In the heart of Tokyo lies a forest of palpable mystery, one of those landscapes that seeps into you unannounced. Deities of the cult Shinto people have made their home here and have made this place a site of veneration, where a shrine has been erected in their honor. A presence grips you as you pass by the great torii *, a symbolic gateway to that which transcends us, a sacred space where the noise of time fades away.
The first encounter: the majestic trees that line the gentle monotony of the wide, powerful avenue. An invitation to dream of surrendering to destiny, of holding onto no hope and feeling no regrets. A lifetime's ambition suddenly reduced to entering a beautiful landscape. "Beautiful landscapes have no owners," says the poet*, "so everyone can find solace in contemplating them without constraint." Then the sanctuary, the The jinja , a simple wooden structure, emerges discreetly. It seeks to blend into nature, reminding us of the myth of origins, according to which, in the beginning, humankind was one with the universe. At the entrance, a basin from which a trickle of water flows, poured over one's hands with a long bamboo ladle for a brief ablution. Before approaching the divine, one washes away the impurities of daily life, past sins, and those yet to come… In the main square, a traditional wedding procession moves solemnly, the bride powdered white, adorned with her magnificent headdress, the family dressed in dark costumes for the occasion. Freeze frame, we watch the procession pass, an almost surreal vision, a parallel tracking shot of our lives. I have arrived at the altar door; it is my turn. I shake the heavy pendant adorned with small bells. This ritual is meant to awaken the attention of the gods. After tossing a few coins into the alms bowl, I clap my hands twice and join them in prayer. I close my eyes and turn inward. I give myself entirely to this moment, without fear of being disturbed. My spirit soars, a surge of energy flows through me, awakening me to the boundless potential of life, where everything is possible. I draw those who matter to me into my being, protect them, nurture them. I bring to fruition the projects that inspire me. The intensity of this moment possesses the charm of both the eternal and the ephemeral. It will continue to dwell within me long after I have to resume my journey.
* Shinto The primary religion of Japan, animistic polytheism, a set of agrarian, agricultural, nature, and fertility cults, intended to bring man into harmony with the world in which he finds himself.
* torii A gate installed at the entrance of Shinto shrines marks the boundary between the profane world and the sacred space.
*The poet. This is Kamo no Chōmei, a quote taken from his story: Notes from my monk's hut (1204)