Sunday, November 30th

The longest day of my life! Up by 6:00 a.m. Peter Cooper and I met the GSE chairman Ikedo and Assistant Chairman Takamura in the lobby and we went to Imperial Palace Grounds where the castle for Emperor of Japan lived for hundreds of years. It is a park-like setting complete with moat. Really a beautiful area. It was 57 degrees in Tokyo. We left for the airport by bus at 11:50 a.m. and arrived early at the airport for checkin which went smoothly. We enjoyed our last Japanese lunch and said our good byes to Tom and Takamura. They really did an outstanding job with our GSE team. Every team member will have wonderful memories which will last a lifetime! We boarded our plane about 2:50 p.m. for our 12 hour flight to Detriot, then the final flight to Northwest Arkansas, and we landed about 4:50 p.m. Dick Trammel was there to meet me and took me to the Arvest Bank to get my truck. It was 32 degrees and there was some snow and ice on my truck but it melted quickly. I was eager to get home -- too eager. Not the Japanese way! On a bridge just South of the Highways 86 and 71 I lost control of my truck and hit the side of the bridge. No injury so much to be thankful for and after a short walk to a farm house and pleasant time spent with Glenn and Charlotte Nichols, then a long wait for the tow truck and ride home. There had been so many wrecks on the bridge that the highway patrol closed the bridge by the time my truck was towed away. I arrived home at about 10:00 p.m. Barbara and I visited until midnight. There is a 15 hour time difference between Tokyo and Pittsburg so Sunday, November 30, 2008 was about 31 hours long. November 2008 was one of the most wonderful months of my life.

Saturday, November 29th

The Assistant Governor picked me up at my host family’s home and we said our goodbyes ( } We stopped by his business and I got to see his Mercedes-Benz which he keeps stored most of the time. A few pictures with his family and employees and we are off to the railway station. There are a dozen Rotarians and one of our translators who are there to see us off. They wait about forty minutes at the station visiting with us and stay that long just to wave goodbye as the train departs, what patient people. The railway system is a great example of Japanese efficiency -- the trains run fast and on time. We arrived in Tokyo before noon and put our luggage in storage in our hotel, the Shinagawa Prince Hotel (annex). Tom Ikedo took use to a nice, small local restaurant for lunch. The meal was prepared at our table and was delicious but slow to prepare. Tom had called Tomomi Kitagawa and ask her and her brother Nobu to meet me in the lobby which was located on the seventh floor of the annex. We were a little late getting back to the hotel and it took me a few minutes to register at the hotel. Then we tried to find a table in a restaurant where we could sit down and visit (the third time is the charm). Tomomi has a Master’s degree in Fine Arts (dance) and is currently working in Physical Fitness at a University, and Tobu has completed his third year and is majoring in accounting. He is taking a year off and preparing to take the CPA exam in May and the final exam which is given on August 25, 2009. Nobu is very idealist and would like to do several different things. He is considering helping in the family business, he would also like to work in government and would like to eventually operate a school to help train workers. He and his sister are very well dressed and have lots of questions. I tell them the bad news as well good. Kansas is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter and there are very few Japanese people. They both seem very interested in the PSU intensive English program. Nobu seems to be a good fit for our MBA degree with an accounting emphasis and he would have an opportunity to take some classes in Wood Technology which is his family work. We went out for a last night on the town excellent dinner and went to the Top of the Tokyo Tower which is about 50 feet taller than the Effiel Tower in Paris. Great view! The number of people is amazingl There will be hundreds of people at an intersection waiting to cross the street when the light changes. It is a mad dash. I did have the advantage of being able to see over most of the Japanese. We stopped at a bar and I sat between the smokers and non-smokers and drank my first Zima of the trip. Here's to you, John Kreissler! Back to the hotel and I was up until 10:30 p.m. packing.

Friday, November 28th

It was difficult to get out of bed at 6:30 a.m. because it is the last morning that I will spend in a Japanese home on this trip. Yesterday was a nice day with an easy paced morning; delicious breakfast feauring for the first time a tub of soft butter and peanut butter, presentation of a few small gifts for family members, and a visit to the family business which is the Izu Chuo Aqua Trading Co., Ltd. They are a wholesaler of all types of fishes, both domestic and worldwide, sold to retailers and aquariums. Last week they had one order for 500 jellyfish to be sent to Dubry (sp.). They also sell salt water to aquariums and bottled water. Our last GSE team presentation at lunch to the Numadzu West Rotary Club. In the afternoon we visited in Numadu the Imperial Household Memorial Park, and the Mito Sea Paradise/Aquarium, and then the District Farwell Party. A long fast ride to my host family then visiting with the Hara family with the help of their teenage son Takaharu. On Saturday morning we travel to Toyko for one final day.
Always a Gorilla,
Ken

Thursday, November 27th

Today`s trip had much historical significance for us and America. We traveled to the Southern end of the Isu pennisula to Shimoda where Commodore Perry arrived in 1853 with his six black ships and after after several months of discussion was able to sign a treaty which opened the ports of Japan to the world. There was a small Museum and nice memorial plaque on which the last statement read: query-if for real good of Japan. At the Buddist Temple Ryosenji the priest gave us much information about the whole process and spoke in perfect English. Jimmy Carter visited this site while he was President. After 155 years we can says that the opening of the ports has been good for Japan. At lunch we tried more new Japanese dishes and our translator for the past three days really helped me out so that I would know when the next item would be bitter or sour. Dinner at an Italian Restuarant which featured mostly Japanese food but did serve Spaghetti and the sauce on top was a light oil with Tuna-it was good. There was much discussion about where I was to spend the night. Rather than staying with the Assistant Governor as scheduled he took me to one of his close friends and the father of our translator for the last three days. It turned out to be a real blessing. Her father is my age and has a worldwide business. His home office has an internet connection with Skype, so that at 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning I was able to extend Thanksgiving wishes to my family, including Barbara who was in Kansas City (3pm Thanksgiving Day there). It was my most unusual Thanksgiving but one that I will always remember. In 48 hours I will be on my way to the airport and ready for the long flight home. I am ready to be home among family and friend but I have several new friends in Japanese who will continue to be a part of my life for a long time.
Always a Gorilla
Ken

Wednesday, November 26th

We started the day with another green tea ceremony -- our fourth. That would be more than 90% of Japanese would have in a lifetime. The tea was dark green but not the bitter type. I was very grateful for that because each of us had to drink the entire cup of tea with my comment "I have never tasted anything quite like it". Then we went to a place where they have built a very large/wide gate that can be lowered in case of a tsunami to protect the port. They have a large fish market located next to it. I don`t know it if will work but it is an amazing engineering project. After a Japanese lunch we went to a traditional Japanese hotel where they had a ceramic arts area. Each of us were able to make a cup which we will use for green tea. I had time to make an additional cup for our Rotary Governor Ron Petersen. They will be mailing them to us in about two months. Each day seems to include a surprise and today it was a late this afternoon. We went on a large private boat for a cruise out on the Pacific Ocean and were able to watch the sunset with a beautiful cloudy sky. We enjoyed a brief hot springs bath followed by a ten-course chinese dinner.
Another wonderful day.
Ken

Tuesday, November 25th

The morning featured our third tea ceremony this month. For most Japanese they would be fortunate to experience a formal green tea ceremony once in their lifetime-which shows the hospitality we have enjoyed during our trip. The famous Japanese Tea Ceremony has nothing do with enjoying a cup of tea. Japan Mad Easy, “It is a way of developing character, refined manners, sensitivity, and the ability to appreciate natural beauty. The formalities of the tea ceremony are very mechanical and precisely prescribed. It is following these formalities exactly and doing so in the right frame of mind that is the essence of the tea ceremony. There are several interesting contrasts -- for example, in the building and room where the ceremony is performed there is a digital clock and calendar in the corner. The light fixture in the room doesn’t use anything a but a flourescent bulb. We receive a sweet treat prior to drinking the tea (which is made from some type of beans , sugar (sato), etc. which is pressed into an attractive multi-colored flower. At this ceremony there are six participants and two cups of green tea are prepared (three of us share each cup). Fortunately I am seated in the position of the guest of honor so that I receive the cup. I am required to turn the cup three times (for good karma) then I drink as much as I want-which is one swallow. I am really wide awake. That is definitely some full-bodied dark green tea. Scott VanAsche drinks one swallow which leaves our final drinker Peter Cooper with five swallows. Peter definitely took one for the team this morning. When asked what I thought of the tea, I used the wise words of my friend Harvey Dean, “I never tasted anything quite like it”. They seem happy and I have told them the truth. We make a short PowerPoint presentation to the Shin Fuhi Rotary Club. In the afternoon we visit the Kititagawa Water Springs which is the shortest river in Japan. Then a visit to the Yoneyman Memorial Hall, which honors the man who brought Rotary to Japan in 1920. A visionary man who still has an impact on his country and the young people of the World through scholarships which are awarded annually in his name even though he died over sixty years ago. Our schedule says that we are to give a presentation to a welcome party this evening but none is required. A young lady who has accompanied us today is the daughter of the assistant governor who will be my home host in two days. More to write but I must leave my host home to start my day.

Monday, November 24th

Countdown begins on our final week. We leave the hotel at 9:00 a.m. missed one team member Scott VanAsche who did not make it home last night and is AWOL. Our first stop was at the Sengenjinya Temple or Shinto Shrine. Our team was treated to a special Shinto ceremony. Shinton religion has parents bring the three, five and seven year old to the Temple for a special ceremony with them dressed in the Japanese traditional costume. We were able to take pictures of a three year old girl and boy. Another great Japanese lunch cooked in the middle of our table, featuring a dish that had a very thin huge pancake on the bottom topped with lots of veggies, and at the right time the gal turned the entire thing over. WOW! She had been cooking this for 50 years. Kinda of a Japanese pizza. The final course featured noodles cooked on the grill with lots of other good stuff. Today was the last day of the year that vehicles were allowed to drive to stage 5 on Mt. Fuji and we did. The problem was that is snowed on us and it was very cloudy. We were at 2,400 meters high and Mt. Fuji is over 3,000 meters (or 12,000 ft. high). Another Osaka Distillery on the way back to the hotel. Two young Japanese girls who were daughters of the owners accompanied us on the tour. Free samples and gifts. When we arrived at the hotel Scott VanAsche was there. We are glad that he is safe but he did make our team look very day today. Tonight a very fun high class dinner with the Fuji Nomiya West Rotary Club. I must repack my suitcase and prepare to meet my new host family tomorrow.

Sunday, November 23rd

Slept late then enjoyed a nice shower, bath and good breakfast. Enjoyed a nice walk, wrote a few letter, and rested. A much needed day of rest.

Saturday, November 22nd

This morning Tetsuo has a call and wakes me up at 6:30 a.m. A good short walk and as always great breakfast with presentation of small gifts. I gave Tetsuo’s wife a bluebird of happiness which really symbolizes her life. She makes everyone happy; her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and even a foreign stranger who visits her home. After bowing and thank you we get into the Tetsuo SUV. He put his window down and she runs to the vehicle and extends her hand for me to shake a very nice departure. With good fortune this is a couple I will entertain in Kansas, Colorado, or Arizona. We had a very winding two hour trip to Fuji with two stops along the way; one for great photos of Mt. Fuji and the other a rest stop (where the price of a gallon of milk was $23.00 (makes Pittsburg prices look great). Our final welcome lunch with speeches then a tour of the Ouji Paper Mill Company which operates 24 hours for 365 days of the year. The plant manager was a Japanese Dustin Hoffman. A tour of Miyafuji doll factory. I purchase dolls for Stella Grace and Ruby Alice. We are delivered to the hotel and have thirty minutes to change clothes and get ready for dinner. A very nice dinner with three Rotarian Club Presidents, a Doctor, Dentist, and the owner of the doll factory, the GSE team and two translators where we all enjoy great Japanese food and with Scott VanAsche’s help we are able to get a completely free day tomorrow. I am extremely tired and need the rest. We are staying for three nights at the Fuji Port Hotel.

Friday, November 21st

An hour walk followed by a wonderful breakfast. A Tokyo Electron company tour where everyone speaks in Japanese. We nod of head and try not to fall asleep. Lunch a Japanese sushi bar where the food travels by on a conveyor belt and for dessert I have my first Japanese ice cream cone. In the afternoon we are given thirty minutes to shop in a dollar store and then an hour in an amazing electronics store. Then to the meeting place for tonight presentation (about three hours before the meeting starts. We are serve a snack and drinks and everyone has time for a nap. Before the meet I ask about a banner presentation and I am assured that I will need only one (I present at least six, somethings are really lost is translation). We are seated with our host families. The meeting was hosted by the Nirasaki Rotary Club. At the end of the evening we all stand in a large circle around the room and Tetsuo place me between himself and his wife. We all hold hands and swing them back in forth while they sing. We don’t know any of the words. All of their Rotarians form a long tunnel-- two Rotarians holding their hands together in front of themselves side by side form a long tunnel which we are all supposed to run through. Lots of fun! I stay up late repacking my suitcases for my departure tomorrow.

Thursday, November 20th

Up by 6:00a.m. and an hour walk with Tetsuo Furguya. (Three words that are the same in English and Japanese: crow, sparrow, and swallow). Tetsuo’s wife fixes a fantastic breakfast for us each morning. Orange juice, green tea, salad, one soup (French onion, really delicious pumpkin, and potato & vegetable soup), tossed green salad with dressing, fried egg, sausage, ham, thick toast with blueberry jam. Now that you have finished all that, would you like seconds on anything? It was very difficult to get her to sit down for two minutes and eat with us-she is always busy. This was a vocational day so Tetsuo took me to places he thought that I would like to visit. In the morning we went to Yagamanshi’s most famous shrine which had a beautiful park like setting. It looks very similar to a Buddhist Temple. First we went into a private waiting room and in comes the Shinto Priest who is a friend of Tetsuo and belongs to the same Rotary Club but who understands no English (Eggoga Whada masi). We are served a cup of green tea. Tetsuo explains who I am and I explain what I know about the Shinto religion-fortunately I had read a little bit about it. The priest escorts us a museum like large room that explains the last 800 years of history of the Kofu area (maybe only the last 795 years). Then back to the waiting room and I think we are finished, wrong again we are now ready for the main event. We are led by a woman who dressed in Shinto clothing to an area where Tetsuo and I are prepared by a very through washing of the hands and placing of a long sash that hung around my head and we walk with the Shinto Priest and the women dressed in Shinto clothing into the Shinto Shrine. There are two teenage girls dressed in traditional Shinto costumes. Fortunately I had seen one Shinto ceremony before or I would have been completely lost. Tetsuo and I were seated in the middle of the room on a very low seat maybe 10” tall where we knelt. The two teenage girls complete a 10 minute or so ceremonial dance. Next Tetsuo and I went to the altar where I was given a branch to place on the altar which must be pointed in the right direction (I needed some coaching). Next two slow bows followed by two claps, then one more bow and clap. Next we each drank a very small amount of Osaka from a small shallow bowl. Finally pictures of everyone. I was ask what I thought of the ceremony I said in Japanese “the best”. For the first time the two young girls smiled. I was given the sash, small drinking bowl, a clapable fan with four of the traditional Shinto symbols (wind, fire, woodland, and mountain). During the ceremony there was a constant gentle breeze in my face which is a reminder of my son Shaun, it was very difficult to keep the tears from my eyes. This was one of the highlights of my trip. Lunch on the fourth floor of the hotel with Japanese food grilled in front of you with a view of Mt. Fuji. Tetsuo Furuya always gives me the first class treatment. We drive by one of his businesses (wholesale storage units) and then an hour drive for a good view of Mr. Fuji (I enjoy a short nap on the way). Great view of Mt. Fuji plus several buildings with interesting displays, shops, and a restaurant. When we return home my laundry is done and placed back in my room. Tetsuo’s daughter and her family join us for dinner at a restaurant serving Japanese dishes and some others that area little spicier. It takes some time for the two young grandsons to become comfortable with me (ages six and four). When they do the six year old says I don’t know where the United State is. Then he ask why does he have a big nose. Everyone enjoys a good laugh but no one can really answer his question. Then I let the two boys look through a Pittsburg State University booklet and he comes to a picture of a young man from Africa. Apparently it was the first black man he had ever seen so he ask his mother. “Why is he burnt?” The family laughs uncontrollably. What a great day!

Wednesday, November 19th

After I finished my blog on Monday, my home host took me out to a French Restuarant which was the best ever. We enjoyed more courses during that meal than any other dinner in my life. Before I leave I would like to have a list of all the foods we enjoyed. Tuesday morning we toured the Tom ni oka Suntori Winery. The large vineyard 370 acres was very beautiful. We tasted five different wines following the tour which was about 11:00 a.m. (which was a little early for me to be drinking wine). We enjoyed a great lunch at the winery restaurant where the dining room had a great view of Mt. Fuji. In the afternoon we visited the Rakusuien ravine where the colors were very beautiful and we had a twenty minute ride in a carriage behind a horse we nicknamed Rusty. Then a twenty minute walk to the falls. Next we enjoyed what was my first public bath at the Rakusuien Hotel and the Welcome party for Group #3. Great food as always and for the first time out GSE team had to sing a song before the group. Their assistant governor who speak very little English but he was singing "White Christmas" and I was asked to join him in singing. Visiting with my host family showing pictures until about 10:00 p.m. Wednesday enjoyed a walk with my home host for one hour and ten minutes (yesterday it was about 40 minutes) Mr. Furuya is a great guy. We both moved into our homes in 1971 and both of our Mothers died in 2003. We always enjoying visiting. He laughs at my Japanese and helps me learn a few new words. His English is good but he always carries a Japanese-to-English & English-to-Japanese dictionary. We toured the Inden deer skin leathercraft place. They have purses that cost over $1,000. All of their products are the best. We met the past president to the company who was a past governor of this district in 1985-86, which is the same year as Dick Trammel served at governor in our district. "You are the Key" was a theme for the year. We all enjoyed a great stop at the Shinnkonya Elementary School. We learned how to write "the Beautiful Ocean" in Kanji. We showed the PSU DVD and then answered their questions. The finish was a presentation on paper cranes (a good luck symbol) and singing of their school song. A presentation to the Kofu North Rotary Club at lunch. We toured the local broadcasting company and the Yagamagashi prefecture museum this afternoon. I am tired but have honestly enjoyed every day. Love to all my family and Friends.
Ken

Sunday, November 16th

On Sunday our team went to the Rotary District 2260 Conference at the Century Hotel in Shizuoka City. It was very impressive and formal. They probably had three times the number of Rotarians at their conference that we would have. Many clubs traveled to the conference on the bus and might have 50% of their members in attendance. I had a list of about twenty Rotarians that I really connected and at least 17 of them were there, and I could call them by name and that is not always easy. There we met two Rotarians that I was really pleased to meet. The first was a trustee of the Rotary Foundation (his English was very good so we had a nice conversation). The second Rotarian was talking about a Rotarian he knew in our district -- a "Mr. Kresser". Finally I realized he was talking about John Kreissler. John, I have his card for you. They trade business cards here like they were twenty dollar bills. They just cannot get enough of them. In the last two weeks I have probably collected 100 cards. In the morning we were introduced and asked to stand, bow, and then sit down. We had a private lunch with Tom Ikedo, their District GSE chairman, and a few Rotarians from the Yamanashi Pref. who will be hosting us next week. In the afternoon we had a very brief presentation which included giving the gift to their Governor. I can speak a few brief phrases/sentences in Japanese and they appreciated us using some Japanese. I never felt so uneasy in my life speaking English. I had sat there all day listening to Japanese and understanding very little. They have 3,550 Rotarians in their District, and 800 to 900 were probably in attendance at their district conference. During dinner Rotarians stood around with food in the middle of the table, filling their plates with food and there was plenty to drink. It is always polite to pour each others drinks. Many of our meals are eaten with chopsticks. In seventeen days a have conquered the chopsticks! I have lost some weight because of smaller size portions, a healther diet, and plenty of green tea. We left the conference and traveled three hours to Kofu. There was lots of drinking on the bus, but I managed to stay were sober on green tea. I sat beside my home host for the next week -- a Mr. Tetsuo Furuya who seems like a very nice gentleman. He owns two businesses, one is wholesale jewelry. This morning we traveled to the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project, which was started by a gentleman from Louisville, KY whose motto was "Do your best and make it first class". Lunch at a Sobe restaurant featuring sobe noodles, low tables, and chopsticks. Japanese always "slurp" when eating their noodles with chopsticks...I need to ease up on the grandkids! We toured the Suntory Whisky Hakusyu Distillery and then back to Kofu to meet our home host. A nice and easy day. The tour of Japan is more than half over and I still enjoy each day. I am pleased to report that my energy level has remained high. Love and family and friends
Always a gorilla,
Ken

Saturday November 15th

My last blog didn't include any comments on our activities on Friday which was a nice and easy day. Soichiro Miyazaki took me to his office which is located at one of his eleven warehouses in Japan. He is in the transportation business in a big way! They ship 10,000 different products to sixty different countries. He has a warehouse in Vietnam and has a partner with his warehouse in Thailand. He is a man with vision who sees the big picture and doesn't concern himself with many details. He doesn't drive a car, doesn't use a computer, doesn't take pictures with a camera. He has people who do all of these things for him. He always looks like he is wearing a suit tailored for him. He and his wife both speak English. She spent some time in England with her family before they were married. They have traveled to many countries in the world and their home reflects the knowledge they have learned. Two examples from the United States: their home is the only place that I have seen a washcloth, and many places don't have napkins for use during a meal or they are very small, but they always use them. I ask him what country he would like to travel to. and he asks "for business?" The answer was Thailand. He travels to Vietnam and Thailand every two months. For pleasure he would like to live in England for a few months when he retires. He will be 64 on August 13, 2009. He looks much younger. He plans to start working only part-time in three or four years. He elder son is already in the business and his younger son manages a restaurant they own. Their grandson is 18 months old. I arrived at the state capital building around 11:00 a.m. where our team and a few Rotary District 2620 official had a meeting with the Governor which went very well. For good health we say "an apple a day" and they say "six grams of green tea and two oranges". Any place there is a hill they plant green tea which is harvested in late April and early May. If green tea and rice are good for your health then I should live to be 100. Lunch with the Shizuoka Nihondaira Rotary Club (no presentation). Most of the afternoon was free at the Garden Square Hotel. A farewell party with the Shizuoka Group #4 complete with gifts and a great jazz group. The Japanese gal who sang was small but had a very big voice. Saturday: some time for shopping and a few postcards then to my first Buddhist wedding. My first lunch at a noodle shop then a free afternoon. Tomorrow no blog -- we have our introduction at the District 2620 conference, some free time, and then a bus transfer to the Kofu Fujiya Hotel in Kofu City in a new state or preferture - Yamanashi. For the last sixteen days I've listened to no radio, had no telephone calls, I haven't turned on the TV, it was November 13th before I heard a car honk its horn (I think there was also some loud noise coming from the tires), and I have had one Coke. I certainly miss my wife Barbara and my family but life has been very good here. Very friendly people. good food, and beautiful place to see which has much tradition to learn about and enjoy. We think of the next day and they think of the next decade.
Always a gorilla,
Ken

Friday November 14th

This has been another amazing week! I will try to recap everything since Tuesday. We met with officials from the Shimidzu Chamber of Commerce first, and then onto the Miho shipyard. We started with the President of the company, followed by the DVD presentation. We don't have any shipbuilding in Kansas so it was a new experience, complete with a ceremony by a Shinto Priest blessing a new ship. Lunch and a presentation at the Shimidzu Rotary Club. The main event on the day was a visit to an elementary school to see 3 different classrooms (in one we sat down to write "friendship" in Kanji) Then a assembly with all three classes (Nick Allen and Peter Cooper two of my GSE team members were with me.) We showed the PSU DVD and answered many many questions. Then all three classes stood up and sang their school song, We could hear the pride in their voices! During a museum visit I met my host for this week, Soichiro Miyazaki. We ate a delicious dinner with conversations until 10:00 p.m. Up early on Wednesday then went for a walk along the river near the host family's home. My host family has owned the land where their home and son lives for about 150 years. It has the largest yard and Japanese garden that we have seen. They built a beautiful home on the property two years ago. Most of the day was spent at Shizuoka University and the prefectural museum which features twenty six Rodin statues including a copy of "The Thinker". We met briefly with the University President and enjoyed lunch at their cafeteria where each team member sat at a separate table surrounded by five or more university students who each had many questions they wanted answered. We were accompanied today by Assistant Governor Maknamura, Tabnamura, and Setsuko Kitagawa a member of the Shimidzu Rotary Club. As we left the campus we all enjoyed a double rainbow. A very beautiful day! Dinner with special guest at the Shizuoka. Shizuoka City is the capital of this prefecture with a population of 700,000 people. Thursday morning we traveled by train to Suruga where we visited the Nippon light metal factory-which gave me a headache. Next a tour of villa of Mr. Koken Tanaka, a national treasure from the Taisyo Period, Suruga Rotary club which meets right next door to a temple where Nick Allen stayed this week. After lunch an art museum and a Sake Distellery. Free samples and snacks at the end out the tour. I arrived home late where Ryuichiro Tomono and his wife where guests for dinner. An outstanding dinner with conservation until 11:00 p.m. Always a gorilla,
Ken

Monday November 10th

Our first stop this morning was a nice meeting with the mayor of Shizuoka City, he had studied at a university at Long Beach, CA. Our first view of Mt. Fuji came from the 20th floor of a building next door. We had lunch in a private dining room of the Shizuoka newspaper (they also own a TV station). We could see their helicopter pad on the top of one of their buildings. In the dining room we sat looking at Mt Fuji (I will blog about it later). It was about 20 miles away but looked much closer. After lunch we had a very long tour of their newspaper facilities (the President of the company stayed with us all afternoon. We toured the Tamiya Toy Company -- my grandson Andrew would haved loved this tour! We arrived back at out hotel about 5:30 p.m. and meet with the Suizuoka Chuo Rotary Club at 6:00 p.m. The presentation went well and I am in my hotel room early but am really tired. I start my home stay for this week tomorrow. Ken

Sunday November 9th

A relaxing day in Suizuoka City. A nice western and traditional Japanese buffet breakfast in the Garden Square Hotel...when was the last time you had a tossed green salad for breakfast, or you couldn't figure out how to operate the toaster? A stroll around the area, always trying to remember how to get back to the hotel. Most streets and sidewalks are narrow by our standards and the vehicles are righ- hand drive and travel on the opposite side of the street. When you step into traffic you need to look the opposite direction that you look in USA. I carry a matchbook from the hotel "Garden Square" just in case I get lost. All of our plumbers should spend two years training in Japan. I can't explain all the things that work differently, but here are two examples: the shower is set for a nice warm temperature (you can adjust it hotter or colder) and there is only one handle and there is WARM WATER as as you turn it on . Second example -- when was the last time you sat on a heated toilet seat. Lunch with two of the GSE team members at the train station which is about three blocks away (probably a hundred shops at the train station). Things you don't see in Pittsburg, KS; a parking garage for bikes, a policeman writing a ticket for a bike in a No Parking zone, wedding ceremonies being held back-to-back at the hotel (we will have an opportunity to attend one next weekend). We will wear a coat and tie for the next five days and make our PowerPoint presentation every day. Much more formal here.
Always a gorilla,
Ken

Saturday November 8th

Saturday morning I toured the Muramatsu family business and then we traveled to the Hamamatsu rail station. It was difficult to say goodbye to my first host family. Three Hamamatsu Rotarians went with us on the train trip to Shizuoka City. The assistant governor Nagamine san would went fishing with me, Fugiwara a Rotarian who is always there for every event, and Obata san (I call him Obama san) who must be the sharpest dressed in the district and may one day be the major of Hamamatsu. It was raining in Shizuoka so the delegation of Rotarians that met us had umbrellas for us to use. There were many nice shops at the railway station and it was only a short walk to our hotel. They had welcome party #3 waiting for us. This was our second lunch where we sat on the floor. We didn't know in advance that we were the program but we were. Our schedule had at least five presentations this week! We needed both my laptop and the PowerPoint projector that we brought to be able to present our program. One of the Rotarian's daughters Mia (she just recently finished college in California) was able to translate for us. There were about thirty people all sitting on the floor around a large table. We had an orientation session following the luncheon. Mia arranged our three members (and me) to go out with her friends for the evening. There were nine of us at a dinner sitting on the floor. All of the young people enjoyed drinking beer and osaka (I drank one beer) and really enjoyed visiting with her friends. They seemed interested in hearing our opinions with Mia and one of her friends translating they enjoyed our humor. After dinner which was 23,500 yen they walked my back to the hotel around 9:00 p.m. and they went out to enjoy themselves some more. My bogs never show the correct time here. It is now 4:40 a.m. and I plan to listen on the Internet to PSU's last football game which will start in about 20 minutes. I will be the only person in Shizuoka (and probably Japan) listening.
Always a gorilla
Ken

Sunday November 9th

I want to thank a few individuals who really helped me prepare for the trip. My wife Barbara encouraged me to buy everything I thought I might need and had all my clothes ready to pack. Brad Hodson and the Pittsburg Rotary Club Board approved the purchased the laptop computer I am using here (It will also will be used by the secretary of the Pittsburg Rotary Club for several years). Our Rotary District 6110 Governor Ron Petersen gave my all of his "make dreams real" this year's Rotary theme pins and his supply of District 6110 pins, because my order for 200 District 6110 pin got messed up. The day before I left I received a call from the company saying the pins would be ready the middle of next week from a company in Hong Kong. I emailed the Rotary District 2620 Group Study Exchange Chairman Tomoyuki Ikedo. He called the company in Hong Kong and the pins were on my desk when I checked into the Garden Square Hotel in Shizuoka yesterday. They are very efficient here. Ron, I will be bring some pins home with me. They really do love all pins. The Alumni Office gave me fifty Pittsburg State University pins and there were twenty five which showed a split face gorilla. The split face goriila pin and a hormincia (sp?) were gifts I gave to the three years old Rachimi (who lived in the home where I stayed last week). She said "I feel like a princess". She has made my trip so enjoyable. All Japanese do not look a like. If there were a thousand three year old Japanese girls I am confident that I could find her.
Ken

Friday November 7th

The team met at 9:00 a.m. at the Grand Hotel and traveled to the Yahama factory which builds...you are probably thinking motorcycles, musical instruments, or something else , but that is wrong. We toured a factory where they build very expensive complete kitchens and bathrooms. Whatever standard you thought of, believe me they were nicer! After a complete tour we were taken into private Yahama bathrooms where we were treated to a sauna, pre-bath shower in a room where the bathroom floor drains, soaking in a whirlpool tub with beautiful mood lighting and music. When we finished, there was a second adjoining room where we could dry our hair, shave, use hair tonic, aftershave, etc. An amazing place. Now I know why Japanese like baths so much! Next was lunch at Hamamatsu's nicest hotel. We were on the 40th floor in a private room with a view of the Pacific Ocean. The head chef prepared our lunch on the grill in front of our table. The food (which included both salmon and steak) and service was extraordinary. This afternoon we toured the Yahama Musical Instrument Factory where 1500 employees complete 700 instruments a day. A trombone cost $5,000... nice instruments. We make a presentation at the Hamamatsu Naka Rotary Club this evening. In addition to very brief introduction I was able to introduce my host family for this week, Mr. Tatsuyoshe Muramatsu, and I thanked everyone for this very good week. Kon shu wa to ta mo e des na. We have met many wonderful Rotarians this week. It has been a full week. It is 11:00 p.m. and I need some sleep.
Always a gorilla
Ken

Thursday November 6th

Today for the first time I am blogging about today's events, which should make it easier. My host family's computer is Japanese so some of the keys are in a different places or have a different function so I need to pay attention. I slept in until about 7:30... yea! Today we arrived at the elementary school where I was to have a sixth grade class for one hour. I was accompanied by two Rotarians and after taking off our shoes we met with the principal in his office (we were served green tea). Tom Ikedo explained about the Rotary GSE programs and I explained what I planned to do in the classroom. I am also scheduled to meet with a seventh grade class next week and I anticipated about 23 each week so I brought 50 gifts. Much to my surprise when I walked into the classroom there were 45 students. They were so happy to see me that you would have thought I was a rock star. Fortunately Tom Ikedo was my translator. We went through the PowerPoint introduction about myself and then showed a five minute DVD about Pittsburg State University. They ask several of the same questions that the 6th grade students in Pittsburg asked the Japanese GSE team. What do you eat for breakfast? What do you like best about Japan? I gave a KU basketball championship t-shirt to the teacher and they insisted that he put it on. They were really impressed that the Kansas City Royals manager coached the last five years for the Nippon Ham Fighters. Dinner is ready, got to go.
Ken

Wednesday November 5th

We toured City Hall and met with the deputy mayor (the mayor was in China) and the Brooch Machining Company which was owned by a Rotarian. They made very customized parts and must have had 50 million dollars worth of equipment. Lunch at a cafeteria and then a tour of the Chuunichi Shimbun Newspaper Publishing Company. We were there when we heard the news that Obama had been elected President. Before we left the building they were already publishing the newspaper with a picture of Obama on the front page. Besides the picture of Obama, the three things I could tell on the front page were that Obama is 47, CNN, and by the pictures in the weather forecast it is sunny weather. Humamatsu is a beautiful city with a mild climate, it doesn't snow and they have palm trees (always a good sign for the winter). We finished early so we waited two hours at the Grand Hotel and make some revisions to our PowerPoint presentation. Our second Welcoming Party had about forty guests which included the Presidents and Secretaries of eight Rotary Clubs, our host families (my host Tatsuyoshi could attend so his daugther Mariko and her mother who I just met for the first time (she has been visiting another daughter in Australia), three Past District Governors including Mr. Invi who served as Governor the same year as I did 1992-93, plus other district officials. We need to be very adaptable. The Japanese are very organized but we sometimes we are informed at the last minute. You need to extend greetings and introduce your team now for five minutes, it is time for your PowerPoint presentation use twenty minutes, now exchange district banners with the eight Rotary Club Presidents, now it is time for photos with families. Sometimes they are speaking in English and sometimes in Japanese. My laptop computer has not connected to the Internet since we have been in Japan. All my blogs have been late at night or very early in the morning (it is now 5:10 a.m). This morning I meet with a sixth grade class in Hamamatsu.
Always a gorilla
Kenchan
Ken

Tuesday November 4th

We are hosted by the Hamamatsu Rotary Club and spoke at their club at noon (which is the largest Rotary Club in the District with 110 members). They have a very formal club meeting. In the morning we visited the Hamamatsu Photonics Company. The District 2620 Group Study Exhange Committee chairman is Tomoyuki Ikedo who has his own company now but he worked for H. Photonics company for 25 years and managed one of their divisions. One of their employees received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. They are a very high technical company which makes imaging equipment for hospital and products for a dozen other industries and employees thousands of people world wide. They try to answer the question "what can we do with light". Followingthe Rotary Club meeting we experienced one of my team members' favorite stops. A tour large local Distillery which brews beer and osaka which is owned by a Rotarian. They happened to be closed on Tuesday but the owner and his wife gave us a brief tour and then we sampled 6 or more types of osaka and beer. This is the sort of special treatment we have received during our stay in Japan. Fortunately none of us were driving. A visit to our third Buddihst Temple with another green tea ceremony featuring light green tea (which is much better). My host family lives 40 minutes from the Grand Hotel but they are worth every minute of the long drive back and forth each day. We ate dinner tonight at a Indian resturant (the first time for me to eat Indian food) which was delicious. Mariko's husband is Bill who is from Nepal. They stayed at the resturant until after midnight (Mariko walked me home at around 10:00 p.m. Then my best night's sleep so far.
Ken

Monday November 3rd

Today we were hosted by the Hamanako Rotary Club and our first stop was at the Airai Checkpoint which dated back to the 1600's. In the early years they checked very carefully for guns coming in and women going out. We had our first tea ceremony which involved sitting on the floor for a extended period of time while the tea was brewing and several bows and japanese phrases. The dark green tea which was served was a really strong and powerful tea. Next a great stop at theToyato family home and learning about how ~~~~first name to be provided later~~~ started developing the first loom that enabled to women to weave fabric using only one hand and much later he introduced the G model and automatic loom. His son manufactured the first car in 1937. Enjoyed lunch at a Hamana Lake resort restuarant. Following lunch we went to an orange orchard owned by a Rotarian from the Hamanoke R. C. Then we visited our second Buddhist temple and the world famous Hamanatse Eel Pie Factory. Back to the Grand Hotel where we met our first home family. My hosts are Mr and Mrs Tatsuyoshi Muramatse, their daughter Mariko and son-in-law Bill Gurung, and their 3 year old daughter Rachimi (who called me Ken-chan, a term of endearment almost like a family member) She is a sweetheart! Her mother had read her the "Wizard of Oz" and she knew that I was from there. Great Japanese food fixed by Mariko. A better night's rest
Ken

Sunday, November 2nd

They let us sleep in an extra hour until 10:00 because we arrived so late last night. My body still isn't in the correct time zone. I was up early and went for a walk. Everyone is polite and nods as you go by with a "good morning" or "Ohaiyo gazimasu" greeting. Hamamatsu is a city of 830.000 but there are still power poles and overhead wires everywhere except in the central downtown area. Great buffet breakfast in the hotel with both Western and Japanese food. A few members of the Hamakita Rotary Club took us to their community and to the Manyo-no-Mori Parks that featured plants that grew in Japan a thousand years ago. Next we were dressed in period costumes for photos and lunch. There a complete meal of food and I hadn't eaten one item on the tray before but I did try everything (including the complete fish, yes the head was a little tough to swallow). We visited our first Buddhist Temple and then a long trip back to the hotel. We had a very formal dinner with District 2620 Rotary officials including the Governor, Seiji Makita. The dinner was a eight course meal. Our glasses were all filled with beer, osaka, or other beverage, but never water! I need to learn how to say "water" in japanese! Very few of the foods were familiar and there were lots of new tastes (many of them i could say, "I've never tasted anything like it!") We were on the 40th floor of the hotel with a great nighttime view of the city. Back to the hotel for much needed sleep.
Ken

Japan Report #1

Tuesday November 4th
Our GSE team has covered a lot of ground and air since we left the airport in Northwest Arkansas on Friday, October 31. I left Pittsburg around 6:30 a.m. to meet my friend Dick Trammel for breakfast. He treated me to a great American breakfast which is the last one that I will have for a month! We had a four hour delay in Minneapolis so arrival was at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday November 1st. We had a fast train ride to Tokyo and then a longer and much faster train ride to Hamamatsu. We meet interest people on the train who seemed eager to visit with us about trip and share something about their life in Japan with us. We got to our rooms at the Grand Hotel around 12:30 a.m. on November 2nd. Perhaps the longest day of my life.
Always a gorilla
Ken