“一期一会” 
(Ichi-go ichi-e) 
Translation:
“One encounter,
one chance.” 
– Sen no Rikyū

This weekend did not turn out as planned. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I had nothing planned at all. When I woke up yesterday morning, Kathy asked me what I had going on for the day. I mentioned that I had no plans, but I was thinking about going for a walk, then doing some reading at a local coffee shop. I asked her if she would like to join me. She said, “Yes.”

When we left home, I wasn’t exactly sure where we would walk. Being a Saturday, I wanted to avoid the mall and any of the popular walking trails. Those can get incredibly congested. Then I remembered a park in Cupertino which features a nice walking trail around the grounds. Little did I know that yesterday was the 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival at Memorial Park in Cupertino. Yes, it was quite crowded, but Kathy and I decided to partake in the festivities.

Dozens of vendors, selling jewelry, artwork, clothing, flowers, stuffed animals, books, and multiple other items, were set up around the park. There were also a number of booths providing information on a variety of topics: scouting, mental health, spiritual healing, ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), and booths promoting civic organizations. One booth, in particular, caught my attention.

For several years now, I’ve been telling myself that I need to check out Hakone Gardens in Saratoga. It is located a mere six miles (20 minutes by car) from my home. Considering the many visits I’ve made to Japan since 1998 (14 in all), one might think that I would have visited this venue by now. I’m at a loss to explain why I haven’t, but that’s going to change — hopefully, this week.

Kathy and I had the pleasure of meeting Meredith Lee, Executive Director at Hakone Gardens, and her associate, Ian, at their booth at the Cherry Blossom Festival. After a lengthy conversation with them, I was (and am) committed to visiting Hakone Gardens this week. I will write another blog post about that visit in the coming days. 

Throughout the afternoon, several individuals asked if we were planning to attend the 2025 Nikkei Matsuri Festival in San José’s Japantown the next day. Again, we had not been aware of the event, but we decided to visit this festival, too. 

This morning, Kathy and I made our way to Japantown to enjoy the art, culture, music, and food of Japan. We stopped at a restaurant for a quick lunch and shared an order of takoyaki and a plate of pork katsu over rice. Kathy and I both appreciate good Japanese food. Today’s lunch did not disappoint.

Now it’s late afternoon and we’re home. I’m ready for a nap. We logged about 5,000 steps at each of the events this weekend. This supplements the 18,000 steps I walked with my sister, Cathy, in San Francisco on Friday. 

While the weekend did not turn out as planned, it certainly exceeded any expectations I might have had for these two days. I am grateful for the cultural diversity with which we are blessed here in the Santa Clara Valley. I am also thankful for my many experiences of Japanese culture, both in Japan and here at home. Each experience is one encounter, one chance to meet new friends and to embrace the positivity in our world.

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