Memories of the heart in the streets of Osaka

There is a woman who has decided to work in Japan. She came to Japan on her trip, so my wife and I met her in Osaka and had dinner with her.

It was a short meeting of just two hours. We ate okonomiyaki, took a walk, and then went to a coffee shop. The discussion lasted only two hours, but it was plenty of time for us.

There is a place called Sonezaki in the center of Osaka, and there is a famous shrine here. This place is so famous because it was the setting for a Bunraku play called “Sonezaki Shinju''. This bunraku play is based on a tragic true story that happened during the Edo period. It is a sad story about a young man and woman who fall in love and end up committing suicide. It can be said that it is the Japanese version of “Romeo and Juliet.''

The three of us took a walk around this shrine that evening.

She is still halfway through learning Japanese. However, her determination is strong and she will definitely achieve her goal. And she said she plans to come back to this place in two years.

My wife and I don't have any children. That's why interacting with foreigners like this is a purpose in life for us. I want to help people learning Japanese like her.

I only have about 20 years left, and I wonder how much I can accomplish in those 20 years. After meeting her and her decision to work in Japan, I too became strongly determined to reach my own goal.