Letters from Hio

A gentle journey through Japan's heart and healing.

tokyo

  • Dear friends,If you know me, you know that I am a desperated fan of love and divine love. I might say that I’m a die hard romantic person. I love love and I love finding the divine love that hidden among us. Nestled amidst the tranquil landscapes of Japan, numerous Shinto shrines stand as testaments Read more

  • Dear friends, A journey that is meant to be will be. As long as I remember, I was born with spiritual gifts. But, nothing is free, so there was a time when I was struggling everyday to make sure that I was not paranoid and I was born for a reason. These are the textures Read more

  • the sacred knot

    Dear friends, We are living in a world that often feels shallow and disconnected. We are craving and looking for something that reminds us of who we are. We are looking for love, from someone else. But there is a profound human need for Musubi—the sacred act of weaving connections. In Japan, this concept is Read more

  • Dear friends, Let’s go back to our normal theme, which is Buddhism. So, what do we have today? It’s 求道 – Gudou, a term, or concept, that deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy. Gudou means “seeking after truth”, often refers to the pursuit of the path of enlightenment. It’s a journey of self-discovery, spiritual growth. Gudou Read more

  • Dear friends, Allow me to borrow Murakami’s book title “What I talk about when I talk about running”. Because when it comes to 面目-Menboku, we have a lot to talk about. So, let’s talk about it. “Menboku” can be translated to “face” or “countenance”, but it’s far more than just reputation or appearance. “Menboku” means Read more

  • Dear friends,Lately I’ve started my 50 days challenge: I will write 50 articles about 50 Japanese concepts that exist in both spirituality and religion. As you may know, today is my day 3. Let’s talk about “seiren” (清廉), or integrity. But before that, let me break down this kanji. Dear friends,Lately I’ve started my 50 Read more

  • Dear friends, Thank you again for taking your time to visit my blog. I really do appreciate you and love you! I decided to go to Atami just a week before JLPT and after my breakup. Atami found me at a time when I needed stillness and healing. Lately my life in Tokyo had become Read more

  • Dear friends,I can proudly say that I love Japanese culture and religion to the point that I want to study Shinto in Kokugakuin. It’s a dream I want to make it come true and it’s my life purpose. In this article, I will share with you my knowing about Shinto etiquette – a guide to Read more

  • Dear friends, I’m taking a short break from study, then I decide to write about my beloved Nana, Osaki Nana. If you know her then, I love you! Nana is a Japanese manga serie written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa and first published as a two-part prologue in Shueisha’s monthly shojo manga magazine in 1999. Nana was later serialized in Read more

  • Dear friends, I’ve got to say that I’m a collector. I can never resist anything cute or unique related to spirituality. Japan is such a paradise for my guilty pleasure. So that, I’ve decided to write this article, to share to you about my hobby as a Goshuin and Omamori addict! 1. What is an Read more