Photo/Illutration Reigando cave is famous as the place where legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi spent the last two years of his life. It is a mysterious and sacred cave located on the western slopes of Mount Kinpo in Kumamoto Prefecture. (Photo by Lisa Vogt)

“Reigando,” I answered without a moment of hesitation. “Of all the places you’ve visited in Japan, and you’ve been to quite a few,” my friend went on, “the place that has left the most lasting impression on you is ... Rei ... where did you say?”

I used to live in the city of Ome (unripe Japanese apricot or “ume”) in the Western part of Tokyo and often went to this Japanese confectionery shop to buy their specialty, “kobai-manju” (red ume sweets). The area in Ome is named Baigo (ume township), and one day I heard that a famed historical novelist who loved ume, Eiji Yoshikawa (1892-1962), whom I hadn’t heard of at that time, used to live a short walk away and that his residence was now a museum, so I went.

Coming full circle, one of my all-time favorite books is “Miyamoto Musashi,” written by Yoshikawa and translated by Charles S. Terry. I’ve read and reread the tome, and I love it more each time. Miyamoto Musashi (1584?-1645) was a legendary swordsman, philosopher, calligrapher, artist, writer, student and teacher of life who wandered the country engaging in duels and living a life of stoic self-discipline.

On the grounds of Iwato-no-Sato park at the foot of Mount Kinpo in Kumamoto Prefecture is Unganzenji temple of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism. Behind the small temple are 500 crumbing statues of Rakan, or worthy disciples of Buddha who live in a state of nirvana, dotted along a mossy hillside.

There’s an otherworldly energy about the place, and I found myself treading lightly. I stopped in my tracks several times and, under my breath, asked for permission to proceed: “Ojama itashimasu. Lisa Vogt to moshimasu. Yoroshii deshoka.” Each time, a welcoming vibe overcame me, and I respectfully walked on and reached the ancient cave.

When Miyamoto Musashi sensed that his life was coming to an end (it’s believed he had cancer), he chose to seclude himself and spend his final days at Reigando (spirit of a great rock) cave to meditate and write his magnum opus, “Book of Five Rings.”

I sat down inside the cave and gazed out into the greenery. Strangely, I saw before me his black-and-white Ume and Pigeon (“kobai hatozu”) hanging scroll ink painting, the top half consisting only of a single branch in the “yohaku” empty space extending to the heavens. I heard the words, “Too much is the same as not enough.”

Reigando cave--mysterious, magical and wonderful.

* * *

This article by Lisa Vogt, a Washington-born and Tokyo-based photographer, originally appeared in the Nov. 20 issue of Asahi Weekly. It is part of the series "Lisa’s Wanderings Around Japan," which depicts various places across the country through the perspective of the author, a professor at Meiji University.

Related News