My Japan

Early in our marriage, JB and I spent three wonderful years living in southern Japan.  As the world continues to focus on the disasters this small country is enduring, I've been reflecting about our time there.  When we arrived in January 1988, we were celebrating our first wedding anniversary with wedding presents still in their original boxes.  We'd spend 8 months in Quantico, VA for John's officer and communications training and Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan was our first "real" duty station.

 (The most famous landmark in Iwakuni, the Kintai-kyo bridge.  Amazing wooden bridge not far from base.)

 

There are sights and smells from this time that are locked into my mind.  I remember thinking there were so many strange, strange things about this country.  ....cookies with green gummy bean curd (they are terrible and yet, everyone eats them!!!)...taxi doors that open and shut automatically (OK, controlled by the driver, but still pretty fancy)...a mini keg of beer or any 1 liter bottle of alcohol you'd like out of a vending machine (I'll never see this with Oklahoma liquor laws!)...and corn and salami pizza from Shakey's Pizza.   I could go on and on and on...

But clearly, the most memorable thing about Japan is her people.   The kindness of strangers and the fundamental pressure within the society to "do what is right and honorable", are characteristics we don't have enough of in our country.  The SAFETY.  Oh, how I worried about seeing 4-5 year olds walking around town alone!  Later in life, when I had kids of my own, I marveled at the fact that these kids rode the trains unsupervised.  (Lord have mercy, WB is 11 and I wouldn't let him wait for the train with friends...someone would end up falling down on the tracks!!)

The country is so heavily populated.  For the most part, their small cities make our big cities look like one-horse towns.  And, man are they packed in!  You have to prove that you have a space to park a car before you can buy one.  And, their little "rabbit houses" are models of space, planning and efficiency.  All the things that I didn't like about my three years in Japan relate to how crowded it is...the lack of personal space really bothered me.  

But, there was just SO much more I loved.  I loved the smiles of the people.  I loved the laughter and giddiness of the children.  I loved the eagerness with which everyone (no matter their age) tried to speak English.   I loved the honesty, the sense of responsibility, the commitment to family and all the kind hearts I encountered. 

I've tried to add a couple of old pictures to this post, but I need JB's help with scanning them because the scanner is attached to his computer.  Believe me...there are some pretty funny ones!!   (24 years ago...I'm sure you can imagine!!)  I'll just have to save them for another day. 

One blog that I've read for a long time (because I love his photography and OMG he has the dreamiest .95 lens!!) is ShootTokyo.  If you are interested in the perspective of an American living and working in Tokyo, or if you like photo journalist style photography, you should check him out!

My heart aches for the people of northern Japan, for those hardest hit by the devastation and for those in fear of their futures, their safety and their loved ones.  I'm not surprised to hear news reports of people sharing food, stores cutting prices and NO looting!  These amazing people will make it...they will survive.  They have such a long way to go, but I know they have the spirit and determination to get there.

Please keep them in your prayers....