Last November I took a trip that was off the beaten path. I went to one of my favorite places, Arashiyama. As always, there were crowds everywhere trying to get to the popular and famous sites. Instead of following as usual, I fought my way through them and found Seiryoji, a nice, quiet temple at the end of the main street.
When I left there, I continue away from the regular flow and ended up in a place called Sagano. It was amazing. There were a lot of beautiful houses, cafes and restaurants. I didn’t stop at any of them because I had already eaten close to the temple, but next time I definitely will.
The entire time I was in Sagano, I passed very few people. I remember stopping at a really interesting shop that sold just about everything from tea to knick knacks, to souvenirs. It had beautiful a garden at the back where you could sit for a while. Talk about relaxing, I didn’t want to leave.
This trip made me think about life. We’re given so much information daily, what to buy, where to go, and what to think. It’s no wonder that there’s so much stress and confusion. I stepped off the beaten path nearly seven years ago, leaving a career in IT and the financial industry to teach English in Japan. It’s been an amazing journey and I know that it will only get better.
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