Those of you who know me well, know that I am half Japanese by descent. If you know me even better, you know that neither I nor anyone in my immediate family, including my Japanese mother, have ever really spent any time in Japan. That said, it was a very special honor for Chrislyn and I to be able to visit my figurative and literal “motherland” this past November.
Our month in Japan stands out as being very different from every other month, in almost every way imaginable. Japan is perhaps the most modern, technologically advanced, smoothly-run, well-behaved, and clean place that I’ve ever been in my life. The subways and trains are always on time. Not only that, the people riding the trains are quiet and polite; they do not talk loudly on their phones, leave trash all over, set up camp for the night, or poop in the corner of the traincar (no offense to our friends in NYC). People actually obey street signs here; they do not jaywalk and most will wait as long as it takes for the pedestrian “walk” sign, even if there’s not a car in sight. The toilets will talk to you, heat your hiney, play some tunes, spray air freshener, and last but not least, give you a nice surprise when you just start pushing random buttons out of curiosity and find the bidet feature! (For all of the “uncultured” folk reading, look it up. Seriously, look it up, it’s weird.) The vending machines on the side of the road dispense some twenty different kinds of beverages, including hot coffee and soup. I can’t even start to explain the marvel that is kaiten sushi, but I must try – it’s a wonderful combination of touch screens, miniature trains, and delicious sushi!
We spent the month in Nishinomiya, a wealthy suburb between the two larger urban centers of Osaka and Kobe (home of the famous Kobe Beef!). Our squad of 45 was spread out all over this region, staying in host homes. Chrislyn and I were lucky enough to land with Mama Yamamoto. Blessed were we! Mama, as we called her, is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Despite Mama’s limited English and our even more limited Japanese, we managed to communicate and connect through feeble attempts and a month-long game of charades.
We called her “Mama” not only because it was easy enough to remember and say, but also because she cared for us like we were her own children. Her husband passed and her two boys grown, Mama lives alone with her two dogs, Maku and Luku. Despite this, her house is seldom quiet as it is a frequent gathering place for neighbors and friends. Did I mention that Mama is a wonderful cook? We had many a feast prepared by Mama and her friends. A particularly fun/funny experience was the time that Mama and her friends dressed Chrislyn and I up in the traditional Japanese kimono and yukata (see picture below).
Great food and generous gifts aside, it was so refreshing to live in a real home and feel like we were part of an actual family for a month. We enjoyed watching baseball together on TV, learning how to cook new Japanese foods, going to church together, and playing with Maku and Luku. Spending time with Mama and just getting to live life together with her was one of our greatest joys on the trip so far.
Stay tuned for part 2…
