Dave McLane, our friend in Kyoto, Japan, is the system administrator for the Aegis Society which encourages computer mediated communication. During 1993-1994 Aegis sponsored the International Student Telecommunication Project.
Delmar Elementary School student, Leslie, wrote faithfully to her friend Chiemi in Kyoto. Robby and eight year old Aysha, pictured here, drew pictures for Yuki Ikeda who was too young (3 years old) to understand English. Their drawings can be seen in the ISTP 1994-1995 project report.
Over the years Dave has sent us quite a few videos that he made of the people and life style in Japan. Many thanks, Dave!
In the picture at the top of the page Dave is dressed as Organtino Gnecchi Soldo. The following is from a text file on the Notre Dame Women's College FTP site:
192.172.233.8
/pub/istp/Gara94d.txt
November 13, 1994
Nagaokakyo city held its 3rd annual Garasha Matsuri on Sunday, November 13th, 1994. Garasha's main claim to fame was her father, Akechi Mitsuhide, killed Nobunaga and was in turn killed by Hideyoshi. Garasha (ne Akechi Tama) had married Hosokawa Tadaoki and lived in Shoryujijo castle in Nagaoaka for some years. Hosokawa interceded in her behalf and her life was spared (the entire family was usually killed at such times). After many complications she finally committed suicide in 1600 by ordering somebody to kill her: unable to do so by her hand as she had become Christian.
Organtino Gnecchi Soldo was born in Italy in 1532 and came to Japan in 1570. Nobunaga thought much of him and helped him establish a church in Kyoto and a seminary in Shiga prefecture. He brought with him a printing machine from Holland and an organ which he played at Garasha's funeral. He left the kansai in 1606 for Nagasaki where he died in 1609.
Imamura Keiko, the actress who played Garasha in the Sunday night NHK TV drama, "Nobunaga, King of Zipangu" was Garasha in the first matsuri in 1992. In 1993, Garasha was played by Subarus Kazuki of Takaratsuka Review. This year Garasha was played by TV actress Nishioka Chiaki. Each August there is a lottery to chose who will play the other major characters: Mitsuhide, Hosokawa, Tama, and so on. Anybody who lives or works in Nagaokakyo city can register for the drawing.
The first year only two people registered for Organtino, Dave McLane and Dick Nigh, and Dave won. The second year, the same two people registered and Dick won. This year there was one other person who registered but Dave won again.