LOVE STORY FOSTERED IN "YOKOTE'S KAMAKURA"
Do you know "Yokote's Kamakura"?
According to the Tourism Association of Yokote City, Akita Pref.,
the "Yokote's Kamakura" has been an important old New Year
Festival which has over 450 year history.
The "Kamakura" means an Eskimo's igloo like snow shelter.
The resident Kamakura pros build 100 Kamakuras for the event.
The festival is going to be held on February 15 and 16.
It is my hobby to look for interesting novels in web sites.
This time I happened to find a fairy-tale-like love story featuring
this festival of the "Yokote's Kamakura".
Let me introduce the summary of the novel.
TITLE : "FIRST LOVE FOSTERED IN POWDERLY SNOW SEASON"
BY : ETUHA SAKAKIHARA, YOKOTE, AKITA
There are candles inside the snow shelters to light up in and out.
The town becomes a fantasy full of dim orange color ligths.
There were the lovers who met in the "Yokote's Kamakura".
The air was cold and clear. The dim orange color lights coming
out from the snow shelters brought a dreamy contrast between
the dark sky and white snow and made people feel warm.
The "Yokote's Kamakura" connected the two loving hearts so
tightly and they could never be untied forever.
However, the city boy lives in Tokyo now and the country girl
in Akita-Yokote.
Then, how their love story goes?
Please go to the following site and read full story.
I hope you like and enjoy it.
Memories of Korean Friends <5>
Miss Son accepted me and when we went out to see her
friends,she introduced me to them as a boy friend.
However, in the club, she acted as a completely
professional hostess.
When an old customer came to the club, she guided him
to a table far from my table. She told me that one time she was invited to his apartment.
When two young boys came to see her from Washinton,D.C.,
she guided them to a small room separated from the main room where I was drinking.
After while she served their table, she came back to my table and reported to me that they had spent 500 dollars.
When we were drinking and dancing at an other big night
club, a middle-aged gentleman joined us. He said he used to teach English language to a famous Korean prime minister.
She did not seem to like him and asked me to get the bill
and leave the club.
She told me about her ex-husband. He cared about her after divorce and brought books to her place as presents.
She seemed to still like him. She blamed herself because
she could not give a baby to him.
Our relation lasted for about 10 months and suddenly she
said "I love you but I hate you because you are married."
I could not answer.
Sometime after this conversation, she left from me without
any explanation nor message. Her house phone was disconnected and her apartment room was locked
permanently.
Memories of Korean Friends <4>
I dropped in a Japanese restaurant in Manhattan to take dinner.
Then, I stepped into a Korean night club nearby and sat at a table.
The club was not so busy. A girl came to my table and sat quietly.
Her clothes were almost black in color. She gave me her name
in Hangul (Korean) as Miss Son. I offered her a drink and
tried to start conversation.
She was looking at her glass and did not show interest in conversation.
I asked her to write her name in Kanji(Chinese character) on a piece of paper. I wrote my name in Kanji and asked her
how to pronounce in Hangul. She said "Oh-Zoo Ryon-Num".
I said "You look so young. May I ask your age?"
She said "I am not young but 25 years old."
Then, I said "You look somewhat sad and can I do anything
to help?"
She started talking frankly. She said " I was recently divorced.
My ex-husband made other young girl pregnant."
There were musicians there to play songs for customers to sing.
Also, customers danced with girls to music they play.
My girl was a good singer of Korean songs and sung a song titled
"E-Byol" beautifully.
Of course, we danced together and made good friends.
Memories of Korean friends<3>
At this stage, I want to show here my poor translation of a Korean love song, titled "E-Byol" or 「別離」in Japanese,
or "Separated" in English, since this was the most favorite
and beautiful Korean song 40 years ago and a 25-year-old
Korean girl I loved sung for me each time I visited
the Korean night club in Manhattan, New York.
I will remember you sometime though you are coldhearted.
I never forget the memory that we loved each other so much.
When I look up and see the blue moon and spend a night by myself,
I repeat the words you vowed me and become more anxious to see you.
I will remember you sometime though you are coldhearted.
I never forget the memory that we loved each other so much.
You go away far from here passing mountains and oceans,
and it is impossible for us to meet because we are so far
separated.
I will remember you sometime though you are coldhearted.
I never forget the memory that we loved each other so much.
I store this song in my PC and walkman and now can sing in Japanese.
Next time, I wish to make a sentimental story of a young Korean girl friend.
東京にもう一つ空港ができたらーーーー新年の夢
関東の飛行場は羽田と成田があるが、東京は広いので、
住む場所によっては空港に行くのが楽では無い。
5年位前、横田飛行場の民間利用の噂があったことを
覚えていますか？ このたび、米国の大統領が変わり、
在日米軍の費用をもっと日本に負担させようと言って
いるとか。 沖縄で不要な土地を日本に返還したばかり
だし、横田飛行場の民間機利用も可能になるかもしれない。
そうなると、多摩地区の住民としては、一挙に飛行機の利用
が増えて、経済効果は可成りあるのではないか。
さらに、ニューヨークみたいに、空港間で格安なヘリコプターのシャトルサービスが出来ると、日本人ばかりか外国からのお客の利用は間違いなく、航空業界やら観光業界やら経済効果の増大は計り知れないと思うのだが。
ニューヨークでは空港への往復はマイカーなので、往きに駐車した空港と違う空港に戻ると、ヘリで移動したものだ。
勿論、料金は２～３千円位でバスに乗るようなものだった。
ニューヨーク～ボストン、ワシントンDC間のシャトル
サービスもまるでバスと同じで、安くて便利だった。
アメリカは広大な大陸だから、個人でもジェットを持つ
お国。
日本と較べても意味がないが、少しは近付かないものか。
飛行場といえば、滑走路の長さや本数が気になるが、
一寸ネットで見たら、
羽田 3360m 3000m 2500m 2500m
成田 4000m 2500m
関空 4000m 3500m
名古屋 3500m
NY/JFK 4442m 3460m 3048m 2560m
NY/ﾆｭｰｱｰｸ 3353m 3048m 2073m
ﾛﾝﾄﾞﾝ･ﾋｰｽﾛｰ 3901m 3660m
ﾊﾟﾘ･ｼｬﾙﾙﾄﾞｺﾞｰﾙ 4215m 4200m 2700m 2700m
横田は 3353m 1本のみ。 でも、ここが使えたら
飛行機にのるぞ。
Memories of Korean Friends <2>
I forgot to tell you but I am a Japanese old man living in Tachikawa City, Japan.
I have been good at making friends, either Japanese or foreigners, male or
female, old or young. I could keep good reration with any group of people.
Reason is probably I am quiet and cool and do not give any fierce impression.
Young girls, such as 4~5 years old through 9~10 years old ones came to me
and showed intimated attitude to me. However, I was not a Lolita complex.
Back to New York, I had serious trouble with my right shoulder, so-called
"40years old shoulder". So lucky I was, because I met a Chinese acupuncturist
and he restored my shoulder by 90% after six month practition.
At this time, I felt necessity of relaxation and looked for a proper place on my
way of going home after business. If it happened in Japan, it was easy to find
a place for relaxation. I found, however, in Manhattan, a cosy Korean night club.
Memories of Korean friends <1>
I stayed in New York ,USA for many years and met a few Korean people
who were American citizens. I worked with a Japanese export and import
company . The first person I met was a young male student of Harvard
University. His major subject was mathematics. He was accepted by the
university at age of 15 years old. His mother was working in our office as
a cleaning staff. He worked with us as an office clerk only during holiday
seasons. He did not look so smart but looked a regular young boy.
The second person I met also worked with us as a clerk in our department.
He was a second son of a big shot in Korean finantial business. He came
to our office to learn about steel scrap business since he owned a steel
reinfocing bar making plant in Korea. He was Korean young businessman
and was married. He went back to Korea and we met when I visited Seoul
later.
