Morikami Sukeji, who came to America as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and stayed there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continued to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who had lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. In January 1972, he learned of Yokoi Shoichi, a former Japanese soldier found on Guam, and he felt a connection with him. He learned about American hippie culture and was amazed to see young men with long hair who looked like women, and he continued to work hard in the fields, receiving vegetable seeds from Japan as he always had.

* * * * *

<The persimmon tree I ordered arrives from Japan>

January 5, 1972

Mi-san (sister-in-law), Rei-san (niece),

Thank you for your letter. I'm sorry for worrying you. This winter has been unusually warm and feels like summer. My leg is feeling much better and the pain has subsided a little. My stomach ulcer has completely healed and I can eat anything now.

I received a letter from Akiko (my niece) in Nara. Both of them are excited about having a baby. I learned a lot about Tenrikyo (my sister-in-law's family believes in Tenrikyo) from a book about new religions. I had misunderstood it until now.

I would like to build you a big house that can also be used as a church, but that's impossible at the moment. I don't know how old you are, Mi-san, but I think it's about time you retired. I would like to build you a retirement home in a quiet place in the suburbs, but I don't know anything about the situation, so I consulted Akiko.

It's already the fifth day of the year. I think the excitement of New Year's in Kyoto has faded a little. Here, New Year's is only in name and we hardly celebrate it at all. Farmers are busy at the moment, so everyone is working. The weather is good, so the crops are good and the market price is quite high.

The 50 Japanese persimmons I ordered arrived on New Year's Day. I wasn't ready, so I replanted them in pots. I also planted some vegetables for my own use. Most of them are new varieties for testing.

When I'm in a good mood, I go to the fields. At night I'm tired and sleep well. I wonder what kind of year this will be. If you think negatively, negative things will come out. All you can do is do your best and wait for fate. When I'm in a good mood, I do everything. I do the laundry and get my hair cut. When I go to the barber, it takes two or three minutes, and I'm charged 2 dollars and 75 cents. When it's busy, I have to wait for half an hour or an hour. It's ridiculous, so I stopped going.

These days, young men are hippies and are growing their hair and beards. Barber shops are booming, but somehow, because they require more maintenance than usual, they are doing great business. Apparently, it costs more than $5 a go.

The things you sent me haven't arrived yet. They should be arriving soon. I'm looking forward to them. One of my irreplaceable friends has died. He loved me like an older brother, and I loved him like a younger sister. He died of cancer about a month ago. It was the first time I cried. I'll talk about it in detail at this stage.

"When I see the Japanese flag, my blood boils"

January 13, 1972

Mi-san, I received the package. It was a rare item, so I enjoyed it right away. Thank you. Reiko sent me a photo of the baby. It's so adorable. By the time I'm 100, she'll be a beautiful girl. Things are the same here as always, and the beach is very crowded.

The vegetables I planted have grown beautifully. They will be edible around March. Perhaps it's the weather or the medicine, but my leg is feeling a little better. The pain has subsided. At the moment, I can't expect a full recovery, but even if I'm lame, I'd like to be able to walk.

Now, millions of people in the United States are suffering from this disease. I am still on the mild side, but when it gets worse I can't walk at all. It's more troublesome because it's not like cancer and you die. The weather forecast says it's going to be cold in February. When I feel good, I go out to the fields. But if I push myself too hard, it hurts right away.

The 5,000 red cedar seedlings I ordered have arrived. They will be planted in the land of Goei-cho. In a few years, they will grow into fine Christmas trees of six or seven feet. I think that in Japan today, there are plenty of vegetables and fruits even in winter. When I lived in Kyoto, there were no greenhouses and a thumb-sized eggplant cost 20 cents each.

Large Japanese steamships come in and out of the nearby port. They load up on scrap iron and other cargo, but a few months later they return as fine automobiles and building materials. Japan lost the war, but it is overwhelming the victorious countries. I wonder what it will be like in ten years. What a brave people. When I see the Japanese flag fluttering in the wind, my blood boils.

There is fierce competition in the automobile industry in this country. Domestic and foreign, especially Japanese, cars are overwhelmingly more popular. The one I'm using now is made in Germany, but I don't really like it. I'm thinking of switching to a Japanese Toyota or Datsun instead. Even though I have a disability and can't walk, I can still drive a car.

<The warm winter has made the beach very crowded>

January 18, 1972

Thank you for your letter and photos, Aki-chan. The baby is much cuter than I expected, and you sent me lots of unusual things from your mother. I'm happy to receive anything from Japan. You're lucky to have such a good mother. No two mothers are the same. Take good care of me. I'm no different. I eat well and sleep well. The weather is nice, and when I feel good, I go to the fields.

This winter has been unusually warm, and tourists (travelers) are overjoyed, and the coast is bustling. The city and the highways are flooded with cars and people, and it is dangerous for people with weak legs to go out.

Japanese ships with the Japanese flag flying constantly come and go from the nearby port. They are loaded with scrap metal, but they return home with fine automobiles and building materials. Japan lost the war, but now it overwhelms the victorious countries.

I like Japanese vegetables, but I can't get them here. I have no choice but to grow them myself, but it's not easy. The Japanese bulb onions I planted the other day have grown well. I'm trying out new varieties (4 kinds), but I won't know the results until around April.

What I want now is shiso and small chestnut squash. If you have any fresh seeds, could you please send some? Two or three medium spoonfuls of shiso and 10 pumpkins would be plenty. If it's going to be slow by regular mail, I'll ask for airmail. If it's in a sturdy bag, it'll be safe.

Mangoes and most tropical fruits are plentiful. I think you can get anything you want all year round in Japan now. What we don't have comes from the South Seas. It's a little expensive, but right now it's cold in Kyoto and warm in Miyazu. The weather is a little strange. The weather forecast says it will be cold throughout February, with a lot of rain in the northern half of the state and dry in the southern part.

Most young men these days have hair or beards. Some of them are hard to tell if they are male or female. The other day I went to get my driver's license renewed. It was close to the deadline, so there was a huge crowd. There were about fifty people in a line. Two or three people in front of me was a young girl of marriageable age. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, and was very beautiful. When she turned around, she saw me, smiled, and said hello. I was puzzled, and when I looked closely, I realized it was John, the son of an acquaintance of mine. "Oh, it's you. You fool see," I said. I've gone off on a tangent again. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here for today.

It's just after 6am, but it's a little chilly. I wrote this next to the heater.

Memories of Kyoto 66 years ago

March 1972

Aki-chan, I received your letter and the seeds. I planted the seeds right away, but they haven't sprouted yet. I can now eat my favorite pumpkins for a long time. As I get older, food is the most enjoyable thing I've ever had.

This month 66 years ago, I was in Kyoto. I was on a tight budget, so I just passed through Kyogoku once and didn't see anything. At the end of Kyogoku, there was a baked sweet potato shop. For two sen, I could buy more than I could eat. At the river near Arashiyama, pretty girls were washing vegetables with their bare feet in a basin filled with water. One eggplant the size of a thumb went for 20 sen.

"I want to escape into the jungle like Yokoi-san."

February 7, 1972

Thank you for your letter, Rei-san. I also received "Shushin" (a Tenrikyo magazine). I read it whenever I have free time. I was surprised when my mother fainted. I recovered quickly and was relieved. Since last year, my left arm has suddenly become immobile, my thumb and index finger have swelled up, and I have a throbbing pain day and night, and I can no longer hold chopsticks or a spoon. The pain has eased a little, but I can't do the important work in the fields at all.

I asked for advice about the family, but neither my mother nor Akiko replied. From your letter, it seems that something is not right. I need to hurry up with the will, so I decided not to bother with the family. There is an opportunity for everything. If you miss the opportunity, it will not come to fruition. Life is short, and worrying about nothing is the height of folly.

The 20-day radish I planted at the end of last year is finally ready. I grated it and cooked rice with it. I feel like I'm missing something without miso. I'm half-paralyzed, but I have a big appetite and everything tastes good. However, cooking is a pain, so I often eat canned food.

The weather has been winter-like for the past week, dropping to nearly 40 degrees (about 4.4°C) a few days ago. I saw about Mr. Yokoi (note) in the newspaper. I haven't heard anything about his return to Japan. The world is getting increasingly noisy, and even if you're not Mr. Yokoi, you'll feel like escaping into a jungle somewhere.

Recently, a native who lives in the Stone Age was found in the jungle of the Philippines. I wonder if modern life is really happy. I don't have anything else to write about, so I'll stop here. Today, I drove about 50 miles round trip for business for the first time in a while. The highway was crowded and I was sometimes nervous. Goodbye.

(Note) Shoichi Yokoi. A former Japanese soldier. 28 years after the end of the Pacific War, he was discovered by locals on the U.S. territory of Guam.

Florida is experiencing a construction boom

February 14, 1972

Mi-san, how are you feeling? Everyone pushes themselves harder when they are healthy. I pushed myself a lot when I was young. I am still suffering from the curse. My health is still the same, it gets better and worse, depending on the weather.

It's been cold these past few days. I'm writing this letter just before 5am, next to the heater. The sky is clear and there's not a breeze. Now, regarding the house, nothing can be done until you make up your mind. With rising prices, it's not easy to build a house even if you have money and land. Also, you have to get permission every time you do something.

There is no need to rush or be in a hurry. There is a construction boom in Florida right now, and houses are being built one after another. A house for two or three people costs at least $15,000, complete with water, sewer, and electricity. But it doesn't come with any furniture. I don't know anything about the current situation in Japan.

If there are any new laws related to construction, please send me a couple of copies for reference. It seems cold today, but it's fine. I've been busy planting seedlings all day. Next time I go to Miyazu, please get a detailed map of Sugiyama at the city hall and send it to me.

You probably aren't familiar with the term "Sugiyama," but it is a vast area from above Imabuku in Miyazu to Fuka Pass. I have always admired these mountains. That feeling hasn't changed. I don't know if they are now state, city, or privately owned. I wonder if we can reforest even a small part of them. This is my dream and my hope. I'm old, but it's not too late. If this is realized, it will become a major resource for Miyazu. Miyazu is scenic, but small Amanohashidate alone is not enough. Human tastes have changed, too.

(Titles omitted)

Continued >>

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