Is it possible to meet 10,000 people as we live out our remaining days? Now that I'm thinking about it, I'll keep a record going forward of new people I meet, and add names and photos of those from my past that cross my memory.
Ten Thousand People: The Art Book was conceived on a bright tsunami-wave of a cherry-blossom day in Ginza. We climbed to street level after leaving the Tokyo Art Book Fair... Billions and billions of pink sakura blossoms softly drifted to earth but unlike snow... instead of melting... there remained a confetti carpet of pink petals on the street as we crossed to the Ginza Antique and Craft Fair.
And like those beautiful cherry blossoms, everywhere we encountered pleasant, polite friendly people like we were clouds floating over a sea of kindness. That's when I met Chieco and had an epiphany, the genesis of this Art Book: Ten Thousand People. The people that make the world a better place.
April 7, 2019
#1,001 The very first of 10,000 People
I meet Chieko Iwase, the inspiration for this 10,000 People Art Book. She and her family were selling their Japanese antiques at the Ginza Craft Fair in Tokyo. Though she spoke no English, she understood everything. Her son was quick to translate but I bet left on our own, we would have understood all the essentials. On her face and in the kindness of her character I recognized the virtues of bushido, the code of the samurai: Honor, Integrity, Compassion, Honesty, Courage, Respect, and Loyalty. We were together for less than an hour, but she launched in me a lifetime of wanting to photograph and come to know 10,000 people. Scroll down #2 of 10,000 People.
#1,002 Yuji Ishihara, my first friend in Japan. Before I knew it, I felt that we were born into the same family.
Yuji, left in the wake of our friendship so many impressions and precious moments I was inspired to film our together journey in the short 12 minute documentary below.
Morita-san is now a principal of his own high school in Japan.
#1,003 Japan Fulbright International Science Exchange Colleague Yoshihiro Morita. We met at Nara Super Science High School. I was invited by the Japan Ministry of Education to write an International Science Program for high school students. A year later, I was to take our top MIT and Harvard bound science students from Montebello High School for a 7 day science expedition to Japan. In addition to Yoshi, that trip would connect me with Akiko Murakami who would open many doors for my future in Japan (see below).
A year after our International High School Science Exchange Expedition to Japan, we would host students from Nara Super-Science High School on an exchange in California. The hispanic families of the students that went to Japan were so excited to host our new science friends from Nara. Our parents hosted neighborhood block parties for our Japanese guests who were treated to the brightness of the Latino culture of Los Angeles while I hosted Mr. Morita and his colleague at my home in Long Beach, California.
I pointed to my camera... she waved me closer. Clicking off photos on the approach, I was suddenly intercepted, stopped short and quickly escorted away by tree photographers. Didn't understand their words but unmistakable was their crystal clear body language: "Hey look buddy, we're paying this girl hundreds of thousands in yen. You're not going to waltz in here and take free photographs." They were clear like yakuza clear. I looked back at her as I was swept away... One of those unforgettable moments: was it the kimono, the girl, her welcoming smile or the yakuza?
After 8 additional journeys to Japan... I've looked but haven't seen her since.
Then. I found my very own Japanese Bride. True... Patricia is half Scottish, half Irish... but she lives in the heart and soul of a Japanese woman. You should see her in her Kyoto Kimono!!!
#1,005 October 21, 2005 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kyoko Jones, our Japan Fulbright Administrator and handler.
Kyoko ran our 2005 Japan Fulbright 20 day tour of Japan for American Educators. She brought to us far reaching resources like the Minister of Education, a Member of the Japanese Parliament, a Kabuki actor in 2 hour session while she applied her make up... and many more including ...
One of our stops to visit a Japanese Elementary School... [the next 3 photos were taken by my teacher colleagues while on our Japan Fulbright Educators 20 day tour of Japan.]
.
or was it a preschool?
.
.
.
.
Visiting our first Japanese High School...
#1,006 October 25, 2005 I meet an EYEWITNESS TO HIROSHIMA
In all my journeys across Japan I may have crossed paths with Hiroshima Survivors unknowningly, but Koji Ikeda was holding his newborn infant in Hiroshima on that day of infamy, August 6, 1945. By 8:15 am his wife had walked into the city for groceries.... The last he saw was a bright flash then... nothing. Later, he doesn’t know how long, he digs himself out of the splintered rubble of his families home. Then frantically he scours the debris for his baby... relieved when finally finding the suddenly quiet child alive and well.
There's more to his story that I'll include in a future post.
#1,007 Tomoko Nagani, Hiroshima Survivor Laison
#1,008 August 27, 2015
In Search of the Japanese side of the family, my first taxi driver in Japan takes me to Okayama City Hall... notice the white lace back seat covers, common to taxis in Japan.
#1,009 August 28, 2015 Shoji Ishihara and colleagues at Niimi Shiaksho, Niimi City Hall searching for my mother's Japanese family... the family that did not venture to America... the family that stayed behind...
The koseki [official family records] search took Hiromi Fujii [left] 1,010, Yuki Tomiya 1,011, Miki Watanabe 1,012, and Shoji Ishihara [far right] nearly four hours... I watched their eyes brightened when they found the document linking my mother's parents to one of the 3 Kobayakawa families of Niimi, Okayama.
From left: Hiromi Fujii, Yuki Tomiya, Miki Watanabe, and Shoji Ishihara.
Shoji [above] took me home to have dinner with his father
There's more to his story that I'll include in a future post.
#1,007 Tomoko Nagani, Hiroshima Survivor Laison
#1,008 August 27, 2015
In Search of the Japanese side of the family, my first taxi driver in Japan takes me to Okayama City Hall... notice the white lace back seat covers, common to taxis in Japan.
#1,009 August 28, 2015 Shoji Ishihara and colleagues at Niimi Shiaksho, Niimi City Hall searching for my mother's Japanese family... the family that did not venture to America... the family that stayed behind...
The koseki [official family records] search took Hiromi Fujii [left] 1,010, Yuki Tomiya 1,011, Miki Watanabe 1,012, and Shoji Ishihara [far right] nearly four hours... I watched their eyes brightened when they found the document linking my mother's parents to one of the 3 Kobayakawa families of Niimi, Okayama.
From left: Hiromi Fujii, Yuki Tomiya, Miki Watanabe, and Shoji Ishihara.
Shoji [above] took me home to have dinner with his father
#1,013 Yuji Ishihara after we finished researching my Kobayakawa Family Geneology.
Yuji was the Genius who early on envisioned the map that would lead me to my mother's Japanese cousins. Click HERE for his short documentary.
# 1,014 Shoji's research above led me to Yasuo Kobayakawa [standing behind Patricia] first cousin, his wife Kuniko #1,015, grandson Takuya #1,016, and Kaori, his mother #1,017. Part of our Japanese family lives in Niimi, this part of our family lives in Tokyo.
Yuji was the Genius who early on envisioned the map that would lead me to my mother's Japanese cousins. Click HERE for his short documentary.
# 1,014 Shoji's research above led me to Yasuo Kobayakawa [standing behind Patricia] first cousin, his wife Kuniko #1,015, grandson Takuya #1,016, and Kaori, his mother #1,017. Part of our Japanese family lives in Niimi, this part of our family lives in Tokyo.
#1,018 "The best okinomiyaki in Hiroshima" is a one woman restaurant... she is the chief cook, dishwasher, accountant, buyer, customer service specialist, and entertainer. Click on the video below.
From my camcorder August 2005. Ryokan staff teach us a Japanese song and dance. I don't know how... but I vow to get back to that peerless ryokan. Hey that would'nt be the name of the ryokan on their kimonos... would it?
.
.
.
#1019 through #1,027 Hiromi (far right, standing) and her family. August 2005. My first homestay in Japan where I learn... there's no better way to find the soul of Japan than to stay with a three generation family.
.
.
.
July 15, 2006. #1,028 through #1,031. Our Nara High School science student partners take us to visit Kyoto University.
.
.
October 26, 2016 Kurashiki, Okayama
.
Nara Super Science High School Teacher and International Science exchange colleague Yoshihiro Morita stayed with me for a week while his advanced science students were in home stays with my advanced science students in Montebello California. We first met when we visited his science lab in Nara Japan
.
.
July 2006. My advanced science students from Montebello High School meet #1,032 Akiko Murakami on our last evening in Nara Japan. We exchange email addresses... but in one of those never anticipated possible futures... nine years away... we will meet again, but this time in California... and two years beyond that, she would introduce me to Megumi's family who would give Patricia her beautiful wedding kimono. Her father, Yoshio, a retired Sakura City Hall employee would introduce me to the oldest Samurai Sword making family, crafting swords for warriors and Emperors for 600 years!
.
.
.
August 31, 2015 Gassan Sadatoshi,#1,033 the Master Swordsmith of Sakura City, in his home museum and sword making studio near Nara Japan. We enjoy tea in his living room overlooking his serene Japanese garden. He me to quote him: "Samurai Swords are not for fighting."
March 17, 2017 On a Kyoto adventure we find five new friends who take time out of their day to help us find Mokumeganea jewelry store where Patricia's engagement ring awaits... no matter where she goes... there she is making friends among admiring followers...
Senjyu Shrine, Tokyo [below]
April 2019, Tokyo
10,000 People: The Art Book back story
April 4, 2019. April 4, 2019. In search of the biggest Art Book Vending Machine in the world... This is where the 10.000 People Art Book idea began in Jimbocho, Tokyo's book town.
Jimbōchō has its own train station, not far from Ginza where we found...The Largest Art Book Vending Machine in the world (see photo below) at the Ginza Art Book Show.
Taps, the trumpet call unique to the Unites States military, is sounded at funerals, wreath-laying and memorial services. Originally it was the call to extinguish lights. It's been said that soon in this digital age, books that is books, made of paper, will only be found in museums. Is it time to play taps for the age of books?
No comments:
Post a Comment