Part III

Part III begins.  I've circled back.  Same country, same city.  But everything is somehow different.  I'm official now.  I have a proper visa.  I have a "resident card".  I have a bank account.  I even have health insurance.  The lease on my new apartment in Katsura as well as the utilities are all in my name.  I am in the Japanese system.  I exist here.  I'm no longer a tourist stretching the limits of my stay.  Strange.

I hesitated for some time to restart the blog (I've been back in Japan 3 weeks already).  I feared (and still do fear) it might be vapid and humdrum.  I have responsibilities now, like work.  With work comes fatigue, and diminished inspiration often follows that.  The days of la dérive and tyro zazen in temple gardens, the source for so many posts here, are over.  Or are they?

To be honest, I still don't quite believe this is happening.  Am I really back in Kyoto?  Despite the great effort I put into finding a way back and the tremendous luck (aka help) I've had, I don't trust that this won't evaporate like rain on the sidewalk after a storm.  It would follow then that blogging about something that is so illusory is pointless.

Still, all that aside, I feel there is something yet to be said, there are photos yet to be taken.  But I warn you, dear reader, the frequency and quality of the new posts cannot be guaranteed (Hmm, I think I've said this before).  When the lustre has completely disappeared and the mundane takes over I promise you I will bow gracefully out.  Until then...watch this space.