Blog Archives

The Ofuna Monorail Coincidence

6/30/2017

Ok, these coincidences are just getting ridiculous. Every day now I wake up to see what else strange will happen. Several weeks ago, I noted that a new Blu-Ray edition of Francois Truffault's 1966 movie, Fahrenheit 451, was being released. This film was, of course, taken from Ray Bradbury's famous dystopian novel of the same name. I managed to get a copy and Jody and I watched the film together here in Hachioji. Below is the poster for the film.

In that movie were a number of scenes with a futuristic monorail. When I saw this movie in 1966 at the age of 17, I had never seen a monorail before and was impressed. Back here in 2017, I wondered aloud to Jody if I would ever get to see a monorail. Below is the monorail as seen in the film.

Fast forward to June 28, 2017. On that date we traveled on our second trip to Kamakura. While there, we stayed at a hotel in a town called Ofuna. When Jody and I first got off of our train in Ofuna we began walking to the hotel which was right next to the train station. All of a sudden I heard a loud noise like a train above my head. I looked up and there was a monorail speeding past. I was amazed. This was the last place I expected to see a monorail and so soon after watching the movie. Will little wonders never cease? Below are pictures of the Ofuna monorail.

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Return to Kamakura - Day 3

6/30/2017

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On Day 3 we set out to visit the Ōfuna Kannon Temple (大船観音寺 Ōfuna Kannonji) which was within sight and walking distance of our hotel in Ofuna. This is a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The outstanding feature of the temple is a 25 metres (82 ft), 1900-ton reinforced concrete statue of the bodhisattva Kannon. Construction of the Temple began in 1929 by the Sōtō school of Zen. The outline of the statue was complete by 1934 but work was suspended at the outbreak of the Pacific War. The Ofuna Kannon Society continued construction work in 1954 and the Temple was finally completed in 1960. The statue construction is that of sections of poured concrete and was performed entirely by hand. No concrete pump trucks were used. The surface of the statue is oft painted white. The statue itself contains a small museum and shrine and both are open for viewing. The Kannon incorporates stones from ground zero of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to commemorate those who died in the explosions of the atomic bombs. A fire originating from the atomic fires of Hiroshima burns in a mushroom-formed statue.

From the top we should see the Hotel Mets where we stayed while in Kamakura.

The remarks in the sign-in book are generally reflective of a culture in Japan that emphasizes peace and love.

Inside the statue where we found hundreds of little golden Buddhas.

Following our visit to the temple, we set off via monorail for Enoshima, a beach side resort and playground a short train distance from Ofuna.

I finally get to ride in a monorail.

Notice how the vehicles are stacked on top of one another. Interesting parking solution.

We arrive in Enoshima, a small island off the Shōnan coast of Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s known for the Enoshima Shrine, with statues honoring Benzaiten, the Buddhist goddess of music. It's also home to the Enospa hot springs and the 19th-century, English-style Samuel Cocking Garden with its Sea Candle lighthouse. The Iwaya Caves feature tidal pools and Buddhist statues. Popular mainland beaches overlook the island. And for all you Beach Boy/surfing fans, Shonan Beach IS the surfing capital of Japan. The sun rises slowly, coloring the sky and the majestic Mount Fuji with a faded orange tint. The ocean also rises, offering a group of surfers a ride to the sandy shores. It’s just another perfect day for the locals along Shonan Beach.Among surfers worldwide, Japan is not considered a must surf destination like Hawaii or Tahiti because its surf is small and inconsistent. But Japan is home to hundreds of miles of sandy beaches, and its coastline hides reefs, points and river mouths, enticing many surfers to test the waves off the Land of Rising Sun. And the most famous surf area is Shonan Beach, a 20-mile stretch from Oiso Beach to Hayama Beach in Kanagawa.
Located about an hour train ride from Tokyo, 10 miles from Yokosuka Naval Base, 15 miles from Camp Zama and Naval Air Facility Atsugi and 43 miles from Yokota Air Base, Shonan Beach is often featured in TV shows, songs and movies. The “capital of surfing” in Japan has its own laidback atmosphere, a mixture of California, Hawaii and a Japanese fishing village.

Don't ask me. ???? I don't have a clue.

From the top of the island's tower.

As I've said before, I don't like to eat anything that spares back at me.

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Return to Kamakura - Day 2

6/29/2017

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On our second day in Kamakura, Jody and I visited another temple in the morning. Like so many others, it was known for its beautiful gardens and in this case, its Hydrangeas.

Another beautiful rock garden.

With an unexpected sunbather.

So cute.,

Now, did Jody wear blue on purpose?

After the temple visit, Jody and I returned to downtown Kamakura and linked up with her long-time friend from Emory College, Sachiyo Tahira, for a lovely lunch at a French restaurant. Jody had not seen Sachiyo in over 20 years when Jody was last in Japan. It was a wonderful opportunity for Jody to get together with her old friend.

And after lunch, we went back to the store we had been in when we first visited Kamakura and I purchased a samurai sword. Banzai!

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Return to Kamakura

6/28/2017

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On Wednesday, June 28, 2017, Jody and I returned to Kamakura. The trip was designed primarily to visit with Jody's brother-in-law, Jeff Horner, who was visiting his son, daughter-in-law, and family. However, it also included a meaningful reunion for Jody with her long-time college friend, Sachiyo Tahira, who she had not seen in 20 years when Jody was last visiting in Japan where Sachiyo lives. In addition, we also got to visit the seaside town of Enoshima.

Downtown Kamakura and the Tori Gate directly across from the train station where we're to meet Jeff.

Jeff's son, Thomas, Jeff, and me.

The teeming streets of Kamakura.

The first of many Hydrangeas that were in full bloom.

We all started out by walking about a mile to the local Bamboo Forest site

Along with us were Jeff's son's wife, Nance and their daughter, Morgan. Here we are at the gate leading to the Bamboo Forest.

There are always girls and women in kimonos around getting their picture taken.

Daddy's Little Girl.

Upon our return to downtown Kamakura, we walked across a scenic bridge and discovered a beautiful lake strewn with lillly ponds.

And, but of course, another shrine.

What a fun day and a great opportunity to visit with Jeff and his family in Japan.

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My Nash The Slash coincidence in Hachioji. Perhaps the biggest coincidence.

6/27/2017

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Ok. Some of you who have been following me on Facebook have probably been wondering, just who IS that "Invisible Man"-like masked figure dressed in a white suit, top hat, and playing a violin that now stands in as my Facebook Profile Picture? Well, it's time to chronicle once again yet another amazing coincidence that has occurred to me during this truly awesome trip to Japan that just keeps linking back to favorite events in my past. The man is the famous, NASH THE SLASH, a lone, rocking Canadian musician and songwriter who I briefly eulogized on Facebook. Here is the link to the eulogy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_the_Slash. Everything you need to know about Nash is in this Wiki link. Feel free to watch and listen to Nash perform on numerous YouTube videos. As background, my Maryland friend and long-time co-worker at AACDSS (Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services), Debbie Couzantino, turned me on to Nash back in the early '80's. It was my good fortune to see Nash perform live in Baltimore on a number of occasions when he toured the East Coast, most notably, for you Baltamorons, at the famous hipster hangout, the Marble Bar: http://www.baltimoreorless.com/…/retro-baltimore-the-2016-…/. Anyway, the Japanese connection - I had earlier commented in a Facebook post that during our first week here in Japan back in April it was our good fortune to meet Marc Sebastion-Jones, a transplanted British English professor at Hachioji's Sherlock Holmes Pub. It was a great meeting as I was already desperate to have someone to talk to who speaks English and Marc and I were immediately sympatico. Marc has lived in Japan for over twenty years and is married to Yusimi, a beautiful Japanese woman. He teaches at a local university (not Soka U where Jody is teaching). One day Marc took me to Disc Union, a chain of internationally famous used-record stores in Japan. I was in pig-heaven. The store was fabulous. For some reason, Nash came into my mind and I said to Marc who speaks Japanese, "Could you ask the clerks if they have any Nash the Slash LPs or CDs? You probably don't know Nash, do you?" Marc just looked at me, stunned that I knew Nash, and said, "Know Him? I helped him with one of his videos and even performed in one of them." Now it was my turn to be stunned. What were the chances that I would link up with someone thousands of miles from home, and in Japan of all places, who personally knew one of my music icons from over 37 years ago and even performed in one of his videos? Marc had met Nash at the bar after one of Nash's performances back in 1980 when Nash was touring England. Marc wondered to this normal looking man at the bar who was this man behind the bandages and Nash, who was now in his civies, said, "that man is me." Nash asked Marc if he would like to help him with some of his videos and Marc immediately agreed. Later, Marc sent me the link to Nash's cover video of the Jan and Dean song, DEAD MAN'S TURN, and told me that he was the man off-camera who was shaking the car up and down while Nash was driving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m229hY3Onak. He also told me that he appeared in Nash's cover video of the Rolling Stones, 19TH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, (here is the YouTube link):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqUddvgOsJU&list=LLDFVzoJlvvp6Lm8OavxmfKw& Marc is the first man you see seated wearing a fedora and sporting black lips. This video dates back to 1981. It was great to see Marc as a young man 36 years ago alongside Nash. I don't know why I'm having so many remarkable coincidences here in Japan. This has never happened to me before in any of my other trips abroad. Life is strange.

And here is Marc below in the video wearing his fedora.

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Jody Speaks to Students at Soka University

6/21/2017

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On June 21, 2017, I had the opportunity to see Jody give one of three talks on the need to support refugee resettlement policies. This talk was before an SRO room of Soka University students, Hachioji, Japan. What a great group of Japanese young people who lined up out to the door to speak with Jody afterwards.