A Dancing Lesson From God

I believe it was Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. who said, “Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” I have always considered this useful if not exactly advice at least a proper attitude with which to approach unusual travel suggestions. I am not implying that going to Japan constitutes an unusual travel suggestion; many people travel to Japan. It is a common destination. Goto Island is another story.

Prior to leaving the United States everyone I spoke with regarding this trip, even those who had lived and worked in Japan, would always say, “Where?” when I told them we were going to Goto. Even more startling was when we arrived in Japan the folk we spoke with who were Japanese, born and raised here, would have the same response. No one seemed to know anything about Goto. That being the case the suggestion that we go to Goto definitely seemed to fit the definition of an unusual travel suggestion.

Having been there I can now say that I think Kurt was correct. Going to Goto was a delightful dancing lesson from God. I can honestly say that I have never experienced a more enthusiastic and exuberant welcome any where I have ever been. I have never been as impressed or as charmed by any group of people as I was by the residents of Goto. Neither words nor pictures can convey how amazing this experience was. The only downside is I fear the rest of our Japan trip may suffer by comparison. The bar has been set impossibly high.

I have already mentioned the welcoming dinner but only in passing. I will not cover that ground again as inadequate as the previous description was. Day two started with a short bus ride to a lookout high up on a mountain. Check the photos as they, although inadequate as photos of stunning places always are, are better than any words I could conjure. Once again our guide was the irrepressible Dr. Hiruki ably assisted by a group of animated and enthusiastic young women. (Who, by the way, completely shattered the stereotype of demure, shy Japanese women. Some were quiet but others were raucous and wickedly funny.) From the lookout we went to the botanical garden where there are over 250 camellia cultivars, most in bloom. The botanical garden is also located high in the mountains with stunning views. After a stroll through the garden we were treated to a concert where four older women played traditional Japanese instruments while other traditionally attired women served us tea in a tea ceremony. Following this we had a bento boxed lunch at the local country club.

After lunch we went to the Abunze Visitors Center. It resembled visitors’ centers at national or state parks that you would find here in the US with maps and models, pictures and information about geography, geology, flora and fauna. It was also located right near a rocky shoreline which allowed us to get down to the ocean. From there we went to a house that had been the home of a samurai in early times. There was a display of bonsai camellia plants at the samurai house as an extra bonus.

Following the samurai house we were taken to the jetfoil terminal for the ride back to Nagasaki. As we boarded the boat we were sent off with a concert by the local high school band. On a personal note one of the young ladies who had been a translator/speaker/mistress of ceremonies at the welcoming dinner the previous evening stopped us at the terminal and presented Nancy with a camellia scarf and a camellia charm (the Japanese hang them on their cell phones) as a personal gift. At the dinner Nancy and I were seated at the front on the extreme left (facing the stage). A small podium had been set up there for this young woman to translate and introduce the speakers without actually being on the main stage. When she first came in to take her place at the podium she passed very close to us. Nancy smiled at her as she passed and said, “Koni-chi-wa (Hello).” I followed suit. At the terminal the young woman explained to Nancy that she had been very nervous as she approached the podium as she had never addressed this many people before (there are 85 people on the tour and there were at least a dozen more from Goto present). She said Nancy’s friendly smile and greeting helped put her at ease and she wanted to show her gratitude. There is a photo of Nancy and this young woman taken at the terminal in the matching album.

I may still have two left feet but I have had my dancing lesson from God.

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