Dear All,
I am so pleased that, this Friday morning, I will be welcoming our priest Kyonin Barros, who is travelling to Japan from Guadalajara via Mexico City. It is Kyonin's first time in Japan, he considers it primarily a pilgrimage to visit and honor some of the places cherished in our Zen Tradition, and he owes it all to the many donors who sent funds to him to make it possible. (I thank you all too, and there is more than enough now for his expenses, and no more is needed. He and I are trying to keep the costs of his visit low, and the balance will be donated to a public charity to help those in need.)
Kyonin will be here for about 2 and 1/2 weeks (I wish it was longer), and he will begin his visit in Tsukuba, at our house and Treeleaf Zendo, sitting Zazen and hanging with my family a bit. On this trip, Kyonin will be able to stay for the night at Eiheiji, the monastery of our founder Dogen Zenji, and where Kyonin's Dharma Great-Grandfather (Nishijima Roshi's Teacher), Rempo Niwa Zenji, was Abbot. Other stops will include a week of hard Sesshin at Antaiji, the temple of Homeless Kodo Sawaki Roshi and Uchiyama Roshi, who inspire us (thank you to Abbot Muho Noelke for being so welcoming, as he usually refuses most visitors).
As well, I (Jundo) will join Kyonin for much of the rest of the trip, and we have planned activities including a visit to pay respects to what are said to be ashes and a tooth of the Buddha in our neighboring towns, visits to the Great Buddhas of Nara and Kamakura, not to forget the Really Giant Buddha of Ushiku next to Tsukuba (as well as one more Very Big Buddha at the Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihara temple located a few minutes from Treeleaf in Tsukuba too), a barefoot fire walking ceremony conducted by Buddhist mountain monks, Buddhist hermit caves dug centuries ago deep under the earth, visits to several of the famous Rinzai Zen temples and gardens in Kyoto and Kamakura and more. We may even visit the android Kannon at a Zen temple in Kyoto. My mission is to expose Kyonin to as much of the power and wonder of Japanese Buddhism, and Japanese culture, as I can during his short stay!
There will be other activities and adventures along the way too ... a bit of getting naked in a hot spring, overnight buses, youth hostels (we still count as "youth"), lots of walking, mountains to hike, Taiko drumming, tea drinking, and eating some weird stuff to challenge his gut. I don't go easy on guests to our house.Not to mention that he has to share some tiny rooms with snoring me, and listen to my prattle for days!
And we want to take you all along! (Or as much as possible). The days of Sesshin and retreat will be silent, but for other times, Kyonin (supplemented by me) will post here with stories and photos about the daily goings on!
It all begins with our MONTHLY 4-HOUR ZAZENKAI (this Friday Night in America, Saturday morning other places) led by Kyonin, and featuring a Dharma Talk by him too (I am told that we will be bilingual English-Spanish this time). Please join us for that:
LINK TO OUR MONTHLY (Oct.?) 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI with Rev. KYONIN!
Vaya con Buddha, Kyonin!
Gassho, Jundo
SatTodayLAH
PS - I would also like to make a special mention, and express our thanks, to our friend at Treeleaf, Rev. Kakunen, who has really gone to much trouble these past weeks to arrange some sittings for Kyonin (not always successfully because some doors are hard to open, but he tried so hard, and all worked out in the end!)
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This is so exciting, and so happy to be a part of your journey! 
Originally Posted by Jundo
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And the non-adventure begins! 
