Fulbright Japan Trip 2006

Well, I just found out my entries to my blog except for one did not post!  Contrary to popular belief Japan is not that technology efficient!   In fact, many members of our group have had numerous internet problems.  Since we changed our location today is how I found out all of my entries have not posted.

Our group just moved from Tokyo.  Actually we flew up to Eniwa today and it appears the internet works better here than in our luxuary hotel in Tokyo.  However, luxuary does not exist in Eniwa, Japan!!   We are truly in "the sticks" up here. 

 After we arrived, our local host took our entire group to the local social center called "Cowboy"... go figure... "Cowboy" is the local mall.  As it turns out  "Cowboy" is the equivalent to the local Walmart/video arcade/cinema/liquor store and heavy on the liquor store part of this equation...all under one roof.  The next seven days in Eniwa, Japan certainly looks to be a very interesting adventure. 

Our first stop tomorrow morning is at the Sapporo Beer Factory followed by an afternoon tour of the local Iron Works.  Like I said...Eniwa looks to be an interesting place.

However, yesterday 10 of us jumped on the night Bullet Train and went to Hiroshima.  Hiroshima is a beautiful city surrounded by mountains.  Our tour guide for the entire day was excellent.  Her husband lived, himself a victim of the atom bomb when he was three years old.  She had many personal accounts  to share with our group. 

Personally, I had many mixed feelings about going to Hiroshima because it was a long and intense trip for 24 hours.  Yet, I am so glad I did go. Hiroshima in a word is hopeful and quite frankly I did not expect this.  Additionally, Hiroshima is a highly spiritual experience of a universal nature...another surprise.  No one talks at HIroshima...they whisper.  The respect throughout this place is palpable and the peace is profound.  Although one sees and hears water and experiences beautiful architechture and floweres there is this overwhelming universal experience we absolutely must love one another.

What touched me the most was walking into the International Peace Museum and seeing the marble sculpture at the front door given by Pope John Paul II shortly after he became Pope. The inscription includes his words...." peace is the personal responsiblity of everyone who lives on the earth.  In order to truly love God everyone must be a peace maker in their own world."   I did not know one of his very first trips as the Pope was to Hiroshima.  The night Pope John Paul II was elected Pope he told his secretary he felt called to go there.

A group of us attended morning Mass today at Sophia University in Tokyo.  Sophia University property adjoins our Tokyo hotel.  Several of us who attended Mass had breakfast afterwards and each of us had some connection to the Jesuits back in the states!  Being Catholic and parichocial seems to follow one everywhere.