'm on the 20th
floor, I was on the other end of town when it hit, and
I'm not taking the steps back up--so, here I am.

Japan has been great. The rail system in Tokyo
intimidated me at first, but I picked it up pretty
quickly. Stops are in japanese and english, and also
post what the next stop is, which is enormously
helpful. What is not helpful is when the passengers
have lowered all the window shades in the rail car and
you can't see out to read the signs...

I just came to Osaka today, after three days in
Koyasan. Koyasan is a center for "esoteric" buddhism,
with over 100 temples, about half of which offer
lodging and meals. I stayed at Ekoin, in a
traditional japanese room: tatami floor, paper covers
over the windows, vegetarian breakfast and supper
delivered to my room. I attended prayers all three
mornings, which was a wonderful experience. After the
prayers, they had a fire ceremony in another, smaller
temple. This was much akin to the days when I had to
build campfires at Aldersgate Camp, and they didn't
always want to start. The priest here had some sort
of oil (lighter fluid?) in some brass dishes that
helped things along. Toured a number of temples and
pagodas in Koyasan, and the cemetary, which is a world
heritage site. An amazing and moving place. I'll try
to post a few pictures later tonight--if the elevators
come back on line.

Japan is both wonderful for it's hospitality and
beauty, and frustrating for things that seem silly to
our culture, like the obsession with cleanliness:
taking your shoes off, putting on slippers, putting on
different slippers in the bathroom, etc. I've just
eaten way too many things this week that I couldn't
recognize.

That's all for now. Osaka castle in the morning, then
off to Cairo.

JP

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