SEAGRAVES: Christmas in Okinawa

Published 3:18 pm Thursday, January 23, 2025

For the first time in our lives, Karen and I spent Christmas outside of the United States. Our middle son, Zach, is stationed at Kadena Air Base as the public works officer for U.S. Navy interest on the base and the surrounding naval installations. He and his wife, Laura, and their two children, Nason and Arleigh live on Kadena in base housing. Their house is a couple of hundred yards from the runway so they have learned to live with the sounds of military jets taking off and landing. They have had a good three years exploring Okinawa and the big island of Japan, South Korea, and soon Thailand. My grandchildren have become adventurous, soaking in the Okinawan culture, and beginning their schooling at Bob Hope Elementary School, a DOD school on base. It has been a tremendous chapter in their family story and we are pleased to have been able visit twice and share that story.

Christmas is celebrated in Japan, but not like here, it is after all a Buddhist country. Okinawa is somewhat different because of the influence of Americans since World War II. On base was like any other American community with lights, blow-ups in the front yard and Christmas trees in the front windows. We felt at home on Kadena! We shopped in the Exchange, visited American Village, ate authentic Okinawan and Japanese foods, tried to communicate with the locals, and wandered beautiful beaches picking up shells and sea glass. On Christmas Eve we worshiped with the folks at Pillar Church in Okinawa. Surrounded by young sailors and airmen and their families, we were by far the oldest folks in the room. It was humbling to be surrounded by young men and women who sacrifice to ensure our freedom and it was encouraging to listen to them and watch them as they worshiped and loved on each other. By the way, Pillar Church is located in the same building as Booby’s Tattoo Parlor!

Santa found us in Okinawa and delivered his treasures to the kiddos. A few days later we boarded a plane bound for Osaka. We landed and instantly became train travelers, riding the express from Osaka to Kyoto. Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and because of this the AAF was directed by the War Department not to bomb it. I am glad they didn’t as we were able to enjoy the beauty of the ancient city. We visited the Fushimi Inari Taisha, a Buddhist temple with hundreds of gates, lanterns, and statues. The Bamboo Forest was a place of incredible beauty and peace. At the To-ji Temple we saw the tallest pagoda in Japan, a marvel of engineering and architecture. Navigating the city by train was interesting, informative, and educational all at the same time. I learned that the Japanese do not mind snuggling up to each other and that the train is the best way to move in a metropolitan area. We were able to see the city and learned how the folks there lived. As I rode the train I couldn’t help but think how beneficial it would be if we had train service between Savannah and Atlanta and Columbus and Augusta (that’s a story for another time).

Perhaps the most interesting event during our train travels was the interaction we enjoyed with a gentleman and his wife who like us, were on their way to the airport. Nason and Arleigh climbed up on the seat next to them. The man watched them and noticed them do something that made him smile. I was watching and as he looked up we shared a laugh at the antics of my grandchildren. He began to talk to Nason and before long Karen became involved. He was a Chinese businessman on vacation in Japan. His command of English was excellent and he told of his travels and that he had once lived in Houston. I was not involved in the conversation but I stood and observed what took place between this man, my wife, and my grandchildren. I was encouraged! I was encouraged because I saw people who for years have been told that each other are the enemy, enjoying one another’s company…talking and laughing and being human. I was encouraged because I saw hope and what my Daddy had always said as I was growing up, “People are just people.”

Our Christmas in Okinawa is one that we will certainly never forget and we are so grateful for the opportunity to visit not only our children but the people they live and work with.