<Begin Segment 15>

PW: So when did, when did you actually take up the offer to, to go to Kyoto? Was it right after you came back from the World's Fair?

SK: Yes.

PW: And how long did you stay there?

SK: Three-and-a-half months. It was so cold... wait a minute. October, November, yes. September I went, because Japan, materials, every season is different, so fall and the winter, I could learn. So that's why I went. And another thing, I shouldn't say this, but when you're so thirsty in the shinkansen, bullet train, I don't know, I want to drink water, but no water. So the girl came up to sell in the shinkansen, bullet train, so I ordered a beer. You know, just sip of... but I'm so thirsty, I think I didn't, take the beer, half a bottle, so, and tired, so I slept. Almost Kyoto Station I missed, wow. I don't know how I woke up, and when I looked the station, "Oh, it's Kyoto." So I came back and told Bob, "Omae wa nanini shini itteruno Nihon ni." [Laughs]

PW: What she said was, Bob, was when she came back from Japan and told her husband that story about the beer, says, he said, "What did you go to Japan for?" So, so you took lessons in Kyoto and Tokyo?

SK: Tokyo. So it's a funny part, is Tokyo, this is a class. I have a picture somewhere, you know. I don't know how many ladies, about twenty, twenty-five ladies, and Mrs. Nakayama here, Mrs. Nakayama's daughter married to this, someone in Japan, and her mother-in-law knows me. She said she was in the class, same class, so I was trying to show that picture to Mrs. Nakayama. It's so, it's a small world and another thing is, in San Francisco, they married to soldier and came to San Francisco, and she said she looked at -- she was younger than I am -- so she look at me at the class, and, "Everybody talk about you that time, and look, she's the one came from Canada." [Laughs]

PW: Now, I understand they also, you stayed at their, their residence?

SK: Yes, oh yes. And Kyoto, it was getting October, end of October, getting cold. Not only that, I have to sit on the tatami to learn. Oh, my legs are hurting, and I don't know what to do. It's not, the lesson goes into my legs, hurting, and my, stars coming out. So teacher look at me, Professor Uyeno, he's gone, too. Anyway, he said, "Ashi dashinasai," the leg, pull out the leg. I can't. If I pull out the leg, I can't sit there, or else I'll fall off. And next morning, I went to this study place, table and chair was there. And the teacher sitting on the tatami and I was way up. That was terrible. And he took me to resident every time a class finish. The bus, and I got the purse and notebook and everything. So many people are getting on the rush hour to the bus, I don't know where my purse is, you know, really, it's so far. And the teacher took me to... he was so kind, take me to the resident and came back. And another, the resident is from the United States, three people was studying with me. But not this same teacher, they were studying in a different class. Those ladies are passed away, too. So my goodness, I'm the only one living still. [Laughs]

PW: Do they still have residence for out-of-town...

SK: Yes, out-of-town people. They have, they built.

PW: Oh, they built a place where you could stay.

SK: Third floor, no elevator.

PW: Oh, I see.

SK: Uh-huh. So this resident, what I stayed with this lady and one, two daughters, they had, they were special because her husband was involved in Ikenobo and passed away, I think.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2005 Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and Densho. All Rights Reserved.