In a lovely exhibition of Ukiyo-e prints is a hint on the technique of flying:
“The subject of the print is Kume the Immortal, a renowned recluse who mastered the power to travel through the air at will. The sight of a young woman baring her legs while washing clothes caused Kume to lose his concentration and fall from the sky.”
also
“In a deified form, [Kitano’s] spirit is said to have flown to China to learn Zen, paying for his lessons with a sprig of flowering plum.”