"Michael Cash" <mikecash@sunfield.ne.jp> wrote in message
news:20asrvoe5cokat3pbc8er7oeitve3ctogg@4ax.com...
> Ed has done nothing more than say what I've been restraining myself
> from saying for quite some time.
>
> I was thinking today that the shortest book one could possibly write
> would be "The Japanese: A Compendium Of Their Altruistic Acts"

The Okinawans surely do value random acts of kindness. In fact, there is a
"shimashoune"# campaign going on right now, urging people to do just that.

http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/col/20031027e.html

In the commercials, you see things like some lost middle-aged woman, and a
couple joshikousei tell her "annai shimashoune." Of course, you could be
cynical and say it's just to promote the tourism industry by making people
enjoy their stay, but that kind of kindness is actually commonplace here.
Driving is a good example -- here, people actually go out of their way to
let you into their lane, and you almost never see that "warikomi" action of
things like a car pulling in front of the right-turn lineup, backing up all
the cars behind him as he worms his way into the front of the lineup, which
is several lights long (I mention this because I saw it every day in Japan,
multiple times).

#In Okinawa, "shimashoune" is just a softer way of saying "shiyou." For
instance, when paying your bill at the restaurant the cashier might say
"kochira de onegai shimashoune," or your barber might suggest, "koko, mou
sukoshi kirimashoune."

To be perfectly honest, my main motivation for moving to Okinawa was not the
people. I came here for the weather, the ocean, the skies, the air, and a
quieter pace of life. But there is something about the Okinawan people that
is very endearing. Maybe you could call that quality kindness, or at least
part of it.

Books have been written about how and why Okinawans are so kind, even to
complete strangers, but the net effect is the same.

One thing that really strikes me is how the children are so kind, especially
to children younger than themselves. It's really amazing to me that the kids
could be so well behaved, because they are so spoiled. Behavior is tolerated
of them that would probably get them a red-faced screaming in Japan or the
US, but somehow they all seem to turn out kind, well behaved, and respectful
of adults.

I might have written here about when I first moved to Okinawa, I was walking
my dog, and stopped to let some young children pet it, and they said
"arigatou gozaimashita" after. I was very suprised by that, and upon
reflection, I decided it was because in my years of living on the mainland,
no child had ever said "thank you" to me unless their parents had told them
to first.

Since then I've seen it many times. Children on the street look adults right
in the eye and say "konnichiwa," people hold open doors for old ladies. The
other day, some strong wind must have blown one of our futons of the
balcony. One of our neighbors (we don't know which) must have picked it up,
cleaned it off, and walked around the house (about 100 meters, because of
the fence) and hung it up under our house.

-- 
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom