Nagoya City Archives and My New Friend
This building is the Nagoya City Archives and Museum. I didn’t go inside, but I thought it was interesting, so I took a few pictures. It was built in 1922 and served as Nagoya’s high court until 1979. From 1989 the building has been the City Archives and Museum. The building has been designated as a national important cultural property and has been used for movies and dramas.
Before entering the Nagoya Castle grounds, I sat down on a bench in a little park area to eat the lunch I brought with me. I was the only person there and there were other empty benches. This man came up and asked if he could share my bench. At first, I thought it was odd, but I said, of course. He was so interesting and his English was great! He asked me the usual foreigner questions and told me he was retired from the textile division of Toyota. He pulled out photo albums and showed me pictures of people and places all over the world he had been to with his job. Now that he is retired, his hobby is to meet foreigners in Nagoya and talk with them. You never know who you will meet along the way.
3 comments:
We all need something to burn for!
You can't pass a temple, shrine or other interesting building without stopping to take a look and a few pictures, can you?
(Nagoya City Archives and Museum is indeed a fine building.)
Yesterday I met up with a Swedish friend during his trip to Japan. He recently retired and felt he needed something to do.
He joined the Friendship and Support volunteer group run by the Swedish Red Cross. They offer personal support and company to someone who feels lonely, needs a friend to chat with or an assistant/companion when visiting the hospital or City Council etc. My friend loves his new 'job'.
Your new friend in Nagoya has made it a hobby to seek out foreigners and talk to them/practise his English.
You already have many friends, and I have my family. One day, however, we might feel lonely and start looking out for a stranger on a park bench to talk to.
That's kind of a cool hobby! Rick would be good at that.
Very interesting architecture in Nagoya...and interesting people!
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