Winds of Gold—A Hundred Views of Saihoji Vol. 13

In this series of essays on Saihoji the renowned translator of Japanese poetry and poet Peter MacMillan records his impressions of and reflections on his visits to the garden throughout the four seasons. We hope that through these essays you the readers and fans of Saihoji can feel as if you are also present in the magical garden even when you cannot visit us.

If There Must be Tears, Let Them be Tears of Joy

It is the end of April and a very cloudy day, and the lack of shadows brings the whole garden into focus. The buds of maples were just beginning to open and everywhere one looked, one could feel the heart of spring. The garden changes in each season and enjoying these changes is one of the joys of visiting Saihoji regularly. Many readers may think that the garden does not change much from visit to visit but actually it is always so surprisingly different.

It is not only the seasons that bring change to the garden but also the passage of time. The garden that I first visited over 30 years ago was darker than it is today because the number of trees is fewer. The garden I remember had more moisture and shade. There are several reasons for this. Many trees fell during a typhoon and other trees at risk of falling during typhoons were cut down. And trees have not been planted for some time and no young trees were growing. And in addition, pine weevil damage has reduced the number of trees by about 50. Less trees means less humidity. This means that more sunlight now shines in areas that used to be shady which makes it quite hot for the moss. New fast-growing trees such as Japanese cypress and cedar have been planted recently, but they are also creating a different atmosphere to the one I knew long ago.

Saihoji is everchanging but those changes are not necessarily all for the worse. And though it changes, it is also always the same,—just as you are too,— and in that sense, it can be the ideal mirror to look into and discover how far you have come along on your journey in life and how far you must go.

I was brought up as a Catholic in Ireland, so the Papacy always had a special significance for me growing up. On this visit it is just after the funeral of Pope Francis, and I just watched a movie about his friendship with Pope Benedict. Francis said that it was an event-filled life and the overcoming of many mistakes that had changed him and made him more sympathetic to poverty and injustice. He was reluctant to accept the title of Pope, but the many changes in his life made it possible. In the movie when Pope Francis was resigning himself to his being elected, he said, “If there must be tears, let them be tears of joy.” I think it can be a motto for all of us in our lives.

We tend to think of change as dangerous and undesirable. But change is the very essence of life and indeed a proof that we are alive. We can choose to be sad about the changes in the garden, sad about the changes in our lives or we can choose to be full of joy at the endless possibility that life always holds for us. So just for today let us follow that one lovely thought— Tears can be of sadness or joy, so choose joy.

Peter MacMillan

Peter MacMillan is a prize-winning translator, scholar, poet, and President of The Moon is a Boat Co., Ltd.

His translation, One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each (Hyakunin Isshu), was published in 2008, winning prizes in both Japan and the United States. After that, he completed an English translation of The Tales of Ise (Ise Monogatari), which was published by Penguin in 2016. He has also published a collection of poetry entitled Admiring Fields.

Awards:
Recipient of the Donald Keene Center Special Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature
Recipient of the 44th Special Cultural Translation Prize from the Japan Society of Translators Nominated for the PEN Award for Poetry Translation for the English translation of The Tale of Ise (Ise no Monogatari)