To Tokyo, With Love

Japan is my new favorite country, after a week in Tokyo.

First of all, it’s the biggest city I’ve ever seen, and also unbelievably clean.
The people are friendly, genuine and kind. The food is amazing. You can visit Shinto shrines, natural hot springs, and above all, Kiddy Land!

Kiddy Land is both terrifying and exhilarating (I believe the correct word is awesome), and a place where you can buy every Hello Kitty item known to mankind. I got chopsticks.

The Meiji Shrine, in the center of Tokyo, surrounded by forested walkways, is a beautiful shrine dedicated to a beloved emperor and his wife, where visitors can offer up prayers and ask for blessings.

I went to Tokyo as a guest facilitator for Yogajaya‘s intensive yoga teacher training workshop. Eighteen Japanese women are in the current course, studying to become yoga teachers. I spent the first three days on a whirlwind experience from the countryside to the streets of Tokyo, being shown around by my wonderful hosts, Patrick and Satoko. Patrick particularly enjoyed scaring me on the back of his scooter, weaving through city traffic, bicycles and pedestrians.

In just that short time, I got a feel for the flavor of Japan, and I loved everything about it. Except the spoiled soybeans snack that you goo up onto chopsticks with sticky, decomposing strings, which apparently is a staple of the Japanese diet. However, the mochi, a soft, naturally sweet dough made from pounded rice, more than made up for the rotten soybeans. I think I could eat mochi for the rest of my life….

On the fourth day, I gave a public talk at the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a beautiful place to do a slide show, in a fashionable restaurant with a DJ playing house music, and food and drinks during the show.

I made many new friends, including a Japanese guide named Tetsuya and his wife Bernadette, who gifted me with an enormous bottle of very good sake, just before it was time to start the slide show! I’m sure their contribution to the event made the evening even better for every one.

As I would continue to be over the next few days of my time with Yogajaya, I was deeply impressed by Satoko’s effortless translation into Japanese throughout the night.

On Saturday and Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend the yoga teachers’ morning instruction: two and a half hours of guided meditation, pranayama, and intensive study of standing poses. I was very intimidated about the lengthy meditation practice, because I have been making very small steps to incorporate sitting meditation into my own yoga practice. I find it really hard to sit, and wondered how it was going to be to meditate for so long. The first day, Saturday, was really hard for me, and my legs went completely asleep and numb. On Sunday it felt much better, and Patrick the director of Yogajaya taught me some more about sitting on the morning of my departure, as well as some more asana instruction. I’m very thankful to have had that experience.

After the morning instruction sessions, I spent 4 hours with the teachers-in-training, discussing spirituality, right living, and mental practices. On both days, Satoko translated for the entire session, which I found really impressive! I also had an opportunity to ask these students what yoga means to them, physically and mentally, and what they hope to share with others as yoga teachers. I found their responses inspiring and moving. It was a real privilege to share this experience with them.

On my last night in Tokyo, we went to the top floor of the Roppongi Tower to see the lights of the vast city spreading out for miles, in every direction. It’s truly an awe-inspiring city. I can’t wait to return!