My connection with Canada began exactly half a century ago. The catalyst was my maternal aunt’s international marriage. I was a fourth-grader at the time when my aunt, Sachi, returned to our hometown of Mikasa with her husband, my "Uncle Jim." With his striking blue eyes, Jim was every bit the diplomatic gentleman—a man whose gentle smile never faded, even when offering a warm gaze to a shy Japanese boy raised in the countryside.
In the years that followed, my bond with Canada deepened through visits with relatives, growing up alongside my three cousins, a homestay in Edmonton, and eventually, a period of study abroad. In 1992, while studying at the University of Alberta, I attended my cousin Kumi’s wedding in Ottawa. This expanded our family circle even further. Since returning to Japan, we have maintained a steady bridge across the Pacific, exchanging annual greeting cards, family photos, and gifts for weddings and births.
Then, at the end of the year before last, we received a joyous piece of news:
[EXTRA!] Kumi’s eldest son and his wife to visit Japan for the first time on their honeymoon!
The newlyweds, Joshua and Alexandra, arrived in Tokyo last February. After a week of sightseeing in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, they finally touched down in Hokkaido. On a weekend evening, as they took a breath from their tour of Sapporo, more than twenty members of our rather eccentric extended family gathered at a hotel to welcome our relatives who had traveled so far to see us.
The evening was filled with personal touches. My nephew, a systems engineer, produced and screened a tribute video tracing the couple’s journey from childhood to their wedding day. Akiko Monden, a professional manga artist in the family, presented them with a signed, hand-drawn portrait and a copy of her own comic books.
The excitement reached a fever pitch with a professional table magic performance by "Magician OGA," leaving the entire room in awe. Every family member seemed to bring their own unique talent or "secret weapon" to the family reunion, making the welcome party an incredibly vibrant affair.
My aunt, Sachi McDonough, who had long served as the bridge between Canada and Japan, passed away in April of last year at the age of 78—almost as if she had waited to ensure the new generation’s visit to Japan was a success.
During her life, Sachi was a pillar of the Japanese community in Ottawa. As a volunteer leader of the "Nadeshiko-no-Kai," she was deeply involved in organizing Japanese cultural exhibitions for the annual Canadian Tulip Festival and famously donated a thousand origami cranes to pray for the safe return of Canadian troops stationed in the Middle East. Her tireless dedication to fostering friendship between our two nations, both in public and private life, was formally recognized in 2007 when she received the Ambassador’s Award (Commendation) from the Embassy of Japan in Canada.
Sachi’s intelligence, many talents, and beloved personality have clearly been passed down to her children and grandchildren. Joshua and Alexandra, with their bright smiles and boundless curiosity, even mastered the art of folding origami cranes right before our eyes, showing their own budding affinity for Japan.
I like to think that Sachi is looking down on us from above, smiling as she watches this legacy of Japan-Canada friendship being carried forward by the next generation. As a lifelong fan of Canada myself, I hope with all my heart that this circle of friendship will continue to expand for generations to come.
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