It was time for another visit to the Japanese gardens. I stopped by the Saki store on the way, just in case I ran into my gentleman friend again. I picked up a bottle of Yoshino Taru. This super smooth lychee and cedar is a dry sake meant for room temperature, so I knew it would work well at the gardens.
The fresh breeze in the garden was a balm on my senses. I always felt relieved of burdens when I took the time to walk through meditation paths. This garden designer had employed a traditional technique known asmiegakure, or “hide-and-reveal,” in which fences, bamboo, and buildings are carefully positioned to conceal the full view until visitors arrive at the best viewpoint. By only experiencing a single idea at a time, visitors cannot help but slow their pace and savor each moment of their journey through the garden—another exercise in mindfulness.
Today I found a turn I had never noticed before. It was partially obscured by bamboo and a more enormous plant wall on the other side, but between them were stone steps. These steps curved ever so slowly around a hill, descending into a valley, and the temperature grew colder in the shade. I continued with curiosity, and there was a wisteria pergola at the base. The wafting fragrance of the wisteria was both musky and sweet and heavier than I had ever smelled. As I walked peacefully under the arbor and into a sprawling grassy area, my head filled with it. The sun was hot after the shade of the path, and I had exerted myself with the stairs, but I’m not sure that accounts for what happened next.
I turned to the left, and a golden-robed Frogmi was holding a yellow umbrella to the side, blocking the direct sun. He croaked out something about “keeping halo for now.” I was covered in a Purple Koi fabric, which seemed to be cooling my body as if dipped in water.
From this perspective, I could see that the area all around me was filled with Japanese buildings and grassy areas, statues, and many robed frogs of various looks. A Nagahami masked creature was playing a Sanshin, and another in a Kitsune mask was wearing a green dragon robe fishing from the pond.
“We have summoned Tanooki, soon, soon, he will come.” I closed my eyes to return to the dream, but there were no images. I opened one eye carefully.
One of the robed frogs licked my face, and his French mustache tickled my nose. “Tastes like not enough saki,” he surmised.
I opened my other eye and saw a third Frog pouring tea from a clear glass kettle with a tadpole swimming inside it. I scooched up on my arms to a more seated position, my back up against a cool stone.
“Where am I, exactly?” I inquired pensively.
“Kaeru Kingdom, Warrior Province. Frogmi!” croaked the blue-robed Frog that initially greeted me. I decided that the best way to cope with the unique environment was to accept that talking frogs provided me first aid and that Tanooki would be here soon. There was no point in trying to deny what my senses were sharing, and if this was a lucid dream, it wasn’t scary.
“Cool, cool," I said calmly. “Cool.”
“Yes, we are. We keep you strange one cool. You not built like other froggies, poor you.”
He produced my sake and cup and poured out a drink. I reached weakly towards it, but he was already raising it to his mouth. Sipping simply, he smacked his frog lips. “Oh, the exhale is cedar taste, must be cedar. So good!”
“I…um.” I decided not to mention that it was MY sake, and that was the cup for Tanooki, as the frog was clearly enjoying itself.
“You should try sake!” The frog nodded emphatically. “Light and Sweet yet dry at the same time.” He looked around for another cup, but I had only brought one. “Here, you share from me,” he generously offered a full sake to me. “Drink; drink it will elevate your spirit.”
I drank because what else was I to do in this extraordinary moment?
Suddenly at my elbow transpired a very concerned Tanooki. He was carrying a plate of Hamachi Nigiri. “Sorry, I was at lunch. What has happened here?”
A chorus of croaking broke out, and nothing made sense to me. Tanooki seemed to have no issue at all comprehending the babbling. He nodded sagely. “Ah, of course, thank you, Warriors, thank you kindly, I will tell the Imperial Minister Gong myself, do not worry, Shogun not execute warriors, maybe execute Tanooki, but not warriors, at least I think, maybe not both.” He turned to me, “Let us get you to chashitsu. You walk, Frogmi?”
I stood and walked with Tanooki.
The Tea House was a small wooden shelter about 4 and a half tatamis. There was a stone water basin near the tea house, and Tanooki stopped to make sure we rinsed our hands and mouths before entering through a low, square door. “Duck, friend," he said as he pushed my head down to make it through the small entrance. The room had a very low ceiling and no furniture. There was one window, but it was covered with a shoji screen. There was a scroll on the wall in a small alcove, but that was the only decoration. There was an attached preparation area known as a mizuya.
“Good spot. What brings you to Kaeru today, Atok-san?”
I began to share my journey without acknowledging the pixelated villagers in the mayuza, preparing the tea ceremony. I was unsure if Tanooki could see them. He didn’t mention them. I explained what I could remember of my walk as these pixelated frogs brought a meal in several courses accompanied by my own sake. As Tanooki ate, I was sure now he saw these frogs too.
Tanooki smiled and said to reach for my wallet.
I tried to reach for my phone, thinking he must mean the Nami, but I looked down, and I had no pockets, just a decorative purse tucked in the breast of my Kimono. He showed me how to take out the special paper and enjoy the slight sweetness that came at this stage.
I had stopped asking, “where did this come from?” at this point.
As the ceremony ended and we left the tea house, Tanooki introduced me to the villagers. He assured the Warriors that I was well, and he slipped me a piece of paper.
His words echoed.
Atoka-san
Atoka -san…
Atoka -san…as my vision blurred again.
“Hey, Atok!” My daughter was asking me if I wanted to make tea. I said, no, thank you, honey, I’m good.
I logged into discord to learn more about these Pixel Villagers and the Warriors of the Kaeru Kingdom on the Cardano marketplace.
Outstanding story telling ser
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly. I hope you enjoy them as I continue.
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