2020 January Japan. 1/3/2020

I grew up with a dichotomous identity - born to South Korean immigrants as a US citizen. I have heard many talk about their struggles with this. This trip to Japan is a transformation point of sorts for me.

As a very young child, perhaps 3 years old, I was exposed to Japanese media and have traces of memories of watching Dragon Ball (the original) and Ranma 1/2 at home. I grew up with video games Nintendo on, but eventually gravitated towards JRPGs. Among those that have greatly impacted me: Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, Dragon Quest IV, Lufia (Estopolis Denki), Chrono Trigger and later Xenogears and Xenosaga.

Unknowingly, they were imparting to me the syncretism of Japanese thought - Shinto, Buddhism(s), Confucianism/Ruism, Daoism, Kaballah and other mystic traditions, and to a lesser extent elements of Christianity. 

Perhaps it was my INFJ personality type that drew me to such elements as the Introverted Intuition is a power of syncretism and unity of sorts.

Conversion to Christianity after potent experiences in latter high school was followed by adding studies of Philosophy in undergraduates studies along with Mathematics and premed. The "Existentialism & Phenomenology" class was a turning point in my life, especially the readings and studies of the "father" of existentialism Danish, Christian writer Søren Aabye Kierkegaard. Exposure to the MBTI in church also brought me to deep study to Dr. Carl Gustav Jung, MD's analytic psychology.  This was followed by exposure to the Enneagram, which was a prolonged but rewarding process over some years. 

These elements were always present, but took a more of a background role throughout osteopathic medical school and residency until exposure to the Biodynamic model of Osteopathy in the Cranial Field. 

As someone who loves to read, contemplate, and discuss philosophy, theology, humanity, and divinity, full-time working as an attending physician took some time away from this. I continued to buy and buy books, though not many were being read. Also, my almost exclusive source of entertainment were Japanese animation and games, with some light novels tossed in for more than a decade. 

I finally decided to book my trip to Japan near the end of 2019 and was able to do by utilizing credit card points/miles I had garnered over the past 3 years as a churner (which also helped my credit score a lot). To "prepare" for this trip I read the book "Kierkegaard and Japanese Thought" (ed G. stiles) which I purchased January 2019 but had not read. This was my first real exposure to Japanese philosopher, Nishida Kitarou, who took upon the task to produce an Eastern philosophy discourse utilizing and referencing Western logic and dialetic. Appropriately, my friend from high school recommended I visit "the Philosopher's walk" a path in Kyoto where it is said Nishida walked home from Kyoto University.

I purchased this book which I received on December 31, 2019.

His writings and my trip to Japan is to me a subjective-phenomenological-psychological unveiling-synthesis of the 35 years of my life and marks a juncture of being/becoming and (Jungian) individuation. Certainly all of these elements were available for years, but now is the time that this happened.

To me, Japan entertainment-media is the largest "producer" of the Jungian concept of the "collective unconscious" by merit of its syncretism culture.

Margin note: almost got on the wrong train.

 Margin note: I did a terrible job at opening these and made a mess outside the 7-11 on the train station platform.

Beginning with the airplane boarding process, to the "culture" on the flight, to landing and somehow hailing a cab and telling the driver where to go in Japanese, and almost succeeded in paying...

Japan so far is an interesting synthesis of the "western" "modern" objective-reductionist-scientific-technology with the "eastern" subjective-collective-imagery.

I look forward to what my stay has in store for me.

PS. What did you expect from a blog from me. I am an Introvert.

PPS My room at the ritz carlton is super nice - all paid with points, plus I get my platinum elite status perks. I will probably do a ryokan next time though