Recollecting Japan: the Autumn Ohara Story

Kyoto is such a beauty when it comes to Autumn season. Make sure to be there around November and you can see the bright yellow, orange and red maple leaves glancing in front of your face. There are many places to visit but my recommendation fall to several places, including Ohara, Shugakuin Imperial Village, Nijo Street (its just beautiful in autumn), and Arashiyama - Kameoka route on train. Today, though, I am sharing you my Ohara story.

Ohara is on rural town located in the mountains of northern Kyoto. It took an hour or so from Kyoto. The easiest way to get there is by catching a bus from Denmachiyanagi station, in front of its Eizan line sta. Traveling by bus up to the mountain brings pleasure as well, with the red scenery all through the mountain.

It was two years ago the first time I visit. I was there with Nancy and Gilly, only to catch up with Hisashi and the rest of IR friends later the day. We headed to Sanzenin, a temple beautiful for its autumn garden. Like a kid having a new toy, I was strolling the small alley up to Sanzenin with my mouth open. Taking pictures after pictures. Played with dried maple leaves, making a scene as if I was in the some romantic H(B)ollywood movie. LOL. Just asked Nancy how creepy I was that day, bothering her for picture request only because she had a professional camera. hehehehe...

We headed to Sanzenin and later to Nanzenin temple, two main attractions of Ohara. Sanzenin's garden view in Autum in splendid! You just want to sit down and not wanting to leave. But trust me, the interesting story lies just beside Nanzenin. There is a small tea house, just small and modest enough for you to skip it. But at that time, Hisashi told us that he was there and we can meet him there. So we decided to come in and found that he could not be found anywhere! But the blessing is just around the corner. There, we heard of a story of the lost samurai from the caretaker of the house, right after we finished our tea drinking.

During the chaotic time leading to Meiji Restoration, Kyoto was the center of revolt and change. Samurai clans from Chosu, Satsuma and Tosa lead the revolution to re-enact the Emperor as the supreme leader of Japan and thus replacing the already-weak shogunate. The clash between pro-Shogunate and pro-Imperial forces is generally called the Boshin War and the battle occured in Kyoto is best known as Fushimi Battle (鳥羽・伏見の戦い).The battle itself started on 27 January 1868. It occured all over Kyoto, but for me to learn it later, the tragic story also happened in Ohara.

During the series of battle in downtown Kyoto, pro-Tokugawa forces experienced many defeat. Many of the samurais were forced to flee Kyoto and some of them headed to Ohara. There, they again cornered by the pro-imperial forces that later resulted in many of them committed suicide, locally known as Seppuku or internationally known as hara-kiri. In this small compound in wide Sanzein temple, 370 people committed seppuku. According to the caretaker, the battle was so fierce and large in scale that it made the corpses in Ohara left unburied properly for many days after the mass seppuku. As the result, it left the mark of human body in the floor of the house after a series of cleaning. We can still see the trace of eyes and nose mark in the floor. To pay the respect to the descend, it was decided to pull the floor for the roof instead. So, if you point your eyes to the roof along the hallway, you can still see the trace even its quite difficult for untrained eyes (and a bit of scared soul) like myself.

So, if you ever had a chance to visit Kyoto in Autumn, have some spare time to visit Ohara and witness yourself the beauty of this mountain side and the telling story of Fushimi battle.

Why Ritsumeikan?

Throughout the year, many asked me why I decided to study in Ritsumeikan University at the first place. And each time, I gave the same answer. I choose Ritsumeikan because of its name.




In Japanese, Ritsumeikan University is written as follows: 立命館大学. Take the word "Ritsumeikan" only and you will have 3 characters:
1. 立 from the word 立てる (tateru) which means to achieve, to establish.
2. 命 (inochi, いのち) means 'life'
3. 館 (kan) means 'place'
In combination, it literally means "a place to establish one's destiny."

So what it has to do with my decision? There are many other schools which bear meaningful names and big reputation. Why should I finally choose to enter Ritsumeikan? It started from a simple conversation with Ayu when we both in deep confusion of what to do in our life. We both had graduated and worked for some time. But deep inside, we both want to continue our study. We tried to apply for some scholarships but all failed in vain. We both almost gave up and asked to each other, "what will be our future destiny actually?".

In the midst of that confusion, I stumbled upon an announcement of Priority Graduate Program launched by Ritsumeikan University. The university offered a special program for foreign student to study at Ritsumeikan University under Monbukagakusho scholarship. The successful candidate will get a chance to earn master degree through Global Cooperate Program at Department of International Relations. I was scheming the page and decided to read the history of the university. Then, at the end of the page, it says "Ritsumeikan thus means the 'place to establish one's destiny'."

I was startled for a while and soon remembered the conversation I had earlier with Ayu. A place to establish one's destiny. Can I establish my destiny there? As soon as I grasped the meaning, I decided to apply for the program. I tried my best to complete all the requirements and send it in time. Deep down inside, I was hoping I made the right decision and got accepted. The answer came few months later, I was accepted in the university. A university that called it self as a place for its students to established their destiny.

Here I am, two years later, finally at the brink of completing two years master program at Ritsumei. So much had been going in two years. So much I bet I will never able to put every single thing in word. Ritsumei gave me a chance to spread my wings wider, to establish my foundation deeper, and to build my house more beautiful. I had many chance to learn new things, learn new culture. To have a teacher and fellow die hard-er that gave me a sense of family. To have part time job that enables me to see the beauty of teaching. To have an internship that might help me to build my future dream career. To live in Kyoto, one of the most beautiful city in universe, a place now I can call home. But most importantly, to have fellow kenkyushitsu-ers and lounge buddy with whom I share joyful, crazy and wonderful moments together.

Here in Ritsumei, I am living life and creating destiny. And so can you..


Kyoto, 6 September 2010

Bintang Kecil di Langit Gelap

Hari ini hujan
Hujan lebat sekali sedari pagi
Kuberlari menembus badai
Tanpa menengok kanan dan kiri

Ketika kaki mulai lunglai berjalan pulang
Kumenengadah ke kegelapan malam
Angin masih dingin mendera
Dan langit memang gelap gulita

Tapi lihat!
Sebuah bintang kecil berpendar disana
Di langit gelap
Sayang ia sendirian

Berpendar ia sendirian
Bahkan ketika sang rembulan enggan menyapa
Ia tetap bersinar disana
Namun sungguh, ia nampak kesepian

Wahai bintang kecil di gelap malam
Maafkan aku..
Aku tak punya sayap untuk terbang padamu
Memelukmu

Ada seorang bijak berkata padaku tadi
Pasangan kita adalah sayap kita yang sejati
Sayap yang memberi kita kekuatan
Untuk terbang ke angkasa

Tunggu aku bintang kecil
Sampai kutemukan ia si belahan hati
Kan kujemput engkau di langit malam
Kupeluk engkau dan kubawa pulang

Kyoto, 8 September 2010

Dia

Kutinggalkan ia separuh jiwaku
yang lama melengkapi cintaku
memeluk segala asaku

Aku tidak pernah ingin meninggalkan ia
tidak pula ingin menjauh dari ia
inginku selalu bersama ia

Ia sang penunjuk arahku
utara, selatan, barat dan timurku
Ia sang peniti waktuku
kala pagi, siang, sore dan malamku

Tapi aku harus berpihak pada waktu
berpihak pula pada hatiku
saat keduanya bertitah padaku
aku harus melepaskan sayap patahku

Aku pergi, wahai matahari
menjauh darimu, wahai bulan
meniti jalan lain, wahai bintang
merajut asa kedepan, wahai kejora

Sampai kita bertemu lagi
di kehidupan ini
atau mendatang
wahai, cinta

Demi sebuah musim yang bersemu merah

Catatan akhir di Kyoto,

seindah sinar rembulan di musim gugur,
secantik semburat lembayung di musim semi,
seelok warna senja di musim panas,
seputih hamparan salju di musim dingin,

Dan catatan awal di Solo,

seenak makan selat solo sambil becanda
selezat makan tengkleng kambing di bawah gapura
senikmat minum es buah di tengah terik mentari
semantap makan sate sambil mengobrol diatas tikar lusuh


Bedanya?
Disana aku menikmati musim yang indah dan cinta yang mekar
Disini aku menikmati makanan yang lezat dan hidup yang menantang
Viva HIDUP

Setitik Hikmah dari "Sang Pencerah", Agama itu Hati dan Akal

Semenjak pulang ke Indonesia, aku memilih untuk menonton serangkaian film karya anak negeri sendiri. Disamping promosi teman-teman sedari aku di Jepang, serangkaian review yang kubaca di internet menarik minatku. Maraton itu diawali dengan film "emak ingin naik haji", dilanjut dengan "garuda di dadaku", "merah putih", dan terakhir "sang pencerah". Dan ada sesuatu yang terasa spesial dengan film "Sang Pencerah" yang baru saja kutonton malam ini.

Sang Pencerah bertutur mengenai perjalanan KH Ahmad Dahlan dalam meluruskan praktik agama Islam di Indonesia pada awal abad 20. Terlahir dengan nama Muhammad Darwisy, KH Ahmad Dahlan memulai perjalanannya dengan melakukan haji di kala usianya baru 15 tahun. Haji itu dilanjutkan dengan belajar agama Islam selama 5 tahun. Sepulangnya ia ke Indonesia, ia melanjutkan dakwahnya dengan menjadi khatib Masjid Besar Yogyakarta. Namun, ketidaksepakatan atas arah kiblat dimana KH Ahmad Dahlan memberikan arah yang baru mengakhiri karirnya sebagai khatib. Hampir saja ia berputus asa ketika langgarnya di rusak setelah perseteruan itu. Namun, dorongan kakak perempuannya membuatnya tetap tinggal di Yogyakarta untuk melanjutkan dakwah. Setelah itu, berbagai upaya ia lakukan dalam meluruskan praktek Islam yang kala itu masih kental dengan nilai-nilai mistik atau budaya kejawen. Upaya-upaya itu akhirnya bermuara pada pembentukan Muhammadiyah sebagai organisasi sosial yang bergerak di bidang pendidikan. Pendidikan adalah kunci dari upayanya mencapai apa yang temaktub dalam Surah Ali Imran 4, melalakukan amar ma'ruf nahi munkar.

Dibesarkan dalam lingkungan Muhammadiyah sedari kecil, film ini cukup mengguncang aku. Sungguh dangkal pengetahuanku mengenai lingkungan sosial tempat aku dibesarkan. Dalam benakku selama ini, Muhammadiyah lebih pada mengajarkan nilai-nilai mendalami Islam secara lebih modern, tidak terikat dan sangat toleran. Menjadi bagian dari Muhammadiyah berarti mempraktekkan Islam dari akal. Memakai hati terlalu banyak akan terjembab dalam ekstrimisme agamis yang sayangnya selalu aku salah artikan dengan budaya manut ulama seperti dalam budaya NU. Kembali, aku terjebak dalam lingkaran setan perseteruan NU - Muhammadiyah yang sudah menjadi rahasia umum.

Film ini seolah mengingatkan aku kembali bahwa agama itu dipraktekkan dengan dua hal, akal dan hati. Momentum itu datang saat adegan dimana KH Ahmad Dahlan mengajar untuk pertama kalinya di sekolah Belanda. Saat itu, ucapan salamnya dibalas dengan kentut oleh salah satu murid keturunan Belanda. Dihadapkan dengan situasi tersebut, Kyai Dahlan bertanya kepada semua muridnya siapa yang mau kentut lagi. Saat tak satupun muridnya menjawab, ia lantas menjelaskan betapa besarnya nikmat kita bisa kentut. Kalau kita tidak kentut sementara perut kita terus diisi dengan gas, maka niscaya perut kita akan meledak. Untunglah, Tuhan sayang pada manusia. Sehingga diberikan-Nya setiap manusia alat pembuangan agar ia bisa kentut dan buang hajat. Dengan itu, manusia bisa makan atau minum sepuasnya. Sungguh besar kasih sayang-Nya pada manusia, alat pembuangan itu diberikan secara gratis.

Segratis udara yang kita hirup. Filosofi yang sama yang diajarkan oleh ibu bertahun-tahun lalu. Kala itu, aku dirawat di rumah sakit karena asma yang muncul setelah aku dikagetkan dengan letusan balon gas di taman. Sebuah trauma yang harus kuakui masih bersisa hingga hidupku yang setua ini. Saat dirawat, ibu tiba-tiba bertanya padaku apakah aku tahu betapa banyak uang yang harus dibayar untuk tiap tabung udara yang kugunakan untuk menopang hidup selama di rumah sakit. Saat itu ibu bilang, untuk satu tabung udara, ibu membayar sekitar 15 ribu rupiah. Berarti sudah 60 ribu dikeluarkannya untuk 4 tabung udara selama seminggu aku dirawat. Lantas ibu bertanya, pernahkah aku bayangkan betapa besarnya uang yang harus kita bayar untuk semua udara yang sudah kita hirup agar tetap hidup.

Dan filosofi gratis itu muncul kembali. Untungnya, Tuhan sayang pada manusia. Diberikannya udara itu gratis. Gratis tanpa ada pungutan biaya apapun. Gratis pula alat-alat pernapasan yang kita miliki. Jadi kita tidak perlu membayar apapun untuk bernapas dan hidup. "Oleh karena itu dek, berterimakasihlah terus pada Allah. Allah yang sudah memberikan udara gratis. Cobalah sholat yang bener, ngaji yang bener. Itu bisa jadi ungkapan terimakasihmu pada Allah", pesan ibu kala itu. Sebuah pesan yang hingga kini selalu menjadi pengingat bagiku bahwa agama itu memang butuh elemen hati dan akal dalam menjalaninya.

Cari kebenaran itu melalui akal, baru percayai dan lakukan. Kita menemukan alasan kita sendiri untuk melakukan ajaran agama, sebuah hal yang sebetulnya susah mengingat banyak hal dalam agama yang terkadang harus diakhirkan dengan kata "itu sudah ketentuan dari sana-Nya". Seperti kenapa kita tidak boleh makan babi misalnya. Semoga segala yang gratis itu terus menjadi pengingat kita.

Indonesia: a supermarket of disasters, a theater of jokes, a country of anomaly (part 1- social media)

What you cannot find in another country, you can find it in Indonesia. Not only certain thing, but almost everything. But, what you can easily find in another country, you might find it hard to see in Indonesia.

Recent social media survey on twitter and facebook reveals that Indonesia comfortably sit as world's third biggest user of facebook and tweet producers. In general, it looks like Indonesia is a technologically savvy community that can put themselves as equal as US and Japan. You might also imagine Indonesian carrying their smartphone everywhere, from bathroom to boardroom. But i guess, imagination can be misleading, sometimes..

If you are an Indonesian or ever visit Indonesia then live like normal Indonesian do, you might find it strange how Indonesian could somehow project themselves as very savvy in technology when living savvy with public transportation means you are bound to loose your magic phone. You can only become savvy when you are at home, office, school or supermall. Well, I might not be in Indonesia for 2 years now, but the last time I came back home, that’s how things went. When I was in supermall, there were blackberry everywhere. Everyone seems to have one. pip..pip..pip.. Even when they have their friends around, the hip and hop in facebook and twitter is still as important. Especially nowadays, Jakarta people could be proud for having their own social media called ‘koprol’ (if you ever heard about it) that allows you to find friends whereever you are. Specially in big mall, the only place you can go for spending time and money.

Let say compare to Japan. If you ride a train or bus, there are one rule that you have to follow. To make yourself comfortable, try to do one of these things: sleep, listen to your mp3, playing games, read books, or doing something with your phone. Other than doing that, you are doomed! You cannot standing or sitting idly or asking people to talk like in Indonesia. That is just so no no! So, the most easily spotted activity, phone! Or even better, one can listen to their mp3 while holding phone at one hand and gamebox at the other. Why they do that? because it is safe to do so. Public transportation is a safe place to do whatever you like including showing off your latest most advanced gadget. Plus, the internet in Japan is way freaking fast. me? sleep ;p

Then, why we are in that hot spot of worlds’ third twitter and facebook users? do we really that savvy and hip? Thanks to cheap smartphone widely distributed nowadays, it is understandable. But who are the user? how is the demographic mapping? do people from small city or rural area outside java even knows what twitter is all about? could it be that the real users (for twitter, as for facebook i guess the number is a lot bigger) just several hundred but they tweet like hundred everyday? most likely to be that case.

Then suddenly I remember one day after North Korea huge defeat 7-0 to Portugal in World Cup. I told a friend, If world cup allows such a game, Indonesia should be allowed to join world cup too!. He just answered, “nope, because there are hundreds of thousands of children still suffer from diarrhea (due to bad environment and hygiene)”. spot on! So, while we are having this problems (let me list: disasters, corruption, porn video scandal, health malpractice, FPI, etc), how do we stand in the highspot of newest technology trend? while we are in number 3 for facebook and twitter, we are also in the top spot for being the most corrupt countries in the world. what an anomaly (>.<)

I know we cannot stop using facebook and twitter. It is useless since for me, they are now Indonesian new version of “warung kopi/coffee shop” where people can connect and talk to each other. Indonesian is just social people by heart. The question is, can we use it in a smarter way? for the better of others too? If not, then the anomaly of social media habit in Indonesia will always be an anomaly.

One thing about facebook and twitter, or friendster, or hi5, or multiply, or whatever is that by using them, we make people far from us closer but drive people close from us further. you choose ;p

originally written on 2 July 2010

A Note for The Future: When the pain doesn't feel as painful as before

Have you ever felt that your wish is about to end when you fail to enter your dream school?
Have you ever felt that your dream is about to end when you fail to get a scholarship?
Have you ever felt that your future is about to crumble when you fail job interviews?
Have you ever felt that your lovelife is about to break down when your love is one sided?
Have you ever felt that your life is about to end when everything seems to go wrong?

been there, done that!

It felt freaking painful not to enter the dream school
It was so disappointing not to get a scholarship
It was sad to fail job applications and interviews
It was heart-breaking to know our love is one sided
and it felt like a shit when everything seems to go wrong

But....

History repeat itself
Time returns.. Jidai Mawaru...

When the same thing happen again
the pain, the sadness, the dissapointment
doesn't feel as painful as before again
because we learn and we grow
we become stronger..

To experience and to learn
that is my ultimate recipe to face life