"DailyWord" Echoes
P.0 Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463 Tel. (052)794-6422
January 21, 1996 Number 51 \200
(Essays submitted by listeners/readers on themes of "Daily Word" messages
between October 31-December 5,- 1995. Corrected and edited by Clark Offner.)
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October17/31 Messages(Subject#290).
The theme for the meeting is "Reformation".
Political reformation, bureaucratic
reformation, educational reformation,
economic reformation and religious
reformation are all now under considera
tion.
Today is called Reformation Day. A
healthy religious faith encourages reformation
in many areas of life?including
inner thoughts and outward actions. Recently,
as the limitations of political, economic,
educational as well as religious
traditions in Japan have become evident,
reformations are now being considered.
What are your thoughts on the attempts
at refoun and why they are needed?
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When I hear the word "reformation" , I
immediately think of the Protestant Reformation
and the Monument of Reformation
at the Place Neuve in Geneva , Switzerland.
Reform means to remake, to make
better, improve, cure or remedy. There
are many aspects of reformation included
in these meanings?not only related to
religion or government, but in. relation to
our tRhoughts, health, home, etc. ,
eformation may be a good idea or
action at the time, but our hearts do not
keep their early passion. I tend to take
the easy way. I firmly feel that human
beings are very weak. It is important to
persevere and continue to seek a better
way than now, putting forth both mental
and physical effort, because time does
not stop and circumstances change day by
day, year by year.
(MICHIKO SANG, Minami, Nagoya)
The term "religious reformation",
mentioned by Dr. Offner, reminded me of
the bill to amend the Religious Corporation
Law, which is now causing a stir in
the political world. The Reformation was
a remarkable occurrence in Western history,
while the "reformation" of the Religious
Corporation Law now being discussed
is a very mundane problem.
The government has presented the
amendment bill to the Diet. The amendment,
in a word, aims to strengthen the
power of the government to control religious
corporations. It makes it the corporations'
duty to prepare financial statements
and submit them to the competent
authorities. It also requires the corporations
to disclose their financial statements
to believers and interested persons
when necessary. Lastly, it provides
competent authorities the power to investigate
such corporations.
The initial impetus for the amendment
was a reaction to Aum Shinrikyo,
because a deficiency in the law was
thought to be the main reason for Aum's
illegal actions. When we examine the bill
closely, without bias, we must say it is
very reasonable. Religious corporations
have nothing to fear from the amendment
as long as their activities are ethical .
2 JANUARY 21, 1996
Then, why do some politicians make such
a fuss about the amendment?
There are many different religions in
our country. Among them, Buddhism,
Shintoism and Christianity are the main
and genuine ones, having long histories
and a great number of believers. In addition
to them, however, there are many
newly-arisen religions, some of which
are relatively old even though they are
labelled "new". Now, the number of religious
corporations is more than 180,000
but people are not given enough opportunity
to know the substance of these organizations.
At the same time, government
cannot intrude into the operations
of these organizations for fear of being
accused of the "suppression of religion".
The government parties insist that this
defect of the law is the main reason for
permitting Aum to have everything its
own way and that it is necessary to
amend the law in order to avoid a repetition
of the same mistake. On the other
hand, the Shinshin Party, an opposition
party, opposes the amendment insisting
that it aims at restricting activities of
SOka Gakkai, which is that party's most
powerful supporter.
The relationship between religious
organizations and government is a very
difficult question. I think it is appropriate
for religious organizations to be concerned
about political matters, including
welfare, human rights, peace, etc ., to express
their opinions to political parties
and to request cooperation. It becomes a
problem, however, if they want to manage
politics all by themselves , interfering
in the political process. Today , people
are divided in opinion about whether
SOka Gakkai has already stepped over the
limit. Anyway, there is no problem in the
proposed amendment itself as long as religious
corporations are not engaged in
anything shady and if their accounts are
in full view of the people .
(MIKIHIKO YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
The other-day, early in the morning, I
was waiting for a special express train
on the platform at Nagoya Station. A local
train glided into the opposite side of
the platform and disgorged many passengers
who hurried to the stairs. Among
them I noticed a strange pair: a young
man in a business suit and an old man in
casual clothes. They walked closely together,
as if the old man was leading the
young one. When they passed in front of
me, I was shocked to see the younger man
tightly holding the end of a rope that extended
to the waist of the old one. They
were a policeman and a criminal. The
young policeman was tense, but the old
man looked shameless and unembarrassed,
He appeared to be an habitual offender.
All of us were born innocent, like angels,
and welcomed by all family members.
But why are some of: us forced to
go to prison? Minors are sent to a reformatory
where they are given training to
become law-abiding citizens. But why do
some of them have to go back to prison
after their release? A few of them have
to stay in prison for their whole lives. I
wonder what the reason is. Is it due to
their weak character? family conditions?
unfavorable attitudes of society? faulty
training in prison? My thoughts about
this problem circulate endlessly. But one
thing is clear: to mend one's character is
the most difficult problem.
(TSUYOSHI HAMADA, Minami, Nagoya)
I will write about religious reformation.
As you know, believers in Aum Shinrikya
are being put on trial these days . I
hate those concerned with the crimes ,
especially Asahara and his staff .
It is asked why bright Japanese
young people followed them and committed
such terrible crimes. Someone said "It's easy for the Japanese t ,
o be subject
to mind control because their personality
and individuality is underdeveloped . Especially
in regard to religion, they have
JANUARY 21, 1996
no immunity from false teaching." I think
this may be true to some extent.
So, above all, it is necessary for
young people to be taught about religion
in the compulsory education system or in
their homes. If this is not done, even if
Aum Shinriky6 disappears, when another
false religion emerges, young people will
be attracted to it also. The Japanese government
should plan to include religious
education in the curriculum as soon as
possible. (YOKO NAKANO, Kariya)
According to a recent survey, ninetysix
percent of junior high school graduates
go on to senior high schools. Fifty
percent of senior high school graduates
go on to universities, junior colleges or
professional schools. This is surprising.
We can't find a similar situation in any
other country in the world. But the majority
of university students don't like to
study. They are forced to do so by their
parents. They are also pushed to study at
cram schools. Cramming increases their
stress. Recently, we hear of bullying
very often. It provides a kind of release
of stress for some students. Moreover,
we also hear of violent behavior on the
part of teachers. Last summer, a certain
male teacher struck and kicked a junior
high school girl because she strongly opposed
him. When I was a child, I never
experienced bullying or violent behavior
of a teacher.
Education is conducted not only at
school but also at home. Today's children
are not disciplined. Some of them enter
others' houses without voicing a greeting.
The number of children who don't say
"Thank you" is increasing .
In my view, morality should not be
taught only at school but also at home.
As we have learned from the incident related
to Aum Shinriky6, too much education
without morality spoils a human being.
Every person has his or her own a bi Iity
and interest. Those who don't want to
study should not have to go to school.
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 3
Teachers and parents should help children
develop their individual talents and live
more stable lives.
(HIROMI FURUTA, Kita, Nagoya)
Recently, one of the most widely reported
topics related to political reformation
is kan-kan-settai, which we can
call "wining and dining" in English. I think
it will be a key focus of political reformation.
The governor has announced that KOchi
Prefecture became the first prefecture
to abolish the practice of "wining
and dining" central government bureaucrats.
He said, "We will budget money to
finance meetings that are considered absolutely
necessary to collect information
that is especially vital to the life of the
people of K6chi Prefecture. He also said
that he could not deny the fact that drinking
with national government bureaucrats
can constantly keep them in touch with
what is happening.
But a party for simply wining and
dining is hard to distinguish from an information-
gathering meeting for the benefit
of the KOchi people. If other governors
did the same, it would result in a
decrease in wasted 'taxes. Such a bad, old
custom should be abolished to save our
precious taxes, but it is very difficult to
stop such a custom suddenly, so I hope
that method of doing business will be
changed little by little.
(MIEKO OKUMURA, Mizuho, Nagoya)
The summer before last, I made a
trip to Okinawa with my daughers and my
elder daughter's family. Before we left,
one of my friends told me she .didn't feel
like travelling to Okinawa only for amusement:
Then I noticed I also had had the
same feeling for a long time. Needless to
say, we felt we shouldn't visit Okinawa
only for fun because of the great many
civilians, including children, as well as
soldiers who died there at the end of the
war and because we have forced Okina4
JANUARY2 1, 1996
wans to accept 75% of the U. S. military
bases in Japan. Nevertheless, feeling
kind of guilty, 1 left for Okinawa for just
sightseeing and swimming.
The landscape, the beach and ocean
were much more beautiful than I had expected.
But on the way to the beach from
the airport, even on the national road,
through wire fences we couldn't help seeing
the bases and even many black military
planes. I was shocked to see how
big the bases were and I felt that Okinawa
is on the bases rather than the bases
being on Okinawa. I think it is natural
that there will always be many troubles
related to the bases for Okinawan people
who have to live in such a place.
Now, fifty years have passed since
the end of the war. What is the reason
these bases continue to exist in Japan? I
hope there will be a reformation of the
security agreement and a withdrawal of
U. S. military bases from all of Japan , as
was done in the Philippines in 1991 . I
hope the Okinawa islands will become
peaceful, without military bases and the
tragedies they cause as soon as possible .
(YOSHIKO TOYOTA, Kanie, Aichi)
Nowadays, I have many thoughts reigarding
my life and society . In newspaper
articles and on television news programs,
many problems are mentioned--including
those related to cults and sects ,
so the reform of religions has been discussed.
Many people suffer from nuclear
tests and environmental pollution all
over the world. Our earth needs a reformation
relating to the environment and
nature.
Japan's economy is bad now. Many
people have lost their jobs. Business is
dull everywhere . I wish the economy
would improve.
Now, I have a question. What is education?
Academic advisors and others
have many opinions and ideas . I have been
very troubled about whether they are
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
right or wrong. _ What is truth? This is a
very difficult problem for me. Education
should guide students into the right path.
But we must be able to choose the truth.
I need to truly study now.
(KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
Reformation. This term immediately
reminds me of two words: "initiative" and
"co-existence" .
As is often pointed out, Japan cannot
live without the help of many other countries,
especially in relation to the acquisition
of natural resources of which she
has very few. As a developing country,
Japan was very humble and ready to learn
from other countries, but she seems to
have become too proud of herself to try
to get along with others.
Look at its technology. As everyone
admits, Japan has highly advanced technologies,
but the Great Hanshin Earthquake
revealed what was lacking. The
foundation which we had believed was
firm enough turned out to be not so
strong as we had thought . That is, our
technologies need much improvement .
When big earthquakes happened in Los Angeles
and South Korea, Japan did not have
the humility to learn something from
Americans and Koreans. in fact , some
Japanese laughed at the "shaky foundations"
of the technologies of both countries.
So one thing I think is very important
in order to reform ourselves is to
be humble once again and be ready to
learn something by making friends with
many people in other countries .
Yesterday 1 had an opportunity to listen
to Mr. Shintaro Ishihara , a former Dietman,
who told us (his audience) how intelligent
the Japanese people are . He suggested
that we think of Seki Takakazu, a
great mathematician of the Edo Era. According
to him, Seki was far greater than
Newton. He also referred to the statement
made by Mr. Eta, head of the Management
and Coordination Agency , a good
friend of his. Even now he believes Mr.
JANUARY 21, 1996
Et6 was right in saying what he did, for
he said it on his own. Mr. Ishihara emphasized
how important it is to take the
initiative in doing anything.
I agree with him as far as the importance
of initiative is concerned. How
often we are told to conform to the opinions
of others! And how seldom we are
encouraged to act on our own! So we
should learn to think and act on our own.
At the end of his talk, however, I had an
unpleasant feeling. I don't know why, but
it seemed to me that what he wanted to
tell us in his talk had come down to this:
We Japanese are superior and we can be
proud of that. The Japanese Imperial Army
did great things in Asia, for it proved
that it is possible for a small country to
fight against a big country. Mr. Takami
EtO, a good friend of Mr. Ishihara's, was
right in what he said because he is one of
the few people who can express their
own opinion.
Since I too think much of initiative, I
want to express my opinion by commenting
on his talk. First of all, Mr. Ishihara
didn't have to tell us how superior the
Japanese are for, like any other country,
Japan has both intelligent and foolish
people. It is no use talking about the superiority
of a single nation in an "international"
or "global" age.
Secondly, why did Mr. Ishihara try to
defend the Imperial Army in that talk?
Many of us know the histOric fact that
many European powers did the same cruel
things as the Japanese army when they
invaded other countries, but there are
not a few who know nothing about what
should be done if Japan wants to win the
trust of Asians, especially of the common
people and not politicians. Mr. Ishihara
said in his talk that there are some
political leaders who look up to Japan as
their "goal".
And lastly, that Mr. lshihara defended
Mr. Et6 suggests that they both think the
same way. Mr. Ishihara may be knowledgeable
about the historical facts in Asia,
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 5
but I cannot accept his opinion. Some political
leaders in Asia may respect Mr.
Ishihara, who often speaks out, but that
does not necessarily justify his arguments.
There are still many Asians who
haven't forgiven the Japanese and I think
we should find out what we can do to win
their trust.' As a first step, I want to
know as many Asians as possible and try
to see what should be done while talking
with them. Now we shouldn't depend on
only a few people for a certain kind of i nformation
but take the initiative in learning
what is necessary for us to do.
(TOMOYASU KIMURA, Nishi, Nagoya)
The atmosphere in this country has
been dark and gloomy for a long time. We
have come to wonder whether we have
entered a dark, difficult age of uncertainty.
This year, so many unfavorable things
happened one after another: the long stagnation
of the economy with no sign of recovery;
no prospect of political recovery
since the collapse of the 55th year system;
the Great Kansai Earthquake with
its devastating damages; the infamous
Aum incident; the remarkable increase in
the number of non-voters in prefectural
elections. As Dr. Offner pointed out, the
limitations of political, economic, educational
as well as religious traditions in
Japan have become evident. No matter
how difficult it may be, we should not be
frustrated, but try to make every possible
effort to correct the defects and seek
to effect a reformation.
We must recognize the changes that
have taken place in the world. The cold
war political structure has disappeared.
We are apt to believe that we attained
our high rate of economic growth and
raised our standard of living by our own
efforts alone, but now we should humble
ourselves and not simply take this for
granted. Protected by the security treaty
with the United States, Japan was able to
develop into a great economic power. Now
we should make every possible effort for
6 JANUARY 21, 1996
- the benefit of the whole world. From a
global standpoint, a country with the
right resources should take responsibility
for stability and economic growth in
the world. We should consider whether
Japan has sought only for her own national
interests, disregarding the fate of other
countries.
Japan is an insular country, basically
of the same race. Isolated from the rest
of the world for a long time, we are apt
to be indifferent to events outside. We
esteem teamwork, order and harmony, especially
within our own groups. We tend
to be exclusive and unwilling to accept
nonconformity, We should realize that
we can no longer exist as an insular nation
for we are living in an inter-related,
global age. We should be more sensitive
to the needs of others, open our hearts to
outsiders and . try to have more friendly
relations with others, at any level and in
any field. We are all human beings, with
the same mentality, I believe. Through
deepening mutual understanding,' effective
and fruitful collaboration for reformation
will be possible .
To my regret, I must confess that I
do not have great hope for an appropriate
reformation at the present time. I
deplore what I have found through my
own experience that Japanese, especially
the younger generation, have become so
self-satisfied that they are quire indifferent
to the needs of others and unwilling
to cooperate. I was deeply shocked to
discover that when I served as a census
taker last fall. The situation was much
better five years ago when the last census
was carried out. What does the remarkable
increase in the number of nonvoters
during the prefectural election
last April indicate? To carry out a desirable
reformation for a better future , the
role of good leaders is very important .
We should be more concerned with politics
and raise the percentage of voters.
Nevertheless, we should not be too
pessimistic. Japanese are intelligent and
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
are hard workers. As Dr. Offner indicated,
when we are sensitive to social changes
and make an effort to correct our defects,
we will be able to carry out a reformation
successfully for the benefit of
ourselves as well as of other countries.
(MICHIKO KAWAMURA, Meguro, Tokyo)
As times change, there is rapid progress
in advanced nations in the world and
everything is being reformed. That is not
to say that all reformations are good.
Recently, the newspapers are full of stories
of graft-related scandals and of
many kinds of suspected criminals every
day. Such people need to be reformed in
their thinking.
Our God knows everything that we do,
say or think. So we need to experience a
reformation in our own hearts. The most
important reformation for Japanese now
is a spiritual reformation.
(TAMAKO MORIMOTO, Tsuyama)
The word "reformation" reminds me
of a man under whom I worked at a textbook
publishing house for no less than
twenty years. When we, the editorial
staff of social studies textbooks , were
engaged in some assigned work , he used
to tell us to always question whether the
present way of doing the work was the
best. He used to urge us to do the job
more smartly, more easily and efficiently,
asking us, "Is there any better way of
doing this work?" This question of his
was derived from his "reform-oriented"
way of life. He really made it a rule to
urge us to question the way we did any
piece of work, whether it was all right or
not. Asking questions presupposes an
analysis of and reflection on the way w e
are doing things. "Are you content with
what you are doing?" "Why?" he used to
ask us. We had to be prepared to answer .
In the process, we did reform our way of
doing things. If we gained some principles
of doing the work better than expected
by following his advice, we were
JANUARY 21, 1996
able to apply those principles to a new
work with better results. Indeed, under
the banner of "reformation", we became.
able to work so that "each tomorrow
finds us farther than today."
When we cast our eyes around the
globe, we cannot help but pay attention
to the most crucial matter of the nuclear
age. Leaders of most countries are ready
to resort to military power, including nuclear
arsenals, to defend their country in
case of an attack by a fearful enemy. Japan
is no exception at all. Japan has taken
it for granted that the American nuclear
umbrella made the country safe i n
case of an emergency. Remember the
sword of Damocles! "All they that take
the sword .shall perish by the sword" is
an ancient adage. How to settle conflicts
among nations peacefully instead of at
the point of the sword is nothing but the
greatest challenge to humankind. Here
lies the gravest problem concerning "reformation."
(SHOJI SUGIMOTO, Suginami, Tokyo)
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November 7 Message (Subiect #291
Themes [for essays] are meant to
stimulate people to think as well as to
write. Though you may consider today's
theme a bit frivolous, it is also meant to
make you think. The question is: why is
a piece of green plastic with jagged edges
placed in trays of sushi? Is it necessary?
Does it serve a useful purpose or is it simply
an example of an old Japanese custom
that has lost its original, natural significance
and is maintained in a fabricated
form just to keep a tradition? Should the
practice be continued or abolished? What
do you think and why?
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"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 7
Though there are various Chinese
characters used to express the Japanese
word sushi, they are all simply phonetic
equivalent characters. The noun is derived
from the adjective sushi (now pronounced
suppai), meaning sour or acid.
Sushi is vinegar-seasoned rice combined
with sliced raw fish, an eggroll, seaweed,
etc. There are various kinds of sushi,
such as nigiri (palm-packed)-sushi),
maki (rolled)-sushi, oshi (pressed)-sushi
and so on. Needless to say, vinegar is
used to prevent rice from spoiling.
The special character of Japanese
dishes accentuates outward appearance
(color) and fragrance. Japanese cooks try
to make their dishes look attractive in
shape and color (and often in fragrance).
(In the West, cakes are often decbrated
for the same purpose, but I have little
knowledge of dishes for which appearance
is considered important.)
Some kinds of leaves or blades of
grass are widely used with sushi dishes.
Leaves of persimmon or magnolia trees
(hag), orchid blades, bamboo grass and
myOga (Japanese ginger) are examples of
leaves or blades used with sushi dishes.
The purpose of these leaves is related to
their appearance (color) and fragrance.
They also have a preservative function.
Leaves or blades are also used for
wrapping or separating kinds of sushi. In
former days, people did not have chemical
materials such as plastic. (Paper was
not suitable for the purpose.) Sushi i s
often wrapped with leaves or seaweed to
make it easier to pick up with the fingers.
Leaves are removed when we eat
sushi, while seaweed is eaten together
with the rice. Hoba-zushi in the Hida
district is a simple food rich in local
color. The color and fragrance of the
leaves stimulate our appetite. Pieces of
green plastic with jagged edges are often
placed in a sushi tray to separate the
portions of sushi. Originally natural
leaves or blades of the same shape were
used for that purpose, but today people
8 JANUARY2 1 , 1996
have difficulty finding^ these materials
so substitute articles are being used.
When traditional Japanese dishes are
prepared, decorations such as a twig of a
pine or plum tree, rape blossoms, etc. are
garnished to fit the color scheme of the
season. Natural materials are used in
high-class restaurants even today, but
the substitute articles are also widely
used. (In the case of parsley, the real
thing is usually used because it is readily
available and cheap.) People are divided
in opinion whether to continue the tradition
even using the substitute articles or
to abolish the tradition which is already
stripped of all its original content. Anyway,
I do not think we need to make a
fuss about this trivial matter.
(MIKIHIKO YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
I have often seen real green leaves
used by master chefs atsushi restaurants.
Haran leaves are used. An expert sushi
chef is also an expert at arranging the
green leaves in the tray. They were a
part of the atmosphere of sushi restaurants
in the old days, but recently I do
not see them. I cannot say when the
change occurred for green plastic to be
substituted for a haran leaf. I suppose
the reason is that it is easier in our busy
lives when everything becomes more convenient
at the expense of old traditions.
Next I will explain why a green leaf
or plastic is used in a tray of sushi. As I
myself understand the meaning, it is both
to remove some smell, such as fish or ginger,
for example, and to give a good feeling
to those who see it. It is related to
the Japanese delicate feeling about cooking,
but I do not think that a plastic substitute
is better than a real haran leaf.
(MICHIKO SANO, Minami, Nagoya)
A piece of green plastic with jagged
edges placed in trays of sushi is used as
as a tate-kaishiki or a tsuitate. Trays of
sushi were divided into partitions by
tate-kaishiki in the old Edo era. Tate-kai-
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
shiki were made from leaves. Now, they
are only used in high-class Japanesestyle
restaurants or sushi bars. In the
Kansai area, the leaf used is haran. I n
the Kanto area, the leaf is bamboo.
Tate-kaishiki is the result of fine
workmanship using leaves by a sushi
artisan. The leaves serve as a preservative.
Long ago, there were no refrigerators
in Japan, so sushi needed horseradish
and tate-kaishiki. Now, in most cases,
there are refrigerators in Japanese
houses and shops. Sushi requires horseradish
as a preservative, but I think that
green plastic is unnecessary. If it is
used, it is used as a divider, for leaves
have a purifying quality but plastic does
not. (KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
There is nothing green in a tray of
sushi so a green leaf makes it look more
attractive. Until a few years ago, the
green leaf of a plant called haran, which
grew in the shade, was used instead of
green plastic. ?H aran is an evergreen plant
and is said to be able to counteract the
poison of fish. The plastic green leaf is
only a decoration for the sushi in the tray
It is much better to use haran in a
sushi tray than the plastic green leaf, but
haran leaves will be in short supply before
long. Everything is changing in modern
life to fit the change of times. We
live. in a country in the?world where progress
is very rapid.
(TAMAKO MORIMOTO, Tsuyama)
Frivolous as it may seem, it is not
insignificant. There must be some reasons
for placing that piece of green plastic
on trays of sushi. The plastic is superfluous
in that it is not edible. Why is
its edge jagged? I remember in former
days the little thing was not made of
plastic. It was a green leaf. I think a
small piece cut off of a garden plant,
perhaps called haran was originally put
on sushi as a decoration. It may be quite
suitable for the aesthetic sense of the
JANUARY2 1 , 1996
Japanese to have a decoration on a tray
of sushi. The color green contrasts well
with the prevalent colors of sushi pieces
which consist mainly of fish and other
seafood.
With the growth of modern technology,
not a few artificial things made of
plastic have become substituted for natural
things. The piece of green plastic
with sushi is an example. It may seem to
be a waste of material to use such a
piece of green plastic, however small it
may be, but people enjoy the beauty that
appeals to their aesthetic sense.
(SHOJI SUGIMOTO Suginami, Tokyo)
The green leaves of yOran were traditionally
used in our country for Japanese
food because of their fragrance and
their color, which harmonizes well with
Japanese food, but now we seldom see
them.
Recently, I made a trip to the Hida
District. At dinner, our plate of sashimi
was partitioned by a small oval leaf with
jagged edges. The Japanese restaurant
owner was next to me. I asked him about
the leaf. He said, is an Oba leaf. I t
costs five to seven yen apiece. We usually
use them and should use them within
two days." "Can we eat it?" I asked. "Yes,
y"Wouh act anis," yhoeu r repolpieindi.o n Then I continued,
about the green
pieces of plastic used in sushi trays
which have become popular recently?" At
first, he seemed not to understand my
question, but after he grasped the meaning,
he blurted out his answer: "Nonsense!
(TSUYOSHI HAMADA, Minami, Nagoya)
As a souvenir of my South Kii Peninsula
trip last month, I bought some Kakino-
ha-zushi, for which Wakayama Prefecture
is fahlous. This sushi with mackerel
on the top is wrapped in a persimmon
leaf. While eating it, I thought about the
theme of a piece of green plastic with
jagged edges. A piece of paper in the sushi
box informed me that the persimmon
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 9
leaf contains vitamin C and is useful as a
preservative.
In the old days, I know that, instead
of a lunch box, bamboo or haran leaves
were used. According to my small encyclopedia,
in the Edo era, sushi chefs used
to compete with one another in cutting
the bamboo or haran leaf in beautiful
ways to decorate sushi trays. Even today,
if we can get real leaves cheap and
easily, we of course prefer them to the
plastic ones in sushi trays. Even though
the leaf is plastic, however, it is useful
for preventing a mixture of tastes and
the green color is appropriate--not red or
pink.
Nevertheless, it is clear that this is
one example of an old Japanese custom
that has lost its original significance. I
feel like saying, "There's something
wrong with it, isn't there?" I love living
flowers, but I don't reject all artificial
ones or fabricated forms.
(YOSHIKO TOYOTA, Kanie, Aichi)
*************************
Novemberl 4 Messaae(Subiect #292)
The suggested theme for an essay
this week is: credit cards. What do you
think of credit cards? Do you have any?
Do you use one often? What are the advantages
and disadvantages of using such
cards?
*************************
I have a Visa card to use on trips to
foreign countries, but I have never used
it because I cannot remember when,
where and for how much I use it. I like to
do everything correctly, but sometimes I
make mistakes or spend more money than
I desire. I do use my husband's depart10
JANUARY 21, 1996
ment store card. I make it a point to use
it when I want to buy something expensive
and do not have enough money.
A credit card is convenient from one
point of view, but on the other hand it is
not , so good for us if we do not use it
wisely. We may not notice how much we
have?spent if we do not pay attention. I
think we must recognize the dangerous
aspect of using a credit card. A credit
card is money.
(MICHIKO SANO, Minami, Nagoya)
Since I wrote about credit cards for
subject #213 three years ago, here I will
write about the value of money as a sequel
to that essay.
As for the harmful effects of credit
cards, I gave two examples. One was
young people's foolish outlook on life.
Today many young people are heavily in
debt due to buying on credit. It is deplorable
that they cannot accurately foresee
the result of their own acts. These days,
people's income level is remarkably high
compared to former days. Even young
people can easily earn enough money to
satisfy their desire to obtain many expensive
things A rbeit in my student days
was for getting money for tuition and
living expenses. If our income was sufficent
for such things, we stopped working
and used our spare time for studying. The
affluent lifestyle of young people today
erodes their sense of the value of money.
This is the reason why they cannot discern
such an easy principle that a credit
card cannot be used for more than the
limit of their deposit.
Another harmful effect of credit
cards is related to their effect on children.
If we adults use credit cards in
front of small children, they may get the
false impression that they can get whatever
they want with a single, small card.
They cannot understand the theory that
there must be a deposit behind the credit
card being used. We can find this kind of
baleful practice also in the attitudes of
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
some wives. In former days, a salaried
worker brought home his salary with him
and handed it to his wife. The wife received
it with words of gratitude. (A devout
wife offered it on the altar before
she used it.) Today, a salary, may .be withdrawn
from a bank account and used by a
wife without her husband knowing it.
Lack of respect for their husbands at
present, to some extent, comes from this
fashion of bank-transfer system of salaries.
(This is not a joke.)
The value of Japanese currency, the
yen, is very high in foreign countries now
especially in Asian countries. We realize
this fact when we travel in those countries.
We can obtain commodities or services
very economically there. This fact
may induce us to regard such things with
contempt before we realize it. The value
of people's labor-. in any place is never any
different from ours no matter how cheap
their wages may be. Therefore, I do not
think it is desirable for many Japanese
companies to advance into Asian countries
to get cheap labor. We should not
forget the days when our income was low
and we made desperate efforts for economic
progress. I often hear that the NHK
drama, Oshin, is very popular in Asian
countries. I think it is because they are
moved by the sincere attitude of us Japanese
who, at that time, struggled against
poverty and. intently aimed at progress as
one united body.
(MIKIHIKO YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
The birthplace of credit cards was
the U. S. A. about the middle of the 20th
century. The word cannot be found in a
Japanese dictionary, but we call it a kuredito-
kaado in Japanese. Credit cards
are very handy and I have one. I often use
it at the Takashimaya Department Store
in Tsuyama. I can buy things which cost
less than the amount of my deposit in the
bank, but I must be careful not to exceed
that amount. Moderate shopping is best.
(TAMAKO MORIMOTO, Tsuyama)
JANUARY 21, 1996
1 have a credit card for a supermarket
I often go to. 1 use it several times a
month. Each time I use it, I find it very
convenient. I do not have to take any
cash out of my pocket. All 1 have to do to
pay my bill is to produce my card. Its
convenience is the greatest advantage of
using the card. Moreover, card bearers
can take advantage of the limited discounts
occasionally given them.
I find no disadvantage whatever in
using the credit card. Nobody else should
find any disadvantage either so long as
they keep their spending within limits.
But I am greatly surprised to learn that
there are not a few people who have gotten
up to their necks in debt by using
their credit cards beyond their resources.
The world is quite large enough to allow
those addicted to limitless shopping to
live in it. They are helpless victims of a
money-oriented society.
(SHOJI SUGIMOTO, Suginami, Tokyo)
My parents always taught us children
as follows. When purchasing something it
is most efficient and advantageous to use
cash. You will get a special discount by
paying cash. You should save money first,
then buy what you want. . Never buy first;
earn first! So I was not interested in
credit cards for a long time.
One day after I got married, a representative
of a department store came to
our house and recommended that my husband
obtain a credit card which would
give a 5% to 10% discount when it was
used. He obtained a card of that department
store and my husband and I enjoyed
buying goods with the discount service.
Then, we made plans to travel abroad and
obtained other cards for use overseas.
They were really convenient to carry and
safe. Thus I got accustomed to using
credit cards.
I know that if I rent a car in America,
1 will have to show an I. D. card and a
credit card will be accepted. Nowadays,
paying cash is no longer advantageous.
"DAILYW ORD" ECHOES .11
Some stores and airline ticket agents
welcome payment by credit card, especially
by a so-called gold card which is
has gold on its surface, indicating a high
social position and high income of its
bearer.
It seems to me that credit cards are
becoming a kind of I. D. card even in Japan
these days.
(MICHIKO NIWA, ShOwa, Nagoya)
Credit cards are very useful. Today,
"cashless" is a very popular concept . Mastercard,
especially, is very good for it
can be used throughout the world.
Using credit cards sometimes results
in a 5-10% discount. A few years
ago, I had a credit card. Its advantage is
the that no cash is required, only a signature.
It's nice and smart! But it has the
disadvantage of requiring definite planning.
Lack of plans is the cause of bankruptcy.
So, one must plan within one's
income.
I'm a student. The reason I don't have
a card now is that I don't have a steady
income, but I want to have one in the future.
(KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
I have had few experiences related to
credit cards other than at department
stores, but 1 will relate one. One day I
used a credit card at a hotel which was
related to the Meitetsu Media service. I
felt that everybody was kind and polite
when I showed them the card. I do not
remember how much of a discount I received
at the hotel because of the card.
It is a matter of course that related organizations
help each other in Japan.
Recently, the economic situation is
becoming more and more complicated.
Under these difficult conditions, planners
related to credit card companies have
special ideas about service because providing
many services can attract many
people who want special favors. In my
thinking, it is like an ornake or furoku in
Japanese. When I once viewed a shopping
12 JANUARY 21, 1996
guide on television, I was astonished because
not one or two, but three, omake
were added. I thought at the time that
the product itself must not be very good
or practical. I think that a reduction of
the price is better than an omake. and it
is better to add an explanation why it is
available at that price. If many Japanese
like omake, however, businesses will cater
to them. There is no other choice in
Japan now, but I hope Meitetsu Media
does not have the thought of omake and
provides good service everywhere.
(MICHIKO SANO, Minami, Nagoya)
****************A-********
November21 Message (Subject#293)
A secondary business of Meitetsu
Media the sponsor of this "Daily Word"
message on the NTT CAPTAIN System, is
their "bridal service", called Debut. I am
not sure whether or not this kind of
matchmaking business is peculiar to Japan,
but I have never heard of such a
business in the United States. I am sure
there are social and cultural factors, rooted
in Japanese tradition, which gave rise
to such businesses in this country. Matchmaking
businesses is the theme suggested
for an essay. What do you think of
them? Are they really necessary? Why
or why not? Have you or your relatives
had personal experience in making use of
their services?
*************************
I went to school before the war. In
those days, Japan did not have a co-educational
system. In an elementary school,
boys were in a boys class and girls were
in a girls class. Then, boys went to..a five
year middle school and girls went to a
four or five year middle school. Beyond
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
that,there was a three year higher school
for boys only. Girls went to a girls college.
Universities allowed girls to enter,
but the Tokyo Imperial University and the
Kyoto Imperial University excluded girls
until the end of the war.
Under such circumstances, boys and
girls had little chance to make friends
with each other throughout their school
life. In those days, when a girl was born,
her parents expected her to grow up to be
a good bride. They did not want her to be
self-asserting, but to be gentle, obedient
and amiable. Compared with today, human
relations were much closer and friendlier.
Her relatives, neighbors watched over
her growth with affectionate eyes. When
she became of age, if they were pleased
with her, they were willing to take the
trouble of matchmaking for her. I remem- .
ber that this was very common in those
days. The merit of those matchmakings
was that matchmakers knew both sides
rather well--their background, family,
reputation and character. I don't think
this type of matchmaking can be called a
business. They did it for her happiness,
not for making money. . On the other hand,
I realize that matchmaking businesses
existed even then, since love matches
were quite uncommon in those days.
It is said that in Japan in the old
days, it was common for marriages to be
determined by family needs, not the result
of any attraction, between the young
couple who had seldom seen each other
before their marriage. Consequently, under
such conditions, the divorce rate in
this country was very high and there
were many tragedies. As- education advanced,
such disagreeable ways were reformed
and those types of marriages cannot
be seen anymore.
In arranged marriages, even though
the opportunity is arranged by a matchmaker,
those involved would not want to
marry against their wishes. Only when
they are pleased with each other, would
they like to go steady. Generally speakJANUARY
21, 1996
ing, Japanese are not so outspoken as
Westerners. It is very difficult for such
people to have a good chance to meet an
appropriate mate, but such a system
enables them to get married.
Those are the merits, I think, that
this system has, but we should not
overlook its weaknesses and demerits.
Through this system, it is very difficult
to engender mutual love, which is the
most important element in married life,
before marriage. They must be very careful
about that and make every possible
effort to lead a happy married life.
After the end of the war, everything
changed. Now we have a co-educational
system. 'Boys' and girls have become able
to make friends during their school life.
They are not so shy as older folk. Even in
this country, love matches are more common
than arranged marriages. The younger
generation cannot expect their elders
to take the trouble to serve as matchmakers
as they used to. The many changes
have made it difficult for older people to
understand what younger ones like and
the relationship between them is not so
close as before. As the economy grew,
we came to live apart for business or
other reasons. Relationships are not so
close and friendly as before even though
much effort is being made to improve the
situation. I cannot say whether matchmaking
businesses are good or bad, but I
think that where a need exists in this
country, a business will arise to fill it.
(M1CHIKO KAWAMURA, Meguro, Tokyo)
I knew that Meitetsu Media managed
a variety of enterprises, but I had not
been informed of its matchmaking business.
It is natural for a company to try
its hand at whatever undertaking seems
to be profitable. The wedding industry
(usually called the "bridal industry") is
no exception. Today, increasing numbers
of young people want to have lavish receptions
at big hotels for their wedding
and to honeymoon in Hawaii, Guam or
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 13
some other overseas resort. As a result,
enterprises which provide wedding halls,
clothes rental agencies, travel agents
and assorted other purveyors catering to
newlyweds have flourished. Some enterprises
deal with all of these elements
together. When the situation comes to
this point, it is but a matter of time until
matchmaking businesses appear on
stage. These companies sign up young
singles and then try to match them with
the perfect partner using computers.
Miai-kekkon, or arranged marriages,
are peculiar to Japan or to Eastern countries
at large. Until the end of the war,
most marriages were arranged. Today,
they say, this custom accounts for approximately
30 percent of marriages. One
reason for the high rate of arranged marriages
is that these arrangements generally
provide people with opportunities
for finding a compatible spouse. Such arrangements
provide an effective way of
bringing together men and women who
have little opportunity to meet persons
of the opposite sex and is also an effective
way of finding marriage partners for
those whose social circles are rather
limited.
A matchmaker, or go-between, i is
called a nakodo in Japanese. The nakodo,
with his experience and familiarity with
the situation on both sides, can bring together
people who,in his judgment, would
make suitable marriage partners and even
after the marriage, the nakOdo continues
to offer advice and discuss problems
with the married couple. So the number
of arranged marriages which fail and end
in divorce is extremely small.
NakOdo are usually not professional
matchmakers, but persons who like to
help purely out of goodwill. Most of them
are obliging and find pleasure in helping
young couples. They make a list of many
prospective brides or bridegrooms and
devote themselves intensely to finding
the right combinations. But no matter
how many they may have on their lists,
14 JANUARY2 1, 1996
their abilities are no match for computers,
which, with their superior efficiency,
find the most suitable combinations
in a moment. In addition to the efficiency
of these computers, young people need
not feel any constraint related to a cornputer
because it is just a machine having
no will. I hear that many young people
today are rather shy and retiring in their
ways and have not as much chance to
meet with the opposite sex as we imagine.
I think these are the social and cultural
factors which have. given rise to the
prosperity of the matchmaking business.
(MIKIHIKO YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
In Japan, matchmaking (miai-kekkon)
was very popular until the Edo era. Then
Japan was a feudalistic land. Fathers decided
on their children's partners. This
was called kafu-chosei. But Western culture
and romansu was introduced into Japan
in the Meiji period. Today, more than
55 percent of the young people want to
marry for love. In 1985, 75.3 percent of
the marriages were love marriages (renai-
kekkon) and 22.6 percent were arranged
marriages (miai-kekkon) . "Romance" is
primarily for oneself.
It is suitable for a democratic and free
society. Matchmaking businesses are replacing
the matchmaker. For the man who
is not in love, the matchmaking business
may be a savior. But is it really so? Marriages
are being computerized . Computers
contain much information and make for
great efficiency. But they are only machines.
Are they perfect? No!! Computers
do not have hearts. Human beings
have hearts and emotions . We need to
have love. So I will never make use of a
matchmaking business. Sorry!
(KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
"You must go back to the country
where I was born and get a wife for
my son Isaac." "Isaac brought Rebecca
into the tent and she became his wife .
Isaac loued Rebecca." (Genesis 24:4 , 67)
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
**************************
November28 Message (Subiect#294)
Bicycles have become popular in
recent years and are the suggested subject
for an this week. Do you ever
ride a bicycle these days? Did you ride
one when you were younger? What are
the advantages or disadvantages of riding
a bicycle? Why do you think they are increasingly
popular these days?
**************************
As I had lived in Nagoya for many
years, I could not imagine that I could not
get along without a bicycle around here.
But in fact, as I mentioned before, I must
go shopping and go to the bank, post office
and other places by bicycle. Whenever
I go by bicycle, I can see beautiful
scenery and it does not require gasoline.
These are the good points, but it is also
dangerous and I cannot be too careful .
(YASUKO IZUMI, Seto)
I used to ride a bicycle when I was
young. Twenty years later, I thought I
would like to ride it again but my friend
said to me, "It is dangerous to ride a bicycle.
Don't think about it." My idea at
that time is the same reason why bicycles
have become popular again recently .
Bicycles are very convenient . Many people
use them to go from their homes to
the station and from the station back to
their homes. There are not many parking
places for cars at our destinations or
they are expensive if we park a long time .
I have been driving a car for over thirty
years, but I usually think about which
way to go, which parking place is good
and how long it will take to accomplish
my purpose. If I go by bicycle , I need not
make such plans. From my experience , I
would say that it is natural that bicycles
are becoming increasingly popular .
(MICHIKO SANO, Minami, Nagoya)
JANUARY 21, 1996
(I mentioned something about bicycles
in relation to the message of August
31, 1982, so here I will write from a different
angle to avoid repetition.)
Today is the day of motorcars. Almost
all families have at least one car.
When I built my own house 16 years ago, I
had no car, but the contractor advised me
to include a garage in preparation for the
future and I followed his advice. It was a
few years later that I obtained a drivers
license, after a hard struggle, and became
a part of the car society. Before
that time, a bicycle was the one and only
means of transportation under my control.
When I was a boy, a bicycle was a
very expensive possession. I remember
quite well my joy when I was given my
own bicycle by my parents. Those days,
society itself was poor on the whole. At
that time, I never dreamed of the day
when I would possess my own car. This
state of affairs was the same throughout
the world in prewar and postwar days,
which I could imagine through an Italian
movie about a bicycle thief. 0 do not remember
the exact title.)
When we travel in Southeast Asian
countries, we are surprised at the sight
of so many bicycles which reign supreme
even today. In early morning in Beijing,
streets are crowded with a great number
of bicycles which carry their riders to
their places of employment. In Taipei and
Bangkok, many fathers carefully carry
two or three members of their family on
a bicycle all together. (Recently,it seems
that bicycles are being replaced by motorcycles
in accordance with economic progress.)
Rickshaws powered by a bicycle
are also found there. I feel envious when
I see the mingling of cars, bicycles and
people in those areas.
I think we are rich now compared to
people in Asian countries and ourselves
in the early postwar period. Nevertheless,
bicycles placed in shopping quarters
or near a station are often stolen. How
can we explain this social phenomenon?
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
15
Most of the insolent fellows may not intend
to steal it, but just want to use it
temporarily. The other day I was informed
through television news that a
new antitheft buzzer to be attached to a
bicycle was invented. If a thief moves
the bicycle even a meter or rocks it a bit,
the buzzer begins to sound furiously and
it is necesssary to push a secret number
to stop the sound.
The other day, I observed an event on
a street connected with a bicycle. Several
bicycles were parked on a sidewalk in
front of a bank. Suddenly a strong wind
blew hard and toppled the bicycles one by
one. One of them, unfortunately, fell toward
the road, struck and damaged an expensive
foreigh-made car which was illegally
parked there. I felt sympathy for
the owner of the car, but at the same
time, it is true that I thought it served
him right. Am I a man of a crooked disposition?
(MIKIH1K0 YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
I ride a bicycle almost every day. I
first rode it when I was an elementary
school pupil. .Then I had to practice every
day in Akatsubo Park which is near my
house. Since then, a bicycle has become a
necessity for me. I ride it to various
places in Minami Ward. I have a drivers
license, but I have no car. A car is expensive
and requires a parking place. A bicycle
is convenient and light, but it is cold
to ride in winter and difficult in rainy or
snowy weather. In fine weather in spring,
summer and autumn it's very good. The
ordinary style bicycles first came to Japan
from America in 1870. They were
first made in Japan by Eisuke Miyata in
1890. In 1965, there were about 24 million
bicycles in Japan. In 1975 they totaled
about 50 million. In 1982, there
was a bicycle for every 2.2 people. Japanese
like bicycles very much.
(KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
I use a bicycle to go
food several times a month.
shopping for
Without a
16 JANUARY 21, 1996
bicycle I would have a hard time carrying
such heavy bags full of food. The bicycle
makes it possible for me to avoid having
such a hard time.
When I go to a supermarket near the
railroad station, I am always at a loss
about where to park my bicycle. I find
the parking places already overflowing
with bicycles. More often than not, I
have to wait for sometime before somebody
takes away a bicycle to make room
for mine. I refuse to park my bicycle in a
no parking area. Isn't a mass of bicycles
parked in a no parking area a very ugly
sight?
Bicycles are very handy vehicles. Unlike
cars, they require no gasoline. Also,
they are not difficult to maintain. Ordinary
ones cost little and are very useful.
Many people tend to use them for a reason.
So an increasing number of bicycles
are filling the parking area near the station.
The bicycle parking problem is a
serious headache for the city government.
(SHOJI SUGIMOTO, Suginami, Tokyo)
I have never ridden a bicycle in my
life even though bicycles are one of the
most convenient vehicles. The advantages
of riding a bicycle include the following:
they need no fuel, they go from door to
door soundlessly and they can easily pass
along any alley. Riders are kept in good
health through the exercising of their
legs. Bicycles do not speed as fast as
automobiles so they are not so apt to
have traffic accidents.
People travel around the .world, up
mountains in Africa or across the Australian
desert on bicycles. Bicycles provide
personal transportation. Bicycling
strengthens the heart, lungs and feet. B
cycling is a competitive sport. But riding
a bicycle may be very dangerous or impossible
on rainy days, during storms or typhoons.
(TAMAKO MORIMOTO, Tsuyama)
After the war, I came back to Japan
from Indonesia ? and lived in Nagoya for
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
the first time. I wanted to find a job I
could do on my feet. By chance, one of my
father-in-law's friends began to se II
steel balls in Osaka and enjoyed good
sales. He recommended that I sell them
in Nagoya and I jumped at his offer.
Usually about four o'clock in the
morning I left my home and went to Nagoya
Station by bicycle. It took about an
hour. I boarded the first local train to
Osaka. The train was jammed with many,
many black marketeers carrying rice,
sweet potatoes, eggs, charcoal and so on
on the train to Osaka. After about six
hours, I arrived in Osaka, bought steel
balls, put them in my knapsack, came
back to Nagoya Station and rode my bicycle
back home again. From the next day, I
rode a bicycle, visited- bicycle retailers
at random and sold steel balls. Not only
in Nagoya. . I went to Okazaki, Toyohashi,
Gifu, Ogaki and Yokkaiichi also. Doing so,
I accumulated knowledge and experience
about selling steel balls.
Afterward, we became the agent i n
this district for a steel ball manufacturer
and our steel balls are now included in
many newly-built automobiles. Now, almost
all of our bicycle clients have disappeared,
but I have a special feeling
about bicycles.
(TSUYOSHI HAMADA, Minami, Nagoya)
I rode a bicycle almost everyday
when I was a junior high school student.
It took me about 15 minutes to go to
school by bicycle. At that time, roads
near my house were very narrow and
were not paved. A bicycle seemed to be
the most convenient way to get to school
quickly. And most of the roads in my
neighborhood were not used frequently by
cars, except for buses or trucks which
sometimes passed by. I enjoyed riding my
bicycle without touching the handlebar
with my hands. It used to give me a little
thrill
However, cars gradually increased i n
the 1960s along with Japan's economic
JANUARY2 1, 1996
development. My husband opposed -my
riding a bicycle, saying it was too dangerous
to ride on such crowded roads and
that there were no lanes for bicycles, so
I changed from a bicycle to a car.
Although I haven't ridden a bicycle
for more than 20 years, I still admit that
it is more convenient than a car if the
destination is not so far away, as Dr. Offner
has mentioned about his experiences
in his telephone messages.
(MICHIKO NIWA, ShOwa, Nagoya)
An "ancestor" of today's bicycle, a velocipede
invented in 1645, had 4 wheels.
It would never fall over and it would be a
safe vehicle for me, but it would be difficult
to ride on narrow alleys. Today's
bicycle is light and swift, so it can reach
its destination faster than an automobile
in the case of a traffic jam.
My brother is now 75 years old. When
he was a boy, a bicycle was expensive for
a common citizen. Father took his son to
the bicycle shop in Aomori to buy him ones
Later, my brother told us there was a handy-
sized boys' bicycle suspended from
the ceiling of the store, but father decided
not to buy it upon hearing its price." I
also heard that he had learned how to
ride using his playmate's bicycle. It was
in 1944 that he got his own bicycle when
he became an army technical lieutenant
in the Nakajima Aircraft Factory in Gumma
Prefecture.
Asf or myself, I had no chance to ride
a bicycle in my childhood or my youth. I
used to walk, however far my destination
was. But after I started working, time
became precious. When I went on an errand
for Dr. Hansen, my employer, seeing
other people riding bicycles easily, I envied
them. Dr. Hansen and ? Miss Lindsey
never rode bicycles and never took city
street cars. They also walked and walked
from their house to school through the
TOhoku University campus with their sunshades
or umbrellas, so I gave up my ambition
to ride a bicycle.
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 17
When I began to serve at the Fukushima
School for Handicapped Children, from
1983 to 1986, I found some parents carrying
their crippled children on the back of
their adult tricycles. Their tricycles never
fell over while riding and I wanted to
get one but, being timid, I couldn't ask
them to lend theirs to me. Going back and
forth in front of the shop,I finally got my
own tricycle and found that a tricycle for
adults is different from that for children.
The two wheels on the back are stable,
but the front wheel is not, so the tricycle
may fall over if I lose my balance. I realized
that a person who cannot ride a bicycle
cannot ride a tricycle either.
It took two months before I was able
to ride my tricycle. I was very happy
when I first rode it on the entry way of
the 9th floor of our apartment house.
Since then, it has been helpful for my
daily life, carrying the things I bought at'
the store far away from my house and
going to various places where I had to go
by bus before. Now, I don't haVe to mind
the time for going out.
For the past few years, I have been
trying to ride a two wheeled vehicle, although
I have not gotten one yet. And it
seems to me that a person who can ride a
tricycle cannot always ride a bicycle.
(KAZUKO TAGUCHI, Fukushima)
Bang!! With a dull sound, my whole
body flew about 10 feet through the air
from the pedestrian walk and in the next
moment was on the ground at the edge of
the concrete road. When I came to, I was
being held by two passersby. I couldn't
see for several minutes, nor could I move
at all. My left shin was covered with constantly
flowing blood while I awaited
treatment at a certain hospital for more
than one-and-a-half hours.
Guess what had happened. My daughter's
new bicycle on which I : was riding
was hit by a white passenger car from
the car lane on my right. The driver was
a 67-year-old woman who had just fin18
JANUARY 21, 1996
ished her midnight job at 7 o'clock in the
morning. It was an unhappy day, March
27, 1995. She promised unhesitatingly to
pay for all my medical treatment. Nevertheless,
the fact of the matter is that
she has not kept her word. Only the first
payment was paid by her. 1 had a killing
pain days and nights for three weeks and
my rehabilitation still continues. What
is worse is that my daughter's new bicycle
was broken and still does not work.
I take off my hat to her daring. You'll see
what I mean if you read between the
lines of what I have written.
The bicycle is a two-wheeled vehicle
powered by a rider who sits astride it. It
is the fastest way for us to travel using
our own power. Compared with enginepowered
vehicles, bicycles do not pollute
the fresh air. Riding bicycles has been
popular for sport and travel since the
1880s. Not only does a bicycle take us to
our destination faster than an enginepowered
vehicle on a road jammed with
cars, but bicycle riding keeps us healthy.
After all, a bicycle has its advantages
and disadvantages. The question i s
whether the advantages counterbalance
or outweigh the disadvantages.
(JAIME !WM, Owariasahi)
At my house, we have two bicycles.
One is rather new and the other, about 40
years old, was used by my sister before
her marriage. That bicycle which had lost
its rider was given to us by my mother.
Since then, we have used it for shopping,
going to play pingpong or going to the I ibrary.
It is very comfortable to ride on
and will run at a high speed with little
effort. Several times we have changed
its tires, saddle or other parts. At such
times, the bicycle shop man always advised
us to buy a new one, but realizing
that we had no intention of doing so, he
became willing to repair it and now
seems to love it.as much as we do.
I hear that in the busy cities, the
number of bicycle riders is increasing
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
because bicycles are convenient. But in
the countryside, like where we live, I
think the number of bicycle lovers is decreasing.
For example, fifteen years ago,
almost all the members of our pingpong
club came to the gym by bicycle, but now
there are very few bicycle riders. We can
say the same thing about shopping places.
I hope the roads for bicycles will be
improved much more so we can ride bicycles
safely and easily.
(YOSHIKO TOYOTA, Kanie, Aichi)
December 5
*************************
Message (Subject#295)
Japan is a very orderly country. The
traditional emphasis on orderliness is
seen in the fornial greetings or gestures
which are observed at home, at school
and at work. The Chinese characters for
the most common Japanese gesture, a jigi,
literally mean a word-ceremony. Many
jigi will be performed the first few days of
the New Year when formal greetings are
offered during visits to relatives, friends,
business associates and others. This last
month of the year is also a busy time for
writing and addressing New Year's cards,
or nengajO. NengainengajO is the suggested
theme this week. What do you think
of this custom? Do you enjoy writing and
receiving these 'New Year's cards and do
you also make formal visits over the New
Year season? Have these customs changed
over the years and do you think they will
change in the future?
cards
takes
do it
may
*************************
mail about 300 nengajO greeting
at the beginning of every year. it,
much time for me, but I continue to
because I imagine that my cards
give the same kind of delight to
JANUARY 21, 1996
those who receive them as I feel when I
receive theirs.
Regarding nenga, I remember when I
was young, before the Second World War,
that we visited and greeted people in our
neighborhood at New Year's along with
others to whom we wanted to express our
thanks. Customs are changing little by
little because we are apt to consider our
own enjoyment first. I presume that this
tendency is not only seen during the New
Year's holidays but during other holidays
as well. The recent trend is partly good
and partly not good. To enjoy ourselves
is good, but to forget to thank others is
not good. I hope that we will not emphasize
only our own ways.
(MICHIKO SANO, Minami, Nagoya)
Nenga and nengajO are special, traditional
customs in Japan. I think the custom
came to Japan from China in ancient
times.
I write New Year's cards at the end
of every year by the deadline date indicated
by the post office. It is rather
troublesome for me and takes many hours
to complete, but it is one of our important
customs.
Recently, we do not have any visitors
who bring us New Year's greetings, so it
is a good custom to exchange New Year's
cards with one other. By them we are
able to keep informed of each other's
well-being. This custom may change in
the future. The advantage of sending a
letter or card once a year is that it is enjoyed
by the receiver. Its disadvantage is
that it takes many hours to write them.
However, I do not think this Japanese
custom will be changed soon.
(TAMAKO MORIMOTO, Tsuyama)
When I was a boy, I used to make formal
visits to some of my relatives to
wish them a happy new year over the New
Year season. Also I attended the school
ceremony held on New Year's Day. Toward
the end of a year, I used to be busy writ-
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES 19
ing and addressing New Year's cards to
some relatives and friends. I thought
that writing these cards were mere substitutes
for the annual formal visits.
Manners and customs have changed
since the end of World War II. I understand
present-day boys and girls do not
attend school on New Year's Day. I miss
the ceremony which is no longer held.
However, the custom of writing New
Year's cards remains unchanged. So toward
the end of December, I am usually
busy writing and addressing the postal
cards. In fact, I write and address the
cards only on the presupposition that I
will still be alive on the coming New
Year's Day, more than half a month ahead.
With the end of December approaching,
I am going to be busy preparing those
greeting cards.
(SHOJI SUGIMOTO, Shinjuku, Tokyo)
It is customary to make a visit, or
nenga, during the New Year season. Today,
we can omit the visit,but we need to send
a greeting card, nengajo. It is necessary
to send them to relatives, friends, colleagues
and people in the neighborhood.
There are many people to send them to.
When I was a child, I was very bored
writing nengajO. When I received one, I
was interested in it, but I think it is unnecessary
to send them to people we see
everyday. Especially, we need not send
them to our colleagues and boss, for it is
not an obligation.
In Japanese traditional events, there
are many obligations, but it is only when
we feel that something is really needful
that we should do it. In December and
January, post offices are very busy. For
postmen, are nengajO good or bad? I wonder
about this in the winter season, but,
in any case, the New Year season is very
happy!! (KEIKO UKAI, Minami, Nagoya)
It is said that New Year's cards express
one's personality. These are cards
sent as greetings for the new year. They
20 JANUARY 21, 1996
usually have a picture of the animal corresponding
to that year's zodiac sign(eto)
and are sent so that they will arrive on
New Year's Day.
Some people make an original card
with a painted picture or a family photograph
on the government postcard. Government
postcards are popular because prizes
are awarded by a lottery related to the
number on the card. Most business nengajO
come with the greeting printed on
them while writing one's own cards can
tax one's ingenuity.
Nengajo arrive from old friends. It
is a pleasure both to write such cards
and to receive them. Even on a printed
government postcard, if a personal .greeting
in their own handwriting is included,
it makes me happy, remembering past
times or imagining their present life and
how, they are getting along. So I also usually
write a few warm-hearted words by
my own hand. In this way, I keep in contact
with old friends or relatives for a
long time. Every year, it is very troublesome
but very enjoyable.
(MIEKO OKUMURA, Mizuho, Nagoya)
The Japanese language has many
homonyms and jigi is one of them. The
most common meaning of this word is a
bow or greeting (when used in this meaning,
it usually takes the form of o-jigi)
and the other is,. as Dr. Offner explained,
the compliments of the season.
We are now in December and the new
year is approaching. Many special events
take place during the first week of the
new year, especially during the first
three days. The two most typical are the
first visit to a shrine or temple where
people pray for good fortune during the
year ahead and the formal New Year's
calls paid on relatives, company superiors
and anyone else to whom we have become
indebted during., the past year.
(These calls or visits are called nenga,
which literally means the greeting of the
year.) In the feudal age, the heads of
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
branch families used to go to the house
of the main family on the morning of New
Year's Day and the main family used to
serve sake and food to them. This custom
came to be followed also by friends and
aquaintances and is observed even today
as the practice mentioned above.
The custom ofnenga, however, has
undergone many changes in the last two
or three decades. In the case of the Gifu
prefectural government, for example, directors
of each division used to visit the
governor at his official residence on New
Year's Day, early in the morning and after
returning to their own homes, received
visits from their subordinates, the chiefs
of each section. The chiefs did the same
at their homes. They all became tired of
observing this custom and in order to
abolish the undesirable practice, a goreikai
was introduced. On the morning of
New Year's Day, all persons holding a
managerial position gathered at the prefectural
office, together with notables
representing various social groups and
offered their New Year's greetings to
each other. With the passage of time,
even this practice came to be felt troublesome
and was also abolished under the
name of simplification. The practice at
present is for the governor to deliver an
address to all prefectural personnel at an
assembly hall on the first day of work,
not on New Year's Day.
The annoying custom of these New
Year's calls have to some extent been replaced
by nengajo, or New Year's cards.
Sending greetings by postcards has become
popular as the postal service has
developed since the Meiji era. We enjoy
reading nengajO delivered in a batch on
New Year's Day and learning how friends
and relatives are getting along. It is an
indispensable part of the New Year festivities.
My wife and I send some 400 nengaio
each and every year. We must write addresses
and mail them by the latter part
of December. In order to lessen this work
JANUARY 21, 1996
load, I am now struggling with a word
processor to write the addresses. This
will be helpful also to remove my poor
handwriting from the eyes of people to
whom I send my nengajo every year.
(MIKIHIKO YOSHIMOTO, Gifu)
Essay
you cic
*************************
on Subiect#289 ("What were
d)ina fifteen years ago?") received
too late to be included in
"Echoes" #50
Fifteen years ago, I experienced a big
event. It was the building of a home of
our own. Until then, we lived in a company
house which was located in the countryside.
We were allowed to stay in it
for seven years at the most. So we had
to prepare for a proper place in which our
family could live. The following year, our
daughter was expected to enter kindergarten
so we wanted to move to our new
home by then.
Regarding our lot, we had already
purchased one that was called "a lot
reserved by Kariya City". However, to
build a house was very difficult for us,
financially and socially. Because we
were so young and from the. Kansai area,
we didn't know a reliable construction
company. Unfortunately, :there were some
cases in those days of unscrupulous contractors
being prosecuted. We wondered
if we might not be deceived by such disreputable
builders. After some hesitation
we made a decision for my husband's superior
introduced a company to us.
But from that time on, we had difficulty
consulting with the builders about
building materials, expenses, designs,
equipment, and so on. Before starting
construction, we had some negotiations
till midnight. Finally, we inevitably fell
into debt. Even when construction was
under way, we went to the building site
"DAILY WORD" ECHOES
21
at least once a week to check on some
matters, carrying snacks and tea. Sometimes
I found something mistaken. At the
time, my son was a one-year-old baby.
Anyway, when it was completed, we
were really relieved and happy. But I
said to myself, "I will not build a house
again. Never!" (YOKO NAKANO, Kariya)
*************************
It is our custom to hold meetings of
listeners to or readers of these telephone
messages on the 5th Sunday of a month.
This means we . usually hold four such
meetings a year. Usually, a new issue of
"Daily Word" Echoes is available at those
meetings, but since my wife and I made a
trip to the United States last summer, I
did not have time to correct essays and
print an issue for the 60th meeting, held
on October 29, 1995. Also, since the 5th
Sunday of December was New Year's Eve,
we did not hold a meeting on that day.
Thus, this 51st issue of the Echoes, dated
January 21,1996, the date of the irregular
meeting of "Daily Word" fans held on that
day, appears almost six months after the
publication of #50. It contains 47 essays
by 16 writers, which is about average for
the Echoes over the past 13 years. Once
again, the essays are interesting, informative
and stimulating.
I hope the writers have benefitted
from noting the changes I have made in
their manuscripts. The changes do not
always imply that the original wording
was mistaken. Sometimes, they are meant
to simply improve the flow of words. I
am always grateful for the faithful assistance
of my wife who proofreads the periodical
and always finds mistakes or typographical
errors of mine that need to
be corrected before it is printed. In the
Old Testament book of Proverbs, we read:
"The Lord corrects those he loves
, as a father
corrects a son of whom he is proud"
(3:12). (Clark Offner)