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In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 3, 2019

By Sequim Gazette Staff

In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season
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In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season
In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season
At Basho’s statue. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
A brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) in the gardens of Tenryuji Temple, Arashimaya, Kyoto — a World Cultural Heritage Site. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Eikan-do Zenren-ji Temple — headquarters of Jodo sect Seizan Zenrinji Branch of Buddhism. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Ema with paintings of Mt. Fuji. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Moat and sakura at Hikone Castle. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Honen-in Zen Temple. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Uraku-en teahouse garden in Inuyama. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Sakura in Ogaki. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Yamadera toros (stone lanterns). Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham
Zen vegetarian lunch in restaurant of Gardens of Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto, a World Cultural Heritage Site. Photo courtesy of Wendy Feltham

Traveler’s Journal

When: 7 p.m., Thursday, April 4

Where: Guy Cole Event Center, 202 N. Blake Ave.

Cost: Suggested $5 donation (adults); 18 and younger, free

Presenter: Wendy Feltham

Presentation: ‘In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season’

Wendy Feltham, Port Townsend photographer and amateur naturalist, presents “In Basho’s Footsteps: Traveling Through Japan in Cherry Blossom Season” on April 4 — the second to last event of the 2019 Traveler’s Journal series.

Feltham’s Japanese pen pal invited her to celebrate their 50th anniversary as pen pals by following the route of the renowned 17th century haiku poet Matsuo Basho.

They started in her hometown of Ogaki at the Basho Museum, visited Kyoto at the height of the cherry blossom season, then traveled north to the magnificent temples and shrines Basho explored 400 years ago.

They read from his haiku and his book of travels, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” while discovering gardens, sacred places, and delicious cuisine.

Japan is a country filled with extraordinary treasures and beauty.

Feltham’s journey was unique because she was guided by a remarkably talented bilingual Japanese woman who teaches internationally about Japanese culture.

About the presenter

Wendy Feltham is a photographer, naturalist and community volunteer from Port Townsend who has traveled in Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.

About the presentations

Traveler’s Journal is a presentation of the Peninsula Trails Coalition with local adventurers sharing their stories and photos with you. All of the money raised is used to buy project supplies and food for the volunteers working on the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Admission is $5 adults, youths 18 and under free. Shows start at 7 p.m. at the Guy Cole Event Center at Carrie Blake Community Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.

Each year the dream of a continuous trail from Port Townsend to Forks gets a little closer. In 2017, about 200 volunteers put in more than 9,000 hours of labor on the trail.

One selected photo enlargement is given each week as a door prize.

Call Arvo Johnson at 360-301-9359 for more information.

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