"Excuse me. Are you from England?"
"Yes."
"Then you must be Mr. Howard Dixon, and you must be Mr. Andrew Birks.... Miss Emma Duff.... Miss Helen Illingworth and....Miss Helen Brown."
Correct in every particular. The inquirer had emerged from a sea of Japanese faces at the airport to greet us. To most GSE travellers this would seem an unremarkable encounter but it took us completely by surprise, for the airport was Amsterdam and we were still eleven hours from our ultimate destination; Osaka.
Kaichi Abu and his smiling, diminutive wife Yoko introduced themselves, they were to be hosts to Emma during our third week in Japan. They had been visiting Europe, were returning home on the same flight and were so well-prepared that they now presented Helen B. and myself with flowers and chocolates for our recent and forthcoming birthdays. This thoughtfulness and state of preparedness we would find to be typical of our hosts during the next four weeks.
Selection
My participation in the D1030 / D2660 exchange had begun sixteen months earlier when I first learned of the paring. I had been involved with the GSE programme as a host in previous years but not really considered applying until a visit to Japan, a long-held ambition, was mentioned. I made my interest known at the first opportunity and began research to enhance my limited knowledge of the country acquired mainly through the pages of National Geographic magazine. With the support of my Rotary Club and encouragement from its President Terry Robson I completed the form-filling which lead to my interview on 1st August.
I remember little of the interview itself except perhaps that I was disappointed at not being given the opportunity to show off my new-found learning, the interview panel rightly concentrating on, "What would I do as team leader if this happened or that happened?" Suffice to say that District Governor John Billany telephoned that evening, "Conglatulations, you are going to Japan."
The next step, the selection of a team of four from nine candidates, was not easy. I was pleased to have received earlier advice from previous team leaders who made me aware of some of the problems which can arise, like team members having to drop out of the programme at short notice. So I had the comfort of knowing that we had some very capable reserves should they be needed. With appointments completed before Conference the two teams were able to meet while our Japanese guests were in this district. This was beneficial to everyone and I am grateful to the Rotary Club of Consett who allowed me one evening during their schedule to host the 2660 team at my home for dinner, as team leader Ken Nakamura put it, "Nothing fancy, just a good English meal with a common English family".
Ken and I had exchanged the first of many e-mails before their departure from Japan and this medium continues to be a great advantage in the creation and continuance of friendships. It is now difficult to imagine the organization of a Group Study Exchange without "the web". After the return of our new friends to Japan in early October my team had seven months to prepare for our visit in which time the technology would play an invaluable role.
Preparation
It is a pleasure to have little to write about the planning and administration of our trip; for little to write means we had few problems. My District Foundation Chairman, Ian Walker, now a veteran GSE programme organiser, ensured that the paperwork was in order and reminded me about due dates, the travel arrangements fell into place with only minor changes and I was given a free hand to prepare my team and our all-important presentation so that we could make the most of our individual talents. In fact none of the pitfalls of which I had been warned actually materialised and my team remained unaltered, committed and best of all, good friends throughout the exchange and since.
In the months before Christmas we met a few times to discuss what would be required of us by Rotary International, what opportunities would be provided by the exchange, what hazards awaited us and how we could best fulfil our roles. None of the team members had experience of Rotary other than the introduction of their sponsoring clubs, so I was pleased with their positive and open-minded response to the established elements of the programme and my suggestions for the innovations we could introduce. We set ourselves goals and deadlines, maintained minutes of meetings, exchanged ideas and in doing so became familiar and comfortable as a group.
From the outset we agreed that we should make an effort to learn some spoken Japanese. We had all been impressed by the standard of English spoken by the 2660 team and while we had no illusions that we could achieve a similar standard in Japanese, we were determined that we should at least be able to exchange courtesies with our hosts. District Governor John Billany asked us to deliver our presentation speeches in Japanese, after all this had been done before, by the 1030 GSE team who visited Sendai District in 1990 under the leadership of now Past District Governor Jim Suthering. So on a cold Thursday night in early February with the Christmas cheer and Y2K celebrations long gone, we had a meeting with Jim to gain the benefit of his advice. And gain we did. He explained that his team had learned their speeches phonetically after an intensive five-day language course and he went on to regale us with stories of their exchange showing us photographs, souvenirs and examples of gifts he had taken with him and received in return. Jim's enthusiasm was infectious and by the end of the evening our spirits had been lifted and the whole team was fired up and ready to meet the realisation that we now had only three months before departure.
The following week began a series of ten, two-hour evening class course proved to be one of the most valuable elements in our preparation. The simple words and phrases we learned would help us make the most of the Rotary-sponsored language/cultural training planned for late March. Ultimately we would surprise and endear ourselves to our hosts and even make ourselves understood to strangers in simple, everyday situations in Osaka. Our evening classes ended at 9.00pm and we took the opportunity to have regular meetings afterwards to develop our plans and presentation.
"dragon"
presentation
By now we had assigned topics for each of us
to present and agreed that in addition to statements about ourselves and our
district we should make our performance more entertaining by including music,
song, dance and even costumes. We included history, religion, industry, local
culture, folklore and future developments in our speeches, illustrating these
with slides and, at appropriate moments, by revealing two large, hand-painted
murals concealed within our costumes, one depicting a local legend, "The
Lambton Worm" (our own "dragon") and another our adopted mission
statement, "1030, 2660, Building Bridges"h. Through our presentation
each was able to use their talents to best effect, for example; Emma's flute
playing and Helen B.'s singing came to the fore, others were to discover talents
we didn't even know we possessed!
"bridge" presentaiton
The course of language and cultural training mentioned earlier provided us with vital background knowledge and some important do's and don'ts regarding manners and etiquette. This also proved to be an important part of our preparation and the time spent paid off handsomely during our visit. We also had the opportunity to have parts of our finished speeches translated into romanised text and recorded so that we could practise pronunciation. This compromise, whereby we would make our personal introductions in Japanese followed by commentary about our region in English, came about after correspondence with D2660 GSE Committee Chairman Shigeo Matsuoka who assured us that our Japanese audiences would expect us to speak in English so only a few words of Japanese were necessary.
Perhaps because of the work we had put in, or because I felt bound to respond DG's request or because I thought we should try to impress our hosts, I must admit to feeling disheartened at the thought of delivering only a few words. So we stubbornly stuck to our half page or so of Japanese each and tried it out on audiences of three home Rotary clubs at presentations in April. They were mightily impressed. Of course they were; they didn't understand a word of it. So with misplaced confidence we completed our preparations by squeezing a month's clothing, gifts, scripts, costumes and all the brochures we hadn't already sent on ahead, into one suitcase each plus some over-streched hand luggage and suddenly it was departure date. Goodbyes from Jim Suthering, Ian Walker and Terry Robson, next stop; Amsterdam.
First Impressions
After the unexpected meeting with our escort Abu san we settled down to an uneventful though sleepless second leg of our journey arriving on time, 0840, 5th May when we touched down on a white, man-made rectangle of earth and concrete in a blue Osaka Bay; Kansai International Airport. The futuristic terminal building, Italian designed and British engineered, was impressive even to our tired eyes, for its light, spacious interior, spotlessly clean.
Another welcome sight was the group of Rotarians who greeted us, with none of the formality for which we had been prepared but with firm handshakes and friendly smiles, a mixed group of hosts and committee members lead by my e-mail friend Shigeo Matsuoka. After introductions and photographs we were taken out into warm sunshine and a waiting mini bus with white-gloved and uniformed driver for our journey to down town Osaka, on the way exchanging observations about the highways, bridges, rivers and crowded cityscape which surrounded us and faded into the haze beneath the blue silhouettes of distant mountains. After forty minutes the skyline of the business park became clear. Elegant, modern skyscrapers and among them the KDD telecommunications building surmounted by a series of horizontal discs. An unusual arrangement of antennae-"I think they're not for decolation". In the middle of the city we passed Osaka Jo (the castle and surrounding park instantly recognisable from pictures in our books) and then the Hotel New Otani where we would be based for two days. The hotel provided everything their web-site promised and noticeably more smiling staff than might be expected, even from five-star.
We were allocated five rooms and before leaving us to rest for twenty-four hours, the GSE Committee arranged a lunch and briefing meeting. Copies of detailed itineraries for the first two weeks including hosts' names, activities, locations and dress code were passed around and explained by Matsuoka san. He concluded with some do's and don'ts including, "About falling in love.....please don't bother, it causes too many problems."-good advice familiar to many GSE participants.
During conversation we became aware of an incredible coincidence which would stand much retelling during our visit. Adviser and committee member George Nakajima had lived in the USA during the sixties and now recognised a name which cropped up in our discussion about families. It became evident that his physician and friend at that time was non-other than my American father-in-law. They had lost touch since George's return to Japan so I am happy to be the conduit through which their friendship has been restored - by e-mail of course.
Adjustment to a new time zone, eight hours ahead, resulted in fragmented periods of rest and an intervening hour or two to explore nearby Osaka Castle Park, a surprisingly large area of green containing roads, paths, grass and trees and concentric moats which used to form the last lines of defence around Osaka Jo. As in any large, city park there were families and friends relaxing and tourists taking photographs in front of this or that landmark. Among the trees however we found tents and shelters constructed from blue plastic sheeting which we recognised from the 2660 team presentation. These were the homes of the homeless and their presence was the first example of what we would discover to be the tolerant nature of Osakan society. The disadvantaged are not regarded as a threat, nor are they automatically associated with drugs or crime. Certainly Osaka is not immune to these problems but the low crime rate and general courteousness of people on the street makes this crowded megalopolis a remarkably comfortable place to be. So the homeless stay, apparently undisturbed by the city authorities.
Our isolation rest was ended by the informal gathering in the hotel lobby of a smiling group of GSE team members from the current year and last year's 2660 exchange with Canada, assembled to take us on a leader Ken Nakamura, who, if he had be born in Britain would be regarded as likable, old English eccentric. With familiar candour, he shook my hand, patted my stomach and said, "Mr. Howard, you have put on weight."
"Thanks Ken."
The crowded streets of Den-Den Town and Shinsaibashi on a holiday Sturday afternoon were an interesting choice for a "relaxing tour" and proof that the concept of irony is alive and well in the east. By subway and on foot we explored this popular shopping area until early evening, the eyes of Helen I. (our champion shopper) losing all trace of tiredness as we visited speciality shops, making mental notes for souvenirs until early evening.
Dotombori is an area famous for restaurants with colourful, brightly-lit signs to which 2660 team members Hironori Harimoto and Fukuyo Shoji guided us. Daisuke Sakuma and Chika Honda whom we had also first met in England joined us. After tasting different brands of Japanese Biru (beer) we tackled a selection of dishes with chopsticks, our technique (practised at home during preparation) applauded by our hosts but, "Now you must try this with the leftr hand." The chopstick challenge wa issued by GSE cimmittee member Takashi (Captain) Katoh and, encouraged by his friends Kieko and Shu, our efforts added to the increasing laughter and merriment. Our introduction to Osaka concluded of course with Sake then an unsteady walk to the subway. Everyone relaxed, it had been a great evening.
The Programme
At a Welcome Banquet on Sunday 7th we would make our first presentation, teach our hosts about our district, and learn some lessons. Our audience was made up of senior Rotarians, our hosts for the next four weeks and guests. It was worrying to discover that many, especially the older members, spoke no English. An interpreter was provided as promised but we had not truly appreciated just how much longer this would make our thirty-minute presentation. After fifty minutes it was clear that changes would have to be made. I also learned that our Japanese could not be understood. Later in the my tour driver for a day, "Max Takada" explained that in his experience of teaching of spoken Japanese to foreigners, Americans have the most difficulty because the intonation in their dialects is extreme, English speech less so, but Japanese pronunciation is very flat. So to Japanese ears, even when we were using the correct words, our delivery was probably just not good enough. Shigeo Matsuoka had been right to discourage us from trying too hard and I am grateful to him for redrafting our speeches and producing written translations allowing us enough Japanese to "break the ice" with our future audiences.
We had some consolation in knowing that the welcome banquet guests appreciated the more entertaining aspects of our presentation and later, our younger hosts who often spoke good English, would listen, compliment or correct our efforts in Japanese conversation. The positive and often surprised reaction of people in our hotel, in shops and elsewhere demonstrated that our lessons before departure had still been well worth while.
After the banquet our separate hosts took us to their homes where we would live for the next six days. For me it took only a few minutes to reach the Uno building, a five storey office block in which the apartment home of Minoru and Kyoko Uno occupies the top two floors. The rooms, small by European standards, were what my research had led my to expect, property values in Osaka being several times higher than I am used to. I was given a room on the top floor with a western-style bed and furniture. The family made me most welcome and although Mr and Mrs Uno live here alone their younger family members made themselves available during my stay to be interpreters. On the first morning I found that my room overlooked an elevated highway although I hadn't been aware of traffic noise. This city-centre location was near the Okawa River, close to subway and rail stations and within walking distance of some of our engagements during the coming week. Kyoko Uno always smiling and with a little English - enjoys cooking and prepared a delicious variety of Japanese and western style meals during my stay.
Seven cultural and sight-seeing visits, four presentations, two vocational visits, a meeting with 2660 District Governor Kashiwagi, an official visit to City Hall and the Mayor of Osaka, attendance at District Conference, a GSE Welcome and Reunion Party and, in our free time, dinners with hosts, a Rotary Club Welcome Party and the ritual humiliation of Karaoke. The roller-coaster ride that is GSE got into full swing this week. The rich variety of the programme bombarded our senses with new experiences, too many to describe in detail but I am pleased to report that the team responded well to the hectic pace and enjoyed every moment. A few highlights;
A visit to the World Trade Centre Cosmo Tower, fifty stories high with an observation floor at the top, gave us an overview of the city from the Osaka Port area to get our bearings. The Kaiyukan Aquarium impressed us with its diverse collections and imaginative layout inside colourful, contemporary architecture and from the adjacent Ferris Wheel we looked down on the Universal Studios construction site - the location of my first vocational visit. My birthday on this day did not go unnoticed by the team or hosts and I received a "Karaoke Star" birthday card with a warning that I would be expected to earn the title. I was treated to a birthday lunch and that evening the Uno family gave me, for the first time in my life, a birthday fish!
Our revised presentation was well received at the Osaka-Tsurumi Rotary Club and gave us confidence for future meetings. A visit to the restored Osaka Castle Museum was impressive and a captivating performance of traditional dance at a nearby shrine was followed by our first Tea Ceremony which provided relief from the unseasonably high temperatures outdoors while the intricacies of Green Tea preparation and drinking were explained to us.
At City Hall I had the opportunity to meet and exchange gifts with District Governor Kashawagi before our courtesy call on Isomura san, the Mayor of Osaka. I was able to ask the Mayor about the proliferation of shelters built by the homeless in Osaka Castle Park and in view of Osaka's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, did he think this would be a problem to the Olympic Committee? He was candid in his reply going on to admit that this society's tolerant attitude is well known, such that homeless from other Japanese cities are now emigrating to Osaka. The resulting increase in the number of people without accommodation is a problem to him.
Our first exposure to Shinto, one of the two main religions in Japan, (the other being Buddhism) was through a very enjoyable visit to the Osaka Temmangu shrine. High Priest and Temmabashi Rotary Club member Terai san showed us around the site which despite its location near the city centre had an atmosphere of tranquillity. We were shown how to purify ourselves by washing our hands in water from a fountain before entering the shrine. Weddings are performed here and we were allowed to visit the wedding room and sit in marriage chairs in the presence of a priest. We suspect that we are now the first GSE team to return home married - all of us. We also witnessed a service of worship and were invited to sit Seiza style (kneeling and sitting on our heels, toes pointed backwards). My western legs were never intended to adopt this position and after fifteen minutes we tried to stand up, groaning, much to the amusement of our hosts.
The Temmabashi Rotary Club lunch was followed by our presentation which again went well, then the team split up to go to separate vocational visits, mine at the offices of Universal Studios. In the evening some members of Temmabashi Rotary Club invited me to a restaurant and an excellent Sukyaki dinner, then to broaden my education, to a "cocktail bar".
It was no coincidence that my first host is president of the Uno Paper Company, for in my wish- list submitted in March I asked to see traditional Japanese paper manufacture. Uno san explained that his factory produces machine-made paper but he would take me into the mountains north of Osaka to see "Kurotani Washi" a low tech., labour intensive business where the paper "washi", is hand-made by a traditional method. Large sheets of paper are produced from many layers of pulp extracted from "Kozo" a member of the Mulberry family and one of the oldest plants used in paper manufacture. The long fibres impart not only a beautiful texture and translucence but amazing strength. I enjoyed a very informative tour of the small workshops in their forested surroundings, refreshed my lungs in the clean mountain air and willingly exchanged some of the paper in my wallet for many examples of "Kurotani Washi".
The 2660 District Conference was held in Osaka
at the end of our first week. Our presentation was requested at a meeting of
eighty-seven Rotary Foundation Chairpersons where, due to the busy schedule,
we limited our speeches to twenty minutes.
Presentation at Rotary Foundation Chair meeting of D-2660 conference
Every Saturday we were returned to the Hotel New Otani for one night. This gave us a little space, the opportunity to relax in our own company, compare experiences of the previous week and for me to check on everyone's well-being. This was very much appreciated and I strongly recommend a similar arrangement to future exchange organisers.
Another innovation of the GSE committee was to arrange a "Welcome and Reunion party" to which past and present team members were invited. With everyone having something in common it was easy to make new friends and create a relaxed atmosphere. Then came the evening I'd been dreading; Karaoke! Committee mambers Hiroshi Nomura, "Captain" Katoh and friends took us to the downtown "Osaka Karaoke Bar" where I was relieved to find that we had a room just for our party and not a public bar as we have in England. In normal circumstances I wouldn't inflict my singing voice on anyone but there was no escape. I learned that Karaoke as a popular pastime in Japan is now in decline and I feel sure that my performance has hastened its demise but photographs reveal that everyone had a great evening - especially Andrew!
Impressions after One Week
The pace of the first week made me appreciate the importance of maintaining a daily journal. This was underlined in the writing of this report which has involved constant reference to my diary, photographs and hundreds of meishi (business cards) given, as is the custom, by new acquaintances throughout our visit. Each weekend I tried to extract myself from the demands and distractions of the programme and review my notes from a new perspective.
It became clear soon after our arrival that we were to be treated as special guests, accorded every courtesy and hospitality. To view society from a position of such privilege makes it difficult to form objective opinions and I am sure we have done little more than scratch the surface of this complex culture. That said, I offer the following observations;
The status of Rotary and Rotarians in Japan is such that doors were not only opened to us but taken off their hinges. Time given to us by very senior figures in the business community and civil service gave us an insight of the Osakan way of life which many other visitors just don't get. Everyone appeared open, hospitable, keen to please and genuinely appreciative of our efforts whether in making our presentations, in conversation or because of our open-minded approach.
While women now occupy some senior positions in society, male-domination remains evident, especially in the family. For example, when going anywhere the patriarch will stride off purposefully leaving females (and sometimes guests) to potter along behind. When I was taken shopping by wives/daughters of hosts I was expected to walk in front - even though I didn't know where I was going! Holding doors open for ladies as I would normally, delayed our progress interminably as I was expected to go through first. This habit was one of the most difficult to change and while it endeared me to wives and daughters, husbands were less impressed.
Osakans eat and drink with enthusiasm! And rightly so, for Osaka cuisine is brilliant in its variety, presentation and freshness. English culinary prejudices must be left at home when visiting Japan. We were prepared for the delights of raw fish but could not have anticipated the delicacy of flavours or that on one occasion Emma's squid would move on her plate. Asking her to taste fish this fresh was asking too much. The food we tried during the first week was as diverse as our programme and in combinations of flavours unheard of at home eg. caramelised anchovies! But I found the quantities overwhelming. At almost every meal I would reach a point when I thought I was finished only to have another dish placed in front of me. Despite eating much more than normal I lost three pounds during the month. A diet of rice, vegetables, fish and meat in that order keeps everyone slim. Even desserts do not have the sugary sweetness so common in the west. The result is that overweight Japanese are a rare sight and life expectancy is three years longer.
The west can learn a lot from Japan about courtesy and consideration for other people. This conclusion was arrived at not just because of the way we were treated, which was exemplary, but by watching the way the Japanese interact with each other. Politeness and modesty abound, I saw no examples of confrontation and only one incidence of aggression which was one-sided and involved a motor-cyclist and a traffic policeman. Some jobs are the same the world over.
On our second Sunday morning Emma called from her hotel room, "We're choosing our songs for the Farewell Party-come along now." The previous evening's Karaoke must have brought out the performers in us. We settled on two numbers to practise when our schedule of the next three weeks would allow. Checking out at noon that day gave us three hours to explore the Osaka Business Park area around the hotel and we found a number of familiar restaurant chains. After a week enjoying the excesses of Osaka cooking, we got a "fix" of fast food with french fries.
Punctual as expected our second week hosts met us at the hotel and the team went our separate ways. Yoshiko and Minako, wife and daughter of Rotarian Masahiko Goda drove me through suburbs north-east of the city centre for thirty minutes to their home in Neyagawa-shi. As Osaka is made up of several cities the suffix "shi" appears after many place names although the end of one city and the beginning of the next is impossible for the visitor to discern.
The Goda residence is comparable in size to English middle-class houses having spacious rooms on two floors, a garden and a yard. Goda san was watering the small lawn when we arrived. "His garden is his pride and joy." Minako told me. Carefully trained and manicured trees and shurubs screen the neighbouring houses which are separated only by narrow roads and paths. The interior of the Goda house is a mixture of traditional Japanese and modern with western-style amenities. We drank tea seated on coushions on the floor of a beautiful "Tatami" room, an expensive feature in many homes, the name derived from Tatami matting of woven grass both delicate and tough with a smooth texture. The sizes of these rooms vary and are described according to the number of mats required to cover the floor. I had become used to removing my shoes on entering homes and restaurants and wearing slippers provided but noticed in the Tatami room my hosts wore stockinged or bare feet. I was delighted to find that this room, on the ground floor overlooking the garden, was given to me for my stay, a futon placed on the floor on which to sleep.
With typical consideration my new hosts had telephoned the Uno family to discover that my favourite food is "Tempura"- deep fried pawns and vegetables in a light batter and so I enjoyed this welcome dinner with three generations of the Goda family.
The Second Week
Kyoto's annual Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) was on our agenda for 15th May. Our hosts representing three Rotary Clubs, Yao Central, Neyagawa East and Hirakata-Kuzuha arranged front-row seats for us to watch a procession to the Shimogamo shrine of five-hundred people with horses, cows and a large carriage, the "Gosho-Guruma", traditionally used for the transportation of Emperors or courtiers of high rank and pulled by a small ox. Decorations and traditional costumes made this as one of the most colourful events we witnessed and even the overcast sky didn't detract from the splendour. During lunch at the eighth century Heihachi Tea House, rain brought welcome refreshment to the air after the heat of recent days.
That evening my host, Goda san took me to another Welcome Party, this time at a restaurant where his Rotary Club - Neyagawa - meets. A Sashimi dinner this time with now familiar quantities of biru and sake. The location of my home district on the southern border of Scotland often featured in conversations during my visit to Osaka, and always led to the question "Do you play golf at St. Andrews?" It seems that every Japanese Rotarian knows St. Andrews so I was sorry to admit that despite living so close to Scotland I don't play golf. Nonetheless Neyagawa Rotary Club president Sumio Maeda produced his harmonica and after dinner honoured me with a recital of his favourite Scottish ballads.
Throughout the exchange our hosts went to great effort to give us a good experience of Osaka but I thought they took things a little too far when at 4.10 am 16th May they arranged an earthquake. I awoke to find the Goda home shaking, not violently, and only for a few seconds but enough to demonstrate the phenomenon of which I had no previous experience. Comparing notes with other team members I learned that a second tremor was felt at about 6.00am, but no damage was sustained from either.
Vocational days were taken both individually and as a group. During our second week we visited the Research and Development Headquarters of Sanyo Electric, before performing our presentation and enjoying lunch at the Rotary Club of Hirakata who had even prepared a welcome banner and arranged a formal club photograph to commemorate our visit. The Technology Museum of Matsushita Electric was the venue for that afternoon and completed a full day of impressive demonstrations of technology from the past, present and future.
Numerous Buddhist and Shinto shrines appeared in our programme and the historic centres of Nara and Kyoto provided two cultural highlights of our visit. Each centre involved a day trip escorted by Rotarians and interpreters. On a coach to Nara we spent the journey learning some words of local language, "Osaka Ben" from interpreters Keiko Yoden and Mie Tsuruzono, exchanging phrases of our local dialect, "Geordie".
Nara is often referred to as the "cradle of Japanese civilization" having been the first capital of significance. The Todaiji Temple at Nara is approached from a long, paved path through a Deer Park. The site is a popular centre for tourism and here, as in many places, we found parties of school children all in uniform. We became used to their approaches, each with a book in hand and wanting to practice their English, which is taught from the age of five. We gladly responded and encouraged, taking the opportunity to practice our Japanese. Within the temple site is the magnificent Daibutsuden, Hall of the Great Buddha, which is claimed to be the largest wooden structure in the world. It houses a massive, fifteen-metre high statue of the Buddha, cast in Bronze and completed in AD 749. As with many of the historical relics and structures we encountered, the Great Buddha has been restored over the centuries, both hands having been replaced and the head restored in AD1692. It remains and awe-inspiring sight.
The Yakushiji temple complex, another Buddhist site, is the subject of continuing restoration so many of the buildings appear in pristine condition. The custodians remain faithful to the original design by reference to a preserved document from the Heian period entitled "Yakushiji Engi" which describes the original temple complex. The buildings contain many national treasures and the most striking features are twin Pagodas; "Saito" the west pagoda, rebuilt in 1981 and "Toto", the east, which has survived for thirteen hundred years. The whole temple complex is rightly considered to be one of the most beautiful in Japan. At the end of this most enjoyable day our return was delayed by traffic, the volume of which was now becoming familiar. Even so my smiling host met me at the agreed location and we took a train home. This evening without engagements I enjoyed home cooking, a rest and my first opportunity to send e-mails to the UK.
My second vocational day was hosted by the Rotary Club of Higashi-Osaka Central, its GSE Chair Masahide Dehara, and included visits to a packaging manufacturer and the house of an old family of rice merchants set in a traditional garden. Driver and interpreter for the day, Max Takada (with whom I later discussed the problems of westerners' Japanese pronounciation) was punctual and spoke good English.
The Higashi-Osaka headquarters of The Pack Corp. contains a museum displaying high quality, glossy paper carrier bags bearing the logos and advertising of many of the world’s best-known companies. Deputy General Manager Shiro Nishioka was our host and was keen to show us around two floors of merchandising displays. I was interested to see as many examples as possible of Japanese design during my visit, graphic art being an important element in my study. But Nishioka san seemed disappointed that I overlooked the branding of his important western clients in favour of displays of Sake packaging in what I considered to be a traditional Japanese style. Perhaps it's not surprising that I found the designs on Sake boxes and labels more interesting than the promotional images familiar in Europe and America, but the apparent bias towards western lifestyle and consumerism in Osaka and the high level of penetration which western marketing has achieved was a disappointment to me. Instead of discovering modern Japanese creativity in a country with such a rich artistic heritage it often seemed that younger generations in particular are turning their backs on their own culture.
Kohnoike-Kaisho was built as the centre for managing and overseeing rice fields created about three hundred years ago by a wealthy Osaka merchant Zenemon Munetoshi Kononike. The site comprises a main building, where administration was carried out, many storehouses and a fire look-out point. To the east a beautiful garden once illustrated the traditional philosophy of garden design whereby distant scenery is incorporated as an element of the garden landscape.
The garden is now surrounded not by rice fields but by modern buildings screened only in part by mature trees around its perimeter, but it remains an oasis of tranquillity. Our visit to the site was arranged in response to my request to see Japanese garden design - as an exhibition designer I often try to include natural material such as trees, shrubs, timber, water and stone in my designs and have long admired the Japanese style.
On the day we were to give a presentation at the Rotary club of Yao East I was collected from the Goda home and driven by two non-English speaking Rotarians. As we approached Yao-shi I asked in my best Japanese, "Is there a bank nearby?" Both nodded and seemed to understand that, being Friday, I needed to get to a bank to cash travellers cheques. Near the Seibu department store my escorts pointed to a building on the left and said "There is a bank." And drove on. At the lunchtime Rotary meeting I found that team member Helen I. Also needed to find a bank so it was necessary to press the point to our hosts. Our request was accommodated but a delay at the bank meant that we were late at our afternoon engagement at the home of Rotarian Mano, Professor of the Tea Ceremony. This was the first of two such occurrences and my only criticism of an otherwise faultless programme; that often events were scheduled close together with only time for transportation to this or that venue. The opportunities for personal shopping, bank or post office were limited.
On my last evening with my second week hosts we shared a family dinner followed by the exchange of gifts. By now all the team were becoming used to this custom of gift-giving but were always embarrassed by the generosity of our hosts. For the remainder of the evening I took time to wind down, looking forward to a whole weekend "off-duty". Next morning, after photographs and goodbyes to the Goda family I was driven to the New Otani to catch up with the team and meet "Captain" Katoh and friends who had arranged an afternoon of leisure aboard a motor cruiser to see the coast between Osaka and Kobe from the seaward side.
In 1995 the city of Kobe was the epicentre of an earthquake of such magnitude that it featured on world-wide news channels, but already the rebuilding programme is almost complete. The only evidence of work still in progress is that of landscape contractors planting trees and seeding roadside verges. It is easy to wonder why, in the face of devastation wherever it may occur, people choose to stay in earthquake zones. To those who live here earthquakes seem to be regarded as a fact of life so everyone just gets on with the business of living.
The voyage was to be another new experience for Andrew and the two Helens and resulted from my mentioning to Matsuoka san that Emma and I had some sailing experience. Nothing more was said but one again the D2660 hospitality machine swung into action and we enjoyed an excellent afternoon with new Rotarian friends.
Impressions after Two Weeks
A week living in the suburbs gave me a better impression of Osaka traffic, particularly in parts of the city where roads are narrow and pavements rare. Motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians seem to go there own way, weaving in and out, avoiding each other by centimetres, motorists give way to all. And yet the seething mass that is the Osaka rush hour can't be said to be jostling. There seems to be no sign of aggression or lost tempers, everyone just gets on with it in a matter-of-fact way despite, or perhaps because of, the sheer volume of traffic. Even car horns sound polite. It was reassuring however to see another example of the Osakan disregard for rules - everyone jumps red lights.
Differences in social behaviour between east and west, some of which we knew, some not, have surprised and amused us. And it was always the simple things that caught us out. Opening and closing the hand, for example, arm outstretched, palm down, we would interpret as a dismissing gesture. In Japan it is used to beckon as with palm up in the west. We learned to take care with hand signals. During preparation we had been warned not to blow our noses in public, so it was surprising to find that paper handkerchiefs are given away by the packetful at street corners and subway entrances. Sniffing, loud and frequently however is fine, as is slurping one's food - a sign of appreciation, whereas other bodily noises are definitely taboo. So despite Osaka's enthusiasm to absorb western culture the Whoopee Cushion will never catch on here.
After two weeks in Osaka my concerns about the proliferation of western advertising and the culture it represents were growing. I was enjoying the benefits of GSE while patronising American fast food outlets once a week and at the same time harbouring reservations about the cross-cultural mix. I am not insensitive to the impact of Japanese exports in the west but have seen little evidence of a desire to adopt their culture in the way that the young of Osaka seem to aspire to the western values and lifestyle promoted by media marketing. While actively endorsing the aims and objectives of a cultural exchange programme I had begun to wonder whether the logical conclusion would be and enrichment of international understanding at the cost of cultural identity. To add to my confused state of mind my early perceptions would be overturned by a vocational visit in the third week.
Before our departure to join third week hosts a mid-tour meeting was arranged with George Nakajima and colleagues to discuss the remainder of the programme. Another good idea from the GSE committee, as the final week had been kept flexible to allow us the opportunity to make requests. We kicked around several ideas and settled the arrangements but were concerned to find that we had only outline plans in English for the third week and detailed schedules were only printed in Japanese. This made us appreciate more the itineraries we had been given on our day of arrival.
The Third Week
Sadaichi Takahashi stood in the entrance hall to welcome me. A slight figure, over eighty years with grey hair and large spectacles, dressed in a blue/grey Ukata (robe). I was honoured to be a guest in his home as Takahashi san is an elder statesman of Rotary; a founder member and past president of Ikeda Rotary Club with forty years' service. His home in Toyonaka-shi stands in a large garden with two similar houses nearby occupied by his extended family. As I entered I slipped off my slip-on shoes (bought specially for the trip) slipped on the slippers provided and slipped on the polished wood floor, trying to turn my unconventional entrance into a respectful bow while I regained my composure.
Again members of my host's family were present to translate as we drank tea and chatted in a large Tatami room with elegant furniture. Toshiko (Mrs Takahashi) showed me around the house and to my comfortable room on the first floor which had western furniture and air conditioning. At dinner there was much discussion about the coming week's programme so that breakfast times could be arranged to suit the schedule.
There was no requirement for uniforms on the first two days which was a relief to us all as the warm weather continued. Kyoto day involved travel by train, first to Osaka from our respective homestays, then by Japanese Railways to the new Kyoto Station, its futuristic architecture a stark contrast to the surrounding city which contains some of Japan’s best-preserved buildings and is regarded as a the home of traditional culture. We had time before lunch, with our hosts from Suita-Esaka Rotary Club, to explore the station and take the escalator, several stories high, to the observation platform at the top of the building. Joining a coach tour in the afternoon we were driven through the Kyoto grid system of nine wide streets running east to west intersected by avenues, the type of layout common in the USA and a surprise after Osaka.
Our first stop was at the Heian Shrine, a reconstruction built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the city. It is a replica of the first Imperial Palace, its timbers finished in vermillion with white walls between and grey tiled roofs and although built on a smaller scale than the original is no less impressive. With beautiful gardens surrounding it, the whole site leaves an impression of light and space.
In contrast, the dark interior of the 120 metre long Sanju-sangen-do temple (the name meaning "hall with thirty-three spaces between the columns") contains 1000 human-size, standing statues and one larger, seated statue of Buddhist deity; "kannon" all finished in gold lacquer. 28 statues of guardian deities stand in a row in front and further dramatically-styled statues representing the gods of Wind and Thunder stand at the sides. The original temple of 1164 was lost in a fire and reconstructed in 1266 since when it has been renovated four times. The building and its contents are National Treasures.
Kyoto day ended with a visit to the Kiyomizu Temple among the mountains high above the city. This location with steep climbs and buildings on different levels was a change from the earlier sites and the tree-lined slopes added and contrasting backdrop. Our combined photo-count had reached five hundred before week three and following today'fs outing we were soon stocking up with extra film. Again there were many school parties visiting this site as there is much to see and enjoy. A more disturbing fact was made know to us - because of the elevated position one of the terraces is a favourite spot for suicide attempts. A winding lane leading down from the temple is lined with gift shops with merchandise of every description and high in quality so this was a good opportunity to find souvenirs to squeeze into our already overweight luggage.
The next group vocational day placed the emphasis on gastronomy. My hosts explained that the itinerary included tours of Morinaga Confectionery who make biscuits, chocolate and caramel at their Osaka factory, followed after another excellent lunch by a visit to the Shirayuki Sake factory and a tour guided by the manager who explained the process of sake manufacture. Arranged by the Rotary club of Toyonaka-Minami and accompanied by numerous Rotarians and interpreters, the day ended with a visit to the offices of a host Rotarian who is a cheese importer. We were offered tea and invited to comment on the French and English cheeses before us. The soft, white French cheese was very good, the English Stilton excellent.
My vocational day at the Traditional Arts School of Kyoto was one of the most enlightening and enjoyable experiences of the programme. The School occupies a modern, well-equipped building in the Sonobe campus north-west of Kyoto. Sonobe appears to be a prosperous town. I was impressed by the new community centre whose architecture is a successful mix of modern and traditional styles.
We were met at the school by the director, Nakanishi san who showed me and my three Rotarian hosts around the facilities. In many ways I was reminded of my college, Newcastle Polytechnic where I qualified in three-dimensional design in 1975. It has studios and workshops dedicated to a number of disciplines, materials and processes but with the important difference that students at TASK are required to choose a speciality after only three months of study whereas my course of four years encouraged a broad subject base throughout its duration. TASK produces skilled, young, specialist craftsmen and I was told that eighty-five percent of the graduates get jobs in traditional industries.
I was shown some of the classes in progress and was amazed to find students sitting cross-legged in rows on tatami mats working with hand tools and with no apparent concession to modern machinery. In one studio, carving of Buddhist idols in wood was being taught, students working from photographs of traditional figures. I asked if students were encouraged to produce original designs - no. Another studio, similarly arranged was full of students carving Noh masks each from a single piece of wood, under the guidance of Professor Katoh, a renowned exponent of the art. Characters portrayed by the masks are established figures in Noh - a classical form of theatre - so again adherence to traditional designs is essential.
Lacquer ware is a famous product of Japan and at the college I was able to watch the process of making bowls, plates, trays and boxes from wood, finished in lacquer, usually black or red and decorated in gold powder with exquisite designs based on natural forms. A famous artist was teaching decorating technique and explained, yes, students are allowed to create their own decorative designs in this area of study.
To the amusement of our hosts we tried bamboo weaving. Seated on the floor and working on upright sawn-off logs we were given wetted strips of bamboo and shown how to interleave the pieces to create a table mat, with varying degrees of success. The school has a large ceramics studio containing row upon row of powered potters wheels where traditional cups and bowls are thrown. I was invited to visit the painting studio and shown how to hand-decorate fired cups with a traditional bamboo pattern. I was asked to sign and date my work and the cups were glazed and fired again and sent to me via my fourth week host.
To conclude my visit the Director presented me with a certificate and memento; an elegant wooden box containing a Noh mask of Kootome (whose name means "small face") made by Katoh sensei. The contours of the mask are such that, when viewed from above she appears to smile and from below she frowns. This has become a treasured possession.
So my perceptions of the erosion of Japanese culture were being challenged. Considering all that I had seen; the continuing popularity of tea ceremonies, traditional dance, tatami rooms, theatre, religion, Osaka cuisine and now the traditional arts, I was able to restore a comforting kind of balance in my mind which I think had overdosed on the GSE experience.
Ikeda Rotary Club doesn't publish a bulletin any longer. At least not a printed version. Takashi Yoshioka with his laptop and mobile was keen to demonstrate the club's own web site as we knelt on the floor (tatami of course) of a beautiful restaurant. My host Takahashi san brought me to his club for another welcome dinner, delicious Sukiyaki again. The club members all have access to the internet so it is now much easier to update the pages regularly and saves on print and paper. During the meeting we sang the Rotary song, singing is a regular occurrence at Rotary meetings, much more than in England, exchanged club banners then I was presented with a very acceptable ceramic flask of sake.
The following day was one of museum visits and a presentation at Ikeda Rotary Club so uniforms were required. Bright and sunny, this was the hottest day and tiring, even our hosts commenting on the unusually high temperatures. So it was a great pleasure that evening to enjoy Tempura in the air-conditioned cool of a downtown hotel with the Takahashi family. Another new experience awaited. One feature of the meal came in a shallow basket - live. Fish about ten centimetres long, wriggling, were taken one at a time and dipped by our chef into batter mixture before being dropped into very hot oil. He assured me that death would be instantaneous (the fish's that is) and demonstrated by lifting out the cooked fish that it adopts a graceful, curved position as if swimming when cooked this way. This is the essence of this style of cooking and is complimented by the recipient eating the fish whole, which I did. It was delicious - except for the slightly bitter bit in the middle!
The third week ended with a visit to the excellent National Museum of Ethnology at Osaka's Expo Park. Colourful displays of historical human artifacts fill the modern galleries and are beautifully presented. We had time before our lunchtime presentation at Settsu Rotary Club for an unexpected diversion - a white-knuckle ride on a roller coaster in the amusement park. We were glad to have done this before lunch.
A group visit to the enormous (413,000 sq mtrs) Yodogawa Plant of Diakin Industries Limited in the afternoon included a briefing about the diversity of its products and a tour of the site by minibus. Earlier in the programme in conversation with our guide and interpreter Haga san, we were discussing the fact that many signs, notices and publications have titles in both Japanese and often confusing, perhaps inappropriate, American-English. He agreed that translations are often inaccurate and as a result the local edition of "Time Out" magazine prints a weekly column of the most amusing examples. A label next to a switch on the minibus dashboard caught my eye- "Joyful Talk". I asked our tour guide and after animated discussion with the driver she declared that the switch operated an intercom system so that the driver could hear and communicate with passengers, hence "Joyful Talk". Another swicth next to a glass panel in the ceiling was labelled "Moon Roof". I didn't ask.
Once again the time had come to exchange gifts and farewells with my hosts after another week of wonderful hospitality. Another family dinner, this time Teppanyaki, more photographs then next morning an early start to meet at the New Otani for a free day.
Impressions after Three Weeks
This point in the exchange is a good time to assess the programme. By the end of the third week the whole team was noticeably weary, the busy schedule and continuing hot weather were taking their toll. Although we were given English copies of our itinerary part way through the week it was frustrating to have little detail and therefore still be reliant on hosts. The hospitality as always was excellent, nothing was too much trouble to our hosts and they were always anxious to please. I think this is the reason that by this, the fourth Saturday, we were especially glad to enjoy a little space and the freedom of a day without engagements. We spent time rehearsing songs for the farewell party and discussing recent experiences. Our spirits revived and everyone was of the opinion that the programme had been carefully prepared with a good balance of events and engagements for which we congratulate the GSE committee.
As team leader I was grateful that we had suffered no illness other than the occasional stomach upset and one minor injury which had been treated quickly and effectively. Team morale was still good and I had not heard a cross word from anyone. All of which made my job easier and I was looking forward to our remaining week.
The Fourth Week
My final homestay was in the south of Osaka-shi at the home of Norihito and Hisae Inoue, about thirty minutes' drive from our hotel. A different kind of house again, modern, concrete construction and in the suburbs close to its neighbours among narrow streets. Inside the floors are on several different levels, the ground floor being light and open plan with no tatami room. Hisae greeted me with a drink and and a chocolate bar; missing from my diet in recent weeks - I think I will like it here. My room at the top of the house looks out over rooftops of neighbouring houses.
The eighteen story Osaka City University Hospital was our first visit this week where Director and Professor Sachio Ogita MD and his staff made time to give us a comprehensive tour of the impressive, modern facilities. The present building, completed in 1992, is equipped with the most up-to-date technologies and provides advanced medical treatment. Both public and private health care is available here.
As lunchtime guests of the Osaka-Suminoe Rotary Club we had time and enough space to perform our full presentation. We had become very adept at adjusting the length of the script at will to suit different circumstances. This boosted our confidence and presentations improved as the tour progressed. After lunch our hosts suggested an unscheduled visit to a shrine followed by a tea ceremony. I explained that, as we had experienced three tea ceremonies thus far it was unlikely that we would benefit from another, also as we were nearing the end of our visit, time spent in an air-conditioned department store would probably be appreciated. Our hosts graciously agreed.
Hisae Inoue accompanied me by subway to most of our downtown meeting places during the next few days. At the South Tower Hotel, Namba, after an informal meeting to chat with members of the Osaka-Minami Rotary Club, the team was taken to the top floor to look out over the city in the clearest weather conditions we had yet encountered - many pictures of areas we were now able to recognise. Our penultimate presentation was followed by a return visit to Shinsaibashi.
Wednesday 31st May was a special day. We had noted before departing the UK that our programme included a day-trip by Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima. This day it rained, but we were refreshed rather than inconvenienced. Our hosts were led by George Nakajima who met us at Shin-Osaka station where we boarded "Nozomi-No.3" and departed (on time of course) for Hiroshima. The train was clean, comfortable, quiet.......and fast! Arrival (on time of course) enabled us to visit a famous restaurant occupying several floors of what seemed to be a small office block. Lunch comprised another speciality; Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, cooked on a hot plate, guests seated on stools around the perimeter. It was originally made as an inexpensive western-style dish containing vegetables and a flavourful sauce. The first layer of ingredients, one pancake-sized portion per person, is cooked then turned when a second layer is added on top, turned and allowed to cook while a third layer is added on top and so on for several layers. The result is a huge meal of too many ingredients to remember, and delicious accompanied by biru.
During lunch we noticed many school parties in the restaurant and as expected we were approached by children with books. But this was different to our previous encounters. Each handed us a page of white card, on the top half was a peace message written by the child in English. We were asked to write our own message on the bottom. Then the page was cut in half, each of us keeping the other’s peace message. The one I keep with my photographs of Hiroshima reads;
"I studied about nuclear war and weapons. I want a peaceful world. Hiroki Nakauchi"
With this in our minds we departed for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
Everyone in my team, myself included, was born in the decades after the end of the Second World Ward but our knowledge of events and the significance of this place was such that no-one was sure how they would react to a visit. The exterior of the modern museum building, an unremarkable, grey concrete structure, does not prepare the visitor for the experience inside. The story of the dropping of the Atom Bomb on Hiroshima at 8.15am 6th August 1945 and the consequences of the disaster is depicted vividly in large and small scale models, photographs, films, with historical artifacts and interactive exhibits. The result is a successful portrayal of events which effectively educates and informs, demonstrating sensitive handling of this emotive subject. Even the taped commentary, delivered in a dignified style without emotion, captures the attention without resorting to shock tactics, there is no preaching, accusation or propaganda - just the terrible facts. As to our reactions; subdued certainly, saddened maybe, but I think not depressed, for the success of the presentation is confirmed in my own mind by the lasting impression that its purpose along with the park in which it is located, is primarily and unquestionably the promotion of world peace.
As we walked through the Peace Park to the A-Bomb Dome (the preserved remains of one of the few concrete and brick buildings not completely destroyed by the bomb) which marks the epicentre of the explosion some five hundred feet overhead, I concluded that the memorials are appropriate reminders in this new city of Hiroshima which has grown up around the site.
I was surprised to learn later that in preparing our programme there had been some discussion in the GSE committee about whether or not the Hiroshima day should be included. To next year's GSE chair Hiroshi Nomura and his committee I say an emphatic, "YES. You must continue to do this. I believe the experience is entirely consistent with the aims of GSE and one which my team and those to come will share with future generations."
Osaka Bay cruise, courtesy of IYFR
The pace of the programme during the last week was noticeably more relaxed.
Even at a meeting of Osaka-Midosuji Rotary Club we were invited to dress casual
and say only a few words of greeting instead of a presentation. A free afternoon
sailing on Osaka bay was followed by a Farewell Party at the Nishinomiya Yacht
Club. We were delighted to see so many of our new friends who had come to say
goodbye. The event included many speeches and "entertainmennt" from
ourselves and our hosts. In conversation I was told that my team had achieved
all that was expected of them and our hosts were pleased, but we were not prepared
for the accolade presented by Matsuoka san, individual certificates acknowledging
our success and commemorating our meeting with the Mayor of Osaka. An excellent
party concluded with many group photographs and tearful farewells.
Our last full day in District 2660 included one of the biggest challenges. We were guests at a meeting of Osaka Rotary Club, Japan's second oldest and very prestigious. After the familiar ritual of singing national anthems (I must confess that I have sung my national anthem more times in these four weeks than in the past year) the Rotary song and a welcome from President Haruhiko Abe, with an audience of two hundred and fifty we rose to the occasion and made our best presentation, in full. It was a fitting and enjoyable final engagement.
With our programme complete I spent the afternoon at an exhibition of Vermeer paintings then explored a market near the Inoue home with Hisae buying food and Japanese wine for our final dinner. Our conversation during the enormous meal was about sport, Norihito's prowess as a golfer and his desire to play in Scotland. I promised my hosts, as previous ones, that they will find a warm welcome at my home when they visit England.
On the morning of 3rd June we were overwhelmed by a turn-out of over twenty Rotarians, host families and friends at Kansai International Airport, many bearing parting gifts of photographs to add to our own collections. The mixture of broad smiles and tears is our lasting memory of the departure.
In the weeks since our return we have made presentations together and individually. The biggest problem we face is condensing our rich experience into talks of thirty minutes and choosing pictures from our stock of hundreds of slides. We have more invitations to speak during the next two months and I am involved in the selection procedure for the next GSE team to represent my district. We are looking forward to welcoming the incoming team from District 5490 Arizona in September and will do our best to help our outgoing team.
Conclusions
Over the last year my team and I have experienced all of the elements which come together to make a successful Group Study Exchange. We have worked hard, played hard and enjoyed support, encouragement and all of hospitality we could have hoped for. But the most important and often the least predictable element of any exchange is people. Even the best researched, prepared and rehearsed programmes can be undermined by a simple clash of personalities. Conversely if the key players are able to establish a positive rapport they can turn a good exchange into a great exchange and this is how it was for us.
Through the enthusiastic approach of GSE Chairman Shigeo Matsuoka and his committee, Team Leaders Ken Nakamura, Takashi Katoh and their teams and our shared experience I am confident that we have established long term friendships and I will continue to give my support to the GSE programme.
Thank you
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for the opportunity to take part in GSE,
1030 District Governor John Billany, Foundation Chairman Ian Walker, District Governor Nominee Marilyn Potts and Past District Governor Jim Suthering for their help with our preparations,
Past 1030 GSE Team Leaders Peter Jewitt and David Parkinson for their advice,
President Terry Robson and the Rotary Club of Hexham for their support,
2660 District Governor Hisashi Kashiwagi for his warm welcome to Japan,
Shigeo Matsuoka and the 2660 GSE committee for their hard work on our behalf,
Ken Nakamura and Takashi Katoh and their GSE Teams for their special friendship,
Our hosts for their generous hospitality and for welcoming us into their homes,
The bearers of two hundred meishi I collected on my travels - I was pleased to meet you,
The patient staff of the Hotel New Otani and especially Trader Vic's Bar for enduring our attempts to speak Japanese,
and finally;
To My Team for their effort, good humour, friendship and continuing commitment to our forthcoming presentations;
Andrew, Helen, Emma and Helen - it was a pleasure travelling with you.
Suggestions for Future Exchanges
To Rotary Clubs all over the world who support GSE; Don't stop.
