Print in Time - A Reverse Time Travel Short Story
Print in Time is an urban fantasy story about the destiny of a ukiyo-e artist who finds himself out of his time. The story introduces ukiyo-e prints, Shinto shrines, and the districts of Asakusa and Sumida. Aspects about how much Tokyo has changed since the Edo Period are highlighted. It is from my book, Tokyo Intro, and includes the preface to the story. Every story had a preface to explain terms and aspects about Japan to familiarize a reader with them. I had originally planned to write these stories as pick your own path type of adventure stories, but that would have turned a short story into a book. Still, I decided to try and write each story from the more unusual second person narrative with a gender-less protagonist so the the reader could pretend to be in the story.
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INTRO TO PRINT IN TIME
NOTE: The Asakusa Benten Shrine is fictitious, but there is a Benten Shrine in the area.
Edo: Edo became the seat of government for the military dictatorship (Tokugawa shogunate) in the early 17th century. When the shogunate ended, it was renamed Tokyo or Eastern Capital. Tokyo has been leveled every fifty years or sooner by war, fire, or earthquake, making it a unique setting for anime dramas about the apocalypse.
Edo Period: This is when Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate from 1603 to 1868. The period ended with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 when imperial rule was restored under Emperor Meiji. Japan then began to rapidly modernize and militarize to compete with the western powers. During the Edo period, it was a long period of peace, economic development, and expansion of arts and culture, but Japan also isolated itself from the outside world. Prior to this period was Sengoku period or Age of Warring States that occurred for over a hundred years. The Sengoku period is very popular for samurai dramas (e.g. Ran, Kagemusha, Seven Samurai), anime (e.g. Sengoku Basra, InuYasha, Princess Mononoke), and everyone knows about Lord Oda Nobunaga who tried to unify Japan. The long running and popular videogame series Nobunaga’s Ambition also shows his enduring popularity.
Ukiyo-e: Japanese art form that was popular from the 17th to 19th century. The art form flourished along with the merchant class that consumed it, as Edo expanded and the economy grew under the Tokugawa Shogunate. It is famous for woodblock prints and paintings of women, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, legendary scenes, and landscapes. This style of printed and painted images captured the hedonistic environment of Edo where the merchants entertained themselves with kabuki theater, geisha, and courtesans in the pleasure districts. The term ukiyo or floating world was coined to describe this art and the environment it portrayed. This type of art was used make promotional posters for the theater, portraits of kabuki actors, erotica, and illustrate books. Ukiyo-e heavily influenced the western view of Japanese art, especially with the landscapes or Hokusai and Hiroshige.
Hiroshige: Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) is considered the last great ukiyo-e artist. One of his best known landscape series is The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.
Hokusai: Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849) is a long lived master of ukiyo-e. He is best known for the print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, which includes the famous The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
Irasshaimase: Ee-rash-ai-mas-e. This is a commonly called out greeting in restaurants that roughly means welcome / come in.
Kanagawa: The capital of feudal Japan when the Kamakura Shogunate was established from 1192 to 1333. This means that there were plenty of funds in the area to build and expand shrines and temples that have survived for over seven to eight centuries since the fall of the Shogunate. Kamakura is kind of like a little miniature Kyoto for shrines and temple, plus countryside charm, even though most of the place is a small city. Kamakura city is on the seashore, but you have to make a slight side trip to go to the beach if you're on a temple sightseeing schedule. The place is famous for the beaches and there is also the nearby island of Enoshima which is also fascinating to explore as it is supposed to be the home of Benzaiten, the goddess of music and entertainment. The area has been made pretty famous in a few movies (one of which is Our Little Sister) and anime. The city is a one hour train ride south of Tokyo.
Oishi: Oy-see. Tastes good or delicious.
Sugoi: Sue-goy. Amazing or wow!
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This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. © Peter Lok, 2018. All rights Reserved. |
PRINT IN TIME
“In the decades around Admiral Perry’s Black Ships arriving in Tokyo Bay in 1853, ukiyo-e continued to flourish with depictions of travel scenes and images of nature. As this exhibition has shown, lesser known artists were also busy creating artworks that made up a considerable body of the medium. In particular, I’m glad I was able to show you some of the imaginative works of Horotachi Hideyoshi, showing fantasy landscapes of a future Edo which he did later in his career.”
You are talking to your small tour group in front of a wall-sized enlargement of a print that shows a wooden bridge, busy with pedestrians, over a wide river. The crisp, black lines of the woodblock print define the boundaries of the blue river, green riverbank, and reddish tinged evening sky. Each color is added in a separate pressing, and they can be deep or gentle based on the printer’s inking.
“Finally, behind me is Hiroshige’s Ryogoku Bridge and the Great Riverbank from his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo published in 1856, just two years before his death. The print shows one of the liveliest places in the city, right down to the tea shops where people would relax by the river.
Looking over the group, you see that you still have everyone’s attention. They have been very attentive as you led them through the rooms of the show, In the Shadows of the Floating World. It is one room after another of color prints hung neatly on the walls, but you try to make it entertaining and educational.
“That concludes the tour of the works up to 1860. After the deaths of the greats, Hokusai and Hiroshige, and the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Ukiyo-e would decline over many decades as Japan westernized. However, ukiyo-e prints made their way to Europe during this time, where they influenced artists like van Gogh, Monet, and the Impressionist movement through Japonism. The blue ink in The Great Wave Off Kanagawa might have come from Prussia, but that print and others changed the international world of art. If you have any final questions, I’ll be happy to answer them now. Thank you for your attention.”
You bow to your audience of six people, who bow back. There are a few short questions and then you are free for the evening.
“You’re one of our better guides,” your friend, Masako, comments from behind you. “You always keep their interest.”
You turn to face her. She is a tall woman, a friend of your mother, who always dresses elegantly. In her mid-forties, she became director for the gallery a few years ago. She’s been like an aunt to you, and you have been volunteering here since she became director.
“I enjoy telling people about art, especially ukiyo-e,” you casually reply. “I’m so glad this show has been a hit. My guiding, art history, and Karate are my joys in life!”
“I’m so glad you are enjoying it here. I feel bad I haven’t had a chance to catch up with you or your mother. It’s been so busy because of the exhibit. How is your master’s thesis coming along?”
“I’ve had to rewrite a little, but it is almost done. The university recently received some new material that I want to incorporate.”
“That’s wonderful---” Masako is interrupted by what sounds like drunken shouting.
Looking for the source of the disturbance, you see it is coming from the 1830s exhibit room. You can see there are a few people exiting the room and others avoiding it.
“I’ll go get the security guard.” Masako turns and heads to the front of the gallery.
Undeterred, you head toward the drunken ranting and peer in from the exhibit room doorway. The prints on display are not large, usually about the size of a large sheet of paper, but they make a colourful band that runs around the room. In the far corner of the room, you see a slightly pudgy man wearing a well-worn, blue kimono, and sandals. He has a haircut from the Edo period, where the head was shaved in the front, with a short top knot of hair above it from the back. The man looks like he wandered off the set of a samurai film. Several other visitors are still in the room, but they are shying well away from the man. There is another guide there, a smaller woman, who is also keeping her distance. She looks to you for help.
Why am I doing this, you think, as you walk up to the man. You firmly speak out. “Excuse me, sir. Can you please stop shouting. You are inconveniencing the other guests.”
The man turns and shouts at you. “So what!” His face is a little flushed and he smells of alcohol even at a distance. He is a middle aged man who is a little grizzled and a little plump in his features, but his bushy eyebrows really catch your attention. Something about the man’s face really reminds you of someone.
“I was jush teaching them about ukiyo-e!” the man continues. “I’m a real artist. Hey… They should learn from me, not whaat some scholar says.” The man slurs a few of his words, and he is speaking with strangely accented Japanese, like someone out of a historical drama.
The man points to a print next to him. It is a print of Mount Fuji in blue and white with stylized lightning flashing across from some very thin white clouds. “I painted this piece. Clear Sky Storm at Fuji. It did very well. People really like it. Jush look at Fuji… It is the soul of Japan, and I’ve shown its power in sharp, bold detail.”
The man wobbles a little and looks closer at the print’s commentary card at the side of the print. “I can’t believe that it shays that this wasn’t my best work. Ish always Hokusai or Hiroshige did it better. They take all the glory. My… my Herons at Arakawa and Boats on the Sumida are only okay too. All of the artists in this room are good. We work damn hard.”
He suddenly steps towards you. You take a step back. “You work here. Why this ishn’t my best work!” He jabs a finger out and pokes you in the shoulder. He is intimidating in his drunkenness.
You take another step back and he seems ready to poke you again. This time you are more than ready for him with your Karate skills when he actually tries. Grabbing his forearm one hand and index finger in the other hand, you get a finger lock on him. Expertly pulling his finger back and shifting your position, you twist his arm back behind him and force him down towards the ground so he cannot strike at you.
“Owww!” The man is very surprised by your move. “Don’t struggle. Calm down and I will release you.”
The man struggles a little more than slumps in defeat. “Okay… Okay. I’m shorry. I think I have had too much to drink.”
“You certainly have,” you reply, “you should be ashamed. And this is not Horotachi’s best work. It is good, but his best works have not been done yet.”
“Wha…?” the man seems shocked by your statement. “What do you mean?”
“His best works are the twenty-four prints of the Edo No Mirai series.”
“What?” the man says again. “The Future of Edo? Not the Sheasons of Kanagawa I plan to do?”
This time you are startled. “What did you say?”
“The Sheasons of Kanagawa. I was hoping to rival Hokushai and Hiroshige.”
How does this man know about the Seasons of Kanagawa? Your mind is running through the possibilities. This is new information that was just recently discovered and unpublished. You are incorporating it into your thesis right now from old letters recently donated to the university. Only you and your professor know Horotachi was planning to do Seasons of Kanagawa, but never did. He mysteriously changed his mind to work on Edo No Mirai instead.
“Who are you,” you ask.
“I’m Horotachi Hideyoshi,” the man replies. “Can you please let me go now.”
“Horotachi Hideyoshi…” you mumble under your breath. It can’t be, but it is unmistakeable. You have seen this man’s face before in drawn portraits from the Edo period. That is why he looked so familiar. The man is either an expert impersonator or an actual time traveler from the past, however unlikely that is. For now, you’ll play along.
“I’m letting you up now.” You release your hold on him and he rubs his finger as he gets up. You see there are tears in his eyes when you can see his face.
“The gods are cruel. They’re making fun of me,” the man sobs. “Benzaiten said she would sho me how famous I would become. I’ve tried sho hard. Now I know I’m fated to be obscure.”
Benzaiten is one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Shinto and the patron for artisans, entertainers, and geisha. “You shouldn’t demand things like that from kami.” You are actually feeling sorry for the drunk now. All arrogant bluster one moment, then bitter and repentant the next. If he is an actor, he is a good one, and deserves an award for it.
“I was drunk. I’m shill drunk.” The man hangs his head, no fight left in him.
Masako arrives with a uniformed security guard. The guard quickly grabs Horotachi by the arm and shoulder.
“Are you alright?” Masako asks you.
“I’m fine,” you reply. “I was able to handle the situation. Take it easy on him, he realizes he acted out.”
“I am sorry,” Horotachi says again.
“In fact, I can escort him out. I’m done here for the day anyways.”
“Are you sure?” You can tell Masako really thinks this is a bad idea. “He could be dangerous.”
“I’m sure. You’ve know I can take care of myself.” You hope you sound confident. “This man is an artist and I think we’ve come to an understanding. He’s drunk, but he said some interesting things I want to know more about.”
The guard looks to Masako and she thinks over your reply before nodding to release the man.
“Come on,” you say to Horotachi, “you’ve caused enough trouble here for one day.”
On the way out of the gallery, you deliberately steer him clear of the 1840s gallery. You’re not sure why, but you think it is a good idea, as this is when Horotachi did the Edo No Mirai series. Maybe you’ve seen one too many time travel movies. The security guard trails behind you.
Light from inside the gallery floods onto the sidewalk through its big front windows. Horotachi is standing in a patch of light, staring up and down a busy street. The streetlights have come on for the evening, illuminating spots of road and sidewalk. Tall office buildings line both sides of the street, their lights on wherever an office workers are putting in extra hours. All of the signage that was dull during the day is lit up in bold colors and neon rainbows, bringing the city to life at night. Cars with their headlights on are whizzing by on the street in their sleek aerodynamic glory. People walk by with their faces lit by the glows from their smartphones, talking or messaging family and friends.
"Wh… whass is this place?" Horotachi looks both stunned and amazed as he looks wildly around.
"You're in Toky-- I mean you're in Edo," you answer. You're not sure what is going on, but you realize that if he is from the past, Edo has not been renamed Tokyo yet.
"This can't be Edo," Horotachi weakly speaks, "thish must be the land of the gods."
"What year is it, Horotachi-san?"
"It is Tenpo 14."
You have to do a calculation in your head, using the art history you've learned, to translate that to 1843. "You’re almost 200 years in the future," you firmly state.
Horotachi wobbles, his mind trying to process your statement.
"That is a lot to swallow," you console.
"Benten, really granted me my wish..." Horotachi rambles. He holds head with his hands as if it hurts. The shock of seeing modern Tokyo and your revelation seems to be having a sobering effect. "I made disrespectful statements to her. Ish she punishing me... What have I done?"
"Calm down, Horotachi-san!" Firmly speaking his name seems to snap him out of his guilty sorrow. "I'm not sure you are being punished."
"Wha-- What do you mean?" .
"Let's think this over. I don't think Benten is vengeful. Tell me what happened and we can work this all out."
Horotachi looks at you again with new respect in his eyes. "So young, yet so wise. I am fortunate to make your acquaintance."
You are flattered. "I'm just a student. But, tell me, could you use something to eat? It'll help with the alcohol."
Thinking for a moment, Horotachi replies. "Some food would be good."
"Good. Let's go get some ramen. That's good after drinking."
"Ra-men?" Horotachi isn't sure what you're talking about.
“Uhh… I mean chuka soba.” You just realized that Japanese ramen soup wasn’t around in the Edo period. It wasn’t invented until the 20th century.
“Chinese noodles?” Horotachi seems a little bewildered.
“Kind of. Ramen developed from that, but it is now really Japanese. In fact, it is loved all over the world now and people come here just to try it.”
“This sounds good,” he says, “I look forward to this.”
“I think you’ll like it. There’s a little place not too far away that the staff from the gallery go to. Stay close.”
You lead the two of you towards the ramen shop. It is several blocks away, down the busy street you are on. Horotachi is gawking at everything in a typical Tokyo streetscape, but everything is new to him.
Looking at some lit up billboards, Horotachi looks at them with an artists eye. “There is so much color,” he says. “The lights are so bright and even. There is no flame or smoke. I don’t know why I didn’t notice this magical light in the gallery.”
The comments and questions from Horotachi come non-stop as you walk. “The buildings are so tall! The streets are so clean. How do those carriages move without horses? Why do the street corners chirp like birds? Do all people wear such strange clothes?” You give brief answers, and urge him along when he stops to stare at storefront displays of merchandise he has never seen before. At one point, you have to stop him from walking into traffic at a red light as he is fixated by a giant TV screen on the side of a building. It is blasting out a catchy jingle as it shows a skin cream commercial with some beautiful women. He barely realizes he could have died, and just says with awe, “the pictures move.” The walk takes longer than normal to cover the distance.
You arrive outside the restaurant with its bright red paper lantern out front. Stepping inside, you’re in a narrow space with a long wooden counter that seats ten people. You are greeted by the cooks and his assistant calling out “irasshaimase!” There are only three other customers there, so you can spend a bit of extra time talking here. Normally, you’re expected to eat and go.
There is no server to take your order in most ramen restaurants. Right by the door, there is an ordering machine. There are buttons on it for the main kinds of ramen bowls, extra toppings for the soup, and accompaniments like beer or fried dumplings. Ramen isn’t an expensive meal, so even as a student, you have enough money to buy Horotachi and yourself a meal without breaking the bank. You end up picking two orders of the house special ramen, usually the top left hand button on the machine, just to keep things simple. Horotachi intently watches you feed paper banknotes into the machine to pay, something else which did not exist during the Edo Period, and get some change back along with two meal tickets.
You both take seats at the counter. The assistant cook comes by to pick up your order tickets and calls out the orders. You pour two cups of ice water for yourselves from a pitcher in front of you.
“So. Tell me more about this incident with Benzaiten.”
Horotachi looks like he is having a little trouble remembering, then starts talking. “I was having drinks with a few other artists and we drank into the night. I don’t know why I went to the Asakusa Benten Shrine, but I did. I guess I was a little angry. We were talking about how easy it must be for great painters like Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kunisada, and Eisen. Hell, I even studied under Hokusai. I guess we must have gotten worked up… Anyhow, I ended up at the shrine afterwards. I threw a coin in the offering box and called on Benten to help me.”
He pauses for a second, taking a deep breath. “I-- I’m sure I might have called her a few names and said it wasn’t fair she favoured some and not others. That is when she appeared. She was beautiful and radiant. Her robes were of exquisite silk and embroidered. She was strumming the biwa, then stopped to talk to me.”
“What did she say?” You are almost too eager to know what happens next.
“She called me by my name. She said, ‘Hideyoshi, are you not satisfied by what you are?’”
“I angrily said I should be more famous. My work is worthy, especially my latest pieces.”
“She then said, ‘Is it? Do you think you have done your best work?’”
“I said, of course!”
“That is when she said, ‘Very well. Hideyoshi, you have always strived to do better. I will grant you a boon just once. You will know how famous you will be. Be humble the next time I see you. Make this offering to me next time.’ Then she vanished and I found I was holding a 100 mon coin.”
“I walked away from the shrine. I guess I wasn’t even sure I had seen her, but I know better now. I stumbled and fell. When I got up, I was in that gallery of yours.” He fishes around in the sleeve of his kimono and produces a tarnished, copper coin with a square hole in the center. “See. This is the coin she gave me.”
“That’s some story.” How did you get involved in all this, you think to yourself. Benten sent this man into the future and involved you in her plans for him. You know what he’s going to paint next. In fact, you need to show him things to make sure he does it. A whole pile of responsibility just landed on you.
“Your ramen.” The assistant cook places a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup in front of you. He quickly places a second bowl in front of Horotachi.
The soup is a shoyu ramen, with a clear brown broth that shows the golden ramen noodles at the bottom. On top are a few slices of tender pork, two halves of a soy marinated, soft-boiled egg, a piece of fish cake, some pickled bamboo shoots, and a generous sprinkling of thinly-sliced green onion.
“This looks delicious,” Horotachi speaks out. He tucks into the noodles and toppings with chopsticks like a starving man.
You start by having some of the soup first in the big spoon provided with the bowl. The deep rich taste of the soy and pork-based broth sinks into your taste buds. “Soup tastes great,” you comment.
Horotachi smiles at you. “Oishi! It is really good, this ramen. An artist just needs a full belly and inspiration to paint.”
During the whole meal, you think about what to do next. You both slurp away at your noodles, drinking the broth after you finish eating everything in the bowl. A plan is formed by the time you are finished.
It was delicious you tell the cooks when you get up to leave. Both the cooks call out thank you when you leave the restaurant.
“I feel better after having the noodles and soup.” Horotachi rubs his tummy in satisfaction. He seems to be in a better mood. “That’s a good way to finish up after drinking.”
Your reply sounds flat. “Glad it was good, we have to get you home now.”
“What’s wrong,” Horotachi asks. He seems to have sobered up more.
“This is serious. You do realize you have to get back to your time, right?”
“Of course,” he replies. “I thank you for all the kindness and hospitality you have shown me.
Especially, when I was so rude at the start.” He bows then breaks into a bit of a sly smile. “Not that you couldn’t handle me. You think you could teach me that trick?”
“Really?” You comment with exasperation. “You—”
Horotachi cuts you off. “Calm down. I get it.”
“Get what?” You wonder.
“While I was eating, I realized that Benten was giving me a second chance. She sent me to the future to let me know that my ego was too big. It is kind of sobering to find out that you aren’t as great as you think.”
“You are going to do better, you know.”
“I know.” He looks right at you. “Thanks to you. You’re like a divine messenger showing me so many things I have never dreamed of. Right now, there are so many inspirations going through my head.”
He does get it, you think to yourself. Things might be a little easier than you were expecting. This version of Horotachi is much better than the bitter, drunk one, but you remember his contemporaries had commented he was prone to mood swings.
“Then lets get you back to the shrine then.”
“Yes. Let us go,” Horotachi grins.
You use your smartphone to look up Asakusa Benten Shrine. It’s a shrine you haven’t been to before, and you’re not even sure if it is still around. Of course, your time travelling artist is fascinated by the phone too and its amazing power to find anything and call anyone anywhere.
Luckily, the shrine still exists. “It will take us an hour to walk there. We’ll take the train.”
“Train? What’s a train?”
“You’ll find out,” you grin back.
The two of you walk north for awhile to find yourselves on the cement banks of the canal. It was overcast earlier in the day and the clouds have sunk lower since, almost as if it threatens to rain. Despite the darkness, the clouds are a dull grey ceiling above the city, reflecting the light from below.
Horotachi is looking down the canal, standing next to a bank of vending machines. “What is that?” He is excitedly pointing at a great white tower that rises high into the sky like a massive, yet elegant needle. The entire height of its intricate, latticework frame is illuminated by lights, with the top of it disappearing gradually into the clouds.
“That’s the Tokyo Skytree. It’s the tallest structure in Japan. We’re walking there.”
“To think that men can build something that tall is unbelievable. To reach the clouds…” Horotachi is astounded and cannot stop staring at the Skytree. “Truly, this is an age of wonders.”
Your walk west along the canal takes you to Oshiage Station, at the base of the Skytree. You finally get Horotachi to look down from the tower, and walk down some stairs into the underground station. Again, Horotachi is astounded that it isn’t dark and cave-like, but airy and well lit. You purchase Horotachi a ticket to Asakusa Station at a ticket machine, then help him through the pay gates, paying for yourself after with your train card.
There is a small crowd on the train platform waiting for trains in both directions. Horotachi attracts odd looks due to his appearance and dress. You easily find an open spot to wait for the next train.
The train heading east, in the opposite direction arrives first. The distant, then increasing roar of the arriving train transfixes Horotachi. He watches the long line of silver train cars pull into the station without blinking. You can even see he is a little tense from his posture.
"This is a train? It is like a big metal serpent."
"It's a train. People ride inside everyday to travel great distances."
“People are inside? Like those cars we saw?”
The automated arrival announcements blare over the speakers, the train car doors automatically open to disgorge a small surge of passengers. Like a well oiled machine, the waiting passengers smoothly board the train afterwards. With a warning warble, the train doors close and the train rapidly accelerates out of the station.
Horotachi watches all this intently. Within a minute, your train pulls in on your side of the platform. You direct Horotachi to wait with you to the side of the platform markings indicating where the doors of the train will be when it stops. A few people get off through your door. Afterwards, you kind of nudge a slightly hesitant Horotachi on board.
"Have a seat," you say as you sit down.
The train smoothly accelerates out of the station. Horotachi's eyes are wide open. You figure he has probably never travelled this fast before in his life.
"This is safe?" he hesitantly asks while taking in all the interior details. The tunnel walls are flashing by very quickly.
"Perfectly safe," you reply, hiding your amusement. "I've probably ridden in a train every day for years. Without trains, the city would grind to a halt."
"This is actually a nice carriage," Horotachi adds anxiously. "Sugoi! The ride is very smooth."
It isn't a very long ride. Your trip to Asakusa Station goes without a hitch. Exiting the car, you take the stairs up to street level. The streets here are busier than where you were. Shops open up onto the street with their wares on display and the sidewalks are crowded with locals and tourists. Horotachi is fascinated by the realistic food models in front of restaurants, all of the different clothes people are wearing, and the people themselves.
"Are those foreigners?" he asks, while looking at a couple of blonde haired tourists.
"Yes. There are many visitors to Japan now, not like in your time. Some of my fellow students are from overseas."
You hear Horotachi make more amazed comments.
A little further down Asakusa Dori, one of the main streets, you pass the Kaminarimon or Thunder Gate. This is the main entrance to Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo's oldest temple that is a thousand years old. The Kaminarimon is a big, red gatehouse with a green tile roof, and an enormous paper lantern handing in the middle of the gateway. A large statue of Raijin, god of thunder with his drums, is on the left side, and Fujin, the god of wind with his big bag, is on the right side. Beyond the gate is Nakamise Dori a traditional shopping street that ends at the main temple hall itself.
"The gate is still here!" Horotachi is smiling. "It looks very much like it was in my time. So much has changed in the city, but this makes me very happy to see something that I know."
Passing the gate, you continue west down Asakusa Dori. After a few blocks the crowds begin to thin out and the street quiets down dramatically. You continue walking, then turn down a side street. It seems to be small apartments and single homes with hardly anyone out at the moment. Overhead, you pass under the ever present web of wiring and cables that is all over Tokyo. After a few more minutes, you arrive at a torii gate that designates the entrance to Asakusa Benten Shrine. It is a red gate made of two round posts with a couple of horizontal beams across the top. The uppermost beam has upwardly angled ends.
Horotachi goes quiet as he just stares at the torii. What is going through his mind, you think, when he speaks up.
“I’m almost unworthy of Benten’s mercy.” He sounds totally sober at the moment.
He seems to be having another moment of doubt, you think.
You collect your thoughts for a few moments. “A few of your later works are amongst my favourites, you know. I’m actually writing a thesis on ukiyo-e right now for university. I’ve seen thousands of the prints made in your time, and I like them as much as the masterworks by Hokusai or Hiroshige.”
“Really?” Horotachi perks up. “I’m going to be that good?”
You nod. “You’re on the right track with Clear Sky Storm at Fuji. It was a pivotal moment in your career. I think you can thank, Benten, for nudging you along.”
“Thank you.” Horotachi bows to you. ”You have shown me wonders and encouraged me again and again. I owe both of you a great debt that I cannot repay.”
“Paint,” you say. “That is more than enough repayment.”
“Yes. You are right,” Horotachi says confidently. He turns and strides through the torii into the shrine grounds. Just past the gate there is stone basin filled with water. He picks up a water ladle and pours water over his hands to purify them, then rinses his mouth out. You do the same, but skip the rinsing.
The grounds are narrow, sandwiched between houses on the sides, with large trees scattered throughout. Lights strung between tall poles illuminate the area, and you can see that the grounds are well kept. To the side of the main path is a small spring and a pond. Ahead is a small red and white shrine building with an offertory box in front and a rope attached to a bell above it. It is a one room building where you can see a white, stone statue of Benten sitting inside, holding a biwa, a lute-like instrument, in her arms. There doesn’t seem to be any other worshippers around at this moment.
Horotachi stands in front of the offertory box. He fishes in the sleeve of his kimono to find the 100 mon coin and tosses it into the offertory box. He rings the bell to call Benten to the shrine. He then makes two deep bows and silently makes his wish to return to his time. Clapping his hands twice, he then makes one more deep bow.
You suddenly hear a melodious woman’s voice say “you are ready to return?” You look around for the source, but then realize that it is in your head. Horotachi has heard the same thing. He is bowing to the statue of Benten.
“I am, great goddess,” Horotachi calmly answers. “I had been bitter about my lack of fame. I realize that I must work hard to do better. Thank you, for your mercy in showing me my error. I humbly apologize for any insult that I have said.”
“Your intentions are true,” the voice is gentle, “keep your learnings close to your heart. Return now.”
In a blink of an eye, and a swirl of wind, Horotachi is gone. You are all alone in the shrine.
You look at the statue to see if it moves or something, but nothing happens. I guess this is how this ends, you think. You almost wonder if it is just a dream yourself. That is when you hear a faint female voice say “thank you.” It is almost as if it was whispered in a breeze.
Pulling out your smartphone, you open a folder of ukiyo-e images you keep on it. There are all the favourites that everyone likes, then there are the ones that you like. You find the ones by Horotachi. His images are surreal, with gods and men mingling. The colours are vivid, with bold lines and fantastical shapes. There are tall buildings that look like mountains, bright windows of all shapes and colours adorn them. Caverns lead to tunnels of light where great silver serpents prowl around people who are casually doing their daily activities. There are people wearing strange clothes and machine-like wagons roll in all directions. You then find your favourite, Tower of Light Piercing the Clouds. You set it as your phone’s background wallpaper and walk out of the shrine.
| The Tokyo Intro Quartet of Urban Fantasy Stories |
 Help a lost cat find its way home in Tokyo with unusual help. Urban Fantasy, Shrines, Cats |
 An Edo period ukiyo-e artist finds himself out of his own time. Urban Fantasy, Time Travel, Ukiyo-e |
 An otaku fairy tale set in the anime Mecca of Akihabara. Urban Fantasy, Anime Fans, Magical Girl |
 Tourist meets Kaiju in Tokyo, their favourite stomping ground. Science Fiction, Monster, Ginza |
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