Gift Giving in Japan
Mary Koch

  In Japan gift giving is an integral part of society.  Taking part in this pleasurable activity does not need to be costly.  Gifts that are wrapped or “decorated” in some way bring a particularly rich array of responses- (tie a ribbon on the top of a common pencil; wrap items in colorful tissue paper).  The most popular gift I distributed were individual pairs of “stick-on” plastic earrings.  My local businesses were eager to provide key chains, pens, pencils, stickers and other easy to carry “free” items.  When asking someone to take a picture for me, I thanked them with a small gift.  When someone gave me directions in the subway, I produced a small gift.  The possibility of utilizing a “random acts of kindness” approach is interestingly simple.  When handing out a gift, I learned to bow respectfully and slowly at the waist with the gift displayed with both hands, palm side up.

Extension Educator In Japan
Sharon L. Mader, CFCS

   This conference is held every four years and this year’s theme was “Cooperation and Interdependence: Fostering Leadership in Home Economics for Healthy Communities”. There were 38 counties represented and over 1,000 participants in attendance. Ms. Sharon L. Mader, Ohio State University Extension was selected to be a part of the Promising Practice Displays at the 20^th World Conference of the International Federation for Home Economics in Kyoto, Japan.   The display focused on her research, “A Changing Dynamic in American Families: Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren”.

     The conference also provided technical excursions, and Ms. Mader participated in one of the clothing tours of Wacoal headquarters and museum of brassieres dating back to the 1940’s. University students provided lessons in Japanese calligraphy, origami, and dressing in a Kimono. Over 500 participants were guests in the home of Japanese families for dinner for an evening. Ms. Mader and Leola Adams of South Carolina State University were guests of a retired Nutrition Research Scientist in an apartment with a variety of appetizers, Kobe beef as the entrée, and a sliced fresh white peach was served as the dessert. Kobe beef is highly marbled tender beef that was cooked in lard and served with a raw whisked egg. The experience in the many homes was enjoyed by all!     

HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL
Deborah Nelson

   From Tokyo, we set out for Nikko National Park, established in 1934. The roads were lined with lush green rice paddies and fields of taro. At the Toshogu Shrine (1636), as was the case frequently in Japan, the Shinto and Buddhist Religions existed side by side.  One of the elaborate carvings on the Sacred Stable included the famous monkeys depicting "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil."  About a third of the group saw more of this shrine than others - a wrong turn separated them from the bus and the rest of the group!  We were all reunited at the beautiful Kanaya Hotel for a delightful "western style" luncheon.  The restrooms here had heated toilet seats!  Restroom stops are always an adventure in Japan!    Next we drove to 4000' by heading up 20 hairpin turns.  The reward at the top was gorgeous Lake Chuzenji, Dragon's Head Cascade and Kegon Falls (351' in height).  Then it was back down the other side of the mountain - only 28 more hairpin turns!  Several in the group were relieved to reach the fairly straight and mundane highway that would take us back to Tokyo.  It was a day to enjoy the natural beauty of Japan.

IFHE Congress and Typhoons
Thelma Branham, Valdosta, Georgia

    In 1980 I attended IFHE Congress in Manila, Philippines. There was a Typhoon. In 2004 I attended IFHE Congress in Kyoto, Japan. Again, there was a Typhoon. I have attended most of the IFHE Congresses and Councils between those two dates and thankfully there have been no other Typhoons. I am 90 years old and Home Economics has been my career all of my adult life. Each IFHE Congress and Council has been

wonderful. I have made new friends and renewed acquaintances from past meetings. I have enjoyed the

programs, the research presentations, and the social activities, as well as the people.  I have traveled with a great group of people and seen a large portion of the world-- from the Land of the Midnight Sun in Norway to visiting a Massi Tribe in Africa and the Kangaroos in Australia. I highly recommend to young Home Economists to become an active member of IFHE. It will enrich your life beyond your greatest expectation.

Visiting Kyoto
Amelita J. Punongbayan

   Kyoto, the old capital of Japan is about 2 ½ hours away from Tokyo by bullet train.  We passed fields of green, neat little homes nested together, tall commercial buildings and high rise apartments.  In Kyoto we marveled at the artistic and architectural wonders in the shrines, temples and the Imperial Palace.

   During the Congress I had the opportunity to meet other Home Economists who have the same fear as many in the United States-- of losing our programs to other disciplines.

   During the home visit I realized how lucky we are in the U.S. to have more space in our living conditions.  The Japanese people are very creative when it comes to making use of their space.

   There were about nineteen of us who were treated by the families in the TSUNANE Estate, a condominium composed of families who planned their homes.  They were very gracious and hospitable.  The food was delicious and the presentation is something to see and experience. 

   There was so much to do and learn during the Congress and I wish I did not have to say "arigatu" and "sayonara" Kyoto.

How Long is a Minute?
Naomi Hunt

   Long enough for 40 members of the Gibbs Group (4 of whom have mobility impairments) with carry-on luggage to board the Bullet Train.  The train arrived at 10:21 and departed at 10:22.  We were very anxious about having enough time to get onto the train, but we made it with seconds to spare. What a ride!

Impressions of Japan
Karen McElhaney

   Anticipation was the watchword of the day when I arrived in Japan with a group of friends. A long flight from San Francisco preceded the landing at the airport a couple of hours outside of Tokyo. I’ve traveled before with essentially the same friends to other countries and its fun to be able to talk to people you’ve not seen in a couple of years and reacquaint yourself with them and they with you. Also, sleep is elusive when you’re traveling on a plane to another time zone quite distant from the one where you started. This trip, my mother and I had planned a small surprise for our traveling companions, bringing small packets of a Japanese candy called Pocky to share with our friends. I believe it was a hit.

   Upon arriving at the Narita International Airport outside of Tokyo and claiming our bags, we gathered together to await our fearless leader (Janett Gibbs) who was rerouted due to bad weather and unable to fly with us on our plane. We stood around a bit, chatting and waiting for our guide. When all were assembled together, our large checked luggage was whisked away by a small truck to the hotel in Tokyo while we made our way to the awaiting bus. The heat hits you as you leave the airport building for the parking lot; that, and the humidity, of course. The day was a nice one, clouds filling the sky. Scattered rain fell on us more than once during the two weeks we spent in Japan. The bus ride to our hotel was filled with information about the area we traveled through, our guide doing a very good job of giving us background information of what we were going to be doing and which bits of history fit in with the area we were traveling through. It seemed to be a pretty long bus trip from the airport to the hotel after 14 hours of traveling time from our home city to Japan.

     Gathering our hotel keys and luggage at the hotel, we were able to go up to our rooms and relax. The evening was free of activities. We decided that bed was a bigger draw than going out for a bite to eat.

Morning came sooner than I was prepared for, but that’s the usual case for me. In any case, we were up fairly early and ready for a day trip. Traveling again by bus, we toured the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine. After that, we again traveled by bus to the Imperial Gardens, a garden near the Imperial Palace. Finally, we visited the Asakusa Kannon, Japan’s finest Buddhist temple. On the way back to the hotel and dinner, we traveled through the Ginza shopping and amusement district.

     After freshening up at the hotel, our group traveled again by bus to a restaurant for a traditional Japanese dinner.  This was a very interesting restaurant and very different from any other we visited in Japan and most restaurants in the United States. First of all, it was in the basement of a building. We traversed the stairs to the bottom where everyone removed their shoes and placed them in cubbyholes. We then proceeded on to the restaurant proper where everyone sat at tables that were almost floor level. However, there was space underneath the tables for legs and feet. After dinner, we went to Roppongi Hills, which was a building that had a tower, which was glassed in all around and gave a perfect view of Tokyo. We could even see Disneyland Tokyo from this building.

     Morning came, again quite early. After breakfast, we boarded a bus to the mountain resort town of Nikko. First stop was the Toshogu Shrine, mausoleum of the first Tokugawa Shogun. All of the area was

very beautiful. Trees grew tall and stately. I live in a dry, fairly treeless area, and what trees we do have never get to be as beautiful as that area. Heading on to a hotel in Nikko, the Nikko Lakeside Hotel, we were treated to a trip across the lake, Lake Chuzenji by ferry boat. One of the more interesting things I saw on the lake was the swan boats. Most of them were quite small; maybe two or four passenger boats, but I did see one bigger one with a swan’s head at the prow. Also, on the same lake were three old sailing ships with several masts. They were across the lake, but clearly visible. Since it was raining, the group elected not to travel up the cog tram, but instead decided to go to a small art museum in the area. Later we traveled by bus back to Tokyo and our hotel.

     Next morning, early, again, we set out for Hakone. This morning took us to Mt. Fuji. As is apparently the case most of the summer, it was raining and clouds obscured the top of Mt. Fuji. We however, did stop and most of us picked up a piece of Mt. Fuji’s eruptions and brought them home with us.

     Traveling from Hakone, we took the Bullet train on to Kyoto. The bullet train is nothing like the trains we have in America.  Our passenger trains haven’t changed much in about 30 years. Theirs have a much sleeker look to them. At 120 mph, their cruising speed, a bullet train going in the opposite direction passes in a blur. This trip to Kyoto went through the countryside, though, in general, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of countryside, as we know it here in the United States. They have small plots and rice fields and so on, but no really large areas set aside solely for agriculture. Even in the countryside, it was inhabited much more closely than most of the area I call home. Upon arrival in Kyoto, we were whisked to our hotel, some 3 minutes away from the train station by bus. The rest of the day was free of organized activity.

     One last day before the conference began found us again aboard the bullet train headed for Hiroshima. Due to unfortunate weather, we were in a typhoon area, we were unable to actually visit Miyajima. However, we did walk through the Peace Memorial Park and visit the museum of A-Bomb devastation relics. This was a very interesting museum. We’ve all heard and read about the devastation in Japan due to

the two A-bomb strikes during the Second World War. However, it’s a bit different to actually stand on the site where the second A-bomb was dropped. The city was leveled and I still cannot quite assimilate how total the destruction was.

     One of the highlights of our trip was an evening visit with a host family in Japan. We took a train out to a suburb of Kyoto and were picked up by the family. The family we visited lived in their own house. Dinner was served shortly after we arrived and they served us a dinner that was easily recognizable. Salad was served first, then a noodle dish. After that, we were served chicken. For dessert, we were served a type of pie.

     The biggest difference between Japan and America that I saw was the cleanliness of the cities and countryside. There was no sign of graffiti on anything we passed. Not a sign, not a billboard, not a fence was covered with any sign of markings. The streets were all clean. Nobody threw anything on the ground.

People were friendly and always tried to be helpful. Even when they didn’t understand our language very well, they tried very hard to accommodate us. West and east met in the foods and restaurants we ate in. Generally, in the buffets in the hotels one could find miso soup, salmon and other eastern fare. On the other side of that, one could always find bacon, eggs, ham and toast.

     Heat was another thing that struck me. It was very humid and very hot during the time we were in Japan. Because it was during the rainy season, or so I thought, it also rained fairly often. Most of the time, it was a light rain. However, one day, we had torrential rains in Kyoto.

I truly enjoyed my time in Japan and would have liked to spend more time there. The people were very generous with their help and their country was very beautiful. Old and new blend together, Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples mingling with high-rise buildings and fast food shops, such as McDonald’s. All in all, it was a wonderful and educational visit.

Hiroshima Visits in 1957 and 2004
Barbara Clawson

     During my 5-month stay in Japan as an International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) delegate in 1957, I had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima.  My memories of that visit are limited, but I do remember seeing the “A-Bomb Dome”, the shell of one of the few buildings that survived the bombing.  My other memory is one that haunts me even more.  I was taken to a place where care was being provided for survivors of the bomb who were unable to live independently.  As I was taken from room to room, one of my Japanese hosts asked me to say something to them.  I have no idea what I said; only that I had to struggle to be able to say anything.

      Forty-seven years later, Hiroshima, the ultimate symbol of total obliteration, has become a modern bustling city of almost a million people.  However, as I looked at some of the older people, I wondered what they were doing on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 a.m. and how the bombing affected their lives.

      The movingly simple Peace Park with its memorials to the victims and the Peace Memorial Museum were not there in 1957.   In the Peace Park I was especially touched by the monument for the children who were killed.  A child, representing a young girl named Sadako who developed leukemia, is standing on top of a granite mountain of paradise holding a golden crane.  Sadako was told about the ancient idea that if one folded a thousand cranes, the gods would grant her wish and make her well.  She died before she completed the task, but her classmates folded the remaining number needed so that 1000 cranes were buried with Sadako.  People around the world continue to fold cranes that are placed around her statue.

The wish of the children throughout Japan who helped collect money to build the statue is engraved on the base of the statue: This is our cry, this is our prayer, peace in the world.  That’s my cry also.

    The Peace Museum documents the horror with charts, models, videos, photographs, everyday objects transformed by the heat of the blast, and a life-sized diorama portraying horribly burned victims.  The focus of the museum did not seem to be to place blame, but to show the horror of atomic bombs and nuclear war in general and to make the point that nuclear weapons must never be used again.  As I made my way through the museum, often near tears, I longed for the day when the eternal flame burning in the Peace Park is extinguished meaning that no more nuclear weapons exist in the world.  According to the museum brochure, “The damage done by the A-bomb was so catastrophic that the conviction that humanity cannot coexist with nuclear weapons was deeply rooted in the minds of the people of Hiroshima.  Based on this spirit, the unwavering hope for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace, the city of Hiroshima turned toward the world and began its journey on the path to peace.”  The hope of the people of this city brought hope to me.  My pledge to myself as I left was to continue to do whatever I can, small step that it might be, to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons.