Light, Shadows and Sakushima Island

Greetings!

It's finally fall here in Nagoya.  This week, scarves alone are insubstantial and bare-handed bike riding causes the fingers to stiffen.  We shoved the neglected fan into the back of the closet only yesterday (traveling has replaced tidying these days) and the gas heater now sits on the tatami.  My favorite activity is nearly clinging to the heater, which is also bad for the hands, but we've resorted primarily to warm blankets and Japanese-style baths.  

Before I recount our trip to Taiwan I must write about our excursion to Sakushima Island last weekend.  Our student, Yoshiko, loves taking teachers on day trips.  This has been my favorite thus far with ideal light and autumn weather.  Thanks to local university students, the island is dappled with art and the population of three hundred finally has some visitors.  

Sakushima holds countless surprises. I loved the purple-sanded beach, dyed from the crushing of underfoot mussels, and the windy coastline paths. Depending on your route, you'll find sparkling quartz, white stone pebbles, or shrines with assorted offerings.

There's a flock of metal seagulls by the sea, squeaky on stilts, and numerous statues waiting to be climbed at the nose of peninsulas.  There's a creative spotting at every turn, like rainbow-tile benches, as well as features of local life, like decrepit watering cans and thriving gardens.  We saw numerous centenarians still pushing wheelbarrows full of carrots and daikon or stooping low to pick vegetables.  There are wooded areas vacant of sound and an ancient tomb, a thousand years old, shrouded by trees (said to be protected by the mountain god).  In total, eighty-eight small shrines are scattered across the island.  We learned that the town's characteristically black houses are meant to disguise the staining of saltwater.  They give the island its old nickname, "Black Pearl."




As we headed to the island's western side, we met a goat, a ridiculous ostrich, and plenty of Jizo (the protector of children) statues. Around noon we stopped at Yoshiko's favorite restaurant, which she's personally ridden with foreigners, for the local speciality: fried clams over rice with sides of miso soup, pickled daikon, and seaweed soaked in vinegar and lemon juice.  Eating local is always rewarding!

Light and shadows framed our day of exploration.  Everything looked crisper and almost theatric with the autumn rays at work.  Sakushima is an ideal place to appreciate the soul of the season, even with the deafening wind.  Just bring a coat!