The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1947-09-19
By HARU MATsUKATA

from Christian Science MonItorl
TOKYo-Hanako's dress dream
came true today, as she climbed in
to our jeep for the first time. Shy
and embarrassed lest some of her
friends see her, and wonder what
she-an elevator girl--was going
in shinchugun (occupation) jeep,
she ducked her head down.. and
waited for 1t to start.
what a fortunate girl you are
today, going for a ride In O jeepp"
her mother had said to her, as she
packed Hanako's. small aluminium
lunch box with some rice and a
few pieces of pickle.
Little Cries of Delight
Driving down the crowded main
street of Gina, Hanako uttered
little cries of delight as pedestri-
ans, hearing the horn, scattered in
quick response.
isn't it wonderful to be riding
comfortably in jeep and speed
ing away" she exclaimed, as we
passed crowed tram with peo-
pie hanging precariously out from
the doors.
She was In q different world
Ia new world which she and sew
eral million Japanese have OBJ
served with wonder and awe,
ever since the first jeeps and
CTS arrived in Tokyo over two
summers ago. Each morning and
evening, Hanako has q hard time
working herself onto one Of
these trans; elbowing through
the crowd isn't easy for her, as
she is rather short and small.
Sometimes she has to wait many
trans before she can get on.
AS Hanako once remarked, We
shall become democratic and polite
when the transportation situation
improves. But today, we have no
be rough and aggressive or we shall
never get to our office"
Cherry Blossom at Ueno
It was a beautiful d a Y, a n d
crowds were flocking to Ueno Park,
in the heart of Tokyo, TO see the
cherry blossoms. Despite dreary
p o s t : war conditions, ohanami
viewing the honorable flowers
was in full swing. Men, women
and children dressed in their best
kimonos were strolling lilly
through the park, taking in the
beauty of the cherry blossoms un-
der the clear blue spring sky.
Although the nice things to eat
-okashi Cakes, anne Candy
and osusM Japanese version of
sandwiches = which accompanied
the usual cherry-viewing season
were missing, the people outward
ly appeared happy and gavin
momentary escape from the un-
pleasant realities of an inflated
economy, high prices and low SAL
aries. The past cold winter, with
little charcoal or firewood, food
and clothing, seemed to have been
forgotten In the galaxy of softly
moving color.
wouldn't You like to get out
and join the strollers in the
park" asked Hanako. But the
quick retort was, ooh, no, want
to stay in the jeep!" The cher
ry blossoms to her were Of little
concern this afternoon.
Hanako is 10 years old, a little
under five feet, but quite attrac-
tive. If things had succeeded as
the militarist planned, she no doubt
would be married to a prosperous
merchant by now. Her father had
been a wel-to-do rice merchant
in Tokyo till 1887, when with the
outbreak Of the China Incident
the rice ration system was put into
force, and reduced him to a mere
employee in the rice ration agen.
cy on a salary basis.
Mompei and Blouse Outfit
But today, dressed in a neat buf
shabby mompei Japanese version
of slacks) and blouse outfit, mad,
from her mothers wardrobe, Ha'
mako Is employed as an elevator
! girl in one of the office building
in Tokyo.
New and pretty clothes for
which she would give almost
anything are beyond the reach of
| her small pay. All the money
she gets at the end of the month
goes into the family pool 10 pro-
vide three scanty meals a day
for her parents and younger
brother at school.
Living in the center of Toky,
she is constantly aware of tw'
worlds-her monotonous, colorless
everyday world, and the colorful
vivacious life of the American ar