Konichi-wa SuperForest!
I’m in Kyoto, Japan with my lovely brother Will, his girlfriend Shannon (pictured above), and Shannon’s bro and sis, Sean and Michaela.
Today I took a walk alone, found a quiet spot, and wrote a journal entry in my moleskine, which I’d love to re-type here, warts and all.
“My first time alone in days. Walked w/ Will and Shannon to a large cemetary on a hill. Soon lost them, or they lost me more like it. Glad. Their intimacy and joy was irritating me as it made my own isolation more apparent. Hugged a tree in the cemetary. First hug I’d had in days. How many people go years without a hug? Too many. Now sitting on top of a three story observation platform. Incredible view of Kyoto and area.
I’ve been hesitant to journal. Not wanting to try to remove myself or be objective. Wanting to experience like a child. Eyes wide. But missing moments. My nature is a solitary one. Always longed to belong and be part. Instead, again and again find myself alone in high places, observing and detached. Always drawn to cold, quiet, cemetaries. I’ve often envied the ease and joy others seemed to find in belonging. Even with SuperForest I am apart.
I am wearing an incredible hat. Tall and majestic. a holy man’s hat. Saw it in a shop in Harajuku and it reminded me of “The Holy Mountain.” Had to have it. I would like to reproduce it in white. Sell it on SuperForest. Hats are objects worth selling. They are useful, durable, attractive, and make the head look great. Keep warm. Avoid colds. Drinking a Suntory C.C. Lemon which boasts of having “50 lemons worth of vitamin C in every can!” 50 lemons. Zoiks!
The Japanese are as beautiful and civilized a people as one could ever hope to meet, yet every bit as savage and contradictory as we Yanks. It’s the contradictions you fall in love with.
(Now the observation deck begins to sway.) Have felt two tremors since arriving. the first at the hotel in Tokyo, which shook the lamp in our room on the 25th floor of Tokyu Stay. The second was just now.
To get to where I am now, I walked to the highest part of the cemetary, found a delightful trail through enchanted woods. Surrounded by spirits I walked and the trees shook off last night’s snow fall as the birds rejoiced. Higher and higher, until trail became road. Past dams and streams. A rock shaped like a heart caught my eye and I packed it in snow to clean it. It rests in my pocket now. I came upon a tall carved stone monolith, which when rapped resounded like a bell. Good stone, that. No veins or cracks.
Higher still brought me to a helipad, car park, picnic area, filled with wild cats sunning themselves. Most with nicked and notched ears, eye boogers, and a stand-offish temperment. No tickles for these catros. Perhaps I didn’t say the magic word? At the summit found an old man simultaneously in bed and manning a ticket window, where 500 yen (five dollars approx.) bought me access to a stunning garden, filled with pathways and blooming cherry trees, and the steel and concrete observation deck upon which I write this journal entry.
Even though the sun is shining brightly I am bundled tightly against the chill air. I am wearing: Black Vasque hiking boots. Black jeans. a Jon Marro shirt. A pink button down. A black v-neck sweater. A grey cashmere zip up sweater. Black Carhart Winter Jacket. The green scarf Carla made me. Black leather gloves. Red sunglasses, and my wizard hat.
I woke on my tatami mat to find I had a head cold, my kimono damp with sweat. Awoke, headed to bath, showered, scrubbed, soaked, showered, soaked, showered, then shampooed and conditioned. When I entered the bath an older Japanese man was soaking in the tub. He beat a hasty retreat as I showered and scrubbed. Maybe it was my tattoos, my ethnicity, my long hair and beard, or maybe he was just done bathing and ready for breakfast.
After my bath, over a traditional Japanese breakfast of rice, fish, miso, seaweed, tofu, and assorted delicacies, Sean told me that last night in my sleep I had spoken at length and in full sentences about the need to protect the future. Sounds like me alright. Now to finish these thoughts, find a toilet, make my way back down the mountain, through the cemetary to the ryokan. Maybe another shower/scrub/soak? Maybe rent a bike and explore? Maybe something unexpected?
I am having an excellent time.”
I return to the US next week, to begin preparations for the move to Kauai and the establishment of Zero One.
Love to All,
-Jackson
image courtesy of 
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