Yesterday I went to the hyouikuen (preschool) with my friend Taguchi to pick up his daughter, Umi-chan. Umi means Ocean. We played at the college campus during the evening, then had dinner at his house. After dinner we got a phone call from my host, Suzuki-san, telling me to call my cousin. Thus I heard that my Uncle, Hiroyoshi, had passed away.
I called my parents at 6:45 Seattle time to give them the news. Of course I never knew the Japanese side of my family. Hiroyoshi took me to dinner once three years ago when I first came to Japan. Then I met him the second and final time two weeks ago when I was visiting my aunt Miyo in Ashikaga city. His wife gave me a nice long-sleeve polo shirt because it was raining and I only had t-shirts with me. I only saw him for a moment, exchanged aisatsu, and gave him an omiyage of smoked salmon from Seattle.
Taguchi-san had lent me a book, hi no tori (the Pheonix) by the great Manga-ka (comic book writer) Tezuka Osamu. It contains various stories on the theme of reincarnation, and the language is largely simple with furigana (pronunciation guides) so I will use it to study Japanese.
Upon hearing the news of my uncles death, Taguchi remarked “Of course, there is nothing that lives which does not die.” To this his daughter replied “火の鳥が死なないよ” (The Pheonix does not die). We laughed at this insight, and I said to Umi “should we become pheonix?”
“Umichan,” Taguchi said, “何回も生まれて死んで面白いの？やってみたい？” “Would it be fun to be continually reborn and die?”
Umi replied “母さんがいれば楽しいよ” “Only if mom is still there, would I be happy”
Today's vocab:
特攻する とっこうする “suicide mission” from the word tokkoutai, special attack unit, which was a euphamism for kamikaze pilots. Now, tokkou is used in situations (such as sports or business) when people attack with little chance of winning. It is also used for suicide bombers.
アウンの呼吸 （A-UN no kokyuu） a relationship of perfect wordless communication. literally, “Om breath”
I visited a friend of the family, Abe-san, in Gunma two weeks ago. He and his son took me to some great treasures of Japan, such as Nikkou, where the Shogunate's Tombs and places of worship are centered. Also Ikkaho hotsprings, a village dedicated to the art of enjoying outdoor hotsprings. Abe-san is a hereditary priest in the Joudoushinshuu, Japan's largest Buddhist sect. He has spent most of his life studying Buddhism and has met with the Dalai Lama and Buddhist leaders from Bhutan.
At the gates of the Nikko, he pointed to two guardian statues painted bright red and green. These demons are called A and UN. They are the first two sounds in the universe, together they make the mantra “Om” which is the origin of the Hindu Trinity of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma.
In Japanese idiom, “A-UN breath” means a relationship of perfect synchronized harmony. It is most perfectly represented by a husband and wife who communicate without speaking. Japanese men traditionally desire a woman who is adept in wordless communication: who understands their mind by observing them rather than by talking. As men we are guilty of often forgetting that it is also our job to tactfully observe as well as be observed.
There was more I had to say... but there always is. I'll leave off with some haiku inspired by this morning's run along the Tama River.
足音ため ashioto tame
虫は飛び出す mushi ha tobidasu
平和な道 heiwana michi
From my footsteps,
the insects fly out
A peaceful path
鷲の下 Washi no shita
川は溢れる kawa ha afureru
生活の流れ seikatsu no nagare
Under the eagle
The river brims over
the tide of life
...yOu finaLLy unDersTAnd, the messAge you coMmunicaTe with an other hUMan being has nOThing to do wiTh whaT you sAy, it hAs notHiNg to do with tHe look on the muScuLAture of youR fAce, it's muCh deEPeR than that, mUch dEepEr!It's the VIBRATIONS that EMANATE from YOU
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