August 29-30, 2002
We now head off to Sagami's, one of Ritsuko's fine friends who stayed with us in London. While on the train here, I notice we are over the hill that seems to divide one city or section of earth from the next. This time we pass through an area of fields, a bit like small American wheat fields, but with something different, a sort of Asian slant. This would easily be explained by Ritsuko: this isn't a wheat field, it's a rice field.
Something distinctively Japanese is also the idea of being able to see what you are getting. Perhaps this is to inspect the cleanliness or because the language is so difficult, a description can be misunderstood. Maybe it's to cater for illiterate foreigners like myself. In any case, a fine example of this are the vending machines. You would never see just a button with a brand of soda or cigarrettes, but rather a fashion display of the cans, bottles or boxes on the catwalk. There is also a trendy English explaination, "Be fresh - canned beverage makes you refresh - we carefully did the best selection - they are outstanding amoung others." The machines glow not just because all the cans are backlit, but because they are astonishingly clean. How could this be outside? It's cleaner than something from a hostpital operating room!
I see my first samurai outside the train station, though it is only a statue and then we are greeted by Sagami. She is warm and welcoming to both of us and has much to chatter about with Ritusko. I am still looking at the Samurai statue as if it's an interesting real person that I am too shy to introduce myself to. When Sagami asks me what I would like to do in her town, I tell her I would like to relax. The girls giggle, but understand that I've been overwhelmed and still have a bit of jet-lag. I was delighted to change into my jinbei (Japanese lounge pyjamas) and be able to relax in her well air conditioned home. While it is very modern, the main structure and living area are classic Japanese. I don't make it to the bed and doze off alongside the table.
Sagami's husband comes home and has made reservations to take us to a ryokan, traditional Japanese hotel, for all the local and traditional food. You would never imagine such thin Japanese people could eat so much sea food! Just about everything was exotic to me and to our hosts pleasant surprise, I found most things were wonderful to eat as well.
After the meal I had some quiet time with Masato, Sagami's husband. This was the first time where I was hoping to make some small talk, but I had used up all my gestures and there was nothing more I could express. It was time for a good burp, but even that didn't come out. We took a walk in the comfortable night air around the harbor which held many special memories for Sagami and Masato. Many people talk to them while passing by, but not just because the are trotting a foreigner behind them. They were the highschool sweethearts who have remained living in the small town, becoming a part of its 'contemporary history.'
The town matsuri (summer festival) is coming up and there is a building excitement of practicing taiko drummers and fireworks collecting. We come across Masato's nephew shooting off small rockets. He overcomes his shyness for an English lesson. We head back from home and see he's launched a small firework. Shyness returning, he runs to us, already a small distance away, to whisper in his uncle's ear that that firework was to say thank you. Then he runs back home.
August 29-30, 2002
August 29-30, 2002
August 29-30, 2002
August 29-30, 2002
This is why we are really here, for Ritsuko's younger sister's (Seiko's) wedding.
For much of this trip, I have been looking