Early Morning Run: Takasaki Kannon

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Unlearning, Free Markets, Individual Self-Ownership. Voluntary Japan, Voluntary World. Gra... [more]

1 year ago

After two days of basically not sleeping, I finally zonked out and dreamed. When I woke up around 3am, happily re-enlivened, I decided I had better not waste this chance to see the Kannon (Buddhist goddess of mercy and protection) that I always see from the bullet train when passing through Takasaki, heading from Niigata to Tokyo and vice-versa. She stands on top of a ridge of small mountains at the edge of the city, and my hotel was just a couple miles away. I put on my running clothes, pulled on my shoes, and hit the brisk October streets of Takasaki City before the sun came up. Please enjoy these photos from my excursion.

On the way out. Nice little manga-reading and relaxation lounge on our floor.

The autumn anarchy air was fresh and bracing just before sunrise.

Path out to the Kannon. Crossing the beautiful and uniquely named "Crow River" ( 烏川 )

Worked up a good sweat heading up the hill, into the trees and temple grounds.

Note the small windows in the Kannon's shoulders. We'll go there next.

View of the city from inside the Kannon (taken when I came back with my family after my run).

Back at the station post-run, ready to rest and grab some breakfast.

Thanks for stopping by. If you ever get the chance to visit Takasaki, I recommend it, if only for the sake of seeing this awesome Kannon in the hills, and the beautiful surrounding area and long, small-shop adorned path leading up to her.

Of course, the mask/covi-cult/heart-attack needle insanity is fucking everything up right now, so who knows. Maybe such chances are highly unlikely. I was grateful at least for the opportunity, and the unmasked runners, dogs, and temple cats. I had a great run, we had a great time, and that's all that really matters to me right now. "New normal" will be defeated in the end by the age-old, newborn spirit of the rebels who love life. Everyone else can accept that, or get shipwrecked against the reality of freedom.