The first O-bon after my mother's passing

Matsuo Basho wrote in his The Narrow Road to the Deep North, “The months and days are the travelers of eternity. The years that come and go are also voyagers.” Basho chose solitary and humble life for journeys. The journey itself was his home.

We are the travelers from birth to death in the finite time.  Life itself is a journey. We are born alone and pass away alone though surrounded by the people either smiling or crying respectively.

A lotus grows in muddy water for a long time, rises above the surface to the light of the sun, blooms beautifully unsullied for three days only in the morning, and leaves seeds; this is a lotus’ life journey.

Being with my mother, I thought getting very old must be a lonesome journey with constant declining physical strength, outliving a spouse, siblings and even the oldest son one after another.  I’m not sure the love from the loving loved family members could have sufficed my mother's loneliness but hope it eased her who tended to be suffering in silence.  She showed with her attitude that pains and aches with age is something we must get along with self management, medication if necessary, smiles and sense of humor.

When one person dies, not only her body but also her thoughts and ideas disappear.  But her attitude toward life has been perceived and the spiritual patrimony of family traditions and wisdom are handed to the next generation. I’d like to keep in mind what my mother valued.




in my garden

Though most of the precious things she left are invisible, she left some priceless visible and tangible things: some handicraft and three calendar diaries. 

My mother liked hand-sewing.  In her late years, she made cushions, table center, tissue-box cover, or pouch, out of the scrap of yuzen-dyed kimono cloth which was used to my sister’s kimono and mine. 



A pouch with bottom gusset

Tissue cover

She left three books of calendar diary, the year 2010, 2013 and 2014, perhaps  with intention to be read after her passing. The one for 2014 remained blank.  Everyone couldn’t read without tears; her mundane life including her joys and concern was written down briefly with words of appreciation at each end.

Since her passing away, I have not been overly sad or lonely but have void in my mind and that void has been filled warmly by my family, especially by the bright-eyed innocence of my grandchildren.

at 13- month

at 15-month

His favorite summertime pastime in the crocodile pool

at 43-month
She runs, jumps, spins, and pedals!

O-bon lasts from 13th to 16th of August in my region, which is a Buddhist tradition to hold memorial services for ancestors. Their souls are welcomed with sacred fire and seen off with a bonfire for escorting their spirits.  Until last year, my mother hosted family reunion but this year her soul is going to be welcomed home for the first time tomorrow.

These are a few of photos from Tokae Candle Festival held in Nara Park from August 5 to 15.  Candles are lit one by one to pray for the repose of the soul and to pray gratitude. 

Wish peace in the world and in your mind.

Last year's post: Prayers for the repose of the soul and of gratitude

Prayers for the repose of the soul and of gratitude

Nara Toka-e Festival (Candle Lighting Festival) takes place from August 5 to 14 prior to the climax of Obon. It is not an old festival but started 15 years ago.  Nara Park and its surrounding World Heritage Sites are illuminated by the lights from about 15,000 candles.  Almost all the electric lights are down except some low light for footsteps safety.

Ukimi-do Pavilion started glittering in a golden hue at 7. p.m. at Sagi-ike Pond, Nara Park

Currently Japan is enveloped in the fierce heat wave.  Temperatures reach 36 to 37 degrees C and soars to 40 degrees in certain areas.  When I was in Nara Park, evening squall was refreshing while it was lasting but when it stopped, it was so steamy that I felt like I was in a sauna.



  Soft pink flowers of Japanese crape myrtle looked glowing in the misty dusk. 

Candles are lit up one by one by the volunteers. Lighting a candle is, in itself, a prayer for the repose of the soul and of gratitude. Tohoku struck by the 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami is always in our prayers and thoughts.

As the night advanced, many images came and went in my mind
like the boats with the candles on the bow coming and going in the dim.

I’ll be away from the blog-sphere for a while.  Obon is a time-honored observance of impermanence, reflection and appreciation on our own life, gratitude to the late people, and having joys of family reunion.

Bamboo objet at the Asajigahara Field

Wish you the very best in the rest of August.  See you!

Leaving from the darkness of Kasuga Shrine to the lights of the traffic