Iwate: Lovely New Year’s greeting card
Nengajo is a traditional Japanese New Year’s greeting postcard. The majority of the cards are specially delivered on January 1st by the Japanese postal service. Oh, and there is an unwritten rule that one abstains from sending them when there is a death in the family.
Due to the disaster, perhaps, less nengajo cards are exchanged in the disaster-stricken areas this year. One very heart-warming nengajo was delivered to a lucky man in Takekoma town, Rikuzen Takada city, Iwate prefecture.
Mr. Tsutomu Oikawa (age 70) received about one third of nengajo cards this year, and among them was a special one from his wife, Mrs. Setsu Oikawa (age 67), who lives under the same roof. Setsu’s immediate family and house was spared from the disaster, but she lost 8 relatives to the 3.11 disaster. She wasn’t going to write any nengajo this year, but she decided to send just one to her husband to whom she’s been married for nearly 50 years as a token of appreciation.
She wrote, “Thank you! I’m grateful that you always look after the family. I wish you many years of happy and healthy life.” Mr. Oikawa was pleasantly surprised and said, “I’m glad to know I’m being appreciated, but I’m a little embarrassed. I’ll do my best to keep us happy.”
Setsu said that during the aftermath of the disaster, her husband did a lot for the family, even made fire using the coal when the supply of gas had been stopped, so that he could cook for the family. She added, “We’d like to stay positive to lead a happy and healthy life together.”
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