Stairways to Heaven - April 2018

Mount Fuji

Ascending the steps, Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shinto shrine

Further up the steps...

The Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is always inspirational. Both our band performances at Club Citta, Kawasaki, near Tokyo went off like a fire cracker. We felt such a great vibe from the audience, we forgot our jet lag... Energised and excited, we enjoyed every minute of playing! It felt as if we were riding a big whirlwind of music and lights...

It was fantastic to catch up with several pals as well, including Masa of the record company and his wife Miho, also Mikari & friends, plus American music producer Tom Lord-Alge.

After the second show, Jo and I stayed on for a few days. Initially we visited Kamakura with our friends Nathan and Noriko. They kindly took us to the beautiful Hasedera Buddhist temple on a hill beside the ocean. Cherry blossoms bloomed in extraordinary gardens as we mounted the steps. We particularly loved both a spot dedicated to children who had died, and a labyrinthine cave linked to Benzaiten, a goddess of the sea, fortune and creativity. A statue of this goddess plays a stringed instrument.

Nearby is one of the most impressive sights I've ever seen - the gigantic Kamakura statue of Buddha. Through the ages it has survived earthquakes and tsunamis. Gazing up at his head in the heavens, we felt a strong sense of peace and uplift.

The next day, on our journey to Kyoto we caught a glimpse of an equally impressive sight - the iconic and massive snow-capped volcano, Mount Fuji, towering above the surrounding mountains.

Kyoto is known as the city of temples. We set out early the following morning to visit some of the most intriguing sites. The Golden Pavilion looked incredibly serene, almost as if it was floating on the lake below. After a walk around the many picturesque temples within the Daikakuji complex, we set off for the ancient Shinto shrine Fushimi Inari-Taisha. This turned out to be an extraordinary pilgrimage...

Initially, from a busy market place through a symbolic gateway we entered a glorious complex of brightly coloured places of worship. There were several women dressed in kimonos, children pulling at bells and people worshiping within doorways. On the other side of the complex was the beginning of an incredible path through a series of closely connected bright red gateways. We soon realised these gateways continued endlessly, weaving up the Inari Mountain via pathways and steps. We took care to follow the correct way, the route often splitting to create a labyrinth through the mountain forest. We climbed for some time, determined to reach the summit, which we ultimately achieved! On the way were intriguing Shinto shrines. They had a fascinating primal feel, with spirit fox guardians, mythical beasts, large flat stones, feathers, a strange creature-like tree, fountains, bells, wind chimes, candles and incense. At the top was a fantastic colourful shrine, amidst trees touching the sky at the mountain summit. It was an extraordinary spiritual journey on foot...

Finally, we visited the Sanjusangen Temple which houses 1001 golden Buddhas. They were impressive and atmospheric, yet strange too, glowing in the low light with spooky dark stone statues guarding them. It felt as if they were all about to come to life...

Kyoto totally drew us in, and we feel we have to return to explore more of those incredible timeless mysteries...

From songs to shrines and from joyful crowds to breezes in the bamboo groves, this Japan visit was a totally magical adventure. An unforgettable experience. A very big thank you to Nobu, Miyuki and everyone at Club Citta, as well as Adrian, Brian, Wayne and the whole team for making it all possible!