THE MAIN REASON TO VISIT KAGOSHIMA WAS TO VISIT MEMBERS OF KEIKO'S FATHER'S FAMILY.
IT HAD BEEN FORTY YEARS SINCE SEEING FIRST COUSINS, ONE OF WHOM INTERESTED IN FAMILY GENEALOGY.
AT A COFFEE SHOP, THEY WENT OVER FAMILY NAMES AND RELATIONS, BEFORE GOING...
... TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE, BETWEEN 1932 AND 1937, ...
....THEIR GRANDFATHER WAS PRINCIPAL.
HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, KEIKO'S AUNT, IS LIVING IN A NURSING HOME, WHERE SHE SHOWED HER OLD FAMILY PHOTOS.
AT A VISIT TO ANOTHER FIRST COUSIN'D HOME GAVE KEIKO...
... AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MORE FAMILY PHOTOS, AS WELL AS....
... POUR OVER INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE....
.... THEIR GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE HAD BEEN LOCATED.
IN HIS RETIREMENT FROM WORKING AS A CIVIL ENGINEER, HER COUSIN HAS RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY'S FARMING ROOTS.
BESIDES MAINTAINING THE GARDEN'S AROUND HIS HOME, HE ALSO IS A ....
SMALL SCALE RICE FARMER, BUT WITH ALL THE LATEST MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT: HAND AND TRACTOR ROTO-TILLERS, THRESHING COMBINE, AND ...
... RICE SEEDLING PLANTER!
IT TAKES A LARGE REFRIGERATOR TO STORE HIS RICE HARVESTS.
IT WAS THE SEASON TO MAKE A LOCAL SPECIALTY MADE BY STEAMING RICE IN THE PIECES OF "BARK" WHICH BAMBOO ANNUALLY SHEDS. AFTER SOAKING THEM, THEY ARE CUT TO LENGTH AND FOLDED TO MAKE A CONTAINER INTO WHICH ...
... RICE IS PLACED INSIDE THE "POCKET".
REFOLD AND TIE WITH STRIPS MADE FROM THE BAMBOO "BARK".
STACKED AND READY TO GO OUTSIDE AND ....
...INTO SIMMERING WATER.
WHEN DEEMED READY, THE PACKETS ARE REMOVED, QUICKLY RINSED IN COLD WATER, ...
...AND STACKED TO COMPLETELY COOL.
OF COURSE THE PROOF IS IN THE EATING...SO WE ALL GATHERED AROUND TO AWAIT TO TASTE THE RESULTS.
OF COURSE, A VISIT WAS PAID TO THE GRAVE OF KEIKO'S GRANDPARENTS. IT IS LOCATED AMONG A FEW OTHERS, ON A VERDANT HILLSIDE OVERLOOKING THE VALLEY IN WHICH THEIR HOME WAS LOCATED.
A LITTLE MORE GENEOLOGICAL RESEACH AND PHOTOS, AND THEN...
...A COMMEMORATIVE PHOTO.
