Rest in Peace

Sept. 4, 2011

The funeral was held peacefully at Shogenji Temple of Onagawa at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011.
Thank you so much to all as many people from far and near came to attend my parents’ funeral.  I truly appreciate it.  I know my parents are very pleased to see all of you at the service.

It was different from an ordinary funeral as there were no bodies and the passing of about six months since the loss.  It was strange in a way.  Most of the attendees came to my photo exhibition past week, so we did not have to exchange the formal greetings.  For that sake, the funeral had rather peaceful atmosphere instead of sadness.  I felt this at my photo exhibition.  I was so glad that I was able to see the people who took care of me and my sister when we were children.  I realize that the human beings live, being supported and loved by so many people throughout the lives.  Because of these people’s help, my parents were able to conduct business, make a decent living and to raise us.  We are indebted to them and I truly appreciate them for their support.  Thank you so much.  Also I would like to apologize for any inconvenience that we may have caused at the funeral.

The picture that we used for the funeral was the one that my parents used for the 2011 new year’s card.  I took their photo with the instruction of my father for posing and lighting.  A photo in which both of them sit close to each other used to be displayed in their bedroom and this was taken in the same year when they got married and my mother was pregnant with my sister.  My father requested me to take a picture of them sitting close to each other and he wanted to use it for the 2011 new year’s card.  He told me that he wanted the picture similar to the one taken when they were newlywed.  He didn’t say something like this usually, so first I thought it’s strange.  When I think of this now, I realize that it might have been his intention of staying close together until the death.  My mother was embarrassed with this, but I took this picture in the way that this would overlap with the picture of 39 years ago.  That was my intention.  As for posing, I made them pose in a way that my mother’s face would look smaller and my father who had a small stature would look bigger in the picture.  As I took several pictures, I was able to capture an elegant smile of my mother who aged gracefully to 66 years old.  Although my mother used to say about her that she was smiling too much or she became an old woman since the stroke, the picture depicted a graceful 66-year-old lady, I think.。

I talked with my sister about the Buddhist altar for my parents and ancestors, and we have decided to keep the altar in her house.  I have decided to succeed the photography.  Please continue good relations with us privately and professionally into the future.  Lastly, I thank my sister from the bottom of my heart for taking care of this time-consuming preparation for the funeral and other tedious things.  Good job and thank you so much!