The Exceptional Dreamer left for work and his family (we'll call them the Dreamers) showed me
around Tokyo. They are incredibly kind and generous. It was special for me to be there because I
had spent many hours praying for them with the Exceptional Dreamer when I was
in college. Now, I could better understand the people I was praying for and be
blessed by them.
Cherry blossom cruise
We were able to see many more cherry blossoms while cruising on a tourist boat.
Boats
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| Not all boats are made for my size |
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| Coolest looking tourist boat |
City
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| Flood doors help control the water level |
Pagoda
We also went to an ancient pagoda and temple. The last time I was in Japan, I happened to be there during a Christian conference and met many of the Christian college students in Japan. However, there are in the vast minority as less than one percent of the country is Christian. Japan is one of the most secular countries in the world.
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| If this god were real, I would not want to make him mad. |
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| Buddha had big feet |
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| A dragon in a Buddhist temple |
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| Burning incense |
I also received a fortune playing o-mikuji. I was thoroughly amused at the disclaimers that explained it was a fortune, but if you get a bad one, don't worry because you make your own fortune. In my brief experience, it seemed that adherents at the temple were much less sincere than those I met in some of the southeast Asian countries like Myanmar. Most people quickly rushed through and did the motions and I didn't see any people in contemplation or meditation. Many of the Buddhists in Japan also participate in Shinto, the ancient religion of Japan.
Shopping
Completely surrounding the temple was a shopping area and gardens.
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| It was raining and everyone had their umbrellas out |
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| Eating at a tempura restaurant |
When I was in Portugal, I heard about the deep connection
between the Japanese and Portuguese cultures. The Portuguese both reached and established trade with Japan before any other Western civilization. They left their mark as the Jesuit missionaries
introduced Japan to the concept of tempura, which the Japanese then made their
own. They also introduced a lot of words, and the Portuguese are quick to point out that the Japanese word for thank you "arigato" originates in the Portuguese
“obrigado”. According to wiki, the jury is still out although it's a good story.
Games
The Dreamers' house is so peaceful. I’m used to being in high
pressure environments where time spent without producing anything is wasted
time. Thus, it was so refreshing to sit, talk, and simply enjoy being around
one another without deadlines or tasks to do. Everyone is so content to be around each other.
The least peaceful time was when they introduced me to the
game Blockus and we had epic games. The first game I won handily – some might
say, "beginner’s luck” while others might say I’m amazing. However, the second
time, it came down to the very end and I was barely outmaneuvered by the Padawan.
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| He won by one point! |
As I was there, I saw their deep love for one another and
realized that love is what made the environment so calming. For instance, one
sibling would call from the other side of the world to help tutor and develop
another sibling’s skills. After the nuclear disaster, one sibling went to
Fukushima to sew nets for a widowed fisherman so he could better provide for
his family. One of the parents eats simple meals while traveling for work
in order to save money to send his kids to college and give them international
experiences. Another parent went to an international church even though they
didn’t understand the language at first because their spouse liked going there
more than any other church. In their own way, each member is so devoted to each
other. Since they love and feel so loved by each other and by God, they don’t
feel a need to spend all their time and energy trying to achieve. As that love
brings peace, they are able to spread it on to others and I was a joyful
recipient.
Boats
