Journey to fulfill a promise: May 2016

Pink Sakuras by Cindy McLean

Part 8 "Returning to Japan 10 months later"

Part 7 of my “Journey to fulfill a Promise,” ended when I departed Japan, June 5, 2015. At that time I made another promise to myself (always making promises to myself) that departing Japan was not the end, but the beginning of my relationship with Japan and all that comes with it.

Last year, while departing, my aunts asked me to return in 2016, during Sakura season, with my wife, because they wanted to meet her, for my mother, their sister. So, yes, my wife Stephanie and I returned, 10 months from when I last visited, arriving the last week of March 2016, the beginning of the Sakura season in Kagoshima, Japan. This is about our visit.

Sakura, or cherry blossom season in Japan, is one of the "don't miss wonders of life." The flower itself is small, beautiful and delicate but the significance of what it brings to each and every Japanese citizen is enormous and heartwarming. Sakura season in Japan only lasts a few weeks. Then, the petals from the flowers are blown from the Sakura trees creating a snow flurry like effect of light pink and white Sakura petals, which is an amazing sight to see.

Sakura in Kirishima, Japan

During the Sakura season all Japanese take the time to have a Hanami or a flower viewing party, which entails throwing a blanket down amongst the Sakuras, inviting friends and enjoying food, or simply walk amongst the hundreds of thousand Sakura, in Japan, looking for the perfect blossom. As a foreigner, to Japan, it was amazing to watch how such a small flower can almost bring an entire nation to stand still and celebrate the simple beauty of the Sakura.

So, it is no small wonder that in Japan, the season of the Sakura is an important time for all Japanese, celebrating the season with family and friends.

If you read the first 7 parts of my “Journey to fulfill a Promise,” you know then that this trip, 10 months after I departed Japan, is simply a continuation of the gift left by my mom when she passed in 2000. The gift of new found family, friends, love and finding more about my mom which in turn has helped me understand myself even more.

This visit had a whole different dynamic because my wife was accompanying me. I was raised Japanese, eating Japanese food, understanding the custom, the people and the culture. Would my wife like the food, the people, the culture and pace of life? It was important that she enjoy Japan, like me, because it is so much a part of me, but also would she enjoy my new found relatives?!? So, needless to say I was a little nervous taking my wife to a land she never visited with a culture so foreign to Americans.

We arrived at Yokota Airbase on a military flight, on 26th March 2016, stayed one night at the base then departed to Kagoshima. We took a train to Tokyo, then flew to Kagoshima.

During my visit in 2015, I only visited Kagoshima. This trip, with my wife, we visited Kagoshima to see one aunt, Hitomi-san and her family, then flew to Nagoya to see my other aunt, Tamami-san and her family. During my visit in 2015, Tamami-san flew to Kagoshima with her husband, Kaji-san, from Nagoya, the city where they reside. They visited me in Kagoshima, last year, without their 2 boys, my cousins, and I was excited this trip to meet them, because one of my cousins was a Sumo wrestler.

At Kagoshima airport we were picked up by my friend Cindy and her husband Niang. If you read the first 7 parts to this story you will understand how big a part Cindy and Niang played in my first visit, helping me immensely in finding my relatives, sharing in the emotional reunion, but also you can see Cindy’s beautiful art. Seeing these two was like seeing my relatives because they were both with me every step of the way, my last visit, translating every word and every emotion during my initial meetings with my aunts. If you ask Niang he will say Cindy and I cry too much. I admit it, I cried like a baby my last visit because of all the emotions involved in finding relatives and meeting them. Add the fact that my mom no longer walked this earth and meeting her sisters, my aunts, was like seeing my mom again. Their mannerisms, appearance, voice and the way they hug me, all remind me of my mom, who yes, I miss dearly.

Once in Kagoshima, Cindy contacted my aunt Hitomi-san and layed out plans for them to visit us in Kirishima, a small city outside of Kagoshima.

Plans were set. We would meet Hitomi-san and my uncle, Nakae-san, in a few days. We now had time to visit with Cindy, Niang and the friends I made in Kirishima.

Awesome time with Niang and Cindy. We enjoyed eating at an Indian restaurant, in Kirishima, catching up on the past few months.

Stephanie finally meeting Cindy

We also went out with my friends Ryuji and Tomoyo. They both played important roles in helping me with my relatives, the previous year because Ryuji is a golfer, like me and my uncle, Nakae-san. Tomoyo can’t golf, but she speaks English, so, her and Ryuji golfed with me and my uncle, helping me to communicate in Japanese. Plus, they have become very good friends, just helping me enjoy my time in Japan.

Dinner with Tomoyo and Ryuji

We ate Nabemono, which is when you take many different vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu and things, then boil them, at the table, in a clay pot of broth. Absolutely delicious!!

Nabemono is taking all these ingredients and stuffing them into a clay pot of boiling broth at our table….mmm!

Yes, we had tempura too!

The city of Kirishima is a small city on the outskirts of Kagoshima. It is nice sized city because it’s not too big and there is a small river that runs through the city all the way to Kinko Bay. Kinko Bay is the body of water that surrounds the beautiful and majestic active volcano, Sakurajima, which spews smoke and ash neary every day. The river is great for running or biking, but on beautiful days, it is just a nice place to stroll because of all the birds and the smell of the sea.

The day finally came when we met Aunt Hitomi-san and her husband, my uncle, Nakae-san, at the Kyocera Hotel. They greeted me just like last year, giving me heartfelt hugs, then they met my wife for the first time. My aunt welcomed Stephanie with open arms. Wow! The power of an aunt is an amazing thing. She immediately treated my wife as family, holding her hand and just showing her the love my mom would have shown if she were here on this earth. Because of the craziness of things with my brothers, sisters and father, this was the first time in our relationship that Stephanie met any relative of mine, besides my two boys, so this was huge!

Uncle Nakae-san, me, Aunt Hitomi-san, Stephanie, Cindy and Niang

My aunt Hitomi-san meeting Stephanie, for my mom

Niang, Cindy’s husband, working hard translating for us

Happy day!

Must say, all went well with the meeting between my aunt, uncle and Stephanie. Now, we all went to lunch at a very traditional Japanese restaurant. My aunt ordered all the foods that I love, but would my wife love the same food? Many of you have seen me eat and laughed at some of the things on my plate, but in Japan, all the stuff I like to eat is quite normal. Well, proud to say, my wife enjoyed every bite of food at lunch and during our entire stay in Japan. Sorry to say but many of you couldn’t hang with some of the stuff set before us:) To us though; delish!

After our lunch we set a date, with my aunt, that we would drive a rental car to my aunt's home and introduce my wife to my cousins.

So, needless to say, my aunt Hitomi-san and uncle met Stephanie and “did” meet her for my mom. They were so welcoming and loving. Makes me tear up just thinking of how awesome my aunt and uncle treated my wife. Aunt Hitomi-san and my uncle departed after our lunch. We had a few days before our visit with them, so Stephanie and I got to enjoy Japan at our own pace, taking in the beautiful land and our friends in Kirishima. We visited grocery stores, buying breakfast, lunch and dinner. Visited restaurants, had a Hanami party, hiked and just enjoyed being back in Japan, meeting with good friends.

We also got to visit my mom’s hometown, Uchinoura, and pay our respects. Aunt Hitomi-san’ best friend, Sakemoto-san, still lives in Uchinoura and she and her husband hosted us during our visit. She is like family, treating us with such kindness and love.

We visited my mom’s home, walked the beautiful beaches near her home, met Kosou Usui, the son of my grandmother’s sister (When I met him last year he was the first cousin I had ever met in my entire life) and the temple in Uchinoura, where we paid our respects.

Sakemoto-san and her husband hosted us during our visit to Uchinoura

Stephanie meeting the first cousin I ever met in my entire life

Enjoying tea and treats at Sakemoto-san’s house

Stephanie standing where my mom was raised

Cindy and Stephanie enjoying the beaches of Uchinoura

During our entire stay in Kagoshima we were besieged with the beauty of the Sakura. They were every where!

Cindy said to me something that will stay with me forever. She said that I won the jackpot when it comes to my aunts and uncles. I agree 100% and am so happy and proud to have them and my new found cousins in my life.

After a few days, Stephanie and I rented a car. We carefully drove to my aunt’s home so Stephanie could meet my cousins and their children. Driving on the "other side" of the road, with the steering column on the wrong side of the car, was a challenge, but we made it. We had a great day with my aunt, uncle and all my cousins. We played ping pong, had a delicious dinner that my aunt made and just enjoyed the time with my aunt, uncle and their family.

Our trip to Kagoshima couldn’t have been better. We departed on 14 April at 8 am headed to my other aunt’s home, Nagoyo, so she could meet Stephanie and we both could meet my other cousins (A few hours after our departure, the island had a massive earthquake, but all our family and friends were ok; just shaken up).

We stopped in Kyoto, Japan, for a few days, prior to visiting Nagoyo. Let’s just say our trip to Kyoto and Nagoyo were just as awesome as our trip to Kagoshima. My aunt Tamami-san and my uncle Kaji-san were great hosts too and it was awesome finally meeting my cousins, Yuujiro and Kouta. Will provide our trip to Kyoto and Nagoya in separate parts in a few days. Please enjoy the rest of the pictures from our Kagoshima visit.