Interesting Japanese Phrases - A Leap of Faith

One of the best places to spend a summers afternoon in Kyoto is the balcony at Kiyomisu, the temple high up on the mountain sides overlooking the city. Enjoy a quiet beer to quench the thirst and simply watch the world go by. The walk up from the center of town is an adventure in it's own right but it's the destination that makes the hike worthwhile.

Today the deck is the haunt of tourists but in the past it was the stage for artists to entertain the crowds. A fair few of whom are reputed to have become a little too enthusiastic and managed to plunge over the edge into the depths below.

And from this arises the phrase "Kiyomizu no butai kara toni oriru tsumori de" meaning to jump from the deck of Kiyomizu Temple (intentional or not). A more colloquial translation though reflects the moment of working up the courage to take the plunge (assuming intent), or more simply "a leap of faith". Something else to ponder as you enjoy that ice cold beer.

Making movies, on location, with an Elf

The old English phrase "to take a leap of faith" interestingly has a real life Japanese equivalent in "to leap from Kiyomizu", a some thirteen meter drop from the terrace of the ancient Buddhist temple in Kyoto, which if survived would answer the wishes of the short-form skydivers. And this being Japan, records were kept, and 85.4% of leapers achieved their desire. The remainder were cremated and the practice has subsequently been banned. However, coming to experience life in Japan could, in it's own way, just as much be considered a leap of faith. And it's a rare individual who knows in advance exactly what they're getting in to.

However, in taking that leap of faith, it's one thing to talk about Gulliver arriving on a flying island; let's face it, he wasn't real. But it's something else entirely to sell up, pack up and arrive via Haneda Airport to bring something new to this land of the rising sun. Having encountered many talented Japanese in his homeland, one individual recently did precisely this, he sold up, shipped out, and is starting the hard way to bring a new film school to Tokyo, making movies on location, in English. With the ELFS of Japan. 

So if your Japanese is rubbish and you're looking to raise a camera, write a script and make a movie, your life in Japan has just got that little bit easier. And if you're Japanese and you're worried your English is rubbish, that's the whole point, to help you to go global. So the Lord of the Elves (he will kill me for that!) arrived in Japan with not much more than a great idea and a SIM card and now look, there is a company, staff and (most importantly) paying customers. Not too shabby from a standing start less than a few months ago with sore feet and a friend in Airbnb. So Lights! Camera! Action in Japan! You actually did take that leap of faith.

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