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Volume 3, Number 2
Fall 1996

In This Issue:Index of other issues

(Japanese names are presented western style, family name last, except for historical figures and bibliographic entries.)

The 6th Japan-America Grassroots Summit

Against the backdrop of Pike's Peak and the Rocky Mountains, 250 Japanese and many more Americans came together for the 6th Japanese America Grassroots Summit in Colorado Springs, Colorado from October 4 through 7, 1996. The 6th Summit continued the Summit tradition of lively, spirited exchange with the goal of mutual understanding and friendship.

The Japanese participants arrived in Denver on October 1 and 2 and were greeted with a performance by the Medicine Warriors, a group of youth that performs traditional Native American dances. On October 3, most delegated joined one of three optional tours of the Natural History Museum, the Art Museum, and an organic farm in Denver and the surrounding area. That evening at Denver University, the kyomai dance troupe from Kyoto performed for the visitors and local attendees, and Colorado Lieutenant Governor Gail Schoettler and Denver Deputy Mayor Butch Montoya welcomed the participants. The welcome reception following the performance culminated with the entire group learning and dancing the Macarena!

On the morning of October 4, participants departed Denver for the trip to Colorado Spring. After a stop at the U.S. Air Force Academy, visitors went to either the pioneers Museum or the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center where members of the Colorado Springs Children's Chorale greeted them with a program of songs. Some participants were moved to tears when the chorus members came out into the crowd and sang in front of them.

At the Mayor's Reception at the El Pomar Center on the evening of October 4, most Japanese and American participants had their first opportunity to meet each other. Mr. Lou Mellini, chair of the Colorado Springs Steering Committee, and Ms. Susan Mattheson, coordinator, introduced the speakers, who included Mayor Robert Isaac of Colorado Springs; Mayor Kurihara of Fujiyoshida, the sister city of Colorado Springs; General Akio Suzuki; and Mr. William Hybl of the El Pomar Center.

The Opening Session on the morning of October 5 featured a variety of Japanese and American performances and presentations from both sides. Mr. William Hosokawa gave the keynote address on the Japanese American experience in Colorado. As representatives of the families of John Manjiro and his rescuer Captain William Whitfield, Ms. Kei Nakahama and Mr. Robert Whitfield exchanged the globe commemorating the lasting friendship of the two families and of the people of Japan and the U.S. Finally, a delegation from Yamagata Prefecture in Japan demonstrated several traditional Japanese arts forms and introduced Yamagata, the site of the 1997 Summit.

In the afternoon, the delegates broke into groups for their individual exchange sessions. The Summit features both ongoing exchanges and new sessions focused on issues specific to Colorado. The Japanese visitors learned about a variety of aspects of Colorado and the Colorado Springs community. A sample of the exchange activities:

  • The postal exchange, in its fourth year at the Summit, brought together postal service employees and many of their family and friends, some on the exchange for the second or third time. At the formal exchange session, postal service representatives discussed the role of the postal service in the community. The main postal exchange activity was the picnic on Sunday, October 6. Representative of the U.S. and Japanese postal services exchanged gifts and greetings; participants enjoyed a barbecue, face painting for the children, and even karaoke!
  • The deaf exchange comprised sessions covering three topics: educational services for the deaf, including a charter school concept and a residential school environment; additional services for the deaf such as vocational rehabilitation and agencies serving the deaf community; and technology for the deaf. The technology session introduced the Japanese deaf team members to the TTY, a device that enables deaf individuals to call each other on the phone without using an operator as an intermediary.
  • Mary Beth Herens, chair of the deaf exchange session, reports, "It would be hard to find a group enjoying themselves more than the combined group of Japanese and American deaf... The sessions were animated, humorous, quizzical and thought- provoking... The interaction was beyond anyone's wildest hope or imagination!"
  • Participants in the retirement and senior citizen's lifestyles session visited a variety of facilities for seniors in Colorado Springs. The Japanese visitors learned about educational and social programs and medical services for seniors, and visited a variety of housing facilities ranging from assisted living and skilled nursing facilities to government subsidized apartment units and the private residences of the Liberty Heights retirement community. They also learned about Care Castle, a unique facility at which seniors provide voluntary day care to children of working parents.
  • At the sister cities exchange, participants from both Japan and the U.S. spoke about exchange activities between cities in Colorado and Japan. Discussions centered on topics such as preparing people for visits to sister cities, program ideas, and using Internet technology to enhance sister city relationships.
  • Rangers from the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the City of Colorado Springs introduced participants in the natural environment exchange to the spectacular and diverse environments in the Pikes Peak area. Discussions centered on development, management, and environmental protection policies as the visitors toured the Garden of the Gods, Pike National Forest, and the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. U.S. Forest Service guest Smokey the Bear also made a special appearance to greet the Japanese visitors.
Other exchanges included sessions on space and technology, healthy lifestyles, arts and culture, distilled spirits, business, and agriculture and organic farming.

Participants enjoyed the evening of October 5 and all day October 6 with their host families, then gathered for the farewell party at the Flying W Ranch on the evening of October 6. Hosts and guests enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the ranch, a chuck wagon dinner, and musical entertainment by the Flying W Wranglers. Guests returning to Japan the following day reluctantly said good-bye to their homestay hosts at the end of the evening.

Those who joined the post-Summit tour of the U.S. Southwest departed on the morning of October 7 for a trip to Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon, hosted by the National Park Service. Throughout the tour, National Park Service guides helped the visitors learn more about the experience of the Native Americans of the various areas.

The Summit presented a variety of experiences to those involved, but the most important was the development of lasting friendships. Many Japanese and American participants are already actively communicating with those they met in Colorado. Although each participant will take away different memories, all will remember the spirit of goodwill and friendship exhibited throughout the Summit.

Voices from the Participants-Homestay Hosts

"We hosted a family of five. They had three girls; we have two... It was amazing to watch how quickly and how well the five girls got along and were able to communicate. Sunday night, all five of them piled into the two raised platform twin beds my husband had made and spent all night chattering and giggling like old friends. It was a wonderful experience for us all."
--Cindy and Gerry Endres
"The highlight [of the Summit] was when the deaf Japanese and Americans met for the first time. We were there all night exchanging sign languages, norms, cultures, and jokes as well. It was really nice to see everyone blend in so well."
--Patrick and Susie O'Hara
"One of the women [who stayed with us] taught us how to do some special Japanese dancing. Right before she left, she said 'I want to come back and bring my family to meet my new friends in America!' It took her quite a while to figure out how to say the whole sentence; she was so proud of herself!... The Homestay was such a tremendous success and so enjoyable for us... We had a wonderful time and look forward to hosting again."
--Bob, Jan, and Leslie Cass
"Our visitor is a fireman in Japan. While driving around the Air Force Academy, we decided to visit a fire station there. They were wonderful hosts to our visitors and showed us the fire station, and gave the fireman from Japan T-shirts, a hat, pins, and badges which thrilled him. We took pictures and out guest said that was the highlight of his visit."
--Elfriede and Alan Johnson
"From the beginning, the language barrier added an interesting twist to the interactions between the two hosts and two guests... However, we soon discovered that we had many thing in common and shared interests, both of which aided in the 'breaking down' of the language barrier. We found various methods of communicating... I honestly feel that we were better able to share ideas and feelings with our two guests than we often are able to with individuals who do speak our language!

"... When it was time to say good-bye, there were tears, but we were all able to take comfort in the fact that in this brief 36-hour period, lifelong friendships had been born."

--Christopher Han and Jana Johnson

From the 6th Summit Keynote Address

Mr. William Hosokawa,
Honorary Consul General of Japan at Denver

"My name is Bill Hosokawa. The first name indicates my American birth and nationality, the second my Japanese ancestry. Thus it gives me double pleasure to welcome you to Colorado where I have made my home for more than 50 years... It is a great pleasure to have you here. We are honored to host the sixth annual Japan-America Grassroots Summit. ..."Let me now turn for a few moments to John Manjiro... he and four companions were rescued from a desert island somewhere in the southwest Pacific by an American whaling ship whose captain was William Whitfield. The date was June 27, 1841. Captain Whitfield took Manjiro with him when he returned to his home in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on May 7, 1843. Manjiro was then 16 years old. Under Captain Whitfield's sponsorship Manjiro went to school, learned to speak, read and write English, and learned much about America and Americans... In 1849 he set out for Japan...

"Manjiro reached his home in the village of Nakanohama on October 5, 1852... In the difficult years that followed, Manjiro's knowledge of two cultures enabled him to be a living bridge of understanding between Japan and the United States... The Manjiro Society has indeed chosen a worth leader to honor and to challenge Japanese and Americans of our times...

"I would like to... tell you a bit about relations between Japanese and Americans in Colorado. The first Japanese to arrive in Colorado is believed to have been Matsudaira Tadaatsu... He studied civil engineering at Rutgers University in New Jersey, came West to work for the Union Pacific Railroad, and then was hired as assistant inspector of mines by the Colorado state government... A decade later, young Japanese immigrants began to arrive in response to the demand for labor. They worked in the sugar beet fields, helped build dams, irrigation ditches and highways, dug coal and smelted steel. They were among Colorado's pioneers...

"At the outbreak of World War II there were perhaps 2,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in Colorado. While Japanese Americans on the West Coast were moved into relocation camps, those in Colorado were permitted to remain in their homes...

"What is important is that Japanese and Americans learn to know each other, to understand our differences and enjoy our similarities. The media... too often emphasize what divides us. Movements such as the Japan-America Grassroots Summit are a wonderful opportunity to bridge that gap. I am sure that those of our Japanese visitors privileged to stay in the homes of Americans during this trip enjoyed a delightful, eye-opening and unforgettable experience, and the same could be said for the American host families. A similar experience was enjoyed by the Americans who were guests in Japanese homes a year ago, and their Japanese host families. This is the kind of grassroots association that overcomes prejudice, misunderstanding, suspicion, and promotes that noble human quality best described by the Japanese expression ninjo, meaning humaneness or human warmth. ... "We are delighted that all of you, Americans and Japanese, have chosen to hold your Grassroots Summit in Colorado. Welcome. And come back again."

New Board Members Appointed

The Manjiro Society is pleased to announce that three persons have been appointed to fill existing vacancies on the board of directors. Kaz Maniwa, Esq. is the Chairman of the Board of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco and participated in the 5th Grassroots Summit in Kagoshima. Mr. Koh Sera is Senior Vice Presidents of Sumitomo Corporation of America.

Mr. Sadami (Chris) Wada, President of Jupiter International, Inc. in Greenwich, Connecticut, is also former Senior Vice President of Sony Corporation. Dr. Michael Armacost, President of the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC and former Ambassador to Japan, and his wife Bonnie, were also named honorary members of the Society. We welcome them all.

Program Report

Fundraising Reception

The Embassy of Japan opened its doors to the Manjiro Society on the evening of July 17, 1996 for a fundraising reception. Counselor and Mrs. Mari Amano hosted the event, and over 75 persons attended.

The program began with greetings by Counselor Amano and Manjiro Society Chairman Lewis Robinson. Short addresses by Bob Whitfield, the 5th generation descendent of Captain William Whitfield, and Executive Director Taeko Floyd followed. The program concluded with a brief talk by Paul Roche, parent of one of the Japanese immersion program students, about his experience at the 5th Japan-America Grassroots Summit in Kagoshima, Japan.

The evening served as an introduction to the Manjiro Society for many. Kathleen Davey Mistry, president of Mistry Enterprises, Inc., said, "I felt a real sense of camaraderie and focus on a common purpose. Everyone seemed very committed to the group." The reception was also a chance to renew ties with other members for those already familiar with the Society's activities.

Mrs. Amano helped with the awarding of the numerous door prizes. Sushi-Ko, Tachibana, and Millenium Restaurants all donated gift certificates, and the McLean Hilton offered a free nights-stay for two. ANA representative Shigeyuki Brown graciously declined when his number was chosen to win the golf shirts and pen sets donated by ANA! Japanese immersion program students Courtney Pilka and K.C. Poindexter were the lucky winners of cartons of M & Ms from the case donated by Manjiro Society corporate member Mars corporation.

Washington Area Member Social

Manjiro members Reiko and Hugh Young opened their home for a Washington Area Member Social on September 20. Thirty-three members and friends gathered at the Young's home for a catered buffet dinner, entertainment, and an opportunity to meet and get to know other members.

Violinists Yuki MacQueen and Lumi Hachiya and pianist Yasuko Hachiya performed five short pieces as the evening entertainment. Yuki MacQueen holds degrees from both the Julliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, and has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. Manjiro member Yasuko Hachiya, who accompanied the violinists, studied piano in Europe and Japan. Her daughter Lumi, who also participated in the Manjiro Society Summer Camp, now plays with the String Ensemble of the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony Association.

After dinner, attendees watched a video of the Manjiro Society Summer Camp, sang songs, and socialized late into the evening.

William and Mary Homestays

The Manjiro Society helped find homestays for 40 students from Keio University in Japan who visited the Washington, DC area in August. The students were participating in the 1996 Keio University Summer Program sponsored by the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The three-week program focused on the theme "Fifty Years of Change---Preparing for Tomorrow" and gave students an opportunity to learn more about social and cultural changes in American style of work and recreation.

The students stayed with families in Virginia during the homestay portion of the visit from August 8 through 11. Manjiro Society members Steven and Mary Chris Sensabaugh, Greg and Dana Thomasian, and Minh-Trai Woods opened their homes to students during their weekend visit. Mary Chris Sensabaugh said of their visit: "Our two guests were great. One was quiet and the other much more lively, but overall it was wonderful experience. We would love to host again!"

The Society hopes to help annually with the homestay portion of the William and Mary Program.

Manjiro Society Summer Camp
Winston Floyd

In the spring of 1996, the Manjiro Society asked me to participate in their pilot Summer Camp program as a counselor. I quickly accepted the offer and was soon part of the planning process for the first Manjiro Camp, which was held July 31 to August 9, 1996. Being the youngest member of the staff and thus perhaps slightly more able to relate to the campers, I tried to include in the program many activities which would not only be educational, but also fun for our five campers.

From the moment we picked up our three campers from Japan at the airport, I knew that the week to come was going to be a challenge. I thought the language barrier would be our first obstacle; it turned out the first barrier was communication itself---Tomoko, Kaiki, and Yu hardly said a word during the first couple days! However, I continued speaking in English and my broken Japanese until they began to reply. By the end of camp, we were all communicating and actively learning from each other.

The country setting of Pembroke Springs provided a great atmosphere for the children to explore and bond together. We set up camp, gathered firewood for our campfire, and cooked our own food every night. We also hiked, picked berries and made jam, played with the animals, and fished. We fished almost every day; they wouldn't leave until they caught one! Lumi and Monica, our two American participants, joined us on the fifth day of the camp, and things only became more fun. Through activities such as a water balloon toss and scavenger hunt, the children were encouraged to communicate with each other and increase their knowledge of each other's language and culture.

We also traveled to other places that allowed the children to experience some of Virginia's beautiful natural surroundings and learn more about American culture. The Shenandoah Valley's Luray Caverns kept the campers in awe; tubing down the Shenandoah River was another memorable experience. We took two separate trips to Washington, DC to absorb as much as we could of the city's treasures. We had a private guided tour of the Capitol, visited many of the museums, and did a little shopping as well.

By the end of the ten days, we had all become very good friends. I was pleasantly surprised that everyone was joking and laughing without reservation towards the end of the week. It was such a wonderful contrast from the first couple of days. I plan on participating again next year, and I'm sure there will be even more campers. I shall not forget our few, brave, pioneer campers, however, and hope to see them again soon.

Winston Floyd is a second year student at the University of Virginia and a prospective East Asian studies major.

Upcoming Programs

The 7th Japan-America Grassroots Summit

Mark your calendars now for the 7th Grassroots Summit scheduled for October 31 through November 4, 1997, in Yamagata Prefecture in Japan. Yamagata Prefecture is located in the southwestern portion of Japan's Tohoku (northeastern) region and is famous for its mountain scenery and hot springs. Yamagata is also the sister prefecture of Colorado State, site of the 6th Summit.

Many exchanges are already being planned for the 7th Summit, including sessions on aging society, organic farming, dolls and regional culture, sister city relationships, and a continuation of the deaf exchange begun at the 6th Summit. The Summit will center on Tsuruoka City, where participants will join the Hyakumangoku festival celebrating the yearly rice harvest. Exchanges will also take place in approximately 15 other cities, towns and villages in Yamagata.

More details on the 7th Summit will be featured in future issues of exchanges. Please plan to join us!

The Japan-America Youth Orchestra Exchange

The Manjiro Society will sponsor its first Japan-America Youth Orchestra Exchange from March 17 through 24, 1997. Twenty members of the Chiba Youth Orchestra from Chiba Prefecture in Japan will come to Virginia for an exchange with the McLean Youth Orchestra of McLean.

The highlight of the exchange will be a concert at which the visiting orchestra members from Chiba will perform with the McLean Youth Orchestra at their March 23 concert. Visiting orchestra members will also homestay with families of the McLean orchestra members, sightsee in the Washington area, and possibly visit schools with their hosts.

Both orchestras are accomplished groups. The McLean Youth Orchestra was established in 1983 by the McLean Orchestra which still supports it. Its approximately 75 members ages 12 through 18 audition for admission to the orchestra and perform three major concerts every year. The Chiba Youth orchestra is a parent-organized group with 90 members that attracts musicians from across the prefecture.

A Homestay Experience

Recently, I had the opportunity to host a family from Ibusuki, Japan in my home. Last November [1995] I was invited to participate in the Grassroots Summit, which featured a "people-to-people" exchange between families in Japan and the United States. I was fortunate to be able to stay at the Kamimura household in Ibusuki, Japan for two nights as part of the conference.

The Kamimura family welcomed me with large signs posted in their living room that proclaimed "Welcome Mr. Kaz," warm family gatherings, and a delicious feast prepared by Mrs. Kamimura. When my trip ended, I encouraged them to visit the Bay Area, and invited them to stay with my family.

I kept in contact with the family and they decided to visit America at the end of July. Mrs. Kamimura was to come with two of her sons, aged 13 and 16, and her friend. They would stay for one week at my home in Oakland, California.

This trip was not only their first trip to America, but also their first airplane trip, and we later learned that this was also their first trip to Tokyo! Imagine living in the Bay Area all your life and traveling to Japan before ever going to Los Angeles. As you can imagine, they had many questions about passports, traveler's checks, and what kind of clothes to bring.

They arrived in San Francisco after traveling for about 22 hours. They arrived exhausted, but with their adventurous spirits intact. I was surprised to find out that Mrs. Kamimura brought 12 pounds of rice with her on the plane! Since she cooks ten cups of rice a day for her family, she wanted to make sure that we didn't run out of rice at my house. They also brought a full box of tissues, a full set of towels, and a cup for their toothbrushes.

When they first came into our house, they hesitantly asked if they could enter the kitchen. The kitchen may be a sacred place in Japan, but it definitely isn't at our house. We looked at them quizzically as if to ask, "Do you want to starve?"

They seemed surprised when I helped with the cooking or with the dishes. This is not only a part of our normal routine, it is expected. It seemed clear that Mr. Kamimura doesn't spend a lot of time in the family kitchen.

They were initially quite shy and quiet. I think my 5 1/2-year-old son Kenta, was best at making them feel comfortable. He made them play Go Fish and Old Maid every night until it became part of our routine.

On the first night, they wouldn't say if they were still hungry or if they were full. I kept bringing out more fruit and desserts, and they kept eating. I still am not sure whether they were eating out of hunger or out of courtesy.

On the second day, I dropped them off at Fisherman's Wharf and told them to meet me in Union Square later that day. I was quite worried, since they did not speak English. They bravely toured the city that day on their own. When I picked them up to bring the home to Oakland, I asked if they were tired. They admitted they were a little tired, and I encouraged them to rest. They said it wasn't necessary and that they were fine. After about two to three minutes in the car, all four of them were sound asleep for the entire trip home.

Mrs. Kamimura felt a little out of place not cooking. She is used to cooking three meals a day, seven days a week for three teenage boys. It was quite disconcerting for her not to have to cook every day.

During the week, we showed them all the highlights around San Francisco, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower and the cable cars. We also took them around U.C, Berkeley, Monterey, Carmel, Marine World, and to an Oakland A's baseball game., When we took them to a discount shopping mall, they observed that everything in America seemed big and relatively inexpensive. Even though they did not speak English, they had no trouble shopping! They were able to figure out prices and decide whether it was a bargain or not. They purchased so many items that they had to leave their rice behind at our house!

I noticed several cultural idiosyncrasies that made me laugh. In Japan, after you use a restroom, you always close the door. In America, you often leave the door open so the next person knows that it is not occupied. Whenever I walked by a closed bathroom door, I always assumed someone was in there. I found myself going to the farthest bathroom in the house because that bathroom door is always open.

When my wife, Masako, drove the two ladies to Monterey, they both sat in the back seat. In America, it is common for someone to sit next to the driver instead of keeping the front passenger seat open. In Japan, it must be common for people to sit in the back seat and leave the front seat open. My wife "chauffeured" them to Monterey with a smile on her face the whole way.

We tried to introduce them to foods they may not have ever tasted. They really enjoyed eating bagels, and even took some with them to Japan, but if they ever saw granola again, it would be too soon. They loved the melons, and they thought the corn was so good and inexpensive they wanted to bring some home with them.

Their trip ended after one week, and they prepared to return to their home in Ibusuki. Perhaps my son said it best when he asked, "Do they have to go home already?" In a short time, they had become a part of our family. In fact, they had become quite good at Go Fish and Old Maid! I hope they had an experience that they will never forget. For us, it was a wonderful experience to be able to "show" America to this family. We know our new friends will be our friends for life. Through these "people-to-people" exchanges we can build true bridges of friendship between the people of Japan and the people of the United States.

--Kaz Maniwa
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