Many of my dragon experiences have happened with a number of different Japanese people. The dragon is honored and still understood by many people in the Asian culture. One magical meeting was with a Japanese master calligrapher that was presenting his art form in McCloud at the Stony Brook Inn.

Andreas and myself decided to visit Master Kenji Nishiguchi’s calligraphy display.  We walked in and were greeted by two Japanese women. There was Master Kenji, dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono, painting away on a small table.  All around the room were the beautiful expressions of his calligraphy. It was a feast for my eyes to perceive.  Each person was allowed to pick a sheet of paper to have Master Kenji paint whatever word you would like. Master Kenji painted my word and then honored me by serving me green tea in a ceremonial style. Since I had been creating a teahouse in my backyard over the last few months this meant a great deal to me.

When things really started to pick up was when I was sharing my necklace of Kannon-sama with the Japanese ladies. Kannon-sama is the Japanese word for Kuan Yin. My necklace is earthy brown jade carved into Kannon riding on  a dragon. One of the women’s name was Kazuko. She began to get very excited. She brought out her wallet with a picture of her home altar. On the altar there was Kannon and a dragon. We both looked deeply into each other’s eyes and the spiritual energy started to rise. The presence of Kannon started to pour down upon both of us. The next thing I knew the woman was in my arms and we both were repeating Kannon’s name. Even though she did not understand English and I did not understand Japanese we met in the heart of Kannon-sama and the Dragon. The third woman joined us and the spiritual power poured down upon the small little group. Master Kenji kept calmly painting, fully aware of what was taking place. Andreas picked up Kazuko’s camera and started to take pictures.

My newfound dragon sister then took out a small booklet and showed me a picture of master Kenji in Okinawa, painting the words peace and love in the beach sand. The background of the picture was a rock dragon just like the ones I have found here in Shasta. I was standing before a woman who totally understood what I was doing but no one spoke each other’s language.

The next thing I knew we are all piled in master Kenji’s car. We started driving towards one of my dragon sites. I introduced the Shasta Dragons to my new friends.  Prayers were said and offerings were made. At one point Master Kenji looked around and I understood what he was thinking without words. He was in the middle of nowhere, no path to find this place and he was wondering how I ever found the dragon. I looked into to his eyes and smiled and said the dragons showed me.

Kazuko held out a little Japanese blessing charm as she made prayers in front of the dragon. Later she gave me this blessing charm and said it was from The Temple of Nine Dragons in Japan.

The next day Master Kenji presented me with two calligraphies. One for my teahouse expressing the name of Kannon-sama’s dragon and the other calligraphy said “Dragon Spirit.”

I want to acknowledge the different Japanese people I have met over the last few years who have come and walked the mountains and forest trails with me to visit these great beings. They have shared their own stories with me about the dragon spirit of Japan and even have taught me blessings and prayers and how to make dragon offerings Japanese style.

Hiro San has walked the trails up the mountain with me several different times. We have used our eyes together to discover the faces in the stones and the spirit in the rocks.

Konomi arrived in Mt.Shasta after visiting a temple in Japan where the dance of Kannon-sama was taking place. Her sharing deeply touched my heart.

Etsuko shared Shinto style offerings not only to the dragons but also blessed my new Japanese garden with Sake.

Izumi discovered on one of my dragon walks that her family name Tokunaga came from the word Naga.

Natsuko Hayashi is a young woman who I will never forget

And then there was a Japanese Banker whose name I forgot. We found the Green Butte dragon together three years ago.