Today I pressed forward to the northern coastal town of Hirado. Last year, I did go to Hirado, but did not spend much time in Hirado as the main purpose of my trip was a giant Buddha in Ikitsuki. This year, I decided to stay on Hirado Island. In addition, I was joined with company on this trip and found myself having a delightful time sharing familiar sights and discovering new ones with a friend. I did go back to the temple with the Pagoda I visited before, and this time decided to also wander around the grounds of the Hirado Castle. The Pagoda was just as impressive as before. Nestled up a long flight of mossy steps in bamboo forest, today’s weather was moist and wet giving the forest a sweet, earthy, wooded smell. I am enamored with wood and the smell of a fresh forest. I had to stop for a moment and wished there was a way to capture that smell and keep it with me at all times. There is nothing sweeter than the smell of a forest on a wet day and I would travel into the depths of any moist forest to sit present in that sweetness for as long as time allows. After spending a few moments wandering around the temple grounds, we began to make our way toward Hirado Castle. This was a new experience for me as I did not go there last time. To get up to the castle required another climb up several flights of old mossy rock steps that passed under a Tori Gate. After meandering through stone walkways between stone walls under barren winter trees with crooked and jagged designs marking shapes against the grey sky, we approached a temple where there were afternoon prayers taking place. After a short discussion that led to the decision to avoid going through the temple space out of respect for the prayer session, we circled around the outer edge to find an amphitheatre and the back side of the castle. There was not a way to access the castle from the back, even after trying to walk carefully along a vine wrapped dense forest cliff at the base of the castle, the decision was to then go around the other side. This was a fortunate decision as the cliff was abrupt and steep and I was not in the mood to fall down the side of a cliff today. We successfully found the front entrance and proceeded to go up to the main lookout point which provided a nice view of all of Hirado Bay. In addition, there was a museum and an abundance of Ravens. The Ravens were vocal and perhaps stalking us as we walked around the castle grounds. I’m always fond of meeting Raven, especially when Raven gets playful. Today, Raven was not only playful, but vocal. With a song of Raven calls bouncing through the canopy of trees surrounding the castle, I realized I love how deeply rooted Raven’s voice is. As we proceeded to leave the castle grounds, the song of Raven drifted into the distance and I remembered that last year, I had been followed through town by the sound of a flute echoing through the city. I remembered noticing that regardless of where I went the sound seemed to follow. I had not tuned into it this time, however as soon as the Raven’s voice disappeared, there it was. It was not the same flute song from before, but perhaps a revised and shortened two note version that was being repeated, one low note followed by one higher note. The progression continued over and over again for the duration of time in the city. I will add here, that Hirado is an old Dutch trading town. At the temple we visited the grave of the 26th feudal lord, Shigenobu, from the Mastura clan whom valued international trade as a way to support his territory. This is noted in Hirado’s history and around town by emblems and plaques in city streets, lining bridges, of the union of a Dutch trader and a flute playing man. I wondered if the two note flute song played on loop through the city was a way to mark the history of the city, or a way to drive locals batty. After a short bus ride from Hirado City over the bridge back to the main part of the Island, we enjoyed a nice traditional sit down meal at a local restaurant in our own private room complete with Ureshino green tea. It was a delicious conclusion to a delightful day.
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