The train has a nice cup holder. Optimized like most things here. 1996. ‘Catch that teardrop’ by the “5” Royales on the earphones. The Holy site of Ise. The home of Amaterasu, the Kami of the Sun. A divinely serene place. Located in a forest next to the clearest river. With many thousand year old trees. All the Tori and shrines are made of the best wood, but very sober. The buildings are broken down and rebuilt every 20 years. For renewal and to pass on the techniques. The last time was in 2013. Which was the 62^nd time.

A few days ago I found a special coin in the old palace of Iejasoe. Give it as an offering to the sun at the main shrine. Buy some omamori at the 1000 year old gift shop. Maybe one of the oldest gift shops still open in the world. Probably as old as mankind to take a souvenir from a place you liked. To take a stone or shell at a special place. The ancient romans made souvenirs. Like glass flasks with skylines of the city. What souvenirs do you own? And what do they remember you of?

A mirror was used to coax Amaterasu out from a cave where she had been hiding, restoring light to the world. Bring the sun back in the world. The older I get the more I become like the weather. When it rains I become rainy, when the sun shines I’m always good.

In the souvenir street next to the holy site I eat my first abalone. With butter and soya sauce. Freshly squeezed lemon drink. Then the best beef ramen with thick noodles.

Take my residence in an old style Japanese inn. An ocean dwelling directly at the seaside. Very tiny old lady hosts me. From the window you can see the sea. Put on kimono and go to the onsen. Take a stroll along the beach. A big rock and a small rock rise from the water and are connected with a Shinto ritual rope. Married Rock Kami. Water very clear. Frog sculptures and giant clam shells everywhere. Shinto is lived throughout life. Waved into the fabric of these lands.

Early next morning go to the place where the round cultivated pearl was invented. And the home of the Ama divers. Everything feels crisp in these sunny rays. As an oyster vendor this is sort of a place of pilgrimage to me. The pearl museum. Kokichi Michimoto found a technique to insert little grains of sand into the oyster so a pearl would grow.The Ama women dive without oxygen and collect fruits of the sea. They whistle to each other. To stay in contact. Diving with a basket as a buoy with a rope connected to it. Talk with the fishermen.

Haircut in the afternoon. The people here, a lot of them have crooked feet and they leave the car running in front of the shop. There’s something about soft pack cigarettes.

Dream about an island, filled with an immensity of stars. Sort of small shrines along the roads where I had to do little rituals.

To get to the sea you climb out the back window. Over the low wall via a wooden board. Perform misogi in the sea for the first time. Let life pass through you. Gazing at the rising sun. Amaterasu. Dragonflies hover above the surface and fish jumping out. Cultivating my own pearls.