I was born in 1950s America, grew up in 1970s Australia, and came of age in 1980s Japan. My Kyoto years (when I lived there as a student and then as a young wife and mother) are 1978-1984. I now live in Shiga, the next-door prefecture, so I can make regular trips to my favorite city.
I came to Japan on a Monbusho scholarship. I had been studying Japanese in high school and university in Australia, and came here to further my study of Buddhism. It was only as I approached my MA graduation at Otani University that I realized Buddhism can’t be learned from books, no matter how dusty and august they may be. My MA, however, has proved invaluable in obtaining work. I also studied tea in the foreigners’ class at Urasenke. Those were busy years. Read more