Star Festival

They are wearing a mixture of Japanese and western-style clothing very typical of the time. These are dress-up kimonos, probably made
of silk.

Tatsu Go-Ro Yamada, my Suka grandfather, was 24 years old when my mother was born. He inherited the Yamada family shoe store.

Visiting the wharf today reminded me of the great times I had with my Suka grandfather. He lived behind the shoe store in the historic Suka district. Therefore he is known as my “Suka” grandfather. We fished in the Banyu River and caught mostly eel.

I did not get to know my “Suehiro” grandfather (Shigejiro Miyagawa, my father’s father who lived in the Suehiro area of town) because he died when I was only 2-1/2 years old.

site 09 photo 1.1
Tatsu Go-Ro Yamada, my mother’s father, (right), age 21 or 22, with his brother. Tatsu Go-Ro was born in 1904, so this picture was taken around 1925.

site 09 photo 1.2
Tatsu Go-Ro at a hot spring at an inn. The hot water is piped in from the springs.

My Suka grandparents had eight kids. My mother, Mitsuko, was the oldest. Hiroshi was their oldest son. Grandfather handed down the shoe store to him. Grandfather died of cancer in 1988.

Grandmother died a few years later
in 1991.

site 09 photo 2.1
My Suka grandparents in their 70’s. Yamada Tatsu Go-Ro and wife, Hosono Nami (last names first!)

I was the first grandchild of Tatsu Go-Ro. This is a different relationship than I had to the Miyagawa side of the family. To the Miyagawa’s, I was uchimago – “inside grandchild.”

To the Yamada’s I was sotomago – “outside grandchild.” Maybe my Suka relationships had less pressure...more emotional.

I lived with my Suka grandparents when my parents were in the United States. It was really fun because we went fishing and all that.

My mother was very close to her parents. It was customary, however, for a bride to live with her husband’s family and to help with the business, which she did! Three generations under one roof was common.

site 09 photo 2.3
Tatsu Go-Ro walking in the Suka district which is near the wharf.

Grandfather loved to travel after he retired. He was in charge of the Suka district Elder’s Club. They got together and sang karaoke and took many trips.

Grandfather worked and his wife took care of the house in a clear division of labor. In the past, husband and wife – particularly tradesmen (my circle) – shared time and labor more than is usual today.

Since I left, Japan has gone from being defeated in war to being an economic power.

site 09 photo 3.3
Grandfather at Atami Hot Spring Resort, Kanagawa Prefecture...a meeting of the footware wholesalers organization.

Mother says my Suehiro grandparents talked a lot about business because they were both in it together. Ultimately, however, the man made the final decision.