I realize I haven’t updated this blog for such a long time- although I did experience the utmost of universal aesthetics at various corners of the world in 2018. Being based in Berlin, it is a priviledge to be able to hop on an airplane and then to land in another country within just few hours. I’m counting the cities where I visited this year…..London, Paris, Madrid, San Sebastian, Tokyo, Taormina, Prague, Wuppertal…there might be others that I might be missing.

After a hectic year I’m happy to spend some time in Japan to say farewell to 2018. There is no other better way to wrap up a year- this time of the year in Japan has a special vibe that helps us to contemplate the past and the future. The big city of Tokyo is indeed hectic as always, therefore I took a train to Kita-kamakura to seek for more meditating setting.

I was lucky enough to catch some coloured leaves…needless to say it was an unexpected gift from the nature.

This is my favourite place to go in Kamakura- Jochi-ji temple. From the moment stepping into the front gate, I feel I’m blessed by the higher being. I personally think that your religion does not matter, however we need to open our heart to the existence that we can’t see with our eyes when visiting temples. The world is not just about materialistic existence.

The nature in this temple is sending very relaxing vibes. Calm yet warm. It’s like a good friend who you don’t need to explain everything but understands you.

I particularly enjoy walking around the neighbourhood of the temple-this is the area where the film directer Yasujiro Ozu used to live. Standing here, it feels almost as if the time had stopped. This is where my mind can enjoy timeless escape. (If you happen to visit this area for the first time, please pay respect to the residents. It is a residential zone.)

Moving to another temple, Kencho-ji is another fantastic location to feel the history of the highly-skilled craftmanship. Here, the vibe is completely different from Jochi-ji. The drawings of birds on the ceiling are indeed incredible.

2 years after moving to Berlin, the buzzing city of Tokyo is excited yet at the same time could be also intimidating, I must confess. Seeking for a balance between civilization and nature, Kamakura was the right place for me to tune myself. Only 50-mins train ride from Shibuya, the flow of time seems to be much slower there.