First let me say that Tamayo returned to our trip last evening. Her mother is doing much better, taking a little food by mouth and hanging in there. Tamayo reported that her mother, though paralyzed on one side and only semi-lucid, was aware enough to grab her and hug her with the one good side. I am delighted for Tamayo and for myself. Thank you for your care, prayers, meditations and intentions.
Just a few quick notes before we leave Iruma-shi, the location of Johnson Air Base where I was stationed from 1957 through 1960.
A. We've been traveling with our friend Sunao Yokobiki. His small car seems to be able to handle the four of us with ease, but not much space left for a lot of baggage. Still, it is quite nice, gets excellent gas mileage and, like the Toyota Prius, is a hybrid. We see a lot of these small cars which are about the size of a VW bug, but with a square shape, they hold a lot more.
B. It is still startling to be in the left front seat as a passenger and to turn right across traffic. Driving on the left side of the street with the driver in the right front takes some getting used to. When I lived in Japan before, I did not drive a car. I rode a motorcycle, so it was different. (In the Air Force, I did drive a jeep or a truck, but on base we drove just as in the US.)
C. Chairs and tables are lower here, as befits the Japanese stature. That has been a little hard on my knees which are still recovering from the total knee replacement operations. Actually, it is getting up that is difficult. Yesterday the challenge was visiting a home where they were sitting in the traditional way, on the floor. That was even more difficult.
D. Yesterday, Sunao took us out to the countryside at the invitation of one of his friends. We had a delightful time looking at the beautiful gold, yellow, black and white carp. This friend grows tea and we had some of his crop, ate home-made Japanese pickles with rice, enjoyed the views along the river and the pleasure of his household. His home was 160 years old and incorporated a tree over 800 years old.
E. Today was spent at my university. Kokusai Kirisutokyo Daigaku has changed much in the 45 years since my graduation. There are now three libraries instead of one. A separate administration building houses many functions. The old dining hall has been demolished to make way for a newer one. There is a very modern building devoted to the physical sciences as well as another for the psychology department. In fact there are about 15 new buildings all together. A lot of the land has been sold off, but it is still one of the largest campuses in Japan, even though the student body is relatively small. (I don't have the firm numbers at hand, but I think it is under 4,000.)
F. Two things are still on the campus. The old tea house which is quite ancient still stands and is used for ceremonial tea. I was also assured that the archeological site where we dug up pottery shards, as well as a couple skeletons from 2300 years ago, is still maintained, though the site has been thoroughly investigated.
G. As the fourth American to graduate from the school, I was a bit of a curiosity. I was given two books about the early days. One was a biography of Hachiro Yuasa, the first president of the university. Dr. Yuasa spent much of WWII in prison for his refusal to support the war and to accept the divinity of the emperor. The second book was a history of the university written by Dr. Charles Iglehart who was one of my professors. His usual summer vacation was to walk the length of Japan. That would be a feat for any person, but Iglehart was already 82 when he was my prof.
H. Our visit ended, we ate lunch at a small noodle shop just outside the university gates. After we finished the proprietor showed up. When he discovered that both Tamayo and I speak Spanish, he was delighted. He lived in Bolivia for 13 years as a representative of a Japanese trading company and he wanted to have a conversation in Spanish.
I. Tomorrow it is on to Yokohama area and more friends there.
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