The Dragon calls me to Japan!
This Year with the Dragon led me to a profound discovery—my grandmother’s spiritual home, the Sacramento Gedatsu Spiritual Center—affirming her presence in my life as a Spirit Guide. By the summer of 2023, I felt I had come full circle with the dragon theme. Yet, in my next reading with Tiffany, she delivered an unexpected message: on my upcoming trip to Japan in November 2024, I was meant to visit a specific temple—Hogonji Temple on Chikubusama Island in Lake Biwa.
With 15 months until the journey, I had ample time to delve deeper into the history and significance of this sacred place.
More Research . . .
Initially, I had come across Hogonji Temple from a blogger who did a pilgrimage through Japan to the temples that venerated the dragon and Benzaiten.
Hogonji Temple is uniquely dedicated to Benzaiten and the dragon, and Chikubusama Island has been regarded as a "spiritual power spot" for centuries. Its sacred energy and mythology are deeply woven into Japanese cultural and spiritual traditions.
One of the oldest forms of Japanese theater, Noh, includes a 14th-century play titled Chikubusama, which highlights the island’s spiritual significance. The play follows a woman and an old man who travel with an emissary by boat to the island, only to be denied entry because she is a woman. However, a temple priest intervenes, allowing her to step ashore, explaining that the temple is dedicated to Benzaiten—herself a goddess.
Upon setting foot on the island, the woman reveals that she is the incarnation of Benzaiten, and the old man transforms into a dragon. This ancient tale underscores the deep connection between Benzaiten, the dragon, and the sacred power of Hogonji Temple, Chikubusama Island, and Lake Biwa.
Finally, the day arrives . . .
Fifteen months later, and three weeks into our journey through Japan, the long-anticipated day finally arrives. We reach Nagahama, a town on the eastern edge of Lake Biwa, where the next morning we will board a boat to Chikubusama Island.
Standing at the water’s edge, gazing out over Lake Biwa, I feel an unexpected wave of emotion—a sensation pressing over my heart chakra. At first, I dismiss it as exhaustion from the trip, but deep down, I wonder if I am already sensing the spiritual energy of this sacred place.
The following day, as we step onto the boat bound for Chikubusama and Hogonji Temple, the heaviness in my chest intensifies. Turning to Chris, I admit, “I’m feeling emotional.” It’s not something we typically acknowledge during our travels, but in this moment, it feels impossible to ignore.
Hogonji Temple and Chikubusama Island . . .
On the surface, our visit to the island and temple might have seemed like any other sightseeing experience. We wandered the grounds, admired the temples, and even took part in the tradition of throwing clay disks through the Torii gate. Yet beneath it all, I carried a quiet intensity—a depth of emotion that lingered throughout the day.
We remained on the island until the final call for the last boat back to Nagahama. As we departed, I felt compelled to capture parting shots of the port, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. In that moment, something within me shifted. A quiet release, a deep satisfaction—something had changed, something had been completed.
Even now, I am still processing what that transformation truly means.
The Facebook Effect . . .
Throughout my journey through Japan, I posted daily updates. One day, after sharing a sunset photo from our departure from Chikubusama, a dear friend—who is also a channeler—commented, "The Divine Feminine…" That image, to her, embodied the presence of the Divine Feminine.
I was beginning to sense the dragon's journey was more than just a reconnection with a grandmother. I reflected on how this journey had begun, with my grandmother coming through Tiffany to guide me, leading me to Lake Biwa and this experience of the divine feminine.
Synchronicities and Epilogue to Part 2 . . .
A few days later, that same friend sent me a screenshot of the New York Times Mini Crossword puzzle. The words that appeared were: Japan, Roger, As One, and Rests. (Though she hadn’t noticed, I also saw that the last column spelled Nerds—a small, amusing synchronicity.)
Even before the trip, Tiffany had shared that my grandmother was introducing a new Spirit Animal alongside the dragon—the sea turtle, symbolizing slow and steady wisdom. As if to affirm this, the very last thing we did on Chikubusama Island was visit a small museum, where I came across a striking image: a sea turtle carrying the world on its back. Since photography was not allowed, I asked the museum attendant if there was a postcard of it for sale. He shook his head, but after a pause, he returned with quiet compassion and whispered that I could take just one photo.
I left that island with a profound sense of connection to something vast yet deeply personal. A presence, a power, rooted in my heart and emotions. I believe this journey was, at its core, about the rising energy of the Divine Feminine—a force bringing balance to our time.
I continue to process the experience, but one thing feels clear: a new Spirit is emerging, one that is being known in our world, in our era, and in ways we are only beginning to understand . . .