Dear Sensei,
Num and I spoke of how we regretted not being able to understand Japanese. We didn’t want to miss a word of your wisdom and stories. I wish I could tell you in Japanese how much I appreciated your efforts on my behalf.
You never failed to urge us to take care of our health and to get rest. Yet, you were working long hours during the day and then coming to TTT at night with barely time to eat between. I worried about you, Oe-san, when you were suffering from a cold and when your voice would break as you chanted for us again and again. You showed unbelievable endurance and inspired us not to get lazy. Tamoi-san, you explained to me how in Noh theatre, one does everything – not just acting. You took care of the costumes, drove the cars, supported your fellow actors, and always had endless energy to give to our training and to answer our questions. After a performance that left you mopping the sweat off your brow, Katayama-san, you always had the time to give us the okay sign and to include us in your triumph.
I miss training with you all more than I can ever express. I loved those moments when I’d hear “Dai sho” or ‘So so so so so so so” or “Better!” However, I realize now that I also miss the tap of your fans on my elbow when it drooped or on my wrist when it curled in. I miss your reminders to “left stop sumi” and “kakeru not nejiru”. I relish the memories of when you shared laughter with me over my mistakes and how thrilled I was when another piece of the puzzle seemed to fall into place. I miss Oe-san’s tips on which muscles to use and which to relax, Tamoi-san’s creative exercises to teach a new concept, and Katayama-san’s use of imagery. I miss the sound of your voices chanting and the sound of the drum rhythms you added to some of our keiko. I miss watching you demonstrate, and I miss shadowing your movement.
I wish there were 3 of me to give to my students. I came to Kyoto wanting to be the student I would like to teach and the actor I would want to direct. I left Kyoto wanting to be the teacher who places a robe of feathers on the shoulders of the next generation and shows them how to fly to the moon as my 3 master teachers did for me.
Arigato gozaimashita
Kate
Num and I spoke of how we regretted not being able to understand Japanese. We didn’t want to miss a word of your wisdom and stories. I wish I could tell you in Japanese how much I appreciated your efforts on my behalf.
You never failed to urge us to take care of our health and to get rest. Yet, you were working long hours during the day and then coming to TTT at night with barely time to eat between. I worried about you, Oe-san, when you were suffering from a cold and when your voice would break as you chanted for us again and again. You showed unbelievable endurance and inspired us not to get lazy. Tamoi-san, you explained to me how in Noh theatre, one does everything – not just acting. You took care of the costumes, drove the cars, supported your fellow actors, and always had endless energy to give to our training and to answer our questions. After a performance that left you mopping the sweat off your brow, Katayama-san, you always had the time to give us the okay sign and to include us in your triumph.
I miss training with you all more than I can ever express. I loved those moments when I’d hear “Dai sho” or ‘So so so so so so so” or “Better!” However, I realize now that I also miss the tap of your fans on my elbow when it drooped or on my wrist when it curled in. I miss your reminders to “left stop sumi” and “kakeru not nejiru”. I relish the memories of when you shared laughter with me over my mistakes and how thrilled I was when another piece of the puzzle seemed to fall into place. I miss Oe-san’s tips on which muscles to use and which to relax, Tamoi-san’s creative exercises to teach a new concept, and Katayama-san’s use of imagery. I miss the sound of your voices chanting and the sound of the drum rhythms you added to some of our keiko. I miss watching you demonstrate, and I miss shadowing your movement.
I wish there were 3 of me to give to my students. I came to Kyoto wanting to be the student I would like to teach and the actor I would want to direct. I left Kyoto wanting to be the teacher who places a robe of feathers on the shoulders of the next generation and shows them how to fly to the moon as my 3 master teachers did for me.
Arigato gozaimashita
Kate
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