Spring in Tokyo is special... especially when we can share it with my sister Cathy!

We were thrilled that Cathy joined us for a week in Tokyo on her way back to Vermont; why not? It is after all just a hop across the ocean from Zhengzhou to here! Cathy was great about just wanting to share our life here in Tokyo. 

So... in a quick week of fitting in with our schedules Cathy sampled the range of our lives here in Tokyo.

The first night we needed to dive right into Shinjuku in honour of Julian and his appreciation for the movie Lost in Translation (click here). Ah yes, the lights, the energy welcome to Tokyo Cathy!

Along with wandering through back alleys to explore Tokyo by bike, finding funky cafes and second hand stores, exploring hidden temples I enjoyed hosting Cathy at school. She is a "little" sister isn"t she?  :-)

Any visit to the school is not complete without the fascinating drop-ins with some of our clubs to see these traditional arts being learned by the next generation.

Naginata:

The Koto club performing on beautiful ancient Kotos:

Cathy also had a fascinating visit of the Tokyo Friends school seen on this blog on Saturday. She and Shelley spent the afternoon at the Meeting house sharing her research and photos of dad"s work in China during the revolution and his links to Tokyo Quakers. 

The next day we were thrilled to be able to host her at another Yabusame event in Kamakura this time as front row guests of our friend Yosh Ono. 

Because of our connection with Yosh we were able to go behind the staging area to meet the judges in traditional garb:

We also met some of the archers with their family crest proudly worn on their shoulder.

Some of the officials were giving the important task of blessing the track with these paper flags after each passage of a rider.

The riders have been trained in the Takeda school started in the 9th century. The gentleman in the tan robe is the current head teacher of the Takeda school standing with his riders. 

For my first time seeing Yabusame, the stormy clouds cleared up and we were feted with superb horsemanship and shooting for the afternoon. 

Once again, the family crest worn proudly:

To finish off the afternoon we had a beautiful ridge top hike above and around temples to a look-out over the roaring ocean. The trail wended its way back down the ridge to end up in the back court of a small temple. We basked in the light from the setting sun, the huge sacred trees towering over us and the sense of the sacred in this ancient temple compound. 

We sat for a peaceful meditation together, Shelley, Cathy and I, reviewing in our minds the gifts that we have all been given in our lives, the amazing adventures we have shared together. As we sat in silence we enjoyed seeing solo worshippers, very much in their own worlds, coming to the shrine, praying, touching the sacred tree, bowing to the gods of their beliefs. 

Thank you Cathy for your laughter, your caring and your sense of adventure!

Cathy left Tokyo the next day and we are back to our regular routines.