Japanese Reading This Summer - 5

There are lots of episode on Naoe Kanetsugu as this book, "Ten - Chi - Jin" mentions.  If I were asked to select 3, I will select the followings:

1.  Naoe was subject of Uesugi.  Toyotomi, who unified all Japan, master of Uesugi, wanted Naoe to be direct subject of Toyotomi.  Toyotomi told people that Naoe is one of the few who he can relay on to rule Japan that time.  When Toyotomi asked Naoe if Naoe is interested in working for Toyotomi, Naoe told Toyotomi that Uesugi is only master of his and this will never change for his life no matter what happens.

2.  When Uesugi was moved from central Japan to northern Japan, Naoe told all Uesugi subjects that it depends on their own decision if they move with Uesugi or leave.  He assured that subjects leaving will be introduced to some other new masters.  The record indicates that there was no single subject left Uesugi despite the fact that their territories and yeild became less than 1/3 of before.

3.  In order to feed entire country after their move to northern Japan, Naoe recommended Samurai to help farmers and assure their own yield and food.  He had done lots of civil constructions including building bank to stop flooding for better rice yield.  50 years after his time, rice yield of his country got doubled.

He never betrayed his master.  He always gave priority of his people, his master, and other subjects.  Your priority is your master, your clan, your mission.  Your own self is always second.  One of basics of Samurai spirits.  He had never forgot "Gi - Ultimate Righteousness" and "Ai - Love"

It happened to be all his political episodes today.  I will list his military side of talent in next article.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-4-origin.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Japanese Reading This Summer - 4 (Origin of Samurai)

The more I thought about Kanetsugu Naoe and his lord, Kagekatsu Uesugi, I was ought to think the origin of Samurai. It is because what they protected was the spirit of Samurai in its origin. Good books always make readers to think something related.

Image - Kanetsugu Naoe (Public Domain)
This general looks like quiet scholar.

Before the age of Samurai and Shogun as the top leader of Samurai, there were the time for Emperor and Aristocrats in Japan. Although Emperors and Aristocrats were worriers and fighters before that, by 8th century, Emperor and Aristocrats became just for governing the nation and separated themselves from fighting.

Image below (Public Domain)
Armor of Kanetsugu Naoe.
Decoration of his helmet is
a character meaning "Love"




Later 8th century, however, Imperial government had a lot of problems fighting against northern tribe. They formed worrier group who could fight for them. They might have compared to gradiators in ancient Roman. These worriers formed were called "Saburau" -original word for "Samurai"- meaning "service, or wait on" to the Emperor or Imperial government. "Samurai" of this age were servants!

Long time, they were kept in the status of 2nd grade citizen. They were unable to even talk directly with the Emperor even on the strategies of fighting. As they become large in number, they needed a leader. It was early 9th century, first Shogun as the leader of "Saburau" was appointed. Since Japanese government that time, with the intention of keeping their status of being 2nd grade citizen, Samurai family was kept being Samurai for generations after generations.

For the nature of their mission to be professional soldiers, their children were educated and trained for being Samurai. They are taught that loyal to emperor, loyal to elders in their clan, fight until the very end, death rather than surrender, no betrayal, etc ... These basic spirits of "Samurai" deeply relate to Uesugi and Naoe spirit.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Japanese Reading This Summer - 3

There are some authors who do not allow readers to put down their book. The author of this "Ten - Chi - Jin", Masashi Hisaka is one of them. There is almost a rhythm of his sentences. When you dance in a disco with dance musics with beat of your kind, you cannot stop dancing. I would feel in the same way as reading his sentences. It was good thing that I could keep reading rhythmically, but bad news for me is the fact that I could not do anything else but reading his book.

Quite honestly, I did not have good impression on either Kanetsugu Naoe or Kagekatsu Uesugi, since I thought they missed the Shogun position after all, and survived by changing their loyalty to their masters who became Shogun later on. But, this book changed entire impression of Naoe and Uesugi. I almost believe myself that "Love" Naoe advocated is transmitted to my brain through this book.

Masashi Hisaka, the author described Naoe and the people around him in his age as alive as they could be, including their tears, sweat, blood, pain, and effort. Despite the fact that Naoe being very good general and fighter, at the same time excellent governpr loved by his people. Japanese some times say "Bunbu - Ryodo". It means prominent in fighting in war at the same time good at politics and achademic field. Naoe was one of few general who was good at the time of war or peace. But he was not a saint, the author was successful vividly describing his agony, pain, and fear of fighting and surviving the difficult time.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Japanese Reading This Summer - 2

I feel I need to explain a little bit more on the story of this book. The name of the book is "Ten-Chi-Jin", "God - Ground - People" in English. It is based on old Japanese or Asian (mostly Chinese - Japanese) philosophy that people who is successful needs to have all 3 elements of "God's Help, Advantage of Standing Ground, and People's Suport". I know this is from the hero's lord's father, great worrier lord "Kenshin Uesugi" philosophy of trusting "God Help and Standing Ground".

I uploaded cover picture of this book once again here since the cover picture shows Chinese - Japanese Character of "Ten - Chi - Jin".

The hero of this is a story is the #1 General of a Local Lord, who were very close to unify all Japan after chaos in 16th century. This general's name is "Kanetsugu Naoe". He is the one who advocated "Love" in fighting and governing his country. He was an inch close to get his master to be the governor of all Japan and survived his clan for all difficult years.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/japanese-reading-this-summer-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Japanese Reading This Summer - 1

In addition to struggling with my family matter and job offer matter, I went to book shops in Tokyo almost every day, this summer while we were in Japan. Being a Japanese living in the US for more than 10 years now, I some times miss readings in Japanese.

Do you like reading? Don't you have any book in mind for a long time, but have not read, yet? Isn't there any book half finished reading, but stopped. How about this fall to go back to reading of your kind.

In Japan, I planned to buy these books of "Kanetsugu Naoe" the general who had love for his fighting spirit. I introduced him in this blog, too, in several articles.

This general interested me in many ways. #1. He is from same home town where my parent is from. #2. Despite of the above, despite of the fact that I like my parent home town's history, I did not know much about him. #3. I learned that he was the key person who saved his clan to survive.

Starting to read, it was so good reading that I finished all 3 books in about 4 days. Some parts are going to be duplicated with my previous post about this general, I know. But I would like to introduce this reading once again. Because I thought this general is one of the Japanese who should be known to the world.

Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/04/can-money-buy-real-alliance.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/02/general-who-prevailed-love-in-japans.html


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Life is full of tough decision making process -10

After the series of experience in Tokyo, I tried to think again what happened and if I did right things. This time, I was not really consciously apply my method of "Fill the Missing Link" to the situations, it helped me for my decision making process.

In my mother's case, I knew what is missing part in my mother side, and what is missing in my part. So, I could assess and try to find the piece which would best fit both of the missing parts. In this way, I did not have to be emotional or I did not make my mother emotional.

As for the job offer, I think the jigsaw piece given from the company and president looked good. It looked fitting any part I was missing. But, because I knew what I have built and what is actually missing, I finally found that the given piece, no matter how good it looks, is not the one fitting my missing part. If I pushed to try to fit it in, my entire picture will be ruined and what I have built for past 10 years would have collapsed.

Again, I learned that deciding on one consistent proposition and sticking on it gives me great deal of power. I believe I should not shift or change what I am trying to do no matter how the others looks better. If you keep changing my spouse because new one looks attractive, you could not have built any relationship. Instead, if you continue to rub, massage, keep building relationship, believing she (he) will be a diamond for me one day, he or she will. (LOL)


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Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Life is full of tough decision making process -9

Came back home, I was thinking how I should react to the job offer. The offer has not come yet. I could be rejected. Again! But, that time somehow I was almost 100% sure that the job will be offered to me. I thought about my friend I had dine with this time in Japan. It was funny feeling.

I thought about my friends who I had dinner with. They were looking for something which they themselves could do. That is what I have. How can I give up that to get the job offer? In addition, the assignment is in Tokyo. The president said that the position controls their operations all over the world. How can I give up the lives my wife and I established after lots of sleepless nights and efforts?

2-3 days later, the president of the company himself called me. He said he wanted to hire me, but he decided not to. I was relieved to some extent but I was curious what was the reason why he decided not to hire. I asked that question. He said "I believed you were qualified for the position, but I felt you were so much into your own success." I was amazed this kind of person can read my mind into that depth.

I thanked him for his calling and talking with me personally. I also appreciated his evaluation for me and hoped that he would find someone who is perfect for him. I said I wanted to be like him one day. He laughed and mentioned that I did not have to like him, since he was still hired, not doing his own. This was very impressive statement.

In my flight back to San Francisco, I thought what an experience I had in Japan. Thinking about being busy preparing to welcome my mother, I told myself that I made right decisions.

In this way, my hot summer, 2009 in Tokyo ended.

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Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Life is full of tough decision making process -8

The other problem I had in Japan was my job issue. There were someone who wanted to interview for hiring in Tokyo. It was almost 9 years ago when I was actively looking for a job. When I was looking, I could not get anything. When I concentrate something of my own, or my family's own, there were someone who study to hire me. Very interesting.

But under this bad economy situation, I must be grateful for having this kind of offer. The position was international relation, department manager class, and not so bad salary. If I did not have any build business of our own family, I might have jumped into it.

In the morning, I dressed with dark color suit and tie, and went to downtown Tokyo. The interview and the meeting went smooth. I had a feeling that I was liked, and my carrier was good for the position they were hiring. Several days later, the president secretary of the company called my mother. He wanted to personally meet me. He asked me to bring something which I can show him what I accomplished in past. I took a plaque sent by my previous employer's partner, General Electric, for appreciation of contribution to a project. My name is in it.

The appointment was really early in the morning of Sunday. Japanese work in peculiar time still yet. I walked into his office and met the president, VP, VP for HR.

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Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Life is full of tough decision making process -7

In business conversation, I have 3 basic principles to follow. 1st and most important is decide what I hope to accomplish beforehand, in other words, envision the best result prior to the discussion. 2nd is think and analyze what would be the worst result. 3rd is to determine the least acceptable result. All 3 points must be in my brain clear and visual before I start. Additional thing is that I try to take initiative of entire discussion.

But, it is not business talk" It is what I am talking with my own mother for my God sake! I stopped thinking, sat in front of my mother, and told her I will all listen.

My mother when she was her 60's with my father when he was alive.
It could be very much emotional if either I or my mother is not careful, my mother calmly started to talk. She said exactly as I thought she would. She is less confident in her health. She would like someone who can be close to her, living. She wanted me to be back to Japan living close to her.

It is natural desire for a mother to her only son. I told her that I understood. Further, I asked her if she can come live with us in California. (I needed my wife's agreement in offering this to my mother, and I had my wife's full agreement that time. Thank God!)

My mother thanked me for the offer, but she was not fully comfortable for living in a foreign country. This is quite understandable, as well. She is 85 years old after all.

Conversation going on and on including some memory talks about our father, my mother's sisters, my childhood, etc... It was time consuming process. But I was expecting it takes long time.

After 2-3 hours passed midnight, we decided to talk again later. Late next morning, my mother wanted short talk before my wife and I go out. She said "It was almost 10 years ago when I visited US last time. It may be about the time for me to visit and stay a while this time." I asked if she means to try live in California. She said "Yes".



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Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Life is full of tough decision making process -6

I have sounded too good for my trip to China and Japan so far in my past 5 posts. But, I did have some mission to take actions based on my conclusion. #1. was my mother who is 85 years old. #2. was my job.

Many of my friend already know that my mothers health has not been so well this year. For old people, it always starts from some kind of accident. In her case, she fell in riding bicycle late last year. Fortunately, she did not break any bone despite that she had bone problems. But she was getting less confident on daily lives and her activity range was getting less.

I was kind of sensing what my mother is up to, but she is so stubborn lady that she did not mention about it in past. My mother wanted me to be back to live with her. I have long sensed it but just avoided to talk about it with her for relatively long time.

Now that she feels so weak, she wanted to discuss about it with us when my wife was also visiting this year. She knows that my wife and I have gone through thick and thin to establish our living in US. It was not easy for both of us since we both had foreign nationalities.

My mother wanted to talk about it now in the way she hopes, desires, and feels like. It is good thing for all of us after all. But, I was stuck between rock and hard place because of this.

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Life is full of tough decision making process -5
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Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link