No. 385 July 18 , 2013 The Japanese SpiritThe Beginning of the Fantastic Essay, entitled Dot.

Where do you come from ? Where are you going ? I search this question and wrote the book, entitled “Tune of the Yakumo‒goto: Myth and the Japanese Spirit” in April,1986, and the same title in English in March, 1990 with Ms. Hiroko Inoue. Based on two books, we started to take the journey of the yakumo‒goto in the international society. We gave the performance of the yakumo‒goto, with two female player, Hiroko Inoue and Kyoko Kubota, and speaker, Hideki Kubota, visiting about fourteen countries, inquiring into the Japanese sacred situation, in the Japanese culture, the myth, tea ceremony and flower arrangement, the noh theater and the way of the samurai. We were investigating the sacred zone of the Japanese Spirit with the foreigner. I’d like to introduce first the dreamy Journey of the yakumo‒goto.

A dot indicates an existence of a man. What is it ? A philosophic proposition. First chapter, I tried to describe entitled “Roman” in Japanese and French, issued on the Japanese Spirit No. 381. Next, the second chapter entitled Dot will be described . Writing down the copy I imaged the title of all copies “The Finger of God” as publication of a book. The founder of the greatest Religious Sect in Japan, Omoto, Rev. Onisaburo Deguchi preached about a dot, born in the space as the origin of cosmos, unknown by the man. In the foggy, dark space, it suddenly appeared. We would call it God. It shaped the calm situation as the thick fog. God called Sushin (God of the Gods) released it in the prehistoric in the empty, unknown the time and space.

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Suddenly, a dot, shape like a ’, immaterial, unvoiced, transparent, appeared in the great empty, emitting subtle spirit, the sacred detail more than smoke, steam and mist in all directions. This clear spirit covered the origin of a dot, spreading the track of the circle and formed the shape of ☉, finally developing to the great cosmos, changing the various styles to create the universal. However, in the process of the creation, a small shadow like a faint soot appeared, and gradually, has collected to crystalize the evil spirit during the struggle between the sacred and the evil. This battle of God’s world has been shown on the reality, and it reflects contemporary human condition. Rev. Onisaburo Deguchi looked at this sacred struggle just as the condition of human being, and wrote down it in the Bible of Omoto, the Story of the Spiritual World.

Fantastic essayA Dot

The Dreamy Journey of the yakumo‒gotoChapter1. The Harbor of Lisbon

A dot was broken in my mind. As the big bang started in the cosmos just as it was, the sublime spectacle, the moment God and stars, infinite space. A imagination from the big bang theory. On a spot, sitting on a chair in the favorite coffee shop, STARBACKS I felt this space very sacred as the microcosm, just as the spreading infinite space just as the universe. I have expected to look at the majestic moment during visiting this nice coffee shop in the shopping mall, called lalaport in Koshien. For seven years every day sitting down on the regular chair, what could I expect in my sacred life? Left all confused for me. A ruined dot, I am. I tried to clear my mind of all mundane thoughts, a hum of voice, touching cups and could reach the zone of annihilation. In the depth of mind I focused on my face, not nothing but a gentle face of a man, just

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myself. Reaching seventy-three years old, I have continued to focus on my face, I understood. During study, travel, mountaineering, and writing the copy, I have stood on the specially fixed, I must say it, off limit except myself. What is the reason I must fix the spot to stand up, to pass the time in the narrow life ? I recognized a great monument just as nigh the sea in November, 1995. The monument : the sailors starting the great voyage, this is the harbor of Lisbon. I am standing on the spot of the just starting to the great life of Vasco da Gama in1497. In the port town, the small old brick houses stood close together along the maze. Just on the period of the great sailing the streetlamps like the shape of the gaslight stood, inviting the man to the charming ladies’ houses with fantastic dim light. The taxi driver asked frequently me to go the sweet place. He led me to Fado restaurant, driving on the stone paving road with a ratting sound.

Chapter 2.The Magellan Straits

I visited Punta Arenas faced the Magellan Straits with my wife on June 1, 1999. Standing on the sound of the shore I looked fixedly at one point. Its boundless ocean, spreading far covered with the misty water and air, hid real aspect. The great sailor, Ferdinand Magellan could recognize the Faith and the Evil of the occurrences in this Straits. Only staring at one point of the unclear surface of the water could reply to my ambiguous expression of the owe and respect against the sea. In the shore a few seagulls, looking at the sea without stirring an inch, and I was going to see the shadow of Magellan. I sighed to see the empty in thinking of the happening in the distant past. My wife was gathering shells. She seemed to be uninteresting in

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the Straits and the great sailor. She wanted to come back to the town to enjoy shopping. “Cold !” shouted she, and pointed toward the misty, “I saw the figure of Magellan.” On my way from the shore I found the nice flower garden of one house. A woman who seemed to be the madam of its house was puttering around in the garden. She smiled at me, and I smiled at her. Why not, I was charmed by her. I couldn’t forget this happening at the eveing garden. At this evening, at the Museo Regional de Magallanes in Punta Arenas, Chile, we gave a performance of the yakumo-goto, two strings koto for prayer of the Japanese gods at the museum. First, my wife played a peace of the yakumo-goto music, called Isuzu-gawa which flows near the Ise Shrine. Next, I gave a lecture on the yakumo-goto, and during speech I found out that madam in the audience, smiling each other at the dim garden. I am very glad to see her, but at the end of speech I couldn’t look at her. Why did she go out the museum ?

Chapter 3.The Iguazu Falls

As I visited the Iguazu Falls, it was very surprised that the butterfly did not escape the person, trying to reach and catch it. Walking along the promenade of the Falls I tried to show the manner to intend to catch them, but, they were afraid of me at all, settling on the guardrail of the footbridge, even if I was reaching my face to them just as touching its color. My wife laughed and shouted, “Funny ! You are in the great nature.” We came back to the famous Hotel in the international net. To the truth this net escaped me, because I was remarked as an unfavorable guest. Before fifteen years ago, in Bangkok a Hotel of this chain I reserve a taxi for very important business, but it didn’t appear for me. I made a strong protest to the manager

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about it, since then, the chain of this Hotel has escaped me, because I was checked a very hooligan. Hearing my story the front man smiled, “Please, well come, no problem, we are very glad to see you, this is Iguazu.” My wife laughed me in the room, “I fear you, very, very afraid of your foolish manner. No manner man !” Knocked at the door, a boy put a big bunch of red flowers on the table, “Please, from my manager, enjoy it.”

Chapter 4.Rain of Rosario

I gave a performance of the yakumo-goto with my wife at the University of Rosario in Argentine on March 5, 1998. First, my wife played two pieces of the Yakumo-goto, called Isuzu gawa (the Isuzu river near the Ise Shrine) and the Pillar of Heaven. (the god and the goddess walked around this pillar in harmony) And, I gave a lecture about the Japanese gods and Myth and the Japanese Spirit. The audience was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. Rolls of thunder were heard in the distance. The window curtains were fanned hard by the sudden gust. In pouring rain, the audience anxious of their house and car stood up an d sat down, going out and coming in, in the very confused situation. Thunders were rolling in the distance, but, the storm calmed down. After performance, said to us, “Wonderful, congratulations !! “ And, they consulted about our schedule, “I’d like to enjoy the tango.” “Oh, the tango theater, OK.” But, really, it seemed they could find the tango theater in Rosario. “There are good tango theaters in Buenos Aires.” “No problem, on my itinerary, I will visit that city.” “OK, tomorrow, we will lead you the very good restaurant.”

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Chapter 5. Buenos Aires

I expected the dance of the tango, visiting Buenos Aires. I was going to join the optional tour of the dance of the tango with my wife. Before starting the tour we strolled through the street. There were a few flower shops and the laundries, and the shops’ assistants smiled gently at us. I bought a large red rose at a shop. The shop girl could speak fluently in Japanese, and said, “In my home, my family speak in Japanese. The managers of the flower shop and the laundry are almost Japanese.” I recalled the difficulty of the Japanese lives in the old days. A boy ran up to me, and scattered the white power on my shoes, and shined it. A shoeshine boy of Japanese origin. My wife couldn’t find his figure. He appeared before me just as the shadow, and vanished in my view.

Chapter 6.The House of Cervantes

Mr. Hideki Kubota gave a performance of the yakumo-goto at Museo Casa de Cervantes (the Museum the House of Cervantes) on February 2, 1997, with my wife, Kyoko Kubota and Ms. Hiroko Inoue, a member of the Yakumo-goto Reminiscence Society (the former name of our club). At the hall of the museum, two women played two pieces of the music of the yakumo-goto, and Mr. Kubota gave the speech. This museum was called Museo Casa de Cervantes(the House of Cervantes), who wrote the most famous novel, El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancho. He lived in this house in his later years The hall was packed to overflowing. And we were deeply moved by the impressed audience. They had not looked at the kimono figure of the Japanese woman in the reality. The moment finished the performance, they rushed for our

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seats, and requested two ladies to sign their note, cloth, album, and others. And, they presented their very nice pens to the players. It was very pleasure that our performance was described in the memorial magazine, BOLETIN No.32, REAL ACADEMIA DE BELLAS ARTES DE LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION DE VALLADOLID 1997.

Chapter 7. Coimbra

Before opening the gate of Museum National de Machado de Castro, in Coimbra, Portugal we were waiting the opening time in the coffee shop near the museum. We began to feel uneasy about giving the performance of the yakumo-goto in the museum. On November 29, 1995, 8. 00 p.m. we will do it. It was already 7.00 p.m., there was no light in the museum. Opening time was very late for the Japanese. The players, Ms. Kyoko Kubota and Ms. Hiroko Inoue frequently peeped toward the state of the windows of the museum through a little opening in the curtain, “No, dark.” The proprietress of the coffee shop said smiling, “No problem, don’t worry.” At 7.40 p.m., my wife shouted, “Light ! ” We hurried up to go to the museum. Only a female professor stood on the floor of the hall. “The performance was a failure,” I thought so. At just 8.00 p.m., we heard the echo of sounds of crowd, a great number of people got into the hall. Just before opening time a large audience gathered to hear the yakumo-goto. Tomorrow, we appreciated the medieval art of the museum, and visited the underground remains of the ancient Rome, and the University of Coimbra founded in 1290.

Chapter 8.The University of BIO-BIO

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I visited first Concepcion, Chile with my wife to give the performance of the yakumo-goto at the University of BIO-BIO on May 28, 1999. At the exit of passenger of the airport, a professor of the University of BIO-BIO to welcome us. “The students are now waiting you at the University.” We hurried up to go to the hotel. My wife must change into the kimono in the room, like a sudden geisha. At the auditorium, the full audience welcomed us with thunderous applause. Just after the performance a male student came to the stage, and played perfectly a piece of the yakumo-goto music, hearing one time my wife’s playing. That professor met us at airport with his a little girl, to say each other, “Good bye”. The most dazzling performance, blessed by God !

Chapter 9.The University of Bonn

I was invited with my wife by the chief of the Japanese Cultural Research Institute of Bonn University to give the performance of the yakumo-goto on June 6, 1994 at the University of Bonn. We stayed at the old, small hotel near the University , and my wife endeavored to practice to play the yakumo-goto, every day, in the room of the hotel. The sound of the yakumo-goto echoed in the calm hotel, which was very acoustics. Very old and decorated with antique style, especially, the elevator were equipped two door, inside one door worked by hand, and the body of the elevator moved creaking just before breaking. Later, I found the every similar old style of the elevator in a small hotel which I stayed near the Rhein River at Mainz in February, 2013. This taste of antique in the common people made us to be very fresh in the modern culture of German. After the performance, we visited the house where Beethoven was born. The piano’s keys made to be much hollow by hard striking of Beethoven, we noticed his

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hard agony in the hollows.

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Chapter 10.The University of Köln UNIVERSITAT KÖLN 1994.6.8 (23min) http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~Ic6m-akd/ The performance of the yakumo-goto ― The sound phenomenon ― We gave the performance of the yakumo-goto at the University of Köln in Köln on June 8, 1994. On this day, DR.PHL. HABIL. Robert Günther reached the age limit and retired from professor of the musicology Institute of the Köln University, and after his ceremony was held, we gave the performance. I consulted with him about the yakumo-goto, and he was very interested with this koto. I presented him with a yakumo-goto. Our performance was described in the magazine of the Köln University. (KÖLNER UNIVERSITÄTS JOURNAL ) 24.Jahrgang Ausgabe 3-1994. 　 Bonn-Rhein-Sieg Radio Station in Bonn broadcast the yakumo-goto played by Ms. Kyoko Kubota on June 10, 1994. I should remember this commemorative time and the

place throughout my life. A message from Prof. Dr. Günther, following ;UNIVERSITÄT YU KÖLNMUSIKWISSENSCHAFTLICHES INSTITUT　 16.8. 1994

Dear Sir,enclosed as promised in my last letter I am going to send a cassette Tape recording of the concert performance of your wife on the 8th of June. I hope this recording is of some interest to you as it is for us here. We have this event as a highlight in the history of our institute in a very good

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memory.

With kind regards also to your wife, Yours very sincerely,His signature(Prof. Dr R.Günther) 　 Chapter 11. The Peabody &Essex Museum The Peabody & Essex Museum in Boston: We got the chance to give the performance of the yakumo-goto on May 23, 1995, at this greatest scale of the museum in the world. Madam of the curator of this museum who was my female acquaintance, held the yakumo-goto concert for about twenty ladies of high society in Boston. We were very glad to meet distinguished the member ship, who were very grace and dignity. I thought I could understand the spirit of home of American, touching their calm manner based on the Christianity. On May 24, we gave the performance at Our Savior Episcopal Church under the auspices of the Japanese Society of Boston.

Chapter 12.The Hammarskjöld hall in United Nations of New York.

On April12, 1992, we gave the performance of the yakumo-goto at the Hammarskjöld hall in United Nations of New York. In the depth of the United Nations which is the heart of peace, we could play the yakumo-goto, which is a religious musical instrument in Japan. Resounding throughout this hall is the spirit of the Japanese. Its echo advocating tranquility moved the hearts of audience and our party. The Japanese religious music, the yakumo-goto, was first played by Ms. Hiroko Inoue (the Director of the

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Yakumo-goto Reminiscence Society at the time) in the United Nations.

Chapter 13.Meadville/Lombard Theological School in

Chicago

Located near the University of Chicago, it was very calm atmosphere, just like the imagination of prayer of the Unitarian. This is the Theological Seminary of the Unitarian Church. First, I was led to its theology by the former naval officer at his house. Visiting the international religious meeting as a member of the Japanese group I met him who was a good friend of Japan with his wife. He visited Japan before the Pacific was by the submarine on a special mission. I was very surprised at looking at a piece of the photo taken his figure of German naval officer with a few Japanese naval officers. He taught me his faith : As praying to God he recollected the beauty, the sea and mountain, the starlit sky, the sunrise and the sunset, the sacred music and picture. As praying to God refining and purifying one’s own. He presented me a small model yacht. Ms. Hiroko Inoue presented a yakumo-goto to Meadville/Lombard Theological School.

Chapter 14.Won Buddhism Headquarters in the Republic of Korea

On March 2, 1991, at Won Buddhism Headquarters in the Republic of Korea we could give the first performance of the yakumo-goto at foreign countries, by the recommendation of the head priest (at the time) of the Konko-kyo Izuo Church, Rev. Toshio Miyake. Mr. Hideki Kubota and Ms. Hiroko Inoue established the Yakumo-goto Reminiscence Society (the former name of the Yakumo

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Society) just before this performance. Ever since, the Yakumo Society visited fourteen countries, thirty‒four places to give the performance.

Chapter 15.The University of Guam.

We gave the commemorative performance of the yakumo‒goto at the University of Guam in Guam on April 10, 1996. Professor Cynthia B. Sajnovsky, Ph. D., of Music Department was a very nice teacher of Music, and looking at our Japanese old score she suggested us to rewrite it to the western score of sheet music written the notes. Later, she did it, and the student of this university held the concert of the yakumo‒goto at the University of Guam under the guidance of Professor Sajnovsky. We gave the performance at the Guam Museum on October 2, 1996.

Chapter 16.The University of Hawaii at Manoa

At the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honoruru on June 6, and , at the Izumo Taisha Mission of Hawai on June 7, 1997, we gave the performance of the yakumo-goto. The Mission, the Hawaii branch of the Izumo Taisha was located at the center of Honoruru. The Japanese in the U.S.A., including Hawaii prayed to the god Okuni‒nushi at the Hawaii branch. In the mind of the Japanese, the gods including the Okuni‒nushi have been enshrined, just as enshrining at the Izumo Taisha in Izumo. I could recall clearly a woman who was a people of the audience at the performance of the Köln University, suddenly started to sob, hearing the echo of the yakumo‒goto.

Chapter 17.Pátzcuaro, Mexico

The performance in Mexico: On October 31, 1998, held

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CENTRO DE COOPERACIÓN REGIONAL PARA LA EDUCACIÓN DE ADULTOS EN AMERICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE in Pátzcuaro, Mexico. After the performance of the yakumo‒goto, we were invited to the garden dinner by a Professor of the Centro de Cooperación. We enjoyed the delicious dinner , sweet music in the gentle breeze. Thinking that he had never known my acquaintance who was my adviser concerning the editing of the Japanese Spirit. My adviser had the superior career of music education of the governmental music institute in Venezuela. Surprised, he knew my adviser. We consulted about the folk music till late at night. How to echo the yakumo‒goto in the pyramid of Teotihuacan ? Presentación del Yakumo-goto en la ciudad　　　　de Pátzcuaro, México Los miembros de la Sociedad para la Conservación del Yakumo‒goto, sociedad cuya sede se encuentra en la ciudad de Osaka en Japón hicieron una presentación del Yakumo‒goto en el Centro de Cooperación Regional para la Educación de Adultos en America Latina el Caribe, en Pátzcuaro, México, el 31 de octubre de 1998. Los representqntes de estq sociedqd fueron el Sr. Hideki Kubota, su esposa, Kyoko Kubota y la Sra. Hiroko Inoue. El Prof. Juqn Rodríguew Yerena, director del Depqrtamento de Co,unicaciones del Centro, presentó los integrantes de la representación japonesa y les doy la bienvenida. En seguida, el Sr. Kubota explicó que el Yakumo‒goto es un instrumento usado en Japón para rezarle a los dioses con el fin de poner el espíritu en armonía con el universo y Espiritu Japonés. Después de la palabras del Sra.Kubota, su esposa ejecutó dos piezas en el Yakumo‒goto. Estas piezas tienen por titulo Matsu no Yowai (La era del pino) y Isuzugawa (El Río de Isuzu). En seguida la Sra. Inoue tocó dos piezas más, Iiamadas Haru no Shirabe (El canto de la primavera) y Ame no Mihashira (Los pilares del cielo).　

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Ms. Kyoko Kubota

Atardecer en el lago Pátzcuaro, Frente a la isla de Janitzio. (the right)

Pátzcuaro Hideki Kubota

Muchisimas gracias por habernos ofrecido esta maravillosa opor tunidad. Agradecemos a Dios y a todas

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aquellas personas que estuvieron presentes en nuestro recital, y asi mismo al Profesor. Juan Rodriguez Yerena y también a Licenciada Marcela Morado Bahena quienes tomaron amablemente el cargode su preparación. Me gusta mucho la tranquilidad de esta ciudad, Pátzcuaro. Esta ciudad muy antigua y se parece a Kyoto en Japón. Es la ciudad con una cultura antigua y gente cariñosa. Para nosotros, ésta es la primera visita a México. Fue una experiencia muy agradable que nunca olvidaremos. Esta ciudad nos hizo recordar lo que nos habíamos olvidado. Deseamos que este recital se sirva de estrechar más y más la amistad entre México y Japón. Una vez más quisieramos expresar nuestros sinceros agradecimientos.

Chapter 18.The Wilan Palace (summer palace of Polish king Jan Ⅲ Sobieski) in Warsaw

The Wilan Palace (summer palace of Polish king Jan ⅢSoblieski) in Warsaw held our performance of the yakumo‒goto on June 15, 2005. This performance was realized by the suggestion and support of the staff of the Japanese art collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, Ms. Anna Maleszko and Professor Jolanta Młodawska at the national University of Łódz. This palace was very good acoustics. The yakumo‒goto music echoed like heaven music in the marble hall, and this live concert was broadcasted around Europe from the palace studio.

Chapter 19.Uniwersytet Jagiellonski in Kraków

Uniwesytet Jagiellonski in Kraków, Poland held our performance of the yakumo‒goto, first in Poland by suggestion and support of Professor Masakatsu Yoshida at the University of the Łódz. Ever since Professor Yoshida

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held the performance over ten times with Professor Jolanta Młodawska at the University of Łódz. We started to take the dreamy journey of the yakumo‒goto at the cultural and academic places in Poland. And, later, Professor Jolanta Młodawska established the yakumo‒goto Klub in Łódz. She has been active to spread the yakumo‒goto and achieved the spirit of calm and tranquility in harmony of the yakumo‒goto. The Japanese ambassador in Warsaw, Mr. Makoto Yamanaka commended her on remarkable services to the introduction of the Japanese culture at the Japanese Days on April 27, 2013 at the Łódz University.

Chapter 20.The Dreamy Journey of the Yakumo‒goto in Poland

The University of Łódz

TheUniversity of Łódz has become the base of the activity of the yakumo‒goto in Poland. I first visited the University of Łódz in Łódz on March 28, 2000, could give the performance by the support and suggestion of Professor Masakatsu Yoshida and Professor Jolanta Młodawska at this University. In the future we could be active to spread the yakumo‒goto and harmony of this sacrd instrument to devote our prayer to the gods and God in front of the altar of the shrine, the temple and the Christian church, including the sacred places. I could remember both Professors consulted with each other how to translate my speech and copy in Japanese and English before the student. They explained the audience the za-zen of the Zen Buddhism, the tea ceremony, the flower arrangement, the Noh theater and the Bushido (the samurai spirit) to introduce the origin of the Japanese Spirit and the world of the yakumo‒goto in the sacred and tranquil zone. Since, both Professors introduced us to the various places to give

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the performance. 　　

The Dreamy Journey of the Yakumo ‒ goto in Poland

The Third University Japanese Study at Łódz City Teacher’s Assembly / The National Racial Archaeological Museum on March 31, 2000.

Department of Japonology of Prof. Masakatsu Yoshida’s class at the University of Łódz on November 3, 2003.

OZORKÓW library on November 6, 2003.

Ogólnoksztajcqca Szko ja Muzyczna(the Music Academy) on November 7, 2003.

The Third University Japanese Study at the University of Łódz on November 13, 2003.

Szkola Podstawowa Nr 162 (the Elementary school), Łódz on November 14, 2003.

Politechika Łódzka Lectorat jezyka japonskiego (Citizen Japanese Language Study at the Engineering Department of the University of Łódz) on November 14, 2003.

The Poland-Japan Society Organized the 21st Japanese Cultural Week to celebrate the 46th anniversary of restoration of diplomatic relations between Poland and Japan at the National Archeology and Ethnology Museum in Łódz on November 11‒ 23, 2003.

A Courtesy Visit to the Office of the Łódz City Mayor on December 13, 2003.

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Chapter 21.The 80th Annivrsary of Japanese Association in Thailand in Bangkok.

Standing on the earth of Thailand on October 24, 1993, I noticed this point is the Dot of the origin of life, the existence of a man. What is human being ? I have simultaneously the question and the reply at this Dot, it is that I am in the sacred country, based on the Buddhism, very similar to the situation of the Japanese, based on the Shintoism. The nation recognized that symbol of the Buddhism is the king of Thailand, that symbol of the Shintoism is His Majesty the Tenno. There are the sacred in reality in both countries. The organizations of Buddhism and Shintoism are effective to create the calm and tranquility in the environment, harmonizing the suffering of the life, and sublimated the complex into the sacred situation, I think I could say that it has been just blessed by the Buddhism and the king, by the Shintoism and His Majesty the Tenno. We gave the performance of the yakumo‒goto, liked heaven musical instrument, ame-no- nugoto, shining in the Japanese myth.

The Japanese Spirit Publisher/Editor: Hideki Kubota1-26-1407, Takasu 2-chome, Nishinomiya 663-8141 JapanPhone: 0798-49-5886 Fax: 0798-49-5838 http://homepage3.nifty.com/mori1407/UII26890@nifty.comThe Foundation Issue was published on June 15, 1991.

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The date of our next issue will be on August 15, 2013.

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