Morikami Sukeji, who traveled to the United States as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and remained there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continues to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, whose husband (Sukeji's younger brother) had died after the war. Eager to create an orchard and garden on his land, Sukeji reports that he has completed a pond and stocked it with fish. He also talks about his dream of buying a large tractor and building a house. He says that no matter what people around him say, he will continue on his own path.
* * * * *
"Not a single New Year's card arrived from Japan."
January 15, 1964
Dear Mi-san, I received the parcel today. Thank you very much for all the rare items. This year, I didn't receive a single New Year's card from Japan, which, as expected, made me feel all alone and lonely.
I was invited to dinner by my neighbors for Christmas and was treated to turkey. I was also invited by two other friends (white) but I couldn't go. I go to the fields every day, but it's gotten really cold here in the last few days, so I've been staying at home. Maybe it's because of my age, but when the temperature drops to 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit at night, it's so cold that I can't sleep without a heater. It's so cold in the north that I hear more than 100 people have died.
Japan has changed a lot in society, and so has the human nature, so it is no wonder that the first generation born in the Meiji era are disappointed when they return to Japan. I am often asked, "Have you been to Japan?" I have been saying "I'm going, I'm going," for almost ten years, and it seems that things will remain the same.
The trees I planted have been cut off, and I no longer have any news of the people I miss, so I feel like I have no motivation. I have no appetite these days, and I can't taste anything I eat. I've been eating a lot of ochazuke, so I've lost a lot of weight, but my mood hasn't changed at all. I go out to the fields every day and make various plans.
The pond is done. Small fish are released. By this time next year, we will be able to catch big trout. We also bought a big tractor. From now on, in my free time, I will do landscaping, build houses, and plant fruit and tropical plants. I am enthusiastic about my dreams, whether I am awake or asleep. These are my constant thoughts. Well then, goodbye. Goodbye.
"Sickness in isolation is miserable"
March 1964
Dear Mi-san, I received a letter from you. As you get older, you may develop old, unexpected illnesses, such as a recurrence of high blood pressure. I myself suffered from the same arthritis for about a month. I could not stand on my feet, my fingers throbbed day and night, and I could not even hold a pen. Such illnesses for a single person are truly miserable.
This is a paradise. My neighbors are withdrawing one after another and returning to their hometowns. Some of them I met for the first time and have become friends with as if we've known each other for ten years. Most of them are in their 60s, but some are in their 70s. Only God knows when we'll meet again.
<Worried about the Niigata earthquake>
June 22, 1964
Thank you for your letter, Mi-san. I've been busy and I have nothing else to write to, so it's been a while since I last wrote to you. I'm enjoying my days as usual. I feel as hopeful as when I first came to America, and I'm making plans for all sorts of things. I'm getting older, so I wonder what I can accomplish. I just hope to live to be at least 100 years old.
Going to the fields every day and being in contact with nature makes me feel less lonely. The pond is now complete, and thousands of small fish are swimming in it. By next summer, we'll be able to catch bass and catfish that are over 100cm long.
I was surprised by the Niigata earthquake (note 1) . Since it was in a rural area, there were few casualties, which was a blessing in disguise. Japan is a volcanic country, and we don't know when an earthquake will strike. Fortunately, there are no earthquakes in southern Florida.
Last week, I took a long ride for the first time in a while. It was 200 miles to the northwest. I left at 2am and returned home safely around 11am. It had been 31 years since I last visited this area, and I was surprised at how little had changed.
(Note 1) An earthquake of magnitude 5 that occurred on June 16, 1964. The epicenter was near Awashima Island in the Sea of Japan. Although the earthquake was large, only 26 people were killed.
<Memories of the shoes I bought when I moved to the US>
There are many mistakes in newspaper and magazine articles. The development of the home country is a marvel to the world. Japan is no longer a defeated country, but a global power. I hope they don't get too cocky and do their job properly. Recently, Japanese products are everywhere. It's no wonder that fellow traders are making a fuss. The other day, it was raining and I bought a pair of rain boots. After going in the water a couple of times, the soles came off. They look good, but sometimes there are defective products like this.
I remember the shoes I had in Kobe that I bought for myself when I went to the U.S. The soles came off on the ship and I had trouble. The soles were made of cardboard, not leather.
It's the same every year, but this summer seems a little hot. The temperature hasn't changed at all. Maybe it's because of my age, but I've gotten bored of reading lately, and even when new magazines arrive, I often leave them unread. I'm still reading the Japanese magazine "Nippon." The words are strange and I often can't understand what's written.
They have all kinds of Japanese food. This is true in the western and northern areas where there are many Japanese people, and even if you pay a high shipping fee to order it, it's surprisingly not tasty. I don't use it at all.
I haven't met a Japanese person for a long time. Even if I did meet one, there would be nothing to talk about, so I don't feel like meeting them. I think humans are happy just to be healthy and live doing what they like. Especially for a lonely person like me, I don't have any desire to live in a big house or drive around in a fancy car, and I have all kinds of food, so I'm happy with just one dish for each meal and my favorite foods.
"Primitive life continues as usual"
July 20, 1964
Thank you for your letter, Mi-san and Akira-san. Actually, it's not my lower back that hurts, but the buttocks. When it starts to hurt, I can't sit down. I have to stand up or lie down and rub it with both hands. My arms still ache, but it's nothing serious, so I put up with it and go to work every day. It's a nasty disease because if I take a break, I can't move at all.
I was surprised to hear that Fudeko (my sister) has been sick for a long time and is in a serious condition. I'm sure you know this too. It's generally cool in Japan, but it's the opposite here. It's rainy and gloomy in southern Florida, but at one point it was scorching hot, nearly 120 degrees (about 49 degrees Celsius), and I was drowning. I don't have anything else to write, so I'll stop here. Please be careful not to push yourself. Goodbye.
(P.S.)
I still live a primitive life. When I'm hungry, I eat, I eat only what I like, and when I'm tired, I sleep wherever I want, regardless of whether it's day or night. Sometimes, when I have no appetite for three or four days, I make do with tea and rice.
I live in a small trailer, and of course I cook and do my own laundry. I only have a small pickup car, which I don't use for anything other than going to and from the farm. I had planned to move to the farm, but a friend warned me that it was dangerous to live alone on the farm, so I decided to cancel the plan.
Even though this is the current situation, I still occasionally receive visits from old friends and acquaintances. When they do, I invite them to a hotel and treat them to a meal at a restaurant. You may think that I dress badly, but I shave my beard every day and look neat and tidy. However, I do change clothes when I work in the fields. I may have mentioned this before, but I'll add it here just to be sure.
"Are there no newspapers in Miyazu?"
November 14, 1964
Aki-chan, that morning, when I went to the post office to mail a letter, there was a beautiful postcard waiting for me. Luckily, I hadn't sealed the letter, so I wrote a little something. They say that when money runs out, ties end. I thought I would never hear from Japan again because I didn't send any money. I won't say anything now, but I believe that one day, you will understand my true intentions.
That evening, I went to the field to feed the ducks (11 in all). When I called out "Chichi-chi", they all came up from the pond and competed to get in first. Their running was so comical that I couldn't help but burst out laughing. The fish in the pond were also getting fatter and fatter. They will be about one foot long by next summer.
It's starting to feel like autumn here too. I almost want a blanket at night. This summer, we suffered heavy losses from two typhoons for the first time in 15 years. I'm still replanting for the third time.
How is Miyazu? I'm sure you go out a lot. I imagine Miyazu is lonely in autumn and winter. No matter how many years pass, you still miss your hometown. Miyazu has been a city for several years now, but it still doesn't have a newspaper. It's hard to believe, given common sense.
Building new schools and government housing is fine, but in this competitive age, a summer resort cannot hope for development without a newspaper. If Miyazu does not produce more intelligent people, its future is in jeopardy. Miyazu once had a pretty good newspaper. But in a short time there were two, then three. But within a few months they were all discontinued. It was obvious. There is a set number of people who read newspapers. One is too many, and if the city banned the publication of more than one newspaper, this problem could be prevented. Why doesn't it do this?
Aki-chan, excuse me, but I can't help but feel that a person from another country who has nothing to do with me is spouting such opinions. I'm also crazy. This is for the sake of my beloved hometown. I'm running out of space, so I'll stop writing here for today. Goodbye.
"There is no one I can rely on but myself"
November 5, 1964
Aki-chan, your birthday card just arrived. Thank you. I've been busy and there's nothing unusual to write about, so I'm taking my time to reply. You look a lot prettier in the photos. Be careful not to eat too much. Your mother is a good example.
In any country, when women reach their 40s, they start to put on weight. Especially in high society, they eat delicious food to their heart's content, drink alcohol, and smoke cigarettes. They leave the household to others. They don't do anything. All they can do is move their fingers and mouths. This means they can't help but put on weight. To see them get as fat as pigs and walk like ducks is not a good look, even to the naked eye.
Aki-chan, money is the most annoying thing. Family members are at odds with each other and fighting in court. Money is a monster. If you don't hold on to it tightly, it will slip away without you even realizing it. The trendy buying on credit (pay later) is not bad, but if you're not careful, you'll end up buying things you don't need.
Even if you don't have a lot of income, don't go into debt. In other words, live within your means. The accounting wives of this country compete for every cent they can get, running from store to store.
Mom complains that her salary alone is not enough to cover Akiko's expenses, but is that true? I don't know. Now that you've become a woman, you need to get your act together and not just do what other people tell you to do, otherwise you'll end up making a fool of yourself. Always remember that you can only rely on yourself.
Today is November 5th, my birthday. I decided to take a day off work to write a letter. I am perfectly healthy and go to the fields every day. I am currently busy planting fruit trees. People may call me stupid, but people are people. Say what you want. This has been my wish since I was a child. I want to make it come true no matter what.
P.S. Most of the old Issei are dead. Only two or three are left. It seems I will be the last, but I hope to live to be at least 100 years old.
(Titles omitted)
© 2019 Ryusuke Kawai
