Kamakura, Thank You

Humanity accidentally crept into the operational rhythm here this week. We have been granted a one shift break, possibly our only break. They staggered the days off to minimize the impact and based it on the last time we had a day off. For me it was 6 March, so after working for 27 days, much of it 13+ hour shifts, I had a free day. Now when you are on night shift a free day is an odd bit of time to work with. I figured I could spend a night partying in Tokyo or head down to Kamakura to visit an old shipmate from the USS St Louis. I chose the latter. So after my shift Sunday morning I slept for four hours then got up and headed to the train station.

Kamakura is not all that far from Yokota but with three train changes it still takes more than two hours to get there. Arriving early afternoon with several hours before I was going to meet up with Bill I wandered around a few of the temples and shrines I hadn’t visited in 15 years. Then I found a long hiking trail and took a peaceful walk through the woods. Japan is covered with these trails. Most lead to small shrines at mountain tops. It was a wonderful hike with only a small number of others on the trail. When I finally finished it was time to head to the beach and a liquor store where I was to meet Bill. I found it easily enough and when I approached a Japanese woman met me and excitedly told me Bill was in the back cooking (near as I can tell anyway since I don’t speak Japanese). It was nice seeing an old friend after so long. We eventually headed to the store where several friends were drinking and talking. Apparently they’ve been doing this for years and refused to let the rolling blackouts interfere, good on them!


It’s interesting being thrown into a conversation where very little is being said in English. It certainly helped me to begin remembering what little Japanese I once knew. The really nice thing about being there was hearing how much the Japanese people appreciate all the US Military has done to assist with this catastrophe. As much as I have issues with the way this HQ is being organized and run we really have done a great deal to avert suffering... well perhaps not the HQ but the military in general certainly has.

I spent the night at Bill’s and in the morning I borrowed his beach cruiser and randomly rode around town. For lunch we met back up and ate the best sushi I’ve had since I left Japan back in ’97. Then we had coffee in a local shop and ran into a city council member who also expressed his gratitude. I finally started back around 2:30 and made it just in time for my shift.


That little foray down to Kamakura made all the 13 hour shifts worthwhile. I’m glad I went that route rather than a drunken night in Ropongi or Shibuya. Still… if I have more time off before I depart… I’m thinking Shibuya.