Blue Samurai Blue

     Last Wednesday morning at 11:01 five weary English conversationalists arrived at the Manor and tiptoed out of size 5 and 6 shoes. In somber shades of gray and black, they assumed the self-assigned seats around the table: Chef-san  facing Traveler-san, two obaasan (grandmothers) facing each other, Composer-san opposite me. Four had gone to bed at 2 AM following the defeat of the Samurai Blue warriors at the World Cup in Pretoria. No more blue lights at Tokyo Tower in support of the home team, which reverted to everyday orange. No more throngs of fans gathering at large screens in nearby Roppongi Hills or Shibuya Crossing. No more words of praise from newly appointed Prime Minister Kan ("Yes We Kan") about the hard work of coach Okada.

     "It was not a good PK," explained the obaasan (grandma) of five, elaborating on how the final penalty kick went awry. "No one interviewed Komano-san after he fumbled the game for the Samurai Blues," said Chef-san looking distaught. "He was too upset." What is the English word for seriously bummed out because you lost the game for your team and let down your entire country? Devastated or crushed will do or, as the Brits would say, gutted. Mix that with a dose of guilt and enormous let down, but is there just one word? Rollercoaster ride? Suicidal? Obaasan offered up the word in nihongo for the fan who only watches soccer during the World Cup, a group to which she belongs.

    Feelings close to the surface, the generous English speakers presented me with an antique set of Japanned (lacquer) dishes, stacked on a tray, each painted with a delicate flower. A lengthy photo session captured the presentation and untying of the furoshiki (cloth cover), admiring the box decorated with cat stickers in honor of Suki-chan who had audited so many conversation sessions over the past two years. Time for the final chapter of A.A. Milne's classic, "Christopher Robin Gives Pooh a Party and We Say Good-Bye."  In September the group will continue speaking English at the home of lively Joy, who is appropriately named. We promise to keep in touch and, when Chef-san asked for a good-bye hug, the finality that hit Samurai Blue washed over us too.    

Tokyo Tower

     After staring at Tokyo Tower from the Manor for three plus years, the time was ripe for a trip to the viewing station. A slightly taller clone of the Eiffel, the nihon Tower bathes in orange light at sundown with blue lights between 8 and 10 PM. "Yes, let's go," said tomodachi-san, whose little daughter I taught at an afterschool English program (organized by the academically oriented women's group). "I haven't been there since my school days," echoed three other tomodachis.  All agreed to meet on a weekday lunch hour on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of June. For Y820 each, the elevator lifted us to the first viewing station at the midpoint of the Tower. (For another Y600 visitors zoom to the top but that entailed a long wait.)

      In a city where addresses are expressed by coordinates, landmarks rule: Tokyo Tower stands out from almost everywhere around town. Lording over the friendly sounding park of Shiba Koen, the Tower functions as a glamorous stand for an antenna. (After faithfully broadcasting NHK programs for 52 years, the Tower's function is about to be dwarfed by giant Tokyo Sky Tree going up in Oshiage by the Sumida river.) In the brilliant sunshine, Tower visitors admired the panorama from the Observation Deck. "How many new skyscrapers!" was the consensus of tomodachis.  Fun to look down on the construction of the new Tokyo American Club and to find the Manor hidden between a pair of new highrises. Pretty Rainbow Bridge connects Shibaura Pier to Odaiba, one of the many teenage  meccas. A quick visit to the "lookdown window" (glass tiled floor board), and the Milky Way display (a cheesy combination of blue holiday lights and saran wrap) completed the tour.

     As all proper excursions end with a meal, the food court on the second story supplied a wide selection (pizza, sandwiches, curry and the omnipresent Macdonalds). In a country where purse snatching is unheard of, it is customary to  leave personal belongings on the table while going off to purchase food. On the floor below for an extra fee fans may tour a Michael Jackson exhibit or make a reservation for the big "sleepover" planned for the end of June. Michael has a big following, although not among these tomodachis! Before saying sayonara, our organizing tomodachi-san with the English speaking daughter has set up an excursion to Ozu Washi Museum to make paper together. Raishu mata, ne!  (See you next week!)