Kitsune Matsuri: The Open Gateway Read online

  After I explained, he let out a loud sigh. “What were you thinking, Tobi?”

  I glared at him. “I wasn’t thinking, okay? Lay off.”

  “Sorry, Tobi. I didn’t mean it that way. Want me to try to smooth things over with Mr. Maeda?”

  “No. I think Michiko already did that. I’m sure she’s still very angry at me.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Tobi. It will pass.”

  “I hope so. Maeda invited me to some bar after work. Are you coming?”

  “Usually I would, but I have other stuff I need to work on. It will probably do you some good to relax and kick back a little. The Japanese are very different after a few drinks. You might see another side of Maeda and the others.”

  Maybe …

  “Tobias-Sensei?” A young voice trickled over from my left. Turning, I saw Chikako standing there wearing her yellow hat. She bowed to both of us. “Kon’dawa, John-Sensei!”

  He smiled. “Did you need something, Chikako-chan?”

  “Hai, John-Sensei.” Chikako nodded. “Homework, Tobias-Sensei?”

  Again I felt like the stupidest man alive. I’d forgotten the most important tool for my students. Kneeling down, I offered a half-hearted smile. “No. Not today. Remind me from now on, all right?” The little girl nodded at me. “Hey! Your sister was looking for you just now, Chikako-chan! I hope she doesn’t worry.”

  “Michiko-san wa shinpai naideshou. Watashi wa kanojo ga aru yori hōkō de yoi yo,”[13] she replied rocking back on her heels.

  Whatever the kid said made John laugh. “I wouldn’t worry, Tobi. This little one seems quite capable.” He patted me on the shoulder. “Try not to get too lost.”

  I waved him off and sat down on a bench. To my surprise, so did Chikako. I felt a little awkward sitting there with her. It was more awkward being unable to speak or understand Chikako. Just then Michiko rounded the corner. “Soko ni wa Chikako-chan ga ari masu! Watashi wa byōki shinpai shite i ta!”[14]

  The girl pouted. “Watashi wa, Michiko-san mōshiwake arimasen. Watashi wa ni-kai ni watashi no chūshoku no baketsu o wasurete shimatta.”[15]

  Michiko took her sister’s hand. “Come, Tobias-san. It’s time to go to the Peach Blossom.”

  Michiko remained resolutely quiet as we boarded a commuter train going south. I tried not to feel sheepish as I sat on the far end away from her. I could have kicked myself for everything that had happened.

  How could I be so stupid?

  “Tobias-Sensei?”

  I turned to face Chikako-chan where she sat next to me with her legs dangling over the seat. “Anata wa Tobias-Sensei kara no monodearu chikatetsu o motte imasu ka?” She asked, smiling up at me.

  I stared at her confused, not understanding what she meant. “Sorry?”

  “She asked if you have subways back home, Tobias-san,” Michiko said, though she sounded like she didn’t want to explain it.

  “Oh, no. Not in my town, Chikako-chan.” I glanced over at Michiko. “How far do we have to go?”

  “Our stop is further on past Kyoto Station.” She got up and pointed to a place on a map that hung near one of the doors. “Our stop is at Fushimi-Inari Temple, Tobias-san. That is where the Peach Blossom Bar is.”

  “Inari? Any relation to the rice god?”

  She turned and I saw a curious look cross into her eyes. She smiled for the first time since our meeting with Maeda. “Hai, very good, Tobias-san, but Inari is also the god of worldly success. The Fushimi-Inari-Taisha is the most famous of the thousands of temples dedicated to the deity. There has been continuous worship at this site since the seventh century. It is one of Kyoto’s oldest and most revered shrines.”

  We exited from the open air station onto a busy commercial street filled with throngs of people. In the distance, ornate structures nestled against the hillside. They looked like what I might expect of any Japanese temple, wooden buildings with sweeping roofs and dark red or white walls.

  “Do we have time to take a quick look?”

  “Perhaps a very quick one, Tobias-san.”

  Shops lined either side of the street, and the smooth arch of an orange torii gate straddled the path. The coarse asphalt gave way to hewn stone steps flanked by large lanterns.

  “Wash your hands and face first.” She indicated a strange little trough where flowing water trickled beneath bamboo ladles. Moving over to the trough, she took one of the ladles and doused both hands. “Devotees usually purify themselves before entering a temple to pray.”

  I followed her example. “Is there a towel to dry our hands?”

  She just laughed and handed me a spare tissue, and I accepted it gratefully, feeling embarrassed.

  We made our way up toward the massive main gate. I stopped dead in my tracks. Guarding the gate, sitting on stone pedestals, was a pair of fearsome bronze foxes. Their bodies were tinged green from age. Slender paws gripped the stone as bushy tails curved up like the end of a thick ink brush.

  Their dark, metallic eyes stared straight into mine with all the ferocious, attentive gaze of creatures on the prowl. Slightly grinning jaws clenched tightly, one around an elaborate key and the other held what looked like a round stone.

  Though forged out of metal, the creatures had powerfully muscular bodies. They looked ready to spring to life and pounce on me at any moment.

  “What’s with the foxes?”

  Michiko straightened up. Her dark eyes twinkled with pride. “These are kitsune, Tobias-san. They are the messengers of Inari-sama. Inari is very important, and Inari’s servants are equally as important and revered. Kitsune serve as protectors and sometimes incarnations of the god. People make offerings to both the foxes and the deity in return for favors.”

  She waved up to the mountain. “This whole mountain is called Inari-san. The shrine encompasses its entirety and the town around it has always been known for its breweries. Fitting, considering Inari is the rice god.”

  Messengers of the rice god? I gave them a wary glance. Wherever I go there seem to be foxes.

  “They’re beautiful, Michiko.”

  “Hai, but they are also notorious tricksters. They can transform themselves into almost anything, even the shape of a beautiful young woman.”

  A beautiful young woman? Wait … like that one I saw in the forest yesterday? No, no, that’s silly!

  Further up was another set of statues of foxes with red bibs over the breast. The pathway wound up into a mass of trees and a long line of bright orange tori gates stretched seemingly forever.

  “Wow, look at all of them! It’s like a tunnel.”

  “Hai, each of these is a gift from someone in the hope of receiving blessings from Inari. Who can blame them, Inari is the god of prosperity after all. There are over ten thousand gates on this mountain alone.”

  Ten thousand?

  “So he’s a good god?” I asked.

  Michiko laughed, “He, she. No one is certain what Inari-sama is. Some say that the deity is both. There are images of him or her even as a fox or riding one.”

  Chikako tried to stifle a yawn and Michiko patted her shoulder. “We need to get a move on, and Chikako-chan should get home.”

  “Will she be okay?”

  “Our home is just up the road, Tobias-san. She will be safe.”

  “All right. Take care then, Chikako-chan. See you at school tomorrow.”

  “Sayonara, Tobias-Sensei!”

  Michiko placed both hands on Chikako’s shoulders and embraced the little girl. I was not sure, but I thought I heard her whisper something to the kid. Chikako nodded and scampered off, pausing to wave once more before disappearing around a corner.

  “She is quite a bright little girl.”

  Michiko did not answer, but I saw her eyes shifting back to one of the fox statues. Her lips moved in what might have been an unspoken prayer. Strange as it might seem, I hoped that these kitsune watched over Chikako in the way Michiko believed.

  Street lamps cast a shallow blue glow as we m
ade our way back along the narrow streets, the evening air cool against our skin. The wooden walls of old houses and businesses flanked us on either side. Occasionally, a scooter or small truck sped by, but no one paid either Michiko or me much attention.

  The gentle chirping of crickets added a peaceful backdrop to the walk. Michiko stopped in front of a small building with a very large picture of a peach on a sign outside the door.

  I bet this is the place.

  “Here we are, Tobias-san. This is the Peach Blossom Bar.”

  Inside was a small, narrow space, dimly lit by wood and paper lanterns hanging down from the rafters. On the left side was a bar, and on the right were tables and chairs.

  A savory smell of something delicious filled the air. It reminded me that I was really hungry! A thin little man stood behind the bar busily cleaning glasses with a dishtowel. He straightened and bowed as we entered. His eyes flickered over me with a carefully measured gaze. “Irrashaimase!”[16]

  We continued into a more spacious room with tatami mats covering the floor. There was a little stage at the far end where a karaoke machine sat beneath a bank of stage lights in front of a rich burgundy curtain. Maeda sat at the head of a communal table with a group of other men and women. I recognized some of them as teachers from the school. They were laughing and pouring each other sake from a white porcelain flask that they passed around on a small lacquer tray. I sat down and was handed a cup.

  Maeda was quite jovial, and once he’d poured the liquor in my cup, he raised his drink. “Kanpai!”

  I gazed down at the liquid. I was none too fond of alcohol but there was no avoiding it. “Kanpai!”

  The warm liquid was smooth across my lips and tongue, but it felt like I’d been kicked in the throat. I coughed.

  There were a few gentle chuckles and Michiko refilled my cup. A tray of warm beef dumplings came around, and I helped myself to several. At first they talked in English about sports or business related to our work at school.

  Eventually, Mr. Maeda thumped his hand on the low wooden table.

  “Enough talk of work. Tobias-san, would you like to start us off on the karaoke?”

  I stared at him. “Who, me?”

  He nodded, “Hai! Come now, don’t be shy!”

  I hesitated a moment, just long enough for Michiko to lean toward me. “It’s proper manners to participate, Tobias-san. You shouldn’t turn it down.”

  I looked at her remembering what had happened today and everything she’d said. Then I nodded and got to my feet, approaching the stage.

  The karaoke machine was as bright and flashy as a Vegas billboard. The screen listed hundreds of possible song titles in Japanese and English.

  I glanced down at it, not exactly sure what to do. I’d been to karaoke parties back in college, and they’d been outrageous to watch, with people mucking up lyrics to songs they barely knew.

  Getting up there, with the heat of the lights on me, I felt my fear return. I began to sweat and my head spun. “What do I do?”

  “Pick a song from the machine’s list, Tobias-san!” Michiko explained. “It doesn’t matter how you do!”

  I looked down the list and saw “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

  Well, more fitting than anything else, I suppose.

  I pushed it and almost immediately the familiar strains began in the speakers around me. Gloria’s voice was very strong, and the words came too quickly for me to catch.

  A glance out at Mr. Maeda and the others proved even worse than I imagined. They were looking at one another and shaking their heads disapprovingly. I started to fumble over the phrases, missing the beat. It was too hard to look at the screen and all of them. The room swam around me and I felt queasy.

  I’m going to blow it again!

  Then I saw Michiko staring right at me. She sat with her arms on the table and a smile on her face. There was nothing judgmental about her eyes, only warm encouragement. I saw her lips moving, and then I realized she was mouthing the words to me.

  I have to do this. Focus just on one thing, Tobias! Focus on Michiko!

  I gripped the microphone more firmly in my hand and began to pick up with the rest of the song. The words and phrases were now a parallel of my own situation. I’d get through this. I’d do this thing and would survive.

  When the song concluded, I was left there in the spotlights. I saw each of the men nodding to one another and Maeda nodded approvingly. “A good first try, Tobias-san. Come sit back down and join us!”

  I was only too happy to oblige. I set the microphone back on the hook and returned to my seat. As the next man went up to take his turn, Michiko leaned over and whispered into my ear.

  “Good job, Tobias-san! I think Mr. Maeda is impressed.”

  The next few hours were full of other familiar songs that I recognized from the States. After a while, though, and quite a few drinks, the songs began to slip into things I didn’t understand, and the conversation returned to Japanese.

  “Tobias-san wa kanari hōgaina wakai otokoda!”[17] One of them announced. “Kare wa kare ga nihongo o oshieru tame ni kodomo-tachi o motomete iru!!”[18]

  This sent uproarious laughter through the rest of the men. I glanced over at Michiko, seeking an answer. “What are they saying, Michiko?”

  She looked very uncomfortable, hesitating before she spoke. “They’ve just had too much to drink and are poking fun. They mean no harm.”

  Another teacher raised his own flask. “Eh, tenkei-tekina gaijin. Gakushū shiyou to suru to, Nippon ni!”[19]

  “Sore wa jūbundesu!” Maeda suddenly slammed his hand down on the table. “Anata wa okubyōmono Tobias-san nitsuite hanasu shite iru toshite, kare ga inai baai wa koko ni!”[20]

  Whatever he said, the mood in the room abruptly changed. Every one of the other men’s faces fell and looked extremely sheepish. Mr. Maeda glared at them and then took his sake and filled it once again.

  He stumbled to his feet, standing awkwardly as he weaved back and forth. He raised the cup toward me. “We need more teachers with your nerve, Tobias-san. I raise a toast to you.”

  Instantly the others responded. “Kanpai! Here, here!” They raised their glasses in unison. The closest ones clapped me on the shoulder and downed their fill. A minute later they were laughing and joking once again, and I began to laugh and joke along with them without knowing exactly why.

  As the evening drew on, I started to feel a little strange.

  I … I might have had one too many drinks.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw that Maeda was preparing to leave. “I think it’s time I headed home!” He nearly tripped over his own coat. “Watashi wa wakai tensai ni warui inshō o ataeru no wa iya da.”[21]

  Michiko was there to steady me as I rose to my feet. “Come on, Tobias-san. I think we should get you home. You’ve had more than enough of a lively night.”

  Leaving the Peach Blossom Bar, I found myself standing alone in the bright lights of the convenience store next door to Fushimi Station. I stopped beneath the hum of the florescent bulbs with my head pounding like an overstuffed taiko drum.

  Michiko caught my arm and helped me take a seat on a bench. “Wait here, I will get you something for your head.”

  She disappeared into the store and returned a moment later with some medicine and a bottle of water.

  “What is this stuff, Michiko?”

  “Don’t worry, Tobias-san, it will help clear your senses.”

  I drowned it down with a good gulp. It tasted awful and did nothing to help the way the street spun around me.

  “How can you stand on your own, Michiko? You drank just as much as I did; at least, I think so.”

  She looked at me with those wonderful black eyes twinkling in the dark. Her mood seemed to have softened now, enough so that she put a hand on my shoulder. “A secret trick, Tobias-san. Pretend to be drinking but only take very small sips.”

  “I’ll have to remember that next time. It would save me the headache
.” I finished drinking the water she brought for me.

  “Do you want me to wait with you until the train arrives?”

  “No. I’ll be all right.”

  “It is no trouble, Tobias-san. I do not mind being a vigilant … what is the term?

  “Guardian angel? Thank you for the thought, but to tell the truth, I’m not overly religious, Michiko. I used to be, but I grew away from it.”

  She took her orange silk sash and felt the shimmering smooth surface. “In Japan, the gods can be as alive and real as you and I, Tobias-san. Even now they watch over us.” Her words hung in the air. “Come on, let’s get you to the station.”

  She walked me carefully down the street. Slowly but surely, my head began to feel a bit better and my steps more sure.

  “I must be going, Tobias-san. I will see you tomorrow. Good night.”

  “Good night, Michiko.”

  I sat on the curb and stared down at the rails. I waited a good while, but there was no sign of any train. Resting my head back on one of the pillars, I gazed up the long walkway toward Inari Mountain.

  The buildings reflected warm tones of orange and gold against the dark of night, but I could see a glowing light moving among the shadows. Curious, I got to my feet and made my way cautiously up the stone-lined path.

  Eh, what the heck. I feel OK enough to take one more look.

  I wandered slowly up the street away from the buzzing lights and electric wires. I was about halfway up when I noticed a figure standing on the steps.

  Who’s that up there?

  A woman knelt in the shadow of the massive torii gate at the front of the shrine. I could not see her face, but I was close enough to hear the soft murmur of her voice. It almost sounded like she was speaking to it.

  This is awfully suspicious.

  I watched for a moment, unseen in the shadows. Eventually, she stopped what she was doing and picked up an antique lantern that rested at her feet.

  I started after her, but as she passed through the gate, she stopped so abruptly that I had to hide behind it myself.

  This is so stupid. What the heck am I doing?

  I didn’t know why I was acting so suspicious. This wasn’t any kind of normal behavior sure, but I wasn’t acting rationally myself.