The Road Less Traveled

I met my hero today.   Several of them, in fact.  I was brought to tears several times by the stories they shared of their experiences helping tsunami and quake survivors in the villages of NE Japan.   Each of the four speakers at our Embassy briefing today has played a part in the collective response to the triple tragedy of March 11th.   The Ambassador himself, the gentleman who heads US-AID (Agency for International Development) in Japan, the Director of the Tokyo American Center, who volunteered through All Hands, and the Naval Commander who became my new hero for the day.

I didn’t have any expectations about the briefing before we went to it this morning.  (More after the jump…) Read more

Since my visit to Japan back in Feb. 2011, when what is now being called the Arab Spring began, it seems that each week or two a new natural or human-made disaster has occurred.  Even as I write this, the Mississippi is wreaking its slow havoc on the American heartland.

Even the strongest among us needs support. The graceful trees of Kenrokuen Gardens in Kanazawa are supported from all directions.

I was hit particularly hard by the triple tragedy that occurred in Japan on March 11th, having recently returned from such a powerful and positive experience there.  So, when I heard that the organizers of the Flight of Friendship to NYC after 9-11, to New Orleans after Katrina, and to Thailand after the tsunami, were planning a similar trip to Japan, I had to join in.  Though this trip has many goals, I am going in the hopes that it provides a morale boost for those who survived the tragedy.  We’ll be visiting Sendai for a few days, to lend a hand, and let them know they have not been forgotten by the world, even if they’re not on the front pages anymore.  Stay tuned for posts from the trip.

Words can’t express the sadness I share with the world for the people of Japan as they struggle to comprehend and respond to the series of disasters of the past few days.  A tragedy like this reminds us all we are of one family.

A prayer candle I lit in remembrance of the rather tragic family story retold at the Karukayadô hall in Koyasan. Let this candle now serve double duty, for that family, and today for those lost in the recent tragedy, their families and friends.

Now for something totally different.   Some time ago, a friend shared some of his snaps of a series of manhole covers/utility vault lids that he saw while traveling.   They were totally fun, and made me take note of something I often completely ignore.

As I’ve been poking around Japan, I’ve been paying more some attention to various features in the public space, that I thought would be fun to share.  (This post’s for you, Joe.)

This utility vault cover was in color. How cool is that? The design is featuring one of the elements in Kanazawa's historic garden, considered one of the top three gardens in the country. Understandably something to be proud of, so no surprise it "made the cover" so to speak...

More after the jump… Read more