I got something really neat in my email today. Evans family cousins and people who know Japanese will appreciate this, I think. The video link is in Japanese and the translation is below. I commented on the translation to clarify in parentheses... It's probably best to read it first, then watch the video. I never would have guessed that I'd make my first TV appearance in Japan.
http://www.qab.co.jp/news/2014102359410.html
“Hello” said Manabu Uehara. He visited Chiyo Kokuba in Kin village, Okinawa, on the 1st of Oct.
“I don’t have any detail of these letters yet. It’s still in the U.S.” he said. He was showing her some pictures sent from the U.S. last month. In the pictures, there were some old letters.
Uehara works for a website to share information about funeral ceremonies in Okinawa. Last month, a Japanese lady contacted him: “My American acquaintance has letters that her grandfather brought from Okinawa during the war. She wants to give them back to the owner.” She said she googled “Sobun Yamakawa”, the name of the sender, and found exactly the same name on the Uehara’s website.
Uehara started to look for the owner. And a few weeks later, he found Kokuba who is a younger sister of Yamakawa.
Seeing the pictures of letter, Ms. Kokuba said “What a fond memory. If the TV crew was not here, I would have burst into tears. I’m trying to control myself now.”
For a long time, she has believed that the letters were “lost” because of an unforgettable incident happened 69 years ago during the battle of Okinawa.
“One day during the battle, some US soldiers came to my house with a Japanese translator. They said they are going to burn my house, because Japanese soldiers are hidden inside of the house. They burnt my entire house. Entire village. Maybe they brought the letters from my house, believing something secret written in them.”
The place where Ms. Kokuba’s house used to be during the war, was taken and became Camp Hansen, One of the biggest US military bases in Okinawa.
“That takes me back…” said Ms. Kokuba, in front of the gate that she is never allowed to go in.
I called Ms. Lisa Evans Kern living in the US. I asked why she has the letters. She told me that the letters were originally from her grandfather. He was in Okinawa during the war as a member of Navy, and he laid up the letters in lavender (put them in storage) after the war back in the U.S.
“During that time, he was walking on the beach, and found several things. He thought it's interesting and pick them up” said Ms. Kern.
And finally, yesterday….
“Father, please be assured that my family members and I are all doing well in Tokyo.” Ms. Kokuba was reading the letter at home. She saw her brother’s handwriting eventually after 69 years.
“When I saw his handwriting, I felt like I met my brother face to face. I felt like he is still alive and doing well. I feel happy and sweet, cannot describe well. In Okinawan dialect, I would say KIBURU DACCHA, meaning `feel a thrill go through`.”
In the envelop, there was a letter from Ms. Lisa Kern. She wrote she was sad to hear about Kokuba’s story during the war. Also, she was surprised it was the internet that helped her finding Kokuba.
“We can communicate with each other like this, because the world is peaceful now. I would like to tell Ms. Kern `Thank you very much for returning the letters with your kindness`” said Ms. Kokuba with smiles.
