Roger Lorah said in one of his e-mails that Yamato had grown to about 50,000 people when he left Japan in '71 and that it now appears to have absorped Sagami Otsuka, the town outside Navy mainside we used to refer to as "Scummy Otsuka".
Keigo Obata
12-Apr-2009 18:21
Ed,
Your postion of "accepting them without too much critical judgement" was supported by the comments I got from the Japanese around Iwakuni in 56 and around Atsugi in 57 and 58. In Iwakuni they invariablly compared Americans to Aussies and Brits. The concensus among those I talked to there was that the Brits were arrogant, the Aussies and Americans were not. Same thing up in Atsugi except no Aussies. I wonder if the Aussies fell in love with that "She Ain't Got No Yo Yo" song as much as we did? Why did we like it, anyway? Nobody I know understood the words . . . .
Ed AMRICK
09-Feb-2009 17:04
I sort of think we liked the "undeveloped " places because we were in the throes of culture shock. Japan, the Far East as the Brits first named it, was a very different culture, a more exotic culture, and we were more or less accepted. Also, we were adventuresome, open to different things, accepting them without too much critical judgement. After all, if the photos were of prosaic USA street scenes, there would be little in the way of fond memories.
Keigo Obata
07-Feb-2009 20:25
In July, 1958, the now classic '57 Chev Bel Aire Hardtop was a year old. Yamato, on the other hand shows on its main drag one vehicle,a small truck, half a doz bicycles, no sidewalks, no street lights . . . yet we've come away with pleasant memories of the place. Anyone have an answer?
Keigo Obata
07-Feb-2009 20:24
In July, 1958, the now classic '57 Chev Bel Aire Hardtop was a year old. Yamato, on the other hand shows on its main drag one vehicle,a small truck, half a doz bicycles, no sidewalks, now street lights . . . yet we've come away with pleasant memories of the place. Anyone have an answer?
