No62

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News LetterNo.62After the huge typhoon, we seem to be back to the mid summer. We are still air conditioner on, and now I am writing this e-mail wearing only a T shirt. At night, it becomes nice and cool, so we are glad we do not need airconditioning when we go to sleep.In early morning In USA, baseball player Ichiro seems to be makingincredible record again. To set a major league mark, Ichiro must garner22 hits during remain 15 games. But it seems not to be so difficult forhim. We Japanese are watching for him play through TV news, expecting anew record just same as Seattle Mariners fans. Here in Japan, playersunion of pro baseball league have started 2 days-strike, and no matchhere on this weekend. So Ichiro's play get attention more and more. Igreatly respect his inhuman enthusiasm for good job. Maybe most Japaneserespect Ichiro just as same as I do.
Some customer may know, Ichiro's official name is Ichiro Suzuki. ( Just similar my name Ichiro Wada ). When he started his career at Hankyu Braves here, he registered his nameas 'Ichiro Suzuki'. It was written in kanji characters as formal way.Later he changed the registered name to 'Ichiro', and determined towrite it in katakana characters. He became the first player, whoregistered by katakana name ( without family name ). I seems quite differentfrom Westerners, we usually call each other by family name, so whenIchiro's name was announced in the game, we heard his name with alittle bit strange feelings. But after he changed the name this way, hestarted making outstanding performance. 'Ichiro' is very common name here in Japan. Maybe just as same as 'Tom',or 'John'.'Ichi' means 'one''1', and 'rou' is just added meaninglessly for men's name. There are many similar name as 'Ichiro', for examples 'Ta-ro''Ji-ro''Sabu-ro'which have 'ro' in the ends. 'Ji' means 'two''2', and second boys are often named 'Jiro' or added 'jiro' in the end of their name.
I asked my parents what my name meant with expecting reasonable ( or unique ) meanings. My father said ' You must be No 1.' I had to write a story about my name for a homework, and asked ' And ? '. 'Simple name is good if you run for Parliament'. I had dreamed more dramatic stories. To be No.1? Where was I expected to be No1? As a baseball player, as a politician, as a businessman of big business, or for sensitivity, for score of academics or for the pole vault? I felt 'Become No1' was too vague for expecting something to their child' future. Baseball player ICHIRO's father seems to determine his son's future when he was born. He was said that he trained ICHIRO everyday to make him a pro baseball player.And fortunately he has great adequacy and ability, and has become a man just same as his father hoped. As a matter of fact, my father seemed to want me to become No1 at study, and make me a doctor. But for my case, I was not enough wise to enter a public medical university. I was not seriously discouraged by that fact, but I might bring him down.
But now I like my simple name, and we named our company 'ICHIROYA'. 'Ya' means store, and it means simply 'Ichiro's Store'.Now I think I would like to be a first-class international businessman.Baseball player Ichiro is too great as a target, but at least I want totry to do my best always as he always does.
I am very sorry if this letter is too private theme. Today is Sunday, but I went to auction to Kyoto. I promise you I will get many rare and good items at better score of ICHIRO's acting average!
Some of you may be puzzled when we e-mail you we usually put `san' afteryour name. San is like Mr or Ms but it is not so formal but much morecommon thing.
This is the most common way to call other people, and san can be puteither after first name or last name. We do not call each other without`san' generally unless the person is very very close. It is hard to explain but we are not used to call anyone without san, so if we call someone without putting san at the end, we feel like weforget something and it does not sound right for us. We hope you do notmind being called with `san' (at the end of your name).
We will be adding today's new arrivals in about 6 hours.　We will belisting very interesting katagami(stencil paper), children's kimono andsome bolts. We will be very happy if you have time to browse our newarrivals.domo argatou gozaimasu.We wish you a nice brand new week, dozo sutekina isshukano
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com/
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446