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Asahikawa American English Conversation School

Feeding Wild Hawks

鳶に油揚げ

I had a very interesting experience today, Saturday June 26, 2004.  I went cycling for the first time this year.    Yes, that’s right.  I’m about two and one half months behind my usual habits. 

In past years, I have dusted off my faithful old mountain bike and started my riding season during the end of March, or at the latest, by the middle of April.   When the snow and ice on the main roads has finally melted, I feel the urge to get some long needed exercise, and ride my bicycle.   But this year, for some odd reason, I waited until today, to take my first bicycle ride of the new season. 

As it turned out, I chose a very auspicious day indeed. 

Because I haven’t peddled my cycling machine for over 6 months, I decided to take an easy course and stay on the paved cycling roads along the Biei and Chubetsu Rivers between The Taisetsu Arena in Kagura and the Kagura Oka Park at the other end of the trail. 

After I completed one round trip on that route, I crossed over the Ryojin Bridge and got onto the cycling road that heads towards Highway 12, where it crosses the border between the Kamui and Chuwa Districts of Asahikawa.   However, before I got to the Highway, I turned around and went back towards the Ryojin Bridge from which I had just come. 

Instead of getting back onto the bridge and heading towards Kagura, I rode across the narrow width of the street, and then coasted down the hill into the public park on the other side.  I hadn’t been to this park in a long time, but it still looked about the same as before.  As I was slowly riding along the narrow sandy path that goes around the park, I noticed an elderly man, dressed in black from cap to shoes (head to toe), and sitting in the middle of the center lawn in the park.   He was holding up his right hand to the sky and whistling.   At first, I thought that he was drinking booze and talking to himself, because I’ve done that a few times myself, but as I was watching him, I discovered that he was in fact calling out to and then feeding, the many hawks that were circling around in the sky above him.

I was amazed to see the hawks come down from the sky and pick up the food that the old man was throwing onto the lawn only a few meters away in front of himself.  

I was full curiosity so, I put my bicycle down onto the ground and I walked over towards the man and asked him in Japanese, “What are you feeding the birds?”   He just looked and me and didn’t say anything.   So, I approached a bit closer to him and said,   “What are you feeding the birds, fish?” 

He looked straight at me again and said,  “Can you really speak Japanese?”  I replied,  “Yes, I can.”   He motioned for me to come over and sit beside him.  As I arrived closer to him I asked again, “What are you feeding the birds?”  He answered, “Abura Age.”  I said, “Abura Age?”    “Do you mean that Deep Fried Tofu stuff?”

He replied, “Yes, that’s right.” 

I was very surprised to discover that Kites will eat deep fried Tofu.  Then, he asked me if I knew any Japanese proverbs and I replied, “No, not many.”   He further questioned me,  “Have you ever heard the proverb Tombi ni Abura Age?” (?Give Deep Fried Tofu to the Kites?)

I replied that I had never heard of such a thing before.  “What does it really mean?”   I inquired.  He seemed not to hear my question as he rambled on. 

“About 10 years ago, I had a very serious illness.  I was so sick that I had to spend 6 months in the hospital.  I was so weak that I couldn’t even get out of my bed.  While I was in the hospital, all I could see from the window in my room was the sky and the birds.  Especially the hawks.  I enjoyed watching them every day and envied their freedom.   Here I was confined to a bed in a hospital, and there they were, soaring  about freely in the big blue sky.   I gained a lot of inspiration from watching those birds.  I believe that those birds helped me to overcome my illness and as a result, I become healthy again.  That is why I often come here to feed the hawks, as I am doing now.

I sat there in utter amazement as I listened to the old man’s story while watching the Kites diving down onto the lawn only 5 meters away in front of us to pick up the Abura Age with their claws and then fly away into the blue and cloudy sky. 

I began to really understand how humans and animals can have communication on a very deep and meaningful level.  I have seen people swimming with dolphins before, but I had never seen a human being feeding wild hawks.   This was a new revelation to me. 

As I sat there pondering the deeper significance of what I was seeing, the old man suddenly said, “Don’t you think this is better than having a relationship with some dirty and dishonest human being?”  I replied, “Yes sir, I think so too.  I know exactly what you mean.  This is a much better way to make some friends during the short time that we have here on this earth.” 

The old man and I spent the next 20 minutes or so talking about various things.  Mostly about how history has changed with time and the way the world is today.  I was having a very pleasant time talking to my elder human, but I was also beginning to notice that some of the younger birds were hesitating to come down and grab their food from the lawn.  I remarked, “I think the younger birds are a bit afraid of me and therefore they won’t come down close enough to take their food.”  The old man replied, “Yes, that’s right.  The young birds act the same way when I bring my grandchildren here with me to feed the Kites." 

After a few more minutes of light conversation, I bid the elderly gentleman farewell and mounted my bicycle to continue my ride. 

I really learned a lot today, and in a very unexpected way.  I thought again about how wonderful life is right here in Hokkaido, the Kamikawa Basin, in a free public park, located just a stone’s throw away from my home and classroom.

As I crossed over the Ryojin Bridge going back into Kagura, I again thought about what a wonderful experience I had just had.  Wild hawks being fed by a human being and each communicating with the other. 

When I turned right at the main intersection in Kagura after crossing over the Ryojin bridge, I began to see the building where my classroom is located.   Getting closer, I could see the dirty, tattered, yellow flag that I had put up in March.  It was still flying proudly in the summer breeze, even though it looked a bit worse for the wear.

You remember!    Don’t you?   The yellow handkerchief campaign.   The purpose of which was to ensure the safe return of the first contingent of the Japan Self Defense Forces to be sent to Iraq.  You do remember, don’t you?   

The first contingent of JSDF troops has returned safely.

Each and every one of them.    Everyone is A-OK!

Thank God.   It’s a wonderful thing. 

But, is it time to take down the yellow flags?     I don’t think so.

Another contingent of troops has been sent over to replace the first contingent that came back home safely.  There is a war going on in Iraq.  The entire country is a war zone.  It is a very dangerous place to live and work.  Not only that but, the daytime temperature gets close to 50 degrees Celsius and there is no cold beer anywhere on the base. 

Today the high temperature in Asahikawa was about 26 degrees Celsius.  The air was fresh and clean.  There weren’t any missiles falling from the sky nor any car- bombs exploding in the city.

It was an extremely beautiful and peaceful day.  A day to remember. 

I wonder if the member countries of the new multi-national military security force in Iraq can bring the same peace and beauty to that country?

I pray to GOD,………  and to the KITES IN THE SKY, that they can. 

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