Satoko Someya: Thoughts of Aomori
By Heidi M. Pascual
Wearing a beautiful silk peach kimono, Satoko Someya plucked her Koto with confidence, sharing her
relaxing, Japanese folk music. It was at the Madison-Obihiro Sister Cities (MOSC) gathering recently at
Edgewater Hotel; but she was performing for a cause — to help MOSC raise money for programs that strengthen
the relationship of the cities of Madison and Obihiro in Japan.
It wasn’t the first time Satoko has participated in a large Madison event and in the process, highlighting a
cultural gem from Japan. She was the only musical performer at the Overture lobby when the famous Madison
Opera “Madama Butterfly” opened in November last year. Nowadays, Satoko has been performing in concerts
with the Chicago Koto Group. Satoko Someya has found the language she is most comfortable with to
communicate with others in America — the Japanese Koto music.
“I have been frustrated with my English,” Someya, the soft-spoken, young mother of three who moved to
Madison from Aomori, Japan in 2005, said apologetically in an interview with Asian Wisconzine. Her eldest
daughter, 10-year-old Shino, was beside her as we conversed in the dining room of their University Housing
apartment, acting as interpreter or translator, as the need might be. “My English isn’t smooth.” I assured her that
was all right, for we all have our own frustrations, and hers is just a tiny bit in the overall picture of today’s
America. Someya is doing something about it, though. She is enrolled in MATC’s English as a Second Language
(ESL) class. She also credits her children — Shino (10), Shizu (8), and Kazushi (5) — for “bringing English home”
every day, since all of them speak the language fluently.
Note that all three kids have a “Shi” in their names. Someya said that it means “big dream” or “ambition.” The
additional words in their names actually mean something (except that of the oldest). “’Zu’ in ‘Kazushi’ (the
youngest and a boy) means ‘first’; ‘zu’ in ‘Shizu’ (the middle daughter) means “hometown.”
Someya came to Madison with her family when her husband, Shinichi, accepted a job as a researcher in
genetics at UW-Madison. “My husband studied in California,” she explained, “and his former roommate there
became a professor at UW. He invited him here.” Someya is a stay-at-home mom , taking care of her family and
children. However, she makes time for her MATC classes, plays Koto during her spare time, attends some
community events, and goes to Chicago once in a while to rehearse and perform concerts with a Chicago Koto
group.
“I like Madison,” she said. “It is a small city just like Aomori (my hometown), and the people I meet here are
kind and nice. We also have long winter in Aomori, November to March; and we usually have more than one
meter of snow, but it isn’t as cold as Wisconsin.” There were probably other comparisons, but they were left
unsaid. Instead, Someya highlighted some of the things that she misses about Aomori, and she definitely gave me
an earful.
About Aomori
Aomori, the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, is a seaport that faces Tsugaru Strait via Mutsu Bay on the
Wearing a beautiful silk peach kimono, Satoko Someya plucked her Koto with confidence, sharing her
relaxing, Japanese folk music. It was at the Madison-Obihiro Sister Cities (MOSC) gathering recently at
Edgewater Hotel; but she was performing for a cause — to help MOSC raise money for programs that strengthen
the relationship of the cities of Madison and Obihiro in Japan.
It wasn’t the first time Satoko has participated in a large Madison event and in the process, highlighting a
cultural gem from Japan. She was the only musical performer at the Overture lobby when the famous Madison
Opera “Madama Butterfly” opened in November last year. Nowadays, Satoko has been performing in concerts
with the Chicago Koto Group. Satoko Someya has found the language she is most comfortable with to
communicate with others in America — the Japanese Koto music.
“I have been frustrated with my English,” Someya, the soft-spoken, young mother of three who moved to
Madison from Aomori, Japan in 2005, said apologetically in an interview with Asian Wisconzine. Her eldest
daughter, 10-year-old Shino, was beside her as we conversed in the dining room of their University Housing
apartment, acting as interpreter or translator, as the need might be. “My English isn’t smooth.” I assured her that
was all right, for we all have our own frustrations, and hers is just a tiny bit in the overall picture of today’s
America. Someya is doing something about it, though. She is enrolled in MATC’s English as a Second Language
(ESL) class. She also credits her children — Shino (10), Shizu (8), and Kazushi (5) — for “bringing English home”
every day, since all of them speak the language fluently.
Note that all three kids have a “Shi” in their names. Someya said that it means “big dream” or “ambition.” The
additional words in their names actually mean something (except that of the oldest). “’Zu’ in ‘Kazushi’ (the
youngest and a boy) means ‘first’; ‘zu’ in ‘Shizu’ (the middle daughter) means “hometown.”
Someya came to Madison with her family when her husband, Shinichi, accepted a job as a researcher in
genetics at UW-Madison. “My husband studied in California,” she explained, “and his former roommate there
became a professor at UW. He invited him here.” Someya is a stay-at-home mom , taking care of her family and
children. However, she makes time for her MATC classes, plays Koto during her spare time, attends some
community events, and goes to Chicago once in a while to rehearse and perform concerts with a Chicago Koto
group.
“I like Madison,” she said. “It is a small city just like Aomori (my hometown), and the people I meet here are
kind and nice. We also have long winter in Aomori, November to March; and we usually have more than one
meter of snow, but it isn’t as cold as Wisconsin.” There were probably other comparisons, but they were left
unsaid. Instead, Someya highlighted some of the things that she misses about Aomori, and she definitely gave me
an earful.
About Aomori
Aomori, the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, is a seaport that faces Tsugaru Strait via Mutsu Bay on the
Satoko with daughter Shino
Satoko plays with her Koto to "relax"
north and the Hakkoda Mountains on the south. “I miss seafood,” Someya blurted. “Aomori is rich in scallops and
squids, so we eat sashimi with squid at breakfast! Now I can’t do that here. Aomori is in between an ocean and a
mountain. I also miss the mountain. Aomori is also famous for its apple. Our apple is delicious!”
“Tsugaru ben” is the spoken dialect in Aomori, and Someya admits how difficult it is when one cannot speak it
with others. “I miss speaking that, too,” she said, recalling how strong a dialect it was that her grandmother’s
generation spoke. “Today, younger generations speak ‘standard’ Japanese, and my grandmother didn’t even
understand it.”
An Aomori home is called “ie” and its living room is usually filled with an aroma coming exclusively from the
straws from which the “tatami” floormat is made. “We place the tatami mattress on the floor and put cushions on
them,” Someya eagerly taught me. “And we don’t use chairs with the tatami mattress. We just sit on them on the
floor.” The price of modernity, however, included the placement of sofas in Aomori living rooms, she added.
Because of long winter months, Aomori folks have been creative about placing their heating equipment in a
multipurpose way. “We use kotatsu table in the living room,” Someya said, obviously very proud of it. “It is
covered with a futon, and under the table is a heater. So during winter, it’s very comfortable. We can eat on top of
the table. It’s very popular in Japan.”
“I also miss the onsen, our hot springs,” she added, as well as the Japanese bathtub, in reference to
relaxation and comfort. “We have onsen all over Japan. There are separate pools for boys, girls, women, and
men.” Shino added that people have to remove their clothes and wash their body first before going into the hot
springs. “The Japanese love big bathtubs and they’re very deep,” Someya said. “We can sit down and the water
is up to our shoulders. It’s very comfortable. Here we can’t do that because the bathtubs are very shallow.”
One of the largest festivals in the Tohuku Region and decreed an important part of Japanese folk culture is
Nebuta. Someya said that the Aomori Nebuta Festival is something that she truly misses a lot. “In my hometown,
we have Nebuta, a big summer festival – with a big lantern carried by people,” she talked about it while showing
me a large photo of a past Aomori Nebuta Festival. “During this festival, we have a big bamboo lantern covered
with colored paper with light inside, and it’s carried by people, and people dance in the parade with this Nebuta.
This lantern has a historical story, like samurai battles. We have lots of drums and flutes, and people dance and
jump with their sound.” The festival is week-long, but this parade is the climax of the festival.
The Aomori Nebuta festival is held August 2 -7 every year. “Nebuta” is the float commemorating a brave
warrior figure, and is carried through the center of the city, while people in colorful costume called haneto, dance
throughout the parade. -Wikipedia
Other important celebrations in Aomori that Someya mentioned were the Boys’ Day on May 5 and the Girls’
Festival on March 3. She showed me a photo of a home decorated with samurai headdresses and boys enjoying
the moment as samurai heroes.
Another big festival that Aomori celebrates with the rest of Japan and some parts of the United States
(particularly Washington, D.C.) is the Cherry Blossom Festival. The Hanami (meaning “flower viewing”) is held
every Spring. “We hold community parties in parks, with lots of food, drinking, and singing of folk songs,”
Someya recalled, with words heavy with longing. “Sakura (cherry tree) blooms only for one week; it’s very short,
so we are very careful about planning the Hanami. We watch the TV for the Cherry Blossom Forecast.”
squids, so we eat sashimi with squid at breakfast! Now I can’t do that here. Aomori is in between an ocean and a
mountain. I also miss the mountain. Aomori is also famous for its apple. Our apple is delicious!”
“Tsugaru ben” is the spoken dialect in Aomori, and Someya admits how difficult it is when one cannot speak it
with others. “I miss speaking that, too,” she said, recalling how strong a dialect it was that her grandmother’s
generation spoke. “Today, younger generations speak ‘standard’ Japanese, and my grandmother didn’t even
understand it.”
An Aomori home is called “ie” and its living room is usually filled with an aroma coming exclusively from the
straws from which the “tatami” floormat is made. “We place the tatami mattress on the floor and put cushions on
them,” Someya eagerly taught me. “And we don’t use chairs with the tatami mattress. We just sit on them on the
floor.” The price of modernity, however, included the placement of sofas in Aomori living rooms, she added.
Because of long winter months, Aomori folks have been creative about placing their heating equipment in a
multipurpose way. “We use kotatsu table in the living room,” Someya said, obviously very proud of it. “It is
covered with a futon, and under the table is a heater. So during winter, it’s very comfortable. We can eat on top of
the table. It’s very popular in Japan.”
“I also miss the onsen, our hot springs,” she added, as well as the Japanese bathtub, in reference to
relaxation and comfort. “We have onsen all over Japan. There are separate pools for boys, girls, women, and
men.” Shino added that people have to remove their clothes and wash their body first before going into the hot
springs. “The Japanese love big bathtubs and they’re very deep,” Someya said. “We can sit down and the water
is up to our shoulders. It’s very comfortable. Here we can’t do that because the bathtubs are very shallow.”
One of the largest festivals in the Tohuku Region and decreed an important part of Japanese folk culture is
Nebuta. Someya said that the Aomori Nebuta Festival is something that she truly misses a lot. “In my hometown,
we have Nebuta, a big summer festival – with a big lantern carried by people,” she talked about it while showing
me a large photo of a past Aomori Nebuta Festival. “During this festival, we have a big bamboo lantern covered
with colored paper with light inside, and it’s carried by people, and people dance in the parade with this Nebuta.
This lantern has a historical story, like samurai battles. We have lots of drums and flutes, and people dance and
jump with their sound.” The festival is week-long, but this parade is the climax of the festival.
The Aomori Nebuta festival is held August 2 -7 every year. “Nebuta” is the float commemorating a brave
warrior figure, and is carried through the center of the city, while people in colorful costume called haneto, dance
throughout the parade. -Wikipedia
Other important celebrations in Aomori that Someya mentioned were the Boys’ Day on May 5 and the Girls’
Festival on March 3. She showed me a photo of a home decorated with samurai headdresses and boys enjoying
the moment as samurai heroes.
Another big festival that Aomori celebrates with the rest of Japan and some parts of the United States
(particularly Washington, D.C.) is the Cherry Blossom Festival. The Hanami (meaning “flower viewing”) is held
every Spring. “We hold community parties in parks, with lots of food, drinking, and singing of folk songs,”
Someya recalled, with words heavy with longing. “Sakura (cherry tree) blooms only for one week; it’s very short,
so we are very careful about planning the Hanami. We watch the TV for the Cherry Blossom Forecast.”
| The Someya children (L-R), Shizu, Kazushi, and Shino |
| The Someya family with dad Shinichi |
Hanami Festivals celebrate the beauty of the sakura and people take this opportunity to relax, be with family and friends in the parks for a big party.
Cherry blossom (sakura) symbolizes beauty, clouds, and an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life. The blossoms’ extreme beauty,
transience and quick death is often associated with mortality and echoed in Japanese art, manga and anime.—Wikipedia
Someya also misses her father and mother. “My father was a medical doctor who taught his children to be good people,” Someya recalled. “He taught
us to be ‘original,’ not to copy anyone, not to be mad with others and not to hurt others.” Her words that followed were laden with sadness, “He passed
away a couple of years ago.”
New world, new goals
Someya has a degree in textile engineering, but was not able to practice in the field. Instead, she worked in office administration for an insurance
company in Japan, where she met her future husband (a client) who was introduced to her by a cousin. When they got married, Someya’s goals became
those of her new family’s.
But some opportunities seem to open up for her, particularly in regard to her talent in Koto performance. Playing Koto has become more than just a
personal “therapy” to remove her stress in adjusting to a new way of life. It is providing her an outlet for a special talent that not many possess in
Wisconsin.
The Koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument that was introduced in Japan by China in the 7th century AD. About 180 cm. long, the Kato is
made from paulownia wood, a very light, soft, and warp-resistant wood used for chest and treasure boxes. It has 13 strings, originally made of silk but
now of nylon or tetlon, and a movable bridge called Ji that originally was made of ivory but now of plastic. Underneath its body are two sound holes, one
on both ends of the instrument. The player uses three finger-picks (on thumb, forefinger and middle finger). While playing, the player can move the bridges
for adjusting tunes.
Future plans
When asked about her plans for the future, Someya paused in thought, and her daughter Shino answered for her in a flash, “I like it here very much! I’
d like to stay here forever!”
Cherry blossom (sakura) symbolizes beauty, clouds, and an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life. The blossoms’ extreme beauty,
transience and quick death is often associated with mortality and echoed in Japanese art, manga and anime.—Wikipedia
Someya also misses her father and mother. “My father was a medical doctor who taught his children to be good people,” Someya recalled. “He taught
us to be ‘original,’ not to copy anyone, not to be mad with others and not to hurt others.” Her words that followed were laden with sadness, “He passed
away a couple of years ago.”
New world, new goals
Someya has a degree in textile engineering, but was not able to practice in the field. Instead, she worked in office administration for an insurance
company in Japan, where she met her future husband (a client) who was introduced to her by a cousin. When they got married, Someya’s goals became
those of her new family’s.
But some opportunities seem to open up for her, particularly in regard to her talent in Koto performance. Playing Koto has become more than just a
personal “therapy” to remove her stress in adjusting to a new way of life. It is providing her an outlet for a special talent that not many possess in
Wisconsin.
The Koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument that was introduced in Japan by China in the 7th century AD. About 180 cm. long, the Kato is
made from paulownia wood, a very light, soft, and warp-resistant wood used for chest and treasure boxes. It has 13 strings, originally made of silk but
now of nylon or tetlon, and a movable bridge called Ji that originally was made of ivory but now of plastic. Underneath its body are two sound holes, one
on both ends of the instrument. The player uses three finger-picks (on thumb, forefinger and middle finger). While playing, the player can move the bridges
for adjusting tunes.
Future plans
When asked about her plans for the future, Someya paused in thought, and her daughter Shino answered for her in a flash, “I like it here very much! I’
d like to stay here forever!”
A Nebuta Festival in Aomori
The Boys' Day is a special day honoring boys
and educating them about brave samurais of
history
and educating them about brave samurais of
history
| Families enjoy picnicking in parks during Hanami, or Cherry Blossom Festival. |