We lean forward, and this time I see it—a small green frog. It’s visible for a second and then it disappears under the water.
“The Japanese word for frog, kaeru, sounds like the Japanese word for return home,” Fumiko points out. “So the frog is a symbol for a safe return home.”
Home. The three of us are quiet as we look out over the rice field. I think about the past three weeks. I can’t remember what I expected, but I’ve learned that Japan is a place of old and new, side by side. A place where being part of a group is a good thing. And I’ve learned about myself.
I’m even looking forward to going home now, I realize. I’m looking forward to showing Fumiko around Vancouver when her group comes to Canada next month. Too bad Kenji isn’t coming too.
“Let’s not say good-bye,” Fumiko says as if reading my thoughts. “Let’s say matta ne. It means, See you again.”
Matta ne, I promise silently. As we walk back to the house I realize I may still be a gaijin, but I no longer feel like a total outsider. And, I still have time for one last hot, relaxing, Japanese bath.
While researching Manga Touch, Jaqueline Pearce visited Japan and, like her main character Dana, she explored ancient sites as well as modern Tokyo. During the writing of the book at her home in Vancouver, British Columbia, she continued to immerse herself in Japanese culture, from history and myths to anime, manga and food. Jaqueline is the author of several books for children, including Dog House Blues and The Truth about Rats and Dogs.
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