Issue No. 48 Fall 2003/Winter 2004 SPECIAL REPORT Welcome Back Miss Miyagi! Returning Home after 76 Years by Masashi Takahashi were about to embark on a fascinating heart. Her antique shop contained a large Assistant Director of JLGC journey westward to Larned, Kansas to assortment of merchandise, accumulated meet a special elderly woman with a fasci- over many years, such as pottery, buttons, It was a typical January day in New York nation for dolls, antique dolls to be precise. stamps, lacquer ware and fine linens that City, bright, clear and quite cold. My were purchased at auction. My curiosity Deputy Director, Mieko Sato, and I Her name is Margaret R. Corbet, and she is got the best of me and I asked her; why an owner of the “Friendship did you decide to operate an antique shop? Dolls”. These special dolls She responded: “It is my great pleasure to were exchanged as tokens locate items people are interested in and of friendship between Japan have been searching for. I have been and the United States over acquiring old items according to my taste 70 years ago. while following the trends and relying on inspiration – but my experience living in This was our first Gifu-ken, Japan in 1947 rekindled my experience to visit Kansas, collection of Japanese artifacts.” and I was quite surprised at continued on page 2 how similar the topography was to my home prefecture, TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL REPORT Miyagi-ken. I gazed upon a Miss Miyagi Friendship Doll 1 diverse landscape comprised PREFECTURE TODAY of flatlands, mountain Nara Prefecture 3 ranges, rivers and endless CORE CITY Kitakyushu City 5 fields of livestock. It CLAIR UPDATE reminded me of home, CLAIR Study Program 2003 6 and it struck me as coinci- JLGC UPDATE dental that I would soon be Forum on Emergency Preparedness 8 face to face with a woman Communicating with Origami 10 who lived most of her life in Kansas with scenery Story of Sadako 11 similar to Miyagi. A Visit to Salinas 12 Masthead: The sakura, or cherry blossom, is Japan’s cherished national flower. Special hanami parties and Ms. Corbet greeted us with excursions are held during blossom time each year. Miss Miyagi Friendship Doll a wide smile and a warm Copyright 2004 Published by Japan Local Government Center The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Tokyo SPECIAL REPORT Welcome Back Miss Miyagi! Returning Home after 76 Years continued from page 1 Boldly she wrote to Shiro Asano, at the Sendai Historical Museum in the Governor of Miyagi Prefecture to inform capital city of Sendai. The doll visited She related the following story. At an auc- him of her visit. With the assistance of Ms. the Miyagi Prefecture Government offices tion in 1982, Ms. Corbet saw a Miss Miyagi Toshiko Saito and Ms. Tomoko Shizukuishi, and several elementary schools. It was a friendship doll. There was no background organizers of the “Blue-eyed Doll Study wonderful opportunity to share the story history on the doll but she was determined Group” her letter was accepted and they of the Friendship Dolls, further mutual to obtain one and visited a local library prepared to host her visit. understanding and promote international- to research the dolls’ identity. ization at the grass roots level. She discovered that they were Ms. Corbet continues to “Friendship Dolls” which were actively promote the story of given as gifts to American children the Friendship Dolls, teaching to thank them for their thoughtful- American children about Miss ness and message of peace. Miyagi. In 2000, she sent two Previously, American children in a new Blue-eyed Dolls to Monou spirit of friendship raised money to and Uwamura elementary schools buy dolls, later to be called “Blue- in Miyagi. “I enjoy showing eyed Dolls” and sent them to Japan Miss Miyagi to American school where they were enthusiastically children and I enjoy showing my received. dolls to Japanese children.” The author, Masashi Takahashi (right), presents an Honorary Associate Ms. Corbet was determined to Award from Miyagi Prefecture to Ms. Margaret R. Corbet (center) and As an acknowledgement of return to Japan and visit Miyagi- her daughter, Dody Corbet (left) with Miss Miyagi. her outstanding contribution toward ken with a Miss Miyagi doll. She felt In May 2003, Ms. Corbet, her daughter bridging cultures and furthering international- it would be a chance for Miss Miyagi Dody Corbet and Miss Miyagi embarked ization between Miyagi and the United States, to return home after 76 years and help on their trip to Miyagi-ken, Japan to fulfill Governor Asano decided to bestow her with bridge cultural relations between Japan a dream. In Miyagi-ken, Miss Miyagi was an Honorary Associate Award. As the repre- and the United States. displayed during the week of May 21-25 sentative from Miyagi in the United States, WHAT ARE THE FRIENDSHIP DOLLS? The Friendship Dolls were not merely Friendship Dolls, named as “Blue-eyed II, Japan’s army ordered that American presents but kinds of messenger of peace Dolls” by Japanese children, were wel- dolls be destroyed but it’s been said that from American children. Dr. Sidney comed in Japan with great parades and many Japanese people hid dolls in their Gulick was the main person who believed parties. Lots of Japanese people thought homes and fields. American and Japanese children could writing thank-you letters would not be learn to understand one another by giving enough to reciprocate the American ges- After World War II, more than 300 “Blue- the Friendship Dolls. The American chil- ture so 58 Japanese dolls were sent to eyed Dolls” have been found all across the dren donated their own money and raised United States as gifts in return which Japan and eight of them have been pre- funds to buy a total of 12,739 dolls. The include Miss Miyagi. During World War served in Miyagi Prefecture. JLGC Newsletter 2 Issue 48 Fall 2003/Winter 2004 I was given the opportunity to meet her and Reference; present the award. It was a memorable event and an experience I shall never forget. American Girl, March/April 1997, pages 28-31. Look Japan, July 1995, pages 30-33. She graciously accepted the Award and remarked: “While living in Japan in 1947, I Friendship Dolls Their “mission of friendship” continues nurtured a growing interest in Japanese culture. http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/dolls/index.htm I am very glad to receive this special award from Governor Asano and I shall make Report of the Miyagi Blue-eyed Doll Study Group. every effort to continue to help promote Ms. Corbet’s antique shop, “Antiques And internationalization between us forever.” Artifacts” in Kansas. PREFECTURE TODAY Nara Prefecture Nara prefecture is situated at the and Horyuji Temple at the center of this the birthplace of many religious faiths that heart of the Kii Peninsula on the main area is famous as the oldest wooden build- are still practiced today. This region can island of Honshu and three-fourths of the ing in the world. Another World Cultural be called “Scared Sites and Pilgrimage prefecture is actually mountains. It is an Heritage Site in Nara is “Historic Assets Routes in Kii Mountain Range” and is inland prefecture without coastline, sur- of Ancient Nara” continued on page 4 rounded by Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto which includes Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture and Todaiji Temple Mie Prefecture. One of the most famous and Heijyokyo ancient cities in the world, Nara used to Palace Site, and be an eastern terminal point of Silk Road was registered about 1,300 years ago. As the first capital by UNESCO in of Japan, Nara flourished with cultural 1998. This his- interchanges between Japan and the toric area has Orient. Nara also has a deep connection been restored with the Emperor’s family. and preserved to what it used Nara is home to numerous historic to be about and cultural sites. Two of Japan’s eleven 1,300 years ago. World Cultural Heritage Sites are located In addition, the in Nara. One is “Buddhist Structures in mountainous the Horyuji Temple” area and was regis- southern part of tered by UNESCO in 1993. The buildings Nara Prefecture in the area were built around 700 A.D., is recognized as Todaiji Temple silhouetted against a full moon. JLGC Newsletter 3 Issue 48 Fall 2003/Winter 2004 PREFECTURE TODAY Nara Prefecture continued from page 3 prefecture, the steep geographical waterfalls, valleys and ravines. There are features of the mountains and the also many hidden hot springs where expected to be registered as another World great volume of water from being it was said that historical celebrities Cultural Heritage visited. Nara also Site of Japan in has a sanctuary 2004. Besides these for wild birds areas, there are many and one of the other historic and few habitats for cultural sites to visit plants and animals in Nara. indigenous to Japan including Nara is also rich nihonkamoshika in nature. In the (Japanese serow), north, seasonal wild deer, and changes are often tukinowaguma complemented with (Japanese bear). historical cultural events, highlighting Due to the the magnificent abundant natural natural beauty of the resources, agriculture area. In March, the and forestry are ume (Japanese plum) popular industries trees bloom in in Nara Prefecture. Tsukigase in the Nara is also northern part of Nara famous for and is the centerpiece Yamato Tea, to a celebration for Japanese persimmon, the ending of winter. ayu (sweetfish), The blooming sakura and Japanese (cherry blossoms) cedars. and accompanying festivals in April For further in Yoshino region information, in the middle of Nara please see the is a sign of spring’s Nara Prefecture arrival.