MOUNTAINS

i'm high on a magic mountain, somewhere on the kii peninsula, having traversed a long, narrow winding road beside a wild, energetic stream, with waterfalls gushing from the mountain's heart at the top of the world.  steep green walls of forest & rock, perpendicular up and down on either side of us, with dark mountains in the distance and grey mists that melts into the sky.  logging & hydroelectric power; here & there exquisite wooden, pagoda-roofed mountain houses in tiny villages.  a tea house in the middle of nowhere, and nothing but tall misty mountains all around.  

we're staying this night in a ryokan with a healing hot spring they claim was hidden for a long time.  the dinner specialties are amago, a mountain stream fish sashimi style, and ayu, a river fish, grilled in salt, wild mountain boar & wild mountain vegetables served as tempura, sushi & in soup.  the meal is exquisite, with a dozen or more dishes & a small glass of the local alcohol, a mountain peach sake; the room overlooks a waterfall in the side of the mountain.  it's been raining all day.  everything is perfect.  i'm in a japanese landscape painting.   

masa is the best driver!  

so much more i don't even know how to tell it.  i'm in love with the country & the people.  in hiroshima i learned about article 9 in the japanese constitution, which declares the japanese renunciation of war & love of & desire for peace.  i'll copy out the article & write more about that another time.    

night has fallen.  right now i want to sit near the window & listen to the rain on the mountain.  it speaks a language i think i understand.