Further North to Hokkaido

My journey in Japan continued.  From Morioka where I held a Grief and Loss Workshop for health workers; doctors, nurses, psychologists, teachers, nurses and volunteers of the Red Cross, Jun Maeda and I took a bus and then a plane to Sapporo, Capitol city of Hokkaido.  The next day we travelled to Muroran and visited Jun's University, the Muroran Institute of Technology (MIT), sister to RMIT and several other universities around the world.  Here Jun and  I met with the president of the University and took some very fine green tea together in the President's very spacious and light filled office.  The money for the trip to the affected area of Japan came from this President's budget so it was a very good thing to meet him and thank him for this opportunity to work for this effort. He invited me to be a Visiting Professor to the University and I accepted.  I am the first foreign Visiting Professor of MIT.  This is a very great privilege.

Jun, I and a German colleague who has lived in Japan 25 years, Marguerette then travelled to Date where I ran a psychodrama training workshop on the top floor of the Date Red Cross Hospital.  The view over the sea and the lights of the town were very beautiful.  The night was clear and there was a moon and stars.  I have run many workshops here so it was wonderful to be amongst old friends.  After the workshop we all went and had Italian food.

The following day Jun and I drove back to Sapporo through the mountains and past Lake Toya, where there is a living volcano still puffing out smoke. Since the weather is so hot, the trees have yet to turn to the brilliant red, orange and yellows that Hokkaido is so famous for, but still the green was peaceful.

In Sapporo, I ran a one and half day psychodrama training workshop followed immediately by a one day workshop on psychodrama and trauma and grief and loss.  Many people attended these workshops from all over Japan.  

This journey has been truly remarkable and it is my pleasure to have been here with my good colleagues.  I am a little sad to be leaving but equally happy to be returning to Australia today to my family and friends at PIM and MPS.

Japanese Friends

Sue Daniel

8 October 2012