"Friendship, It's Powerful”

A few days ago, I was talking about my past Facebook post about the world university ranking problem to three Japanese women.  One of them handed me a thin paperback titled "Friendship, It's Powerful  友情　力あり” written by Shiroyama Saburo.  It’s a nonfiction story about a group of Japanese and American students including the author who attended a series of conferences in the US and Japan right before WWII. 

This is a thin book, but very good.  By reading it, I thought the situation between the U.S. and Japan hasn't changed much.  On page 204, one Japanese American member tells the author, "I want Miyazawa Kiichi to become prime minister (Miyazawa who became PM was also a member of this group.  He was probably the only PM who spoke English.) ... Besides, Ambassador to Japan should at least speak in Japanese, and journalists in Japan should also.  With speaking only English, how can people really understand Japan?  It's impossible to understand each other unless many more Americans learn to speak Japanese." 

I agree with above statement if we seek true democratic world.  I was excited to find that opinion written at last!  This is very difficult for Japanese to say to non Japanese, especially for that generation.  The author wrote it, not as his opinion, but through the opinion of his friend.  But we can understand this, can we?  It is his opinion, too, after all.

What is your opinion about this?

Edward Morse's Collection

Edo Tokyo Museum is showing a special exhibit on Edward Morse’s collection.  From 1877, he visited Japan three times for total of four years.  Four years seem not enough time to learn Japanese culture, but it’s amazing how much he observed and collected Japanese utensils. 

http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/english/special/201309/index.html

It was a strange experience, to be honest.  Museum viewers came in and looked at similar items with which I grew up.  It wasn’t that long ago.  No kidding!  We were using them in my house except the items for painting teeth black.

A one-sided-blade knife was in a showcase with a stone to sharpen it.  Its label said the knife to cut fish.  It was small.  It must be appropriate size for most housewives then.

What I appreciateed most was children’s smiles in the photos.  I don’t know if Morse took those photos himself or not, but I’m sure he made them laugh.  That’s a big contribution for his work which he tried to depict day to day Japanese. 

Before I left the museum, I went up to the sixth floor and browsed their regular Edo exhibits.  I took off my shoes and went up to a wooden house like the one I grew up in.  I came out, and I was about to leave when I heard a couple speaking in English.  A man said, “Is this a school?”  So, we chatted a while.  They were from New York.

7:30 pm was closing time.  I headed to the station.  It was dark and no people around.  The location is the middle of Tokyo and very lonely looking place, I thought.  Gee, similar house in which I grew up was in the museum already!  This is a weird image.  Unfortunately, many young Japanese haven’t had experience in living in such house and even older people, too, never seen some of those utensils that Morse brought back to America growing up.  Right now, I have a renter in my wooden house, but I must preserve it.  I don’t want it disappear.  So, this is usually my problem, but yesterday, I reconfirmed that it is my happiness.  

Taikan's letter to Keisen

These are my photos of the postcards I've purchased at Yokohama Museum last Tuesday.  The exhibit focuses on Yokoyama Taikan's art, but the first painting is "Night Cherry Blossoms" by Tomita Keisen, one of Taikan's students.  I like it so much for many reasons.  Under the painting shows a Taikan's letter to Keisen praising Keisen's talent and this "Night Cherry Blossoms."  How refreshing Taikan must have felt for the first time he saw it.  Today, we can see light-up cherry trees everywhere, but not early 1900s.  Nights were dark then.  I appreciated the letter.  I felt his personality behind the dynamic and innovative art.

Taikan is a huge, national artist, and even at the time, he was especially to all the accomplished artists led by Okakura Tenshin.  I've mentioned about Tenshin many times, but if you love Japanese traditional arts, please read "The Book of Tea" written by him in English.  Taikan was also bilingual.  Other three pictures are by Taikan.  Taikan literally means "Big Picture."  He certainly lived up to his name.