Cloudbursts and The Art of Japanese Flower Arranging...

Japan has a rainy season. For those of you who have never been in a country with a rainy season, it’s unlike anything you have ever experienced before. One minute it will be sunny and sweltering, the next the sky will turn upside down and empty a torrent of water down upon you so strong that at times water is literally coming at you in every direction. In order to deal with this kind of water, Tokyo has constructed an elaborate canal system that safely channels the water out of streets and into reservoirs. It’s pretty amazing how fast these things fill-up and how violently they flow through the city when it rains.

Every one in Japan owns several umbrellas and every home and business establishment makes accommodations for these umbrellas, wet or dry. Some businesses have umbrella holders where you can lock up your umbrella and come fetch it with your key later. There are also plastic sleeves that you can slide your wet umbrella in and carry it a long with you. Because everyone has an umbrella, they have become somewhat of a fashion accessory. In high end department stores you can buy beautiful, gold-plated umbrellas with ruffles and whatever other little detail you can imagine. You can also buy umbrellas at any little corner market for a measly couple of bucks. Umbrellas are the only thing you can buy cheaper in Japan than in America.

This year has been a mild rainy season in Japan so far. There have been very few of these downpours. In fact, from what I can remember there has only been one of these ultra-violent cloud bursts since we’ve arrived in Japan, and we were caught in the middle of it...

Because the ambassador gets invited to everything that takes place in Japan, his office is constantly giving away tickets to some interesting event that he can’t attend. It usually happens like this: An email will be sent out to everyone in the embassy detailing the tickets that are up for grabs. Who ever can make it up to the ambassador’s office first will get the tickets. Calls and emails can’t reserve the tickets. It’s simply a mad dash effort. Jonathan, being the capable and quick man that he is, was able to secure us tickets to an Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) exhibit. Japanese flower arranging is almost a religion here in Japan. Again, it’s all about open space and weird angles. There’s none of this big, thick, and busy bouquet business that we love in America. It’s very simple, and yet, complex all at once. You’ll see what I mean in the pictures.
We decided to check out the exhibit on Sunday before church. We woke up early, threw on our church clothes and walked out the door to find pouring rain. We weren’t worried. The subway is only a block from our house and according to our directions the exhibit was only a ten minute walk from the station we would be getting off of, and by then the rain would surely let up. Jonathan and I squeezed under a small umbrella and began our journey.

When we exited the subway to begin our short ten minute walk, we were concerned to find that the rain had not relented; in fact, it had graduated from a rain to a flash flood. We were determined, though, to use our free tickets and so we continued our walk. Although we attempted to squeeze underneath one umbrella, we quickly realized that the outside part of our bodies were soaked, so we stopped by a little convenience store and bought another umbrella for me to use. Shielded by two umbrellas now, we were certain that we would quickly dry out. That’s when it really started raining. The rain was so strong that it would bounce of the ground and back on to us, sometimes waist high. Lakes would form in the middle of the side walk, and we had no way around, but just had to walk through them.

First, I suggested that we get a taxi. Jonathan assured me that it was only a short walk and that we would be fine. Ten minutes later, with my eyebrows slightly raised, I stressed (nagged) the fact that getting a Taxi might be a good idea. Twenty minutes later, completely soaked, even my hair now, I demanded that Jonathan ask for directions. When we finally arrived a half hour later, Jonathan promised me that we would take a taxi back to the station when we were done looking at the exhibit.

As we approached the building, we noticed that it wasn’t so much a museum, but an ancient Japanese home. The people moving throughout the building were in Kimonos and nice black suits. Even though we were in Church clothes we were obviously under-dressed. We were asked to take off our shoes and leave them at the door. Imagine our horror as we not only took off our shoes but poured what seemed like a bucket of water out of them. My feet were filthy, so one of the hostesses brought a towel and watched to make sure my feet were clean before I could walk inside.

After I got over the fact that Jonathan (in a wool suit) and I looked like we just crawled out of a swamp, I realized that the rain really added something very special and very Japanese to the ambiance of the house and the flowers inside. We found out that the house belonged to the royal family, and that most of the time someone does in fact live there. It was beautiful. I think Jonathan almost cried as he imagined living in a place so unique and elegant, yet simple and rustic. One of his favorite Japanese poets, Matsuo Basho, spent time at this house and in the gardens to receive inspiration for his poems, haikus of course.

The arrangements were so exotic and beautiful. Sometimes, the artists would choose flowers with obvious flaws to communicate a feeling or a story. Those who are Ikebana aficionados can read these arrangements like books and connect with the artist in a very real way. Jonathan and I tried our hand at it, but the truth is we just thought they were all really beautiful. We even met one of the artists who was our age or a little older. She invited us to an Ikebana class that we will be attending in July.

On our way out, we cringed as we put our wet shoes back on. Jonathan’s shoes made a squishy noise every time he took a step and began to spit out foam like some kind of rabid animal. It was strange and a little embarrassing to watch his shoes suds-up more and more with each step. I guess shoes have a residue of saddle soap still in the leather that causes them to do that when they get really wet. Because the rain had calmed to a sprinkle, Jonathan decided that we didn’t need a taxi, but at least the walk would be shorter, now that we knew where we were going. And… I did have a pretty new umbrella.

We arrived at church late and wet, but happy. Jonathan kept asking me if I thought he was a stud for being a missionary in Japan when it can reain all day like that. I told him, "Of course."

I hope those of you who love flowers (Gwyn, Rebecca (Mom Stralding), and Grandma Post) enjoy these pictures.

These are some of the gardens surrounding the house. See what I mean about the rain really adding something here.

This is a little garden area that the house is built around. The think they might have bathed here once upon a time.
We are just starting to dry off. For those of you who may be interested, I know it's not a great shot, but I made the skirt I'm wearing.