Sumimassen

     Twice a month a gaggle of gaijin gather for nihongo conversation at the Tokyo Women's Plaza, a public building reserved for this purpose. In the shadow of the U.N. university, the gleaming TWP offers women  access to classrooms, lockers and a library, all gratis. Also tempting is the fact that it is around the corner from Omotesando ("Tokyo's Champs Elysees"). A volunteer sensei from the academically oriented club encourages the five of us to use our Japanese words.

    "Go-shujin wa yasashi, desu ka?" is the question of the day, following a Valentine's Day theme. (In essence: "Is your husband a nice guy?") Nods all around with a few words about receiving roses from the youngest member, a recent college grad. "So desu ka?" observed sensei, reminding us that only men receive chocolate on Valentine's Day with women on the receiving end on so-called "White Day" one month later. Holding her palm over her mouth as Japanese women do, she giggled about the system of chocolate exchange between the sexes.

     In some ways Japanese seems simpler (fewer tenses and no definite articles) until you find that men and women use different words, and then you encounter the many strata of politeness and deference. When in doubt the word is sumimassen  (excuse me, sorry, thank you), which expresses appropriate humility. Everyone is amused by the flash cards that I made to study kanji (Chinese characters) as I prepare for the next exam. In the late afternoon my nihongo lesson covers 90 minutes of  new kanji and more grammar. Now that she expects this weekly visitor, resident tabby Suki-chan no longer comes in for a sniff but remains curled up on the bed. Sumimassen!

    No word about the John Wood Room to Read event since the Japanese Librarian is off for a long weekend. Since shujin (my husband) flies to India on Sunday, tonight he has invited us to a family dinner at our favorite tonkatsu (pork cutlet) place.  Yasashi, desu ne?