I was recently asked by someone though “What are you grateful for in 2020?” I sat there, thinking honestly, for longer than I probably should have. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion, that for me, 2020 has made me grateful for faith. Faith in God and Jesus Christ. Faith in others. And the faith that we will get through this worldwide struggle together.
Throughout my time living in Japan, I tried to do things that I had never done before. My first Kabuki experience though, was a no joke, INTENSE experience steeped in rich Japanese history and culture.
My first time going to a Kabuki (歌舞伎) show and the significant reunion was in 2015. I stood in a striped black and white shirt and a black vest finished with a black skirt in the Ginza (銀座) district in Tokyo (東京) in front of the theater, Kabuki-za (歌舞伎座), holding onto the strap of my purse and my phone waiting nervously, hoping I’d be easy to spot. My eyes darted around, trying to find someone I knew in a sea of faces.
A long time ago, I was a gaijin (外人), or foreigner there. I was fresh off the boat in Japan with a tiny studio apartment. I didn’t even have a phone at the time. None the less, I was determined to experience EVERYTHING I could in this country. And I learned early on to ALWAYS GO FOR IT when in the land of the rising sun. Trust me, it’s worth the risk. 😉
Feels a little odd to be posting another rather short blog, but I’d like to invite you all, no matter your faith or denomination, to fast with me tomorrow on Good Friday.
Very quick little entry for you today, but it’s for a little celebration here on this website – that of a 2 year anniversary since my first blog post! Seriously, I can’t believe I’ve been at it for 2 years now. Often, I feel like I have a ton of ideas still to get down and posted, but then I look back and realize there’s been a lot of posts already (over 100 actually!)
Right now I realize is a time of much uncertainty in the world with regard to the recently named pandemic COVID-19 or coronavirus. I think it’s very easy when faced with the unknown to feel anxious, scared, or even depressed. So what is my reason for going into this? Why bring up all of these feelings of anxiety and isolation? Because I wanted to share with you all what GOT RID of them for me today.
Today, we’re diving into one of my past travels in the land of the Rising Sun back in May of 2018 to the island of Okunoshima (大久野島), better known as “Usagishima” (うさぎ島) or the Bunny Island!