From the Desk of Consul General Osumi

   In speeches and similar occasions, it's common for spouses to refer to each other as their "better half." My wife, Misao, is truly the better half. She speaks clearly and confidently, has a way of capturing people's hearts, and is far more diplomatic than I am. Everywhere we've been posted, she's made an impressive number of connections, and now, in her first role as the spouse of a Consul General, she's actively expanding her network and engaging in various activities for the benefit of both Japan and the local community. Today, I’d like to share a few such examples.

Organizing a Tour of San Francisco’s Japantown
   San Francisco’s Japantown is currently a very cool and popular destination, bustling with visitors on weekends. However, when friends asked me, “Where should I go in Japantown?” I often struggled to give a good answer as I didn’t know much about it. Thanks to Ms. Alice Kawahatsu whom my wife met at the 90th anniversary event of Sokoji, a Sōtō Zen temple in Japantown, we have now better insight. Ms. Kawahatsu is a guide dedicated to promoting Japantown, and the Board Secretary of the Japantown Task Force. My wife asked her to lead a tour for members of the LSFCC (Legion of San Francisco Consular Corps—a group of spouses from various consulates in San Francisco) in the hopes of encouraging more visitors to Japantown, supporting local businesses, and deepening understanding in its heritage, and support local businesses. On December 5th last year, under a crisp winter sky, a group of over ten people gathered at the Kabuki Hotel. They toured the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, Nihonmachi Little Friends, the Japanese American National Historical Society, the origami store Paper Tree, the supermarket Super Mira, the general store SF76, an ukiyo-e print shop, and the tea room of the Japanese American Association of Northern California. After the tour, some participants had lunch at Yakitori Edomasa.
 

Introducing the Monthly Ikebana Demonstrations
   Just like the tea ceremony I practice, traditional Japanese arts are typically organized by individual schools. However, in the world of ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), while there are many distinct schools, there is also a unique organization called Ikebana International, founded in Japan by Ms. Ellen Gordon Allen in 1956 with the cooperation of the Headmasters of the Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu Schools. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding and friendship around the world by showcasing the beauty of ikebana and Japanese culture through collaboration across schools. The Ikebana International San Francisco Bay Area Chapter holds free monthly demonstrations on the third Friday of each month at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. On Friday, January 17th of this year, the chapter celebrated its 65th anniversary with a special event: a “dream collaboration” featuring master instructors from five different schools. It was my first time witnessing flowers being arranged live before my eyes. I was deeply moved by the dignified presence of the instructors on stage, especially the eldest, Fujimoto-sensei of the Ohara School, who will turn 100 next year. Watching them gracefully and precisely bring floral works of art to life was a truly inspiring experience.
   The dozen or so members of the LSFCC that my wife brought along were also seeing ikebana in action for the first time. Each time a piece was completed and presented, they let out audible sighs of admiration. These monthly demonstrations are quite popular, and it seems they have a number of regular attendees. After hearing about the event from my wife, several prominent individuals have expressed interest in attending, including Director of the Fred Korematsu Institute Dr. Karen Korematsu as well as the wife of former U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.
 

“One World: Two Voices: An Ikebana Journey” — A Collaborative Demonstration with the San Francisco Garden Club (Ohara School & Sogetsu School)
   On March 20th of this year, a collaborative ikebana demonstration was held at the Presidio Golf & Concordia Club, featuring Mitsuko Maruyama-sensei of the Ohara School and Ron Brown-sensei of the Sōgetsu School. The San Francisco Garden Club, founded in 1926, is a prestigious organization. This event was initiated by Ms. Beverly Hayes, a longtime American supporter of the LSFCC and Vice President of the Garden Club, who asked my wife to give a talk on ikebana. As the Honorary President of the Ikebana International San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, my wife consulted with the chapter’s co-presidents—Maruyama-sensei and Brown-sensei—and together they brought this wonderful idea to life.
   The lush greenery of the Presidio golf course served as a scenic backdrop. On each table sat a square wooden masu box filled with flowers, arranged the day before by my wife, our eldest son Takumi, and Ms. Hayes. In my opening remarks, I spoke about the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in transience. To introduce the two instructors, my wife contrasted Western floral arrangements and Japanese ikebana using three comparisons: “symmetry vs. asymmetry,” “filled space vs. ma (negative space),” and “arrangement vs. immersive experience.”
   The two instructors stood side by side on stage, each creating five arrangements using the same floral materials but in their respective styles. The Ohara School, born in the Meiji era as a modern evolution of tradition, was beautifully represented through Maruyama-sensei’s sincere personality and her moribana arrangements (a style of arrangement using a shallow container and a kenzan, a holder with many sharp points into which flowers are inserted*). The Sōgetsu School, founded in the early Shōwa period and known for its emphasis on creative freedom, was brought to life through Ron-sensei’s lively commentary, which perfectly matched the expressive nature of his work.
(* Source : Web Japan, “Type of Ikebana; Moribana", https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/ikebana/ikebana03.html)

   Although the two have long been friends and fellow ikebana enthusiasts, this was their first joint performance. True to the theme “One World, Two Voices,” they shared a common aesthetic through two distinct approaches. The audience was captivated by the process and the stunning final pieces. When the final arrangement was completed together by both instructors, the room erupted in thunderous applause.
 

Organizing and Conducting a Tour of the Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center
   As introduced in Essay 16 (“Have You Visited Yet? 11 Sites Tracing the Path of Japanese-American History”), this center is located on the site of a former U.S. Army language school that was secretly established to train Japanese-speaking personnel in the run up to the War which erupted in December 1941. Today, it is operated by the National Japanese American Historical Society, headquartered in San Francisco’s Japantown, and serves as a place for preserving and sharing history. Recognizing its value in deepening understanding of Japanese American history, U.S.-Japan relations, and broader American history, my wife arranged for a visit this spring by students from our younger son’s local middle school. According to Naomi Shibata, a gifted storyteller who led the tour, the students were attentive and engaged, asking thoughtful questions. One particularly moving moment came when a student asked a question that left a deep impression on Naomi: “How were children emotionally cared for during that time?” In May, my wife also brought several members of the LSFCC to the center. Naomi thoughtfully designed the tour to begin with a relaxed coffee chat before moving into the exhibits. One of the most engaging discussions centered around the theme: “In the communal dining life of internment camps, how did mothers protect their children and preserve family bonds?” The conversation was both passionate and profound.
   Naomi also spoke to cadets from the Japan Coast Guard Academy when their training vessel Itsukushima arrived in San Francisco this May and visited the center. She later attended a shipboard reception hosted by the Itsukushima, and through that connection, Mr. Kazunori Kato, the San Francisco Branch Manager of ANA who also joined us for the Manzanar Memorial Ceremony as mentioned in Essay 20, recently decided to take about ten of his colleagues to visit the MIS Center.

Tour to the Japanese American Museum of San Jose
   Located about 70 kilometers south of San Francisco, San Jose is now the heart of Silicon Valley, but it was once a vast agricultural area where many Japanese Americans settled and worked in farming. Nestled in the still-standing Japantown of San Jose is a small but precious gem: the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (also featured in Essay 16). When our family first visited, we were deeply impressed by the witty and engaging storytelling of Mr. Michael Sera, the museum’s Board President. Both my wife and our children left with a very positive impression. Since then, my wife has organized tours to the museum for consulate families and members of the LSFCC. I often remind my office’s diplomats that regardless of their specific duties, each of them represents Japan and should take the initiative to understand the history of Japanese Americans. In that spirit, I was grateful that my wife organized a tour for consulate families last spring.
   She also led a tour for LSFCC members in the same season, with over ten participants. Many of them were unaware of the museum’s existence or the history of Japanese Americans, so the experience, including stepping into a recreated, dimly lit internment camp room, was eye-opening. Mr. Sera tailored his talk in English to suit the backgrounds and interests of the audience, making the visit even more meaningful.
 
   In addition to the museum tour, the group visited the San Jose Taiko practice hall, where they had a hands-on drumming experience led by San Jose Taiko cofounders Roy and PJ Hirabayashi. After enjoying lunch in Japantown, they strolled through the area and lined up at Shueido to purchase the famous manju (sweet buns). It was a rich and immersive experience of Japanese culture in San Jose.

“Consulate Night: Japan” at the Metropolitan Club
   The Metropolitan Club is a prestigious women’s membership club located in San Francisco, with many of the city’s most distinguished women among its members. When my wife helped connect the club with the consular corps, the club expressed interest in hosting regular international-themed dinners and asked her to assist with planning. They also requested that each participating consul general introduce their country during these events. After discussing it with my wife, we gladly agreed to have Japan host the inaugural dinner, which took place on January 24th of this year.
   Wanting to make a strong impression, we decided to highlight shochu, a Japanese spirit that is still relatively unknown in the U.S. Thanks to a connection formed when the Vice Governor of Oita Prefecture visited last December to promote local products and a dinner my wife and I had with the Governor in Oita over the New Year, we were able to serve iichiko, a premium shochu from Oita. For sake, we invited Gekkeikan, which produces unique sake using water from the Sierra Nevada, California’s main watershed.
  
   During the cocktail hour, the iichiko team freshly squeezed oranges and lemons to make chuhai (shochu highballs), which were visually appealing and very well received. Both the shochu and sake representatives gave engaging five-minute presentations, which drew a crowd to their booths. Dinner was prepared by the club’s chef, a Japan enthusiast, who worked closely with my wife to create a delicious menu with Japanese touches. To complement the meal, we served wine from Noria, crafted in Berkeley by Japanese winemaker Mr. Norihisa Nakamura. During the dinner, I was asked to give a brief talk. I spoke about the significance of San Francisco to Japan and the appeal of Japan as a country, using three key words: diversity, continuity, and aesthetic.
   Thanks to my wife’s tremendous input, the evening was a wonderful showcase of Japan. Guests responded enthusiastically, and it proved to be an excellent opportunity for cultural outreach.

Reception at the Official Residence for Asian Consuls General and Their Spouses
   In May of last year, our consulate hosted a reception at the official residence to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month (Essay 11). This year, we held a sake and shochu promotional event at the San Francisco Public Library. The first part of last year’s program featured Dr. Karen Korematsu, who spoke about the legacy of her late father, Fred Korematsu, a civil rights icon who opposed the forced internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Ms. Claudine Cheng, President of the San Francisco APA Association, spoke about cooperation with Japanese Americans from the perspective of the Chinese American community. Following her talk, we held a kagami-biraki (sake barrel breaking ceremony) with sake provided by Ozeki, and set up a tasting booth to promote Japanese sake.
   Participation from the consulates of various Asia-Pacific countries was essential, and we were honored to have all the Asian Consuls General and their spouses in attendance. Thanks to my wife’s thoughtful suggestion, many of the women wore traditional attire. My wife also gave a brief greeting and added a personal touch to the gathering, saying, “We spouses often see each other more frequently than we see our husbands—once a day, or even twice, three times!”.
 
   From walking tours in Japantown to meaningful exchanges with people from around the world, my wife Misao has brought warmth and energy to every occasion. With her bright smile and tireless efforts, she has steadily enhanced Japan’s presence in the community. If my work here has been at all meaningful, it is thanks in no small part to my better half.