When I arrived in Niigata and stood
in front of Niigata Station, I was surprised
that I felt as if I were in a burning desert.
Everybody I saw that day said to me, "It had been
very cool until yesterday. You've returned on the
hottest day this summer."
It had been very hot while I stayed in Niigata.
Two of my friends and I went out to meet Mr. K's wife.
Mr. K. died so suddenly when I was traveling in Australia.
We prayed for him and his wife.
Next day, four good old friends came to see me at my home.
We enjoyed talking and eating. We had a good time.
On August 5, I visited my husband's grave by taxi with
a lot of white toruko-gikyo flowers.
He has been dead for 33 years. But he has always been with me,
in my memory, and so I can exist happily.
I'm sure he is waiting for me to come to him.
On August 6, before going to my native place I met my dear
childhood friend near Nagaoka Station. It was so good to be
with her. We had a good time indeed. By the way I went to
Nagaoka in a local train--not shinkansen.
Traveling by local train made me feel happy.
After saying good bye to her, I got a bus to Tochio, my native
place. It took about 50 minutes and I enjoyed the scenery
on the way. I stayed the night in Tochio.
Early in the next morning I went to my parents' grave
in the deep mountains by taxi.
The greater part of the area was greatly damaged three years ago
by the Chuetsu Earthquake. Some graves were still left broken,
and others were gone.