Haiku Ramadan

Berita Minggu, Singapura.
Haiku ini bertemakan Ramadan dengan kata musim/kigo Ramadan juga.
Format pada rangkap haiku disusun 3 baris serangkap. Mohon dibaca dengan rangkap 3 baris.
Penulis haiku ini, Puan Faridah Taib, bersama 3 penulis lagi sedang memproses buku antologi haiku. Buku ini dianggarkan siap pada September 2018 nanti.

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PM Tun Mahathir in Okinawa

The newly-minted and champion new PM Tun Mahathir came to Okinawa with his entourage as a panellist in Ministerial Forum to World Peace on 11 Nov. 2003. Amongst other panels of the forum came from the ministerial position of which included the ex-Pm of Russia, Mikhail Gorbachev.

 Date 11 Nov. 2003

They were in the Reception Room after the forum ended. The security personnel allowed me in the room. I was alone. Before entering the room, I thought there should be many political people and their security personnel. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was alone with the Tun and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah.

They were both staring at me when I entered through the door. So, I panicked. What topic to talk and how to greet them?
The Tun has just retired. I didn't even know who took over his position as PM of Malaysia that time.

So, I just smiled and suddenly became speechless. But Tun Dr Siti Hasmah started first by asking me how long I've stayed in Okinawa, am I a student.
She was soft-spoken and her quiet personality brought calm in me.
I told them many native people of Okinawa live through the ripe old age of 100. The Tun asked what is their magic diet. I told him the island people take lots of goya or bitter gourd.

The Tun asked many things of Okinawa and its people. Easy, I thought.
We went to a garden party after this conversation. The garden party with many politicians and media people were held on the ground of the Emperor of Okinawa. The ground has a summer palace where the once Emperor of Okinawa and his family members escaped the humid summer in town.
That meeting was 15 years ago. I had thought the Tun would retire peacefully into mature old age.

But just 10 days ago, 10 May 2018. He was elected again as the PM of Malaysia at age 92.
I wish him healthy and strong to perform the hopes of his people and success in making his country "clean" again.

*****

Home Karaoke

Semalam saya ke rumah kawan membawa buah telur kuning ini (canistel). Sampai di rumahnya dia menunjukkan beberapa haiku dan menanyakan pendapat saya. Yoko (nama kawan itu) sudah lama (mungkin lebih daripada 18 tahun) mengarang haiku. Kali ini saya datang, dia saja-saja tunjukkan haikunya ingin tahu pendapat saya.

Selepas itu Yoko pasang home karaoke dan minta saya nyanyikan lagu Stevie Wonder, I just call to say I love you. Yoko ingin latih kemahiran menyanyi lagu itu sebab ada beberapa tempat sebutannya tidak betul.
Lalu dipasangnya lagu Kawa no nagare no yo ni yang bermaksud seperti sungai mengalir dan kami nyanyi bersama.
Pada akhir lagu itu, mike terlepas dari tangan saya dan kedengaran kami sedang berebut mencapai mike yang jatuh.

*****

Internet dan ikan terbang

Zaman belum ada internet, buku sangat perlu untuk segala maklumat, penerangan dan ilmu. Bandingkan sekarang, dengan kemudahan internet semua masalah untuk mendapatkan maklumat boleh diselesaikan di hujung jari sahaja.
Ini buku-buku yang saya simpan sejak zaman belum ada internet dari tahun 70-an. Buku-buku perubatan, ramuan herba dan kesihatan. Sekarang buku-buku ini tidak perlu lagi. Haruskan saya simpan atau buang?
Masalahnya rumah orang Jepun bertemakan minimalis. Minimalis bermakna konsep "lagi sikit, lagi elok", konsep buang segala yang tidak perlu, konsep tiada barang simpanan. Barang simpanan memerlukan ruang, dan ruang adalah sesuatu yang bernilai. Rumah sempit, tiada ruang, bermakna tidak nilai pada rumah itu.
Saya perlu ajar diri menjadi seorang minimalis. Buang segala yang tidak perlu, jangan simpan.

*Imej dari Google*

Minggu ini selama 10 hari, di Jepun orang meraikan cuti-cuti Mingguan Emas atau Golden Week. Dalam masa yang sama juga mereka menyambut Hari Kanak-Kanak. Pada Hari Kanak-Kanak ini, mereka menaikkan tiang. Pada tiang ini mereka gantung 3 bentuk bendera ikan, besar, kecil dan sedang. Apabila ditiup angin, bendera2 ikan ini seperti menongkah arus, berenang ke hilir. Kononnya didoakan anak-anak mereka mendapat kekuatan ikan-ikan ini memenangi masalah kehidupan seperti ikan-ikan ini berenang melanggar arus untuk ke hilir (bukan hulu). Mereka gunakan bendera ikan salmon sebab ikan salmon berenang ke hilir untuk bertelur, mungkin kawasan hilir lebih selamat. Janganlah tanya kenapa lagi sebab itukan Tuhan sudah settingkan dalam kepala ikan-ikan itu.
Di Okinawa, tiada ikan-ikan salmon, jadi orang Okinawa terbangkan bendera ikan tuna.
Saya terfikir, kalau orang Melayu ingin terbangkan bendera ikan, elok juga ambil ikan patin. Ikan patin atau ikan keli. Ikan-ikan ini lebih kena pada budaya orang Melayu.
Itu saja.

*****

Kait

Hari ini buku kait ini datang dari Bristol, Gloucester, England. Tempah online dari Amazon. Harga asalnya GBP20 tapi dijual murah kurang GBP4. Sudah lama tertinggal kegemaran ini. 30 tahun dulu pernah kait baju kardigan dan sweater. Rasanya kalau tidak balik semula mengait, mungkin akan terlupa cara-cara memegang kayu pengait. Lagi pun mengait sangat mendamaikan hati saya. Waktu celah-celah tulisan yang memerah fikiran, mengait sangat melegakan kepala. Itulah saya mula mengait semula.

Ini pohon terung pipit. Pohon ini tubuh liar di sisi jalan besar. Ia sedang berbunga. Saya kata apabila sudah berbuah nanti, akan datang petik buah-buahnya. Tapi diberitahu hanya burung-burung saja makan buah terung pipit ini. Tidaklah, buah terung ini boleh buat ulam makan dengan nasi, saya pula nyatakan. Orang itu ketawa besar seperti saya berkata perkara pelik.
Saya teringat seorang kawan di Singapore mengadu yang pembantu di rumahnya kata kangkung hanya digunakan untuk makanan babi di kampungnya. Orang Singapura makan kangkung tapi untuk orang dia, sayur itu diberi kepada babi.
Adakah perbezaan ini menunjukkan kelainan taraf hidup pada kedua-dua bangsa ini?
Saya tidak pasti.

*****

Penjualan novel

Hari ini saya terima surat pemberitahu darihal pembayaran royalti daripada penerbit novel saya. Novel itu terbitnya 7 tahun lalu. Pada saya pengukur sebuah novel itu yang masih menunjukkan ia diminati pembaca adalah selepas 10 tahun. Jika sesudah 10 tahun, ia masih dicari pembaca bermakna novel itu berjaya menakah ruang sastera yang banyak penghalangnya waktu ini.

Saya ingin menceritakan sebuat anekdot yang terjadi hari ini.
Selepas sauna di kolam panas hari ini, di depan cermin besar, seorang perempuan Jepun, saya rasa dalam lingkungan 75 tahun bercerita tentang kepayahan kehidupannya. Sudahlah payah, dia terpaksa menjaga cucu-cucunya yang dalam peringkat sekolah rendah. Katanya pinggang sakit, kaki letih apabila banyak bergerak. Saya tanya adakah dia berkerja. Jawabnya dia berkerja sebagai heruppa (helper). Helper adalah pembantu (kerja) rumah.
Sakit2 begini seharusnya kamu yang perlu heruppa, kata saya.
Dia minta saya teka umurnya. Terus terang tanpa berfikir lagi, saya kata 75.
Alamak, kamu teka tepat. Tak tahu nak suka atau tidak, tak tahu memuji atau tidak selepas mendengar jawapannya itu.
Patutnya kamu teka 65.
Adei, sebenarnya saya lihat dia dalam 80 tahun tapi bagi muka beri 75. Itupun markah kasihan.
Marah pula dia.
Ada orang kata beruk kah, monyet kah, itu tekaan kita. Kita berhak ke atas tekaan kita.
Itu saja anedot kali ini.

*****

Fobia glemer

Hati ini tidak menentu apabila terima makluman daripada Google bahawa gambar-gambar kembara dirujuk 10,000 kali. Apakah itu nilai kiraan orang glemer (glamour)? Tapi kalau disiasat lagi, rasanya orang glemer menerima rujukan hingga bermilion-million.
Jadi dengan perasaan ini, rasanya tidaklah perlu saya risaukan penyataan dari Google ini.

Tak perlu jadi glemer.

*****

Haiku Tahun Baharu Cina

Apabila penuntut berjaya, saya tumpang bahagia. Haiku yang bertemakan Tahun Baharu Cina terbit di Dewan Budaya (bil. 2).
Puan Amirah Syazwani (nama Facebook). Tahniah.

Komen saya : Tema keseluruhan haiku ini berpusing pada kigo Tahun Baharu Cina. Kigo ini diselitkan di baris 2 untuk cukupkan suku kata. Budaya Cina diketengahkan dalam haiku ini dan kegiatan2 perayaan ini dinyatakan sebagai budaya orang Cina. Klimaks haiku ini terdapat pada rangkap akhir dengan sorakan "Malaysiaku". Satu saja perkataan ini sudah menggambarkan perpaduan rakyat Malaysia yang berdamai dalam berbilang kaum menyambut bersama percutian ini.

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Osaka trip

When my first daughter and her family visited us this January 2018 (12-19), I went along with them to visit my second daughter's family in Osaka. After a short stay with us in Oct and Nov.2017, my second daughter moved to Osaka. So, this would be our first visit to her in Osaka.
One thing about Osaka now is that it is crowded with tourist from Korea, China and other Asians countries, that sometimes I wonder if Osaka is still in Japan.
Those famous eating places and frequented places in Osaka do not look like the typical street of Japan anymore. I see trash littering everywhere and the bad odour from public toilets are getting intolerable. 
But, good thing these unwanted conditions are not found in public housing areas where tourists do not tramp around.
Anyway, I managed to grab some delicious dishes like their famous sea crab, beef sukiyaki and beef shabu-shabu. I'm quite surprised at the numerous eating place that caters to the Muslim customers that sprang up the last 5 years in Osaka. Even at Kansai Airport, there are several eating places that offer Halal menu.
It was sheer happiness to have my kids and grandkids gathered together at the same time and place. 
I have a special tune that just flows from my mouth whenever I'm with my grandkids.
I will sing it like "sayang, sayang. Yang sayang. Yang sayang, sayang."
My last grandchild imitate me when he was alone at home after I left his house.

Before I went to Osaka the cherry tree on my front porch was about 20% in bloom.

After coming home, it is about 90% blooming. (image below). 22 Jan 2018.

*****

Totto-chan

Towards the last three months of 2017, I've glued myself to the telly every afternoon between 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm. After Kuroyanagi Tetsuko afternoon talk show, it's the daily drama Totto-chan.
Kuroyanagi Tetsuko is the writer of Madogiwa no Totto-Chan or the English translated version The girl by the window.

The daily drama is about Totto-Chan which is not written in the book. Actually, it is a biography of Kuroyanagi Tetsuko (the writer). It started with the romantic love story of Totto-chan parents. The meeting of her father (a violinist) and her mother (a chorus singer). Totto-chan's mother was disowned by her family for marrying a violinist. How the couple go through a poor living condition as the violinist husband is not paid for playing in concert. Totto-Chan is born as a talkative and inquisitive girl. In fact, she was suspected of having a light autism syndrome but at that age, the medical condition in Japan has still not been able to recognise such malady.
The book started when Totto-Chan had to change to Tomoe School (the classroom in a train coach). The book did not get into how Totto-Chan's life changed during the WW2. Her father was called up by the military. Left hungry and undefended with her mother in war-tormented Tokyo, the mother decided to move to the countryside to get away from the bombings.

When the war was declared over, they moved back to Tokyo. Coming back from the war, the father continued as a violinist.
Totto-Chan took up an interview with NHK (Japan's television company) and successfully passed through. Within a couple of years, she becomes a celebrated tv personality. When she changed to another tv company, she is given a slot every lunchtime to interview other celebrities.
She had a romantic link with a pianist from French. She rejected his marriage proposal as she wants to concentrate on her tv career. They meet secretly at every chance when both are out of work obligations.
You may be wondering if they get married at last, but I'm a cruel person. AM NOT TELLING ~la~la~la~
Anyway, what you read in that small book is only a small part of her life. By the way, Kuroyanagi Tetsuko is still doing the talk show daily with TV Asahi now.
(4 Jan. 2018).
Originally Kuroyanagi was not a writer. She started her career as an actress. Upon insistent from her pianist lover to write about her life at the school in the train coach, she agreed to write. The book Madogiwa no Totto-Chan became instant bestsellers at that time. Even now the bookshops all over Japan still stock it.

Good thing I followed the drama daily for 3 months.

This is the link to the drama and the singer who wrote and sing for the theme song of the drama. Kuroyanagi Tetsuko keeps her onion hairstyle since she started the talk show 60 years ago.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZsmdHIumrY

*****

Japanese Book Scene.

1.  Saw this movie on Christmas Eve 2017. Left a lasting impact on my mind after watching it. A novella by Matsumoto Seicho called Kichiku. (The Demon).

Having no more financial support from her lover, the man's mistress dumped their 3 kids at his home. Out of her hatred for the mistress, the man's wife ordered him to kill off the kids one by one. The anguish of a man planning to kill his own children is mentally sickening. The book and movie are only in Japanese.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon_(1978_film)

This book was written 80 years ago. To attract young readers, they made it into a manga. Recently it has become a best seller.

君たちのどう生きるか Kamu hidup bagaimana?

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Perasmian kigo

Dua kali setahun, kami terima senarai kata musim baharu daripada Ketua Persatuan Haiku Jepun. Kami telitikan istilah-istilah baharu yang telah diluluskan dan menjadi rasmi untuk pembentukan haiku. Lelaki yang duduk di kanan itu guru pesara yang baru terima anugerah penulis Haiku di Okinawa dan telah terbitkan 8 buku himpunan haiku. Lelaki duduk tengah juga telah menerima beberapa anugerah haiku selama 35 thn berkecimpung menulis haiku. Perempuan itu mengajar haiku di balai raya. Dan saya mengajar haiku online kepada peminat berbahasa Melayu. Kami sama-sama telah terbitkan beberapa antologi haiku bahasa Jepun. Gambar Kumpulan Haiku Sagaribana di Balai Raya Nishihara (22 Ogos 2017).

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Pandanus

(Picture) Pandan leaves in our garden

This morning, hubby and I went to the Garden Center to get some baby spring onions. We bought some spring onions and celery sprouts to grow at home.

Then we saw two pots of pandan leaves. This is the first time I saw pandan leaves sold in Okinawa.
The local name for it is "niou adan" (say : ni-oh-oo + a-dang) or fragrant pandanus.

Picture from Google

There are lots of pandanus fascicularis grown on the beach on the northern side of Okinawa main island.
Pandan is the name of the plant in the Malay language, taken from its original Pandanus source.
The local name for this plant is Adan (say : a-dang). This is why they call the kitchen pandan as niou adan because of the plant physical similarities and niou or fragrant is stronger in the kitchen variety.

That's all folks.

Morning Momiji

The call of translating one's work into another language kept on hitting my mind after receiving an award for the novel PAGI SEMERAH DAUN MOMIJI. I told myself that I need to make the book known to non-Malay readers. I started translating the book into English from 6 May 2014. It took me more than two years and it was completed on 23 June 2016.

The manuscript went to DBP on 10 March 2017. At last, I signed the letter of acceptance from the publisher on 30 Sept. 2017.

I needed to write a blurb for the book. It would make the task a lot easier for me just by translating the blurb from the first book which is in Malay, but I thought since the readers in English come from all races, all backgrounds and all countries, it would be better to write from a different angle.
The idea came suddenly while I was resting on the bed from a sudden cold. I grabbed a paper wrapper from the trash bin beside my bed and started the scribbling.

It went under the editor's scanning on 18 Dec. 2017.
Hopefully, the blurb will attract reader's interest in the book.

*****

Peter And Jane

My second daughter lay-over at our house in Okinawa from 5 Oct. to 11 Nov. 2017. The family was transferred back to Japan. The three children (twins at 5 yr 5 mth and the younger boy at 3 yr 7 mth) gave me quite a shock with their good command of spoken English.  Before moving here, they were at a stage of learning phonics in kindergarten and have grasped the idea of relating sounds to letters.

They could make a string of conversation and made their intentions understood in proper, good command of English. I thought this should continue and I ordered this series of Peter and Jane book from Amazon.

I remember it was Peter and Jane that made me realized letters have meanings and sound in books when I was in Primary 2. Imagine my grandchildren able to read easily Book 1a, 1b, 1c and getting into 2a while I was writing this.
I was a slow child in reading but I caught up by Primary 5, by which time I read one Enid Blyton per day.

My granddaughter was so excited to read Peter and Jane without my supervision. She would sneak and read by herself but I told her I need to teach her the new words on each page. This is her writing practices (see image) while reading the book.

I would recommend Peter and Jane books to all children who are just about to start reading. It was effective for me, that's all I can say about it.

*****

Si Ayu

Ayu is my second daughter. Immediately after graduating from Ryukyu Univ. (Mar. 2008), she opted to work overseas and not in Okinawa. Upon her elder sister's advice, she went to Singapore to start a career. 22 April 2008 (picture), she left Okinawa and started her life's journey.

She found her love in Singapore (Japanese) and got married at Kobe Mosque on 16 Feb. 2011. Both returned to Singapore to start a new life as a married couple.

Yesterday, 1 Oct. 2017, they returned to Japan to start a new life in Japan. They are parents to a set of twins, a boy and a girl aged 5 yr 4 mth with the third boy aged 3 yr 6 mth.
She started her first career in Singapore and with the children starting every new in Japan, they will have a different rhythm of daily activities in Japan compared to Singapore.
Just as they've enjoyed their lives in Singapore, praying (doa) they do not need to adjust much living in Japan from now on.

*****

Penamatnya Mabrur

Semalam 13 Ogos 2017, cerpen ini disiarkan oleh Berita Harian Singapura.
Setahun saya tidak menulis cerpen. Akhir sekali (kalau tak salah) Ogos 2016.
Dalam rangka setahun ini kenapa saya tidak keluarkan cerpen?
Saya puji sangat penulis yang mampu menulis beberapa catatan dalam satu masa sekaligus. Maksud saya sedang menulis novel tapi dapat pula pusing sudut lain dan menulis cerpen. Saya tidak dapat buat begini. Satu projek untuk satu masa.
Dalam setahun saya tidak keluarkan cerpen sebab saya tumpukan pada penulisan terjemahan novel PAGI SEMERAH DAUN MOMIJI dari bahasa Melayu ke bahasa Inggeris. Usai dihantar ke penerbitnya, saya mula pula novel baharu. Kali ini saya cuba novel Inggeris pula. Saya belum boleh maklum penerbitnya.

Saya sengaja kaburkan imej di atas sebab saya sedang kumpulkan semua cerpen.

Oh, saya ingin kongsi satu perkembangan negatif sebagai penulis. Apabila cerpen pertama tersiar di akhbar Berita Harian Singapura, ramai yang menulis tahniah atau LIKE. Boleh dikatakan berderet-deret dan sampai keesokan hari pun masih ada yang memberi tahniah.
Kalau tak salah semalam cerpen saya yg ke 7 atau 8 (agak-agak saja) disiarkan, yang pelik tiada seorang pun penulis yang saya kenal, yang rapat dengan saya di Singapura maupun di Malaysia sudi memberi komen. Saya ambil ini sebagai kenaikkan saya ke taraf yang sudah glemer sebagai penulis.
Kalau artis atau penghibur, glemer mereka meriah serba serbi tapi lain rupanya sebagai penulis. Semakin prolifik seorang penulis, semakin dia disenyapkan. Tiada LIKE atau tahniah berderet-deret lagi.
Saya rasa masa mula2 karya tersiar, ramai yang mengucap tahniah sebab ingin memberi dorongan. Tapi kenapa dorongan itu terhenti apabila penulis itu sudah menjadi terkenal dengan tambahan karyanya?
Pelik bukan?

Saya perlu perhatikan perkembangan ini dan mengambil contoh dari penulis lain.
Semakin mereka terkenal, semakin bertambah karya mereka, tiada perlu memberi dorongan lagi atau mengucapkan tahniah lagi atau memberi LIKE berderet2.
Ada bagusnya kita belajar dari pengalaman.

Apa-apa pun penghargaan saya kepada para editor, penyunting sastera di meja Berita Harian Singapura kerana memberi saya peluang dan ruang untuk berkembang sendiri.

Terima kasih.

*****

Such a deer.

I never expect the first night of our trip to Hokkaido (29 June to 2 July 2017), when we stayed at Sahoro Hotel that it was one of the Club Med chain-hotel. Club Med being an international chain-hotel, unlike local-run hotels in Japan, caters to the special needs of their Muslims customers. 

We were delighted to be served with grilled deer meat which, we were told to be halal. I can't remember having deer meat before, maybe I had, but I cannot recollect it's taste anymore. It was soft without the smell of mutton. 

That night, I made my way to the common bath-house on the ground floor of the hotel. It has a 露天風呂 Roten-buro (literally it means bath under the sky) or an open air bath. It was dark, I could see the stars so far off into the galaxy with its weak twinkling as I dipped in the steaming water. There was an earthy smell to the water, it might come from the depth of the earth.

I take a public bath every week. Having a common bath with other women every week has a therapeutic effect on me. You should try hit the sauna at 78c, then dip in the water at 19c, repeat in three or four rounds. Feel your body changing.

Most time I tried to keep quiet and relax, feel my body tightening in the heat but that would normally be quite impossible. While dripping in sweat, the women talk about the weather, about some sick friends, about politics or anything that we are willing to share. 

I've come to know many friends I made from the common bath. Sometimes, we arranged another date at the karaoke or have lunch together.

Coming back to the halal grilled deer at Sahoro Club Med, do make a special request during the booking. Oh, I'm not paid for this promotion, just a travel information.

*****

Bunga Putat, Sagaribana, Barringtonia

It's the peak of summer (July 2017) and that means the peak of Sagaribana blossoms in Okinawa. Before this, I always missed viewing the blossoms closely but last night, hubby drove to the housing areas around Shuri Castle. On one stretch of there were many Sagaribana plants.
It has a soft, sweet smell like a ripened guava. I should say if the smell is bottled into cologne, it is a female smell as a contrast to musk.
I know in Malaysia the Sagaribana new leaves and fruits are taken as a salad. I've tried tasting the leaves, quite bitterish for my liking but I supposed taking it with spicy belacan should go well with rice.
The Japanese called it Sagaribana. Sagaru to lower or to bow, hana is the flower. Don't you think this name is most appropriate when you see how the flower lowered itself lower while blooming into glorious beauty and fragrance?

Malay: Sekarang tengah rancak musim panas di Okinawa. Inilah juga musim pohon Putat berbunga. Sebelum ini saya tidak berpeluang mendekati pohon Putat pada musim ia berbunga tapi malam tadi saya pergi ke kawasan istana Shuri. Terkejut juga apabila terlihat salah satu laluan penuh dengan deretan pohon Putat ini. Bunganya berbau halus dan manis seperti buat jambu batu yang sudah masan ranum. Saya rasa kalau dijadikan air wangi, bau bunga ini ada kejelitaan seperti tabiat kewanitaan, bukan seperti musk yang baunya kuat seperti jantan.
Saya dimaklumkan di Malaysia, pucuk daun dan buah pohon ini dimakan bagai ulam dengan sambal belacan.
Ini gambar2 yang saya ambil waktu malam sebab bunga Putat kembang selepas maghrib. Gambar menggunakan 3 lampu touchlight.

Walking routine

After I came back from the Hokkaido trip, I started to do morning walk for 30 mins. everyday.
Every morning I see this man sweeping the sidewalk. I think he owns a shop-house. He washes the parking lot in front of his shop, then he cleans the whole length of the road.
I was thinking this man get up early and cleaned the whole length of the road without pay every day, I wonder what makes him so dedicated. Doesn't he have other work to do? Does he live only to sweep the side walk?

There's another man I see during my morning walk. This man is not homeless. But I think he has some mental problem. He's dirty and wears torn outfit. Sometimes, I see him eating thrown food from the trash.
One time, I gave him a bun. Then came home and told my hubby about it. Well, I shouldn't be doing it as it encouraged him to beg for food. So, we are not supposed to give him any food.
But, this man has pride. There was another occasion when I gave him a can of drink. He refused my offer. Again, I was told not to give anything to him.

The meaning of hospitality in the dictionary is not the same hospitality as the Japanese read. Empathy is not for homeless or dirty people on the street in Japan.
It reminds me of the deer on Ikutsujima. Visitors to the island are discouraged from feeding them. They don't want the deer to be fed as the leftover food might dirty the park.
May be hungry and dirty people are like deer. Leave them alone and the place will be spiky clean.

*****