Japan, Japanese.

 Mon 15th Feb 2021

Last week I caught Mayumi Itsuwa, the 70-yr old Japanese songstress, on the media because of the hauntingly lovely song "Ribaibaru" that I also caught Jamilah Abu Bakar singing at a wedding function.

I remember that very old Japanese song I used to repeat the title of, and humming the rest of the tune "Shina No Yoru" ("Chinese Night"). I located on youtube the late Misora Hibari singing it in her own operatic style, though there are many more "pop" versions around.

There was a photo of dad with his other Malay-teacher friends taken in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation '41-'43. Everyone was in uniform, with Japanese peak caps. The photo is lost now, but I remember seeing the same copy in Cikgu Derus' or Cikgu Taib's house. They all went together. There's a War time Japanese tune dad remembered. He used to sing a little bit of it when I was small. P.Ramlee also sang a bit of it in one of his Shaw Bros films.

In 1954 I saw the famous Japanese film, "Rashomon", directed by the great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa, at the S.I.T.C. Tg. Malim, where every Saturday night was a film show night at the "dewan makan Kolej".  Being 9 then, and watching a Japanese language movie, it didn't register much at that time. But I caught a gist of it - the rape seen from 3 points of view. Later of course I learned what a great piece of work "Rashomon" was.  In 1957 I saw "Sayonara, Japanese Goodbye" starring Marlon Brando. I saw it in the cinema in KP I think. There was a song with that title in the movie.

The first car I tested was a Toyota. It was 1968. I was posted to Alor Gajah, and the Chinese salesman came all the way from Melaka town. I also saw the first "Honda" car in Alor Gajah, mini sized with the gear shift on the dash-board, a first for me. I bought a brand-new Austin Mini, instead (RM 5,300 !) - NC 8157. Of course in 1965 I bought a "Honda" motorcycle when at university (BN 3950). It  was a black  90 cc motor that stayed a total of 10 years at the University of Malaya - 3 for me, 1 for Padir, and 6 for  Din Pendek, both younger brothers. When more securely employed much later, I simultaneously bought a "Honda CBR 600 " 600 cc superbike (BDP 600), and a "Kawasaki Vulcan" 750 cc cruiser (WCR 6600), in 1991, but sold both off in 1996 when I became Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri, Kawasan Senaling, N.S.,  1995 - 1999. 

Dad bought his first and only car, a "Mazda 1.0" before he retired, and kept it after. Ajit took over when dad was gone. Now the Mazda is gone. Dad spoke some Japanese after that stint in Singapore. He knew a bit of "kan ji", the Japanese script. So much so, once he told us the Japanese letters next to the Toyota sign at that time were pronounced "chi-karo". The 2 upsweeps on the letters made Padir and me say, maybe it should be pronounced "chi-garu" ! Dad didn't laugh.

When I got my golf handicap I bought a set of brand-new clubs, "Honma" made in Japan - pro-blade & steel-shaft and all, from Barie Bluah, at that time the golf-pro at S.I.G.C. For you golf-beginners reading this, as the name suggests, only a low-handicap player uses  pro-blade clubs. Beginners are asked to stick to  those easier-to-hit cavity backs.  Today, only golf equipment (and balls) made in Japan and USA are considered reliable.  

No.3 Son was selected to do Mechanical Engineering in Japan after doing well at MRSM Jasin. But he had to pass his Japanese Language at the University of Malaya first. Apparently he missed all classes and flopped the exam. (But when I asked him  what "opai ga ipai" means,  he knew, he he !) Fortunately one of the lecturers suggested he (together with the lecturer's son) switch to accountancy. He made it. And after the 3-year accounting experience requirement, he got his  ACCA, thank God.

The family made a couple of overnight stopovers at Narita Airport when travelling to USA, once to visit No. 1 Son in Hawaii, and the second time for holidays in Orlando.

These last few days I've ben looking up Japanese songs on youtube. You remember the famous song "Sukiyaki" and the singer Kyu Sakamoto back in the 70's.  Referring to the song "Ribaibaru", Mayumi Itsuwa later made world famous the sad song "Kokoro No Tomo". I think this was recorded in the US in the 80's. I suggest you listen to the other songs  by Mayumi - "Home Again","Dakishimete", "Amayadori", and "Atsui Sayonara". There are other singers, but I suggest Mayumi, because of her voice. Some are her own compositions, but all the compositions themselves are hauntingly good. I listened with the lights lowered in the quiet of my computer room. It's something, I tell you.

All this Japan, and all this Japanese stuff. 

Mata ai masho ! (Till we meet again lah !)

.............................................................................