220 Japanese Attend 16th Japan-America Grassroots Summit in Colorado

The State of Colorado hosted the 16th Annual Japan-America Grassroots Summit with over 220 visitors from throughout Japan arriving at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs on Sept. 5, 2006. After spending two nights at the world-famous hotel, the Japanese visitors divided up into groups of 10 to 40 to spend four days in the homes of American families in eleven different locations throughout Colorado. During the homestay phase, Japanese visitors got a taste of true western hospitality as they enjoyed activities ranging from golf to horseback riding to hiking to rafting to barbecues to sightseeing with their American hosts. The ten communities that welcomed the Japanese visitors included La Junta, Westcliffe, Manitou Springs, La Veta, Clear Creek County, Canon City, Rocky Ford, Chaffee County, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Teller County. The visitors returned to Colorado Springs to spend one more night at the Broadmoor before returning to Japan.

The Grassroots Summit, an event held each year alternately in Japan and in the United States, is unique in that the homestay program is the main “ingredient”. By staying in the actual homes of ordinary families of the host nation, the opportunity to increase true and lasting Japan-America understanding and friendship at the personal level is much greater than if participants simply attended conferences and stayed in hotels. The hugs and tears shed by guests and host families at the time of parting proved that point beyond a doubt. The hesitation and trepidation on the part of both visitor and host at the outset, fear of language difficulties, and fear of breaching each others’ customs and culture- all of those anxieties turned out to be completely insignificant by the time of parting.

The Grassroots Summit, often called the "Manjiro Summit", is based on the true story of Manjiro Nakahama, a poor Japanese fisher-boy who was rescued after a storm by a whaling ship captained by William Whitfield of Fairhaven, Massachusetts. After rescuing the Japanese boy in 1841, Whitfield took Manjiro back to Fairhaven where Manjiro stayed for the next 10 years before returning to Japan, then a samurai nation completely isolated from the rest of the world. When Commodore Matthew Perry forced open the doors of Japan in 1853, Manjiro played a crucial and vital role in explaining America and the “American Way” to the suspicious Shogunate government. Were it not for Manjiro, the only Japanese who was able to speak English and who understood the “American Way”, initial US-Japanese encounter would undoubtedly have been much different and gravely disastrous. The close friendship between the Nakahama’s and the Whitfield’s have continued unto this day.

The Opening Ceremony of the Summit was held on Sept. 6 at the Broadmoor Hotel’s International Center with over 350 Japanese and Americans in attendance. Commander of NORAD and of U.S. Northern Command Admiral Timothy Keating, former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and Consul General of Japan Yuzo Ota were among the dignitaries welcoming the visitors from Japan. Former Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Taizo Watanabe expressed appreciation on behalf of the Japanese participants. The Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale accompanied by the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Orchestra sang both the Japanese and U.S. anthems to the delight of the assembled audience. The 5th generation of the Whitfield Family, represented by Bob Whitfield of Washington D.C., and the 5th generation of the Nakahama Family, represented by Kyo Nakahama of Nagoya, exchanged a symbolic globe of peace to signify the purpose of the Summits. A special and spectacular presentation by the Koshare Indian Dancers of La Junta seemed to be exactly what the Japanese expected to see in Colorado as evidenced by their long applauses.

The Closing Ceremony was held at historic Penrose House on Sept. 10 upon the return of the Japanese participants from their homestay experience. Less formal than the Opening Ceremony, the approximately 450 in attendance (which included many of the host families from throughout Colorado) delighted in the foods, singing, line dancing, and other entertainment provided. A delegation of five Prefectural Assemblymen from Colorado’s Sister State, Yamagata Prefecture, made a special appearance at the Closing Ceremony to express their greetings to the Japanese visitors and to express appreciation to the volunteer organizers. Representatives of Noto Peninsula, Japan, the host for the next Summit in 2007, made a presentation to encourage as many Coloradoans as possible to attend the Summit in June, 2007. The Noto delegates than offered everyone in attendance the opportunity to sample that which Noto is famous for: sushi, miso soup and sake.

While most of the Japanese departed for Japan the following morning, nearly half extended their stay in the United States, taking advantage of four day homestay opportunities in Colorado Springs, Washington D.C., Fairhaven and Boston. Nearly 40 remained in Colorado Springs for a few more days, staying in local homes and enjoying the cool weather and beautiful mountains. More tears were shed and more hugs were exchanged at the final parting on Sept. 14 as the 16th Japan-America Grassroots Summit finally became history.


Japan’s Top Political Figure Greets Summit Participants and Volunteers
Ichiro Ozawa, member of Japanese Parliament and recently elected to head the Democratic Party of Japan, made a special trip to Colorado Springs just to be on hand to greet Summit participants as they arrived at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs on September 5, 2006. Mr. Ozawa, who heads the main opposition political party in Japan, considers the Japan-America Grassroots Summit an important “lifework” for him and believes the Summit to be a most important annual event that promotes friendship and understanding between the peoples of American and of Japan. In spite of his extremely busy schedule this month, particularly since Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is stepping down, Mr. Ozawa felt it was important that he come to Colorado Springs for even a few hours to show his support for the Summit and to thank members of CIE-US (Center for International Exchange, USA) and of JASSC (Japan America Society of Southern Colorado) for organizing the 16th Summit. After greeting the Summit participants and thanking local volunteers in the lobby of the Broadmoor Hotel, Mr. Ozawa departed for Denver to return back to Japan early on the morning of Sept. 6.