This post is dedicated to the Fukumuro and Suga families, our hosts in Japan.
I first met Chikako Fukumuro and her daughter Nobuko Suga when I was in the Fulbright Program in 1997. At that time, along with school visits and sightseeing, each of the 102 teachers in the program participated in a weekend with a host family. I was very fortunate to have been placed with Chikako Fukumuro, a wonderful, caring person with whom I shared the same interests, and made me feel comfortable in her home. She has traveled to many countries, and enjoys singing opera! She cooked delicious meals, gave me my first experience of sleeping in a tatami room, and we even went shopping in Omotesando. Precious memories such as seeing Hokusai's woodblock prints for the first time, eating okonomiyaki, and wearing Nobuko's silk kimono are as clear to me as if they happened yesterday. When her daughter, Nobuko visited the U.S. in 1998 as an exchange student we had more good times together, and she was an honored guest at my school, where we had a Japanese festival so the community could experience the value of cultural exchange.
Chikako, Nobuko and I have continued to write to each other, and now we have met again, nearly thirteen years later. We were met at Narita Airport by Chikako, her husband, Takao, Nobuko, her husband Suga-kun and children Kaiyu and Nagisa, ages 5 and 1. What a happy reunion it was! Later that evening we had a welcome party at a restaurant, where we were joined by Mitsuo, Nobuko's brother. It was a wonderful time and Sophia quickly became a pal to Kaiyu and a "big sister" to baby Nagisa. We were honored to stay in the home of Chikako and her husband Takao in Kawasaki for our first few days in Japan, before going to Kyoto on our own for the first half of our trip. Thank you, Takao and Chikako, for your hospitality and for reserving our many shinkansen tickets.
After Kyoto, we met at Nagoya on Saturday, and traveled north together to Hida Takayama, where we had the best time with Chikako and the Suga family! We were welcomed at the Takayama train station by a very tall young Japanese man, welcoming us with a fringed scroll with Japanese writing on it. When we arrived at our hotel, he pounded a huge taiko drum to announce our arrival! Nobuko had arranged our stay at this beautiful ryokan (inn), and we were surprised with our own huge tatami room which overlooked the river, with a view of the town's red bridge and waterfall. After checking in, it was time for lunch, and, knowing that Tony does not eat fish, our friends had made reservations at a steakhouse! The restaurant specialized in regional meat, called Hida beef. Well, everyone had beef that day, including Sophia, who had her own filet. Thanks to our Japanese hosts, we really ate our way through Japan! After lunch we went sightseeing in Takayama, where the old main street with its shops and endless food stalls offered samples of green tea, miso soup, and grilled mochi on a stick, which became Sophia's favorite. (mochi is rice pounded to a dough and served different ways. Delicious and filling.) That evening, we had a traditional Japanese dinner wearing yukata (robe). We ate all kinds of things, but especially beef, which is a main ingredient in sukiyaki, in which you cook your meat and vegetables at your table. The next morning, we had a huge Japanese breakfast, consisting of many bowls, mostly covered. There was also small fire at each place setting, to grill a small fish, which was delicious. After breakfast we set out to visit Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site of gassho-zukuri, or hands-in-prayer, farmhouses. Our host families arranged for a wonderful tour with a private guide to Shirakawa-go, which was about an hour away from Takayama. Our first stop was a museum which showed the construction of a traditional gassho~zukuri farmhouse. After a panoramic photo stop which looked down into the valley of farmhouses, we went into town to see them up close. So unique and interesting!
After saying goodbye at Nagoya Station, Tony, Sophia and I were off to the old town Magome, where Nobuko has reserved a night at a very old, excellent ryokan. Thank you Nobuko! Nobuko's dad, Takao, had helped us with our itinerary in this area, and we are grateful for his suggestion to go Tsumago, another picturesque old post town. Thank you, Takao!
Back in Tokyo for the second half of our trip, we spent more time with the Fukumuro and Suga families, and Sophia became very attached to Kaiyu and Nagisa, her new friends. On our last night in Japan, our hosts reserved a dinner at The Sky, the revolving rooftop restaurant at the top of the New Otani Hotel, on the 17th floor. It was a magical evening, as we had an amazing buffet dinner together surrounded by the changing scenery of Tokyo at night. Then, Tony was surprised with a candlelit birthday dessert!
We are very grateful to the Fukumuro and Suga families for their generosity, kindness, and for giving so much of their time to us. You have not only given us unique experiences, you have given us many priceless memories.
Takayama with our friends Chikako, Nobuko, Suga-kun and their two children, Kaiyu and baby Nagisa. While strolling through town we came to a place where one could make senbei, rice crackers. Sophia and I gave it a try after the demonstration. We put on white gloves on our left hands, then were seated in front of our own furnaces and given a metal skewer to hold our rice cracker while we browned it over the fire. It sounds kind of dangerous to give children hot metal skewers in front of a fire, but it was fine and everyone enjoyed the experience! I burned my first cracker, (it was tricky!), but Sophia did well with Nobuko's help. She really got good at it. We all received certification as senbei makers when we were done. And we got to keep our crackers, along with store-made ones.
