These poems give a small flavor of our 3 week journey through Japan, which followed my walk on the Kumano Kodo. In my photo book, Exploring Japan, the themes are Transportation, Food, Gardens, Shrines and Temples and unique cultural experiences like Sumo wrestling, Taiko drumming, a zen monk, making Mochi and Mulberry paper. These poems, some in the form of WAKAs, follow these themes.
MOVING ALONG
Sleek as a snake
the bullet train
glides into the station
I move fast to find my seat.
Who is sitting in it?
Seeking help
Two minutes pass
discovering this is
the train before mine
moving faster
I am off just in time.
Like swiss chronographs
the trains move in and out.
spotless, smooth, quiet
time machines
conquering space.
I arrive at the chosen
destination
and move out fast.
Ticket machines
helpful guides
multilevel shopping meccas above
dazzling restaurants below
Snacks, starbucks and 711,
stations are lively cities
FOOD IS ART
Delicate colorful dishes
sexagonal, circular, square
Placed artfully
Become a feast
for eyes and tongues.
All tastes are here,
salty, sweet. sour
bitter, umami.
Textures too.
crunchy and crispy,
soft and melting,
smooth and rough.
Railway stations,
Highway rest stops,
city restaurants,
packed lunches,
here food becomes
edible artwork
They’re Matcha wild
twirling around green delight
the ceremonial tea.
making green
Ice cream and angel cake.
Food, food, glorious food
Keeps on coming.
Tofu, tempura.
Sashimi, sushi
Shabu shabu
Ramen,soba
Udon, Yuzu
Mochi, Matcha
Yum Yum, Oishii oishii
Homage to 711
Our secondary food source
we love those egg sandwiches
in soft white bread
just the right amount of mayo
Of course the matcha ice cream
cannot be ignored.
Eli passes out
some of his daily supplies
of dried pseudo fruit.
I suck on a sweet and sour gummy
picture of a pineapple
creates the illusion
I am eating fruit.
GARDENS
Like a good life
a great garden
offers mindful contrasts
freedom in spaciousness
quietness in seclusion.
fluidity of moving water
solidity of stone structures.
Today blue iris blooms
gold and silver Koi
blow bubbles
pucker their lips
red azaleas brighten
chosen rocks edging the pond.
Each garden is unique
All gardens here inspire
enticing me
to stay and linger
to be fully present
in their beauty.
Bamboos tall slender
majestically reach for sun
embracing us with peace
the Groves shady path
leads into tranquility.
KYOTO SHRINES
I turn a corner
two stone dogs
wait for a visit
to their master’s shrine
A scholar and a poet.
worship here brings wisdom
In another alley
lions seem to guard
two colorful archers
deep inside this shrine
worship here brings courage
In the pouring rain
we arrive at Fushima Inari
Foxes are Inari’s messengers
Inari the god of rice
The vermillion red Torii gates
wind up the mountain
ten thousand gates
leading to Inari’s shrine
THE GREAT EASTERN TEMPLE
The crowds of worshippers
wave their incense sticks and candles
outside the great wooden hall
eyes drawn to the immense Birushana Bhudda
black bronze with the golden halo.
Flanked by tall dancing statues
patina bronze lotuses and butterflies
I just want to sit still
in the presence of Bhudda
OSAKA TO HITOSHIMA
From the crowded street of Dotonburi
to Hideyoshi’s imposing castle
One night its Takooyaki (octopus balls)
Another its Okonomyaka (cabbage pancakes)
Happy we leave the big consumer city.
Hiroshima, now a city of peace
The memorial park and museum,
stark reminders of wars
No-one wins
Imagine, as John Lennon sings,
the brotherhood of man.
We meet
Mrs. Kiyomi Kono
94 years old
sharing
the horrors of that August day
80 years ago,
Did her trip to Pearl Harbor,
hearing about the sailors’ deaths
make her own pain less?
THE MONK
Everything changes.
This moment will dissolve’
with a calm mind pray."
Feel happy, free of desires,
wisdom and harmony now,
zero and infinity meet.
Love.
©MARTINSTRASMORE2025
