CGM Moment To Share

On November 2, 2011, the long awaited Congressional Global Medal (CGM) presentation was held in Washington D.C. to hundreds of Japanese American veterans who collectively fought bravely during World War II. There were fanfare, ceremony, many speeches including one by President Obama amidst applause of many well-wishers and families.

Japanese Americans fought to prove their faithfulness to the U.S. while their parents, brothers and sisters were detained behind barbed wire. For those veterans who were unable to join in the Washington event, CGM presentation moved to the local state and city levels in succession, starting in Hawaii (Dec 21), Washington (Jan 12), Utah (Feb 18), Oregon (Feb 26) and in cities of Monterey (March 4), San Diego (Mar 11) and may go on until the end of June to honor all of the veterans. Most veterans are aged over 90 and when they reflected on their brilliant past, great stories were retold, inspired by the media. This is the right time and moment – the CGM Moment to share.

The photos in question are super shots and once I saw the photos, something told me to share them with the public at large. I received permission from the owner of the photos, Dr, Koide, one of the collective recipients on November 2, 2011 in Washington D.C. Dr. Koide was assigned to the Military Intelligence Service after attending the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio in Monterey. MIS honors were delayed because of security concerns.

I became interested in his life before and after the war. A biomedical researcher and a native Hawaiian, he went to McKinley High School and the University of Hawaii. Dr. Koide earned his MS, MD and PhD from Northwestern University; he contributed over 300 research papers, helped over 30 post-doctorate candidates, including one of our mutual friends. I heard Dr. Koide inherited Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s (1876–1928) legacy at Rockefeller University, as promoter of Dr. Noguchi’s Memorial Hall and statue on the campus. Dr. Koide received the distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Hawaii in mid 2000.

Last, but not least, Dr. Sumi Mitsudo-Koide was an internist at Minidoka, Idaho Concentration Camp. She studied at Swarthmore College and the Medical College, both in PA. She was president of Japanese American Citizens League, New York Chapter, served on Westchester County Women’s Advisory Committee and was elected to the Women’s Hall of Fame in Westchester.

Dr. Samuel Koide has been an ardent New York marathoner for many years and whenever he runs lately, Dr. Sumi Koide makes sure that he carries an envelope containing her message: “In case this man happens to suffer illness or injuries, here’s taxi fare to carry him to the nearest hospital.”

The above information is mostly gathered from sources online and if any misinterpretations were made, the blame should solely be on this blogger (with my apologies in advance).

From left to right - Major Keith Horikawa (EO and Chief of Staff, 100th Battalion, 442nd Inf.), Sumi Mitsudo-Koide, Samuel S. Koide, Lt. Colonel Albert Yazawa (Battalion Surgeon)

Silver Iron

I am happy to reintroduce my long-time Czech friend Jiri Psenicka, an electrical engineer, Toastmaster, Skoda car driver, eight times grandfather, and this time as a Czech "Orlicky" Cross-Country Skiing half-marathoner. His photo appears in my blog from 2009, "Jan Letzel", Hiroshima Atomic Dome architect. He had sent me a number of his skiing photos before with his grandchildren, but this photo I received a week ago is terrific, catching his sparkling and glorious moment during and after a cross country run. He wrote that he bought it from Jindra Krammer, a professional photographer.

It was Jiri who drove me in his Skoda to Jan Letzel University of Civil Architecture from Pardubice to Nachod, close to the border of Poland. That is where the Czech Republic protrudes deep into Poland along the Krkonose Mountain Ranges and Orlicky is where the protrusion ends. I'm guessing the mountains taper off down the slopes to the plains, and the groomed cross country trails invite skiers in the wintertime with downhill runs of varying difficulty. Jiri says Orlicky may be 35km away from Nachod and 50km from Pardubice where he lives. I grew up unfortunately without snow and never skied. I thought of learning after getting a job, but abandoned the idea when my close friend from high school broke his leg on his skiing trip. My sour hindsight is that Japan has no flat land for an easier challenge.

This morning I had a dental appointment in Kokura. It started snowing on my way home. Flickering snowflakes touched my lips and earlobes and quickly melted away. I know it won't stay in Kyushu. In the overcast gray sky, the sun shivers with sorrow and the forecast predicts snowy weather all along the Japan Sea coastal towns and cities, and northern Japan, including Hokkaido. The Fire Department recorded over 100 people dead and 600 persons injured to date since Nov l, 2011, most causes of death being from roof falls and other accidents that occur during snow removal, snow avalanches, etc. Shoveling continues as snow recording 500 cm in Aomori, 400cm in Niigata, 300 cm in Toyooka, Hyogo. Snowfall is unusually heavy this year. My recollection was that snowfall usually links between Tokyo and New York, so I asked my Washington friend how's snow. I got an answer "no snow there". "Yes" answer came from Jiri, with the photo and "joy of cross country" speech he gave at his Pardubice home Toastmasters. The following is a partial quote from his speech.

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It happened 15 years ago. I took part in the Orlicky Marathon cross-country skiing race held each year on the first Sunday of February at Destne in the Orlicke Mountains. The snow conditions that year were treacherous. There was enough snow in the mountains then, but the problem was with its consistency. A couple of days before the race there was a slight thaw, temperatures got above zero and the snow got wet. Then, suddenly, frosts came back and the snow on all the meadows across which the race was to be held got very hard and thick crusted on top. The race was in the classic style, i.e. no skating allowed. The organizers just made two parallel tracks using a snow scooter pulling the device which made the 4 ruts over the hills. They had prepared the track before the frosts came back, apparently, so the tracks were icy, shining and sinister. It was not easy to find good waxing for that. But having used a special combination of green and violet Swix Klister, I thought I made a good choice and felt elated in the first leg of the race.

When I was climbing up, panting heavily, I turned my head right. I saw a young woman approaching, aged not more than 20, jet black hair in one thick braid on the lovely curve of her back leaning forward. In fact, she was overtaking me! What could I do, she was faster than me! But when I looked at her for the second time, I noticed something glistening in the sun - a shining diamond in the shape of raindrop hanging on an almost invisible thread. This assembly was about 15 cm under the nose of the pretty girl. I thought to myself: "She would certainly look lovelier, had she used her handkerchief", but no one is perfect. Cross-country skiing is like a marriage, you must take the rough with the smooth!

We soon reached the top of the hill, and the girl went into my track and was about 50 meter in front of me. And now we were gliding down the hill, the girl still in the same track, her skis were faster, she was leaving me behind. I took the posture called in Czech "Low Egg". We both were accelerating significantly. The wind was swishing past my ears and I liked it. I watched the girl: "Will I catch up with her now?" But then it happened: The girl fell, right in front of me! "Oh, God, what shall I do now," I thought, but just in a fraction of second. I stepped aside, onto the crust, trying to avoid her. I did, though only for a decimeter or two. It was a close shave! But I was on the top of the crust! Suddenly, the tip of my right ski got underneath the crust and what followed was a tiger's leap! The principle of inertia worked and my body was flying, its axis perfectly horizontal. I landed on the crust with the head forward. I could see stars or sparkles when my nose hit the icy crust. Then there was silence. "Are you OK?" I heard the girl who had picked herself up faster than me and overtook me again. "Yeah, I think," I answered boldly. But my nose was bleeding. I put some snow on my forehead, but it did not help much. There were red spots in the snow around me like from a badly shot roe-buck. Never mind, I said to myself. Now I must run really fast so that the blood will get dry.

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Jiri, on that day, participated in two races - 20k and 40k, despite the bruise. And only after the crossing the 40k goal line did he go see the site doctor for treatment. It must have been painful but he cracked jokes about the joy of cross-country. An iron man!

On February 4 this year, he joined 20k in the men's 61+ group. He recorded 1:48:46:8, securing 14th position out of 26 contenders. Wow! Super accomplishment! I congratulated him by return email. He confided to me that he first attended the Orlicky Marathon in 1986. He had raced in the 40k event six times since 1986 and 20k twelve times since 1999. A cross country veteran! Since I'm not a skier, I asked my friend, an Alpen skier born in Hokkaido, how he regards cross-country games. He commented that it's very laborious and real wearing sport and it's always awesome to see icicles hanging from their faces!

My salute to Jiri's zeal and joy of life!

From Taipei with Love

"From Taipei with Love" - Letter written in early 1900 by Takako Ozaki (from Essay Anthology from Taiwan)

My Taiwan friends commented that this portrayal is unlikely in today's Taipei. "You have to be further out to suburban fields to experience the same." She may be right. Maybe I'm nostalgic but I'm impressed with the way the letter was written. So I translated it to share with the readers at large.

The season I like best in Taipei is fall, from October going into January. During those months, we enjoy a spell of fine weather, with the sweet scent of fragrant olive in the air, red and green bamboo sprouts rising and adding colors, skylarks chattering up high in the field, shrikes shrieking high and low, often sharp, to strain listeners' ears, flocks of white eyes and flying spice finch warbling and chirping, while doves coos slowly infiltrating from afar, eagles flying high in a circle, and wagtails tiptoeing, tail-shaking agile in the field, forgetting twittering. All these hallmark tranquility is surely bliss to me, who now resides in Taipei.

Then, forage crops, the pleasures of the table! Gigantic Zabon! I can't even hold with my two hands. Pummelos are smaller but taste better than Zabon. Colorful persimmons. Sweet sugar canes with juicy syrup. So affluent that we might overlook familiar bananas without intention. In December, citrus of all kinds, including Ponkan, Tankan and Sekkan appear on the fruit markets - side topics to the pleasure of the Japanese expatriates.

Let me go in a little more detail about fruits of Taiwan. Pears, apples, summer mandarins and peaches come from Japan but all the others are readily produced in Taiwan. We see bananas, papayas and watermelons all year round. The season of watermelons is from May to the end of August. The prime time of papayas is in December. Peaches, whose flowers bloom in January and February bear scanty fruits around the beginning of May. Plums, about the end of May, grapes from mid-June, pineapples, dragon fruits, mangos, wax apples all come about July and August. Generally said those from southern Taiwan taste good and are shaped well, as compared with those produced in northern Taiwan, perhaps because of the climate difference.

Rice is produced twice in Taiwan, June and October. In January and February, we have cucumbers, green garden peas and bamboo sprouts. We can use plenty of spinach and Japanese cabbage unsparingly, as they are less expensive than in Japan.

Many kinds of fish are also available during winter. Sea breams and tunas among them are caught and shipped to Japan. Meats vary from yellow ox, buffalo, and whale to pork and chicken. Yellow ox's have a distinctive smell. Buffalo meats are said to be a little harder to chew. Whale meat texture depends on how they are cooked. Taiwanese do not eat yellow ox and buffalo much but eat a lot of pork often.

I'm sorry that I talked about foods like a greedy fad. I confessed to you that I'm a gourmet person. Listening to me, I bet you imagine Taiwan as paradise and feel like coming.

It's November here now, and getting chilly somewhat in the morning and in the evening. It's about time to change clothes from serge coat to lined garment. Those of us who live in Taipei and Keelung must prepare one set of winter wear at least. I heard people in the south like Kaohsiung and Pingtong don't need them. Just a combination of yukata and haori may do.

Taiwan's High Speed Railway (THSR)

A refreshing November morning at 6 AM, after an overnight stay at Taoyuan, the gateway city of Taiwan with two million people, I took a bus to the new THSR (Gaodi) Taoyuan Station, following advice from my Lao Taoyuan friend, TM Alex Hsiao (in a telephone message awaiting for my arrival at the hotel).

The bus journeyed through the dawning hustle and bustle of downtown, picking up THSR passengers at key spots and corners, gradually filling and almost fully loaded by the time I reached my destination. This was a special bus, exclusive for THSR passengers, (gratis) free.

I was at the newly built Gaodi Station by 7 AM, bought my seat ticket and waited for the train to have a rendezvous with two special friends, my Tokyo friend Shimada and Janifer Quo of Taipei (see January 2010 Riosloggers post). Kazunobu Shimada, President of IQM, an ISO-9000 auditing company, was born in Taipei and studied at Nanmen Grade School. He had to return to Japan at the end of World War II before graduating. I had introduced Shimada to Janifer, asking for her assistance, should Shimada make a return visit to Nanmen, Nanmen and Ximen are two different grade schools in Taipei, but under one Taipei City Government.

Janifer, now retired, but an ex-teacher of Ximen Elementary School, talked to the principal of Nanmen Grade School and arranged to have Shimada awarded with his dream Nanmen diploma after 60 years. They were heading for Taichung together to serve as judges at the Taiwan Toastmasters Conference and a Japanese language contest, and I was joining them.

While I was congratulating Shimada on his diploma, Janifer handed us her homemade breakfasts, consisting of cut wax apples, star fruits, dragon fruits, pineapples, grapes, custard apples, etc. along with youtiao, a roasted rice cake. The care packages were prepared by Janifer so the two of us could try tasting Taiwan fruits and we really appreciated her thoughtfulness. Shimada told me he had eaten some of them in his childhood but not all. Custard apple is shaped like the Buddha’s head, called "Shijia" in Chinese. It was new to both Shimada and me. We scooped up white flesh grain with a spoon, totally enjoying the delicious, sweet taste. I was told many Japanese expatriates leave Taiwan without being baptized of the taste. The fruit, from Pintong area, needs 20 weeks or so to become ripe. Australians call it "Bull's heart".

Our train reached the brand new Gaodi Wurih Station in an hour, just as we finished our breakfast. It was so quick. Luckily, the Conference venue was close to the station and we did not experience any confusion in changing trains from Gaodi to Taidi, on the old Taiwan Railroad.

I was back to Gaodi Wurih Station alone by taxi to return to Taipei at 5 PM the following Sunday. The station was packed like a can of sardines and had many long lines at the ticketing stations. I waited for about 30 minutes to get my ticket. The waiting lines were orderly and even prioritized people with disabilities. I had to present my passport to the ticket counter service. I got a senior discount (65 and above), half the fare of an adult. No wonder I saw a good number of senior passengers. I didn't see empty seats so the THSR promotions must be working. I noticed that the green car passengers got free coffee and a pack of snacks.

I observed that all THSR workers, including those serving foods and drinks, were quite enthusiastic. Their morale was high. The THSR's BOT (Build/Operate/Transfer) prerogative formula seems to be finally paying off after the initial disappointing years of low passenger levels. In 2011, monthly users hit 3 million, recording over 100,000 daily passengers.

My 10th Visit to Taiwan (Part 3)

Frog Play

While circling Ittekisui Garden, a stone frog statue caught my eye and curiosity. First, I thought of Taoism as a luck bringing mascot. This frog, however, was from writer Tsutomu Minakami's work. Named Bunna (shortened from Bunnaga, the name of Budda's disciple) by Minakami, the frog appears in his book "Come down, Bunna from the tree", one of the young readers' stories Minakami wrote in 1972, as requested by publishers.

Bunna is a young and stout "Tonosama (my lord) Gaeru" in Japanese, a black spotted pond frog, good at tree climbing. He lives in a pond inside the temple. One day, he challenged a tall pasania tree (Formosan oak), disobeying old frogs' advice not to climb this tree. He thought he could climb to heaven, but found instead a temporary prey repository of eagles, the veriest hell of captured animals such as from a shriek bird, sparrow, thrush to rat, snake, etc. to be eaten upon the eagles' return. Bunna narrowly escaped, hiding under cover between clay. Bunna secretly heard their painful cries and whimpers facing death, with mixed emotions, as they are all natural enemies of frogs. A rat advises Bunna that he would kill himself since he knows eagles won't eat dead animals. Bunna survived eating worms and flies out of the dead rat body, and with enough energy, climbed down the tree after one winter hibernation. Through this tree climbing experience, Bunna learns all the living things survive by eating each other and the life of each animal should equally be invaluable. In this world of survival of the fittest, this book teaches and enlightens young readers with the question and meaning of "what is life".

As I mentioned earlier, Minakami wrote this book in 1972. In the early 1970s, I was planning to return to the U.S. and work toward that very same goal with my heart and soul. I had not thought of anything else but myself up to that point.

The sale of the book wasn't favorable at first. But, in 1978, when the theatrical group Seinenza (Youth Group) adapted it for the stage, sales zoomed. The stage version has remained popular throughout Japan ever since among children. Then Amon Miyamoto brought it to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC as a musical in 2008. The title of the musical was "Up in the Air." Seinenza performed it in Beijing in 2007 and in New York in 2010. Recently there was a milestone production performed jointly by Japanese and Chinese children. Minakami reportedly confided before his death that Bunna may be the work that will be remembered by future generations.

Up in the Air
In Taiwan, as well as in Japan, stone lion dog statues guard places such as the National Palace Museum, Tao's Zhi Nan Temple, Hobe Battery Park, etc. Stone frogs similarly may appeal to the Taiwanese as the Japanese word "kaeru" for frog means return or recovery from illness, rejuvenate or revitalize. Frog stone of Ittekisui may attract Taiwanese visitors.

I was told that Ogori, in Fukuoka Prefecture, has a unique temple dedicated to frogs.

Note of Credit:
Photo of the frog stone statue was http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giffrom a Taiwanese blogger whose name is Hsieh Shu-Fen. The writer obtained permission to use it from her and I thank her.
(Source)

My 10th Visit to Taiwan (Part 2)

Can Ittekisui House be a new attraction in Tamsui?

In just 45 minutes, Taipei Metro Tamsui Line will take you north from Taipei Station to Tamsui, the end of the line. A great expanse of water awaits you as you exit the station. That is Tamsui River - Tamsui meaning freshwater. Rising above the shore of the river is Mt. Kuanyin. The wooden river walkway is different and pleasant. I've been to Tamsui before. I took a bus from Tamsui to Chinshan.

In Tamsui, I walked through downtown Tamsui to Hong Mao Cheng (castle of the red haired barbarians), or San Domingo Fort and Mission built by the Spaniards 350 years ago.

I dropped into Tamsui Tourist Bureau to pick up a brochure of the new attraction. It was not available yet as I expected. (Upon returning home, I found that Tamsui Peace Park/Ittekisui House was already introduced on Facebook by the Tamsui Government. The official opening was March 2011).

Peace Park was a little further north of Hong Mao Cheng and down below the Hobe Battery Park built during the Qing Dynasty days. The Peace Park is also contiguous to the Taiwan Golf Course through a cluster of trees.

I took a taxi this time. The taxi turned right in less than one kilometer after Hong Mao Cheng. The taxi driver pointed at the Peace Park signboard.

The Google site map I looked up on my PC seemed accurate and I was afraid of a long walk. Actually, the park was not that large. I had an inclination to compare it to the Japanese Garden in San Diego, California, which I was deeply involved with while living there in the 1980s. I figured 5 acres and my estimate was just about correct. I found the land measured 19,580 square meters.

The garden project has just started with a small dry garden, stone lanterns, young trees and some greens. It may easily take 10 to 15 years for it to develop into a full scale Japanese Garden with the help of garden architects and gardeners. I noted many Taiwan photographers have already visited and been blogging about it, including those who had shot newlyweds there. I saw a plethora of wedding photographers at Hong Mao Cheng site. Ittekisui will need to try real hard to catch up with Hong Mao if they intend to compete.

I saw two volunteers busily acting as visitor's guides inside the Ittekisui House. I asked how many volunteers are registered and the answer was 1300 so far.

With a volunteer visitor guide

My 10th Visit to Taiwan

Happy New Year! I start the New Year with a 3-part posting to commemorate my 10th visit to Taiwan.

"Nowadays not only humans, but houses cross international borders."

Meili Chen, Taichung Toastmaster opened a conversation in impeccable Japanese when her close friends sat together for a break at the conference forum in Taiwan.

Meili, in her maiden days, had studied at Kyoto University. "Sounds nice! Is it a Taiwan story? Can you tell me where?" I inquired. "A Japanese house of 100 years old came to Tamsui," Meili started her talk. I had one free day in Taipei on this trip and I was hoping to visit the house to commemorate my 10th visit to Taiwan." Here is Chen's story summarized. The house was originally located in Oicho, Fukui Prefecture along the Wakasa Bay facing the Japan Sea. The project was intended as an inland transplant to a community park in Kobe and any move outside of Japan was not even considered.

What happened was the bond that developed after two intense (above 7.0 on Richter scale) earthquakes that victimized Kobe (1995) and southern Taiwan (1999). Both countries struggled for a speedy recovery. As care packages and comfort goods were exchanged, rescue crews and volunteers mutually dispatched, the relationship evolved into a very close one and grass roots movement of joint cooperation on respective key projects was established.

I am a returnee from the U.S. after 30 cumulative years. It was in late 1994 that my wife and I came back to my Tokyo house. My sister-in-law from Kitakyushu helped us unpack during the New Year holidays. The Kobe earthquake hit hard and the Shinkansen (bullet train) service was halted. My sister-in-law had to return to Kitakyushu by air. In Sept 1999, Taiwan was struck. It was after I made my first few visits to Taiwan. I remember writing sympathy letters, sending donations, to my new Taiwanese friends.

More than 10 years has passed and I just finished my 10th visit this past November. I was reminded that a steady and vigorous relationship has developed between Taiwan and Japan. (On and after 3/11, Taiwan continues to assist in recovery efforts of the Tohoku Earthquake/Tsunami victims).

What kicked off the house transplant project was the disassembly and reassembly of a Fukui antique house for the Kobe Mikura North Park Community Center when Taiwan volunteers saw the beauty of the wooden house. They were so impressed that they expressed their wish to have such a house in Taiwan.

The Mikura nonprofit organization (NPO), called "Machi-Communication," is an organization of that has won awards from the Minister of Domestic General Affairs, as well as the Prime Minister, for efforts of caring for deceased victims and compassion toward recovery. A 100-year old house built by Master Carpenter Kakuji Minakami, father of writer Tsutomu Minakami, was secured for the project. The NPO "Machi-Comi" arranged to make it Minakami's Library with 200 books donated by Tsutomu's daughter. The NPO also arranged to make Chen Shun-Chen's Library, because Kobe is where Chen was born and spent his childhood. The house was christened with the name "Ittekisui", the Zen philosophy Tsutomu Minakami embraced, meaning "the infinite universe exists even in one drop of water".

Meanwhile, Taiwan searched vigorously for suitable land. First, Changhua County in the south volunteered. Plans fell through, however, when the soliciting County Mayor lost his election. It was in 2009 when Tamsui Mayor answered the call as Tamsui was where the writer Chen returned to live from Kobe after the war. It was reported that students from Tamkang University volunteered to complete the termite treatment of stored timbers before the Japanese carpenters were summoned in. The work started in June and was completed in December. It took a full 6 months to refinish, given the fact that the original design did not use any nails. The successful completion of the project was the result of the effort of 5,000 people.

Photos of the progress of the project reminded me of the Amish villagers constructing a new house with all hands.

The celebration of completion was attended by Tamsui Mayor and other key volunteers, including a Taiwanese called Lao-Tai as reported by writer Ryotaro Shiba of the NPO Machi-Communication News. His real name is Kun-Zhan Tsai. He is a Japanese fencing master, an entrepreneur of the semiconductor industry and he served as Taipei guide for Ryotaro Shiba. A Toast to the real hero: NPO "Machi-Comi," the salt of the earth!