I Can't Read, Living Illiterately

Last week I had to take E to the doctor to check for an ear infection. We couldn't go to the local doctor or hospital here on Rokko Island because only a specialist can diagnose an ear infection in Japan. With the names of two specialists, Dr. Tabuchi and Dr. Yamaoka, and some directions to their offices in hand, E, S, and I road on the Rokko Liner monorail across the harbor into the city. Once we arrived in the city, we walked out of the station and began to follow the directions to Dr. Tabuchi's office. We needed directions because in Japan most streets do not have names and building numbers are often out of order. As a result, instead of just giving an address, people often draw a map or give detailed directions using landmarks. Also, if you type in the address, most Japanese cell phones will display a map detailing the route and nearby landmarks.

The three of us walked towards Dr. Tabuchi's office. It was a nice sunny day and the boys, despite being sick, were in good spirits and had some energy. As we were told to do, we followed along the front of the supermarket, crossed the parking lot, and could not see anything that looked like a doctor's office. We wandered a little this way and that looking around. At one corner where I saw people walking, I saw some signs and stores. Because he can read Japanese much better than I can, I asked S if he could see anything that said "Tabuchi". He scanned around and found it! I often have to ask M or S to read for me, just like immigrants to the US have to bring their children along as translators and sign readers when they go to a doctor or the bank.

Dr. Tabuchi's office was filled with about twenty children and their mothers all coughing, wheezing, and sneezing. The waiting room was about 95 degrees and the wait was an hour or two. Most doctor's offices operate on a drop-in, triage system rather than specific time appointments. We decided to look for Dr. Yamaoka's office. If E didn't already have an ear infection, I thought he, S, and I certainly would get ones waiting there for Dr. Tabuchi.

Kobe is bordered by a mountain across the entire north side of the city and the ocean across the entire south side. In Japanese mountain is yama and ocean is umi. The geopraphy makes it easy to keep oriented. All you have to is look up and you'll know N, S, E, and W.

Following our directions and sighting some key landmarks, we headed west a couple of blocks until we arrived just across the street from where Dr. Yamaoka's third floor office was supposed to be located. At the crosswalk, I pointed to the building and asked a man if Dr. Yamaoka's office was there. Again, not being able to read very well is real problem when trying to find places. The man looked at me quizzically, paused, and then smiled as he began to understand. "Ah," he said. "Yama kochiro, umi kochira." Translation: "The mountain is this way. The ocean is that way." The man had confused or misheard my request for Dr. Yamaoka with yama. We thanked him for his kind help and crossed the street.

At the building, I searched the directory for the kanji character for mountain that I know, but couldn't find it amongst all the print. I began to enter the first floor office to inquire, when S called out, "Dad, I found it!" Ssaved the day again. We never would have made it without him.

In the end, E did have an ear infection. Dr. Yamaoka was great. We picked up the antibiotic powder in the pharmacy across the hall from his office. Then we stopped at Mr. Donut for a snack before heading back home on the Rokko Liner.

Miyajima







This fall Ms. Lee came to Japan to visit our family and travel with us in Japan. We were so happy to see her after such a long time. We traveled with Ms. Lee on the Shinkansen to Miyajima. Miyajima is ancient shrine in the far west of Japan near the city of Hiroshima. The shrine is on an island. The entire island is considered sacred ground so the shrine gate (or torii) to enter the island stands in the bay. In ancient times, all who entered Miyajima, had to do so through the torii. At high tide the gate seems to be floating on the water. At low tide, we could see that it was actually set on the ground. The pavilions and walkways of the shrine stand above the tidal waters at high tide. A low tide you can see the grassy floor of the bay beneath them. The sacred deer of Miyajima walk around amongst all of the visitors. At low tide, they walk out and eat the grassy seaweed on the floor of the bay.