YIN - YANG
The Yin/Yang principle suggests, we are constantly influenced by good and bad choices as we live daily. The goal is to keep a balance. Yin (literally the ‘shady place’) is the dark area. Yang (literally the “sunny place’) is the brightly lit part of our lives. It is not the getting rid of the dark that will lead to fulfillment but rather an understanding of both dark and light.
A Japanese heritage example of this concept is the acceptance of elements of the Yakuza — Japanese Mafia. After both the 1995 Kobe earthquake and 2011 Fukushima Tsunami disasters reports were that the Yakuza were the first responders in helping.
One of the notorious Yakuza individuals in the Seattle area before WWII was a person referred to as “Kinpachi”. Two stories exemplify Kinpachi’s impact on our community.
As we gathered in Jack and Del Uchida’s kitchen in the early 1990s, on Seattle’s Beacon Hill, we shared our first OMOIDE stories. Jack told us about accidentally running into Kinpachi on the streets of Tokyo on one of his visits to Japan. He said, “I recognized him from a distance because he had an imposing body and his arms hung long like an ape.” Kinpachi had been deported back to Japan in the late 1940s because of his unlawful activities. Jack’s comments as he told us of the incident was that they met as friends.
Tak Kubota told me a story of when he was young and ran the movie projector at Nippon Kan Theater on 6th Avenue in Seattle’s International district. The Yakuza arrived regularly to get paid for being protectors before the show could go on. It is my understanding the same issue was true for a number of the early hotel and restaurant businesses owned by the first Japanese to immigrate and have businesses in Seattle in the early 1900s. There were incidents of racial harassment but Tak indicated the protection was extortion and uncalled for.
None of us were afraid of Kinpachi. His wife was a Sunday school teacher for Sam and my girls. His children are still upstanding members of our community.
Does that mean we approve of what Kinpachi did? No, that’s why we tell the story of a bad example. His career choices were wrong -- he was deported and he had to leave his family behind.
Every community and each social group have Yin/Yang elements. If you make bad choices there are consequences. Yakuza stories are “Yin” - colorful and fun to tell - for “Yang” results?!
Bio notes: Tak Kubota’s family were the creators of South End Seattle’s Kubota Japanese Garden and Tak also had a hand in establishing Kawabe House for retirement. Jack Uchida was one of the early Boeing Engineers and also engineered the famous Tsutakawa Fountains. He was likely on a trip to Japan to deal with one of the fountains.
![Drawn my granddaughter]()
Drawn my granddaughter
With the beginning of “in-person” Seattle Mariner baseball games, after a year of Covid-Isolation, I am encouraged and equally uplifted as I remember the experience of Kenji’s gift. It is also heart warming to watch NHK television and see how the Japanese value handicapped participants, as the 2021 Olympic torch is being carried around Japan in anticipation of the Summer Olympics.
It was the first of October 2013, the end of that Seattle Mariner Baseball season. My husband, Sam, and I were given front row Mariner tickets in right field behind Ichiro— still the heart throb baseball hero for those of Japanese heritage. While we waited for the start of the game, I chose to stand and dance around to keep warm because there was no one in front of us to shield us from the cold breeze. I began to introduce myself to the fans around me. There was a family of three behind our seats—a mother and her two sons. It looked as though they were from Japan and had made a special trip to Seattle to watch Ichiro, and they were carrying an Ichiro sign.
Since I speak Japanese, I struck up a conversation. Kenji exhibited “Down Syndrome” symptoms and the mother explained, “Kenji worked seven years to save money for this trip as a bus boy and a dishwasher in a restaurant. He insisted we include his older brother, Yosuke, on this trip.”
I decided to make it a party with a few more of the fans around us and Sam ran to get refreshments to share. We hollered to get Ichiro’s attention and he did acknowledge us once.
One of the fans with season tickets explained, “ Balls often come our way. I will give it to the boy if I catch one.”
Later, one ball did come our way. The people behind the Japanese guests caught it and gave it to Kenji.
I have no memory of who the opponents were or who won the game.
As Sam and I climbed the stairs to leave, the mother stopped us and handed me the ring she was wearing. It was a fad in Japan at that time to make beaded jewelry. This one had a cross hanging. The mother said it was a memento for me to keep.
The ring in still in my jewelry box and keeps reminding me of the ripple effects of Kenji’s heritage values and the gift of his story we can pass on.
![PICTURE CREATED WITH PRES...]()
PICTURE CREATED WITH PRESSED FLORA
by Mariko Maita
HURRAY! I had both Pfizer vaccinations over a month ago and the four of us at our house are getting out. We are still avoiding public gatherings so car trips is our choice.
Since March of 2020 our household of four and our cousin’s household of four have contained our socialization to our two households. The younger six are on a spring break RV excursion to Idaho. Day before, they drove past Sand Hollow where I grew up. Highway 84 touches a corner of my father’s farm.
Yesterday, I came back from Raymond, WA, after an overnight with Mariko-san. We spent 24 hours of almost non-stop conversation about our lives that includes both of us having lost our spouses in the last decade and what we want for our future.
Research confirms that talking and social support are the best ways to handle “Stress”.
Mariko is an artist known for creating pictures with pressed flora. For example, she looks at a hydrangea petal and it reminds her a bird head and then she layers other flora to complete a picture. One of her most impressive works is a large piece that includes a girl playing her guitar; all parts drawn with pressed flowers.
When she created the “Fish Picture” she says, “It was made by accident. I was making something else, then one petal came to my eyes to tell me ‘tiny goldfish’. One dahlia petal shows the fish’s mouth. I cut some petals for the body, tail and fin. Seaweed are horsetails.
Mariko’s art is available at the South Bend Riverside Gallery on the main road to the ocean on southwest Washington coast highway.
![WRITTEN IN 1927]()
WRITTEN IN 1927
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
![“DON’T DO THING...]()
“DON’T DO THINGS FOR CHILDREN THEY CAN DO THEMSELVES”
It’s Easter Weekend! Time to SPRING OUT for a successful rest of the year. Particularly, the girls have time with Spring Break from school.
Today, Mom decided on a session of “OBSTACLE CLEARING” because there is no school next week and the following week a road trip is being planned. Goals for our life need to be clear for the time ahead to avoid nagging and unnecessary problems.
Mom, 11 & 13 as well as Grandma sit at the kitchen table with different colored post-its for each of the four of us. This is a design thinking exercise where you map your goals to the things that are obstacles or annoyances that block your Chi and do not let you get to the flow you’re looking for.
The Pomodoro timer is set for 10 minutes and we all write “things that bug us”; one on each sticky.
Next we take turns reading our post-its and transfer these stickies to sections that make “categories”.—Time Constraints, Household Messiness, Shelter Needs, Thought Blocks, Dog Concerns, Device Overuse, Food Matters, Sister Challenges and Social Needs.
Then we talk about possible solutions. The first one we all think is easy to identify and do something about is the Dog Concerns. The big problem is that Suki is not motivated by food or treats. She wants attention and play. The agreement is to work on teaching Suki to “Whisper”. We like her watch-dog tendencies, but her loud barking is a problem.
Then we take a break, but during the break it occurred to me the 11-yr-old loves dealing with food. She agrees to be in charge of meal planning with our Sunday Family discussion time. She is also criticized for not spending as much time with the dog concerns.
When we come back from break, it becomes clear 11 is willing to free her Mom of the burden of shopping for our food deliveries. 11 has already shown us awareness of cost savings and health needs. The incentive, besides the ability to use the iPad, she says, “13 takes care of the dog so I can help with this.”
WHAT A LEARNING DAY!!
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