All Those People and Me

This was the scene yesterday morning at Rinnoji Temple, Nikko. World Heritage Site. As with all great attractions around the world, it was a mass of humanity and tour buses. Except for the tour bus, I was one of them. Neither rain nor snow, etc. will keep us from taking pictures and wandering aimlessly around.

I struggle with this aspect of travel. The sense of chaos, no matter the beauty or magnificence of a place, sacred or profane, jars me from fully appreciating where I am. It can feel like “checklist” travel. At this place of very impressive Japanese/Chinese architecture – a sacred place for the Japanese people – I couldn’t escape the feeling of wanting to get out of there and find a calm place to sit and absorb the feel of a place beyond the crowds. 

Before writing this, I was on a jam-packed local bus headed up to Lake Chuzenji, one of those must-see places in the Nikko area. I’m glad I’m here but, and this is just me and something Carol would always get annoyed with me about, I’m already anxious about the mass of us who have to get back on those buses this afternoon. She was so much better at living in the moment.

Remember those dharma gates I wrote about earlier? I’m sure you do! Well, here I am staring at another one and wondering how or if I will walk through it to the other side.