Synopsis

Synopsis

Ichi go ichi e is an old Japanese saying that means “one time, one meeting.” This memoir brings to light those brief but powerful encounters that change lives. It is also a universal tale of compassion arising from catastrophe and peace growing out of war. Hiroko Goto twice survived the almost total destruction of her hometown, Tokyo. As a young child, her grandmother’s generosity to the survivors of the Great Earthquake of 1923 deeply influenced her. As a young mother, having survived the Allied bombings during the Pacific War, she dedicated the rest of her life to peace. After the war, she made a Buddhist pilgrimage of 600 kilometers on foot to pray for the war dead. Now in her eighties, she continues to engage in relief work, international exchanges, and ecological projects. Goto’s exquisite calligraphy of her poems further enhances the story of a woman gifted with great art and great heart.

About the Authors

Born in 1921 in Shanghai, Hiroko Goto grew up in Tokyo. She has lived through the Great Earthquake of 1923, early loss of her mother, and wartime bombings. A devout Buddhist and master of tea ceremony and traditional calligraphy, she lives in the country near Oshino-mura, a village near Fuji-san, where she teaches and promotes humanitarian causes.

Born in 1944 in St. Louis, Carole Lee Connet holds M. A. degrees in history and professional writing. Previous publications include feature articles and a collection of poetry. A long-time practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, she lives in the country near the town of Fairfield, Iowa, where she writes, photographs, paints, teaches and participates in world peace programs.

The co-authors met in 2000, during one of several cross-cultural exchanges between Fairfield and Oshino. When Goto expressed a desire to have the diary she wrote during her peace pilgrimage translated into English, Connet was moved to fulfill this wish. The two stayed in touch during several more visits back and forth. Despite the language barrier, they found they were able to communicate on the level of the heart. Finally in 2004, Connet spent a month living with Goto during the translation of the diary and the memoirs of her entire life.