Hello this is Chiaki Tanaka
Following article is the last edition of our newsletter by Mrs. Ikuko Kelly as an our staff. She is absence because she must prepare for baby birth.
Please read her last newsletter:
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Dear Customers & Friends
Hello everyone! This is Ikuko sending a Shukado news letter No.21.
In this week, Shukado published our NEW catalog "SHUKADO vol.16"
If you want to receive our catalog please click here!
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NEW CATALOG: http://www.japanese-finearts.com/item/list2/100000012/
We are waiting for your requests and orders!
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The Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and the issue on stained rice is the
popular news here in Japan. Unfortunately, there are so many bad
news in this world, so today, I'm going to deliver you a heartwarming
story about Ukiyo-e.
In 1960's, about 40 years ago, Japan's economy was just in the
beginning of the high-growth period, and one dollar was equivalent
to 360 yen. Today, one dollar corresponds to about 105 yen, so it
the currency has tripped! It was so difficult to go abroad at that
time.
At that time in Kyoto there was a one young student who dreamed to
study abroad in a western country. She worked at SUKIYAKI resturant
where a lot of foreign tourists visited, and she tried to speak
English with them. She enjoyed the exotic air they'd brought with
them. Thus, her dream of going abroad was becoming bigger and bigger.
One day, she happened to be able to get a scholarship to study in
America. Finally, her DREAMS CAME TRUE!!
This news spread rapidly in her neighborhood. Today, most of
Japanese can easily go abroad, and there are a lot of Japanese
people who traveled abroad. But at the time, only a few people went
aboroad. So her neighbors' reaction was definitely normal. Finally,
the rumor spread out of her neighborhood.
One day, a gentleman whom she didn't know visited her holding a
piece of Ukiyo-e in his hand, and said. "I heard you are leaving
for the States alone. Here is "Ukiyo-e", but this is worth money in
which you can use in any country. If you have a financial trouble in
the States, I am sure you can sell it and earn money to help you."
She was so surprised and very glad. Her concerns were gone, and she
was so encouraged. Thus, she carefully put the Ukiyo-e in her
luggage and left for the AMERICAN DREAM!!
About 40 years past since then. In such busy days, she had
completely forgot about the Ukiyo-e offered by the gentleman, but
one day in a few years ago, her eyes caught a poster on the
street in Kyoto. The poster announced an exhibition to be held by
an Ukiyo-e collector living in Kyoto. As soon as she saw the name,
it reminded her of the incident that happened to her 40 years ago.
"He is the gentleman who gave me the Ukiyo-e before I left for the
States!" Without her knowing, the man had become a successful
collector who could hold such exhibition.
She wanted to see him again, but unfortunately she couldn't.
Because he arledy getting over 90 years old. She was un certatin
if she could remrmber where she saw the ukiyo-e last time.
Actually, this girl is my mother. She got married in the States,
came back to Japan and raised three children. Also she worked as an
interpreter and English teacher. She told me the story just a few
days ago. We suppose my father might have sold the missing ukiyo-e
in the USA where he began his life with my mother.
My parents used to say living in the U.S.A had been financially so
hard for Japanese young couples in 1960s. They didn't have much
money to buy a car, so they used a shopping cart to bring groceries
back home.
Nevertheless, they said America before the Vietnam War was so bright
and powerful. They often said it's like a dream country when I was a child.
I worked at Shukado gallary, so I see ukiyo-e everyday, therefore,
Ukiyo-e has become a part of my daily life. However yet, sometimes
it reminds me of my mother's story in which it might encourage
people and even help their life.
Today, we have other ukiyo-e up on our site.
**New Arrivals:
http://www.japanese-finearts.com/item/search.php?md=0929
How about giving an Ukiyo-e to someone who is leaving your country
as a memory. Even now, Ukiyo-e is a kind of global currency. But
First of all, we would be so happy if you could find your favorite
item in our wide range of collections.
Thank you for taking your valuable time to read our news letter No.21
until the end.
I must say thank you to everyone who read our newsletter. I will take
maternity leave from October and I will come back maybe next spring.
And finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say big thank
my wonderful and lovely co-workers from bottom of my heart who have
always helped me at Shukado.
*Shukado staffs:
http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=shukado
It's been real FUN flying with my co-workers.
Your continued support to Shukado will be greatly appreciated.
See you everyone!
Ikuko Kuwata-Kelly
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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