On certain mornings Miss Takata left home at
seven-thirty to go to Yokohama to work until noon .
This was an additional responsibility to that of
teaching and supervising in her own school. She of-
ten thought of other activities she would enjoy and
prefer doin g as she hurried away and many times she
thought of giving up the interpreting for missionary
students attending Bible School and the Seminary in
Yokohama. She had volunteered and continued from
1950 until suddenly the Board of the Bible School in
New York offered her as a gift two terms of study in
the United States as their thanksgiving for her years
of helpfulness. She thanked God that He helped her
to continue so long the interpreting work for the
missionaries. The gift included two terms but she
was told that she could stay as long as she wished.
She was to go to the Columbia Bible College in Colum-
bia, South Carolina.
And so it was that in 1953 Miss Takata came to
join a group of American students in Columbia College .
She wrote l ater, "It was a disappointment. I found
that the students were very poor in the subjects they
were studying. They used to come to ask me about
grammar and spelling. So I went to another class to
study with a graduate class- Old Testament , Christian
Doctrine , etc. There I was the only one who answered
all the questions. The professor was so surprised
and also so angry with the other students that he
scolded them. So I stood up and told him and the
class that I had been volunteering many years at the
Bible School and Seminary in Yokohama in Japan . "
She decided to leave there and enjoy doing other
things. She was a highly interested visitor at

various church camps and conferences, among them a
Christian Leadership Camp in Minnewanker, Michig yan.
She visited Mrs. Marshall Galloway in Evanston, Illi-
nois, Mrs . Ruth Tooze in California and Marie Murray,
once a pupil of Madame Schumann- Heink who had passed
away in 1936. It was during the same stay in the
United States that Miss Strickland entertained her
diminutive Japanese guest at Bloomington, Indiana, in
1954. She shared with Toshi Takata the cultural
events at Indiana University- plays, operas, concerts
and lectures. She also shared Miss Takata with the
First Presbyterian Church congregation and with the
Sunday School children in particular.
Miss Takata instantly became an ambassador of
good will for her country. She needed no official
portfolio as she and the American children became ac-
quainted. Through her friendship and that of the
children and Mrs . Dorothy Johnson, Superintendent of
the Primary Department , the Friendship Bridge came
into being.
Mrs . Johnson wrote of the Friendship Bridge in a
report to the church congregation and especially ・to
the children and their parents. "In our Primary De-
partment we have had an experience of international
friendship so satisfying to pupils , teachers , and to
at least some parents , that the need to share it with
others is the reason for this report .
"It all began with a visit in 1953-54 to the
United States of a delightful, diminutive Japanese
teacher named Toshi Takata. The journey brought her
to Bloomington to renew her friendship with an Ameri-
can teacher. Here she found her previous friend,
Professor Ruth Strickland , and made many new ones.
As a result the Friendship Bridge had its beginnings .
At the Japanese end of the bridge were Miss Takata
and the Kawasaki Chapel children and their parents
and the Kawasaki Chapel congregation. At the Bloom-
ington end were the children and teachers of the

Primary Department of the First Presbyterian Church. .
But first we must let Miss Takata tell us of her safe
arrival by freighter in Japan at the end of her 1953-
54 Am erican visit.
"It was such a privilege to be with your Primary
children the day I left Bloomington. I don't know
how to thank you enough for the kind suggestions you
have given and the offer to send nice things to our
children. . .This has been a wonderful year for me and
I have learned and experienced the true meaning of
Christian living among God ' s children, and the chal-
lenge of being with them I would like to take back
with me to Japan. Each day was a great blessing
while I was in America."
Twenty-four days later, March 3l , 1954 , the
freighter, Tomishima Maru , landed Miss Takata and the
young lady Bonnie Johnson, the lovely "souvenier"
from America brought by Miss Takata and who was to
become a missionary . The ship anchored in the harbor
and it took a long time to get the baggage which in-
cluded a new organ , a phonograph and a washing ma-
chine .
"The customs people were nice ," she wrote . "They
did not even take a look at my eighteen pieces of
luggag e except the washing machine for which I had to
pay 2600 yen or nearly seven dollars duty.
"So many of my friends and students came to meet
me . What a happy reunion it was to see them again at
the same pier from which I left ! A dear missionary
friend , Mary Ballantyne , came to see me , too . When I
came home at 6 P.M. my house was full of friends
waiting for me since morning . What a hearty welcome
I had ! For two days I could not go out or had no
time to do anything but answer the ca lls from those
who could not come to see me . Although I was home-
sick for America , it made me feel so happy and even
if my house looked shabby and seemed inconvenient
compared to your homes in America. Yes , there is no

place like home. Also our steward (on the ship) said,
' I find the Japanese language much easier than Eng-
lish. '
"When I entered my home the first thing I saw
was the two big holes in the ceiling. The roof had
been leaking and our people had to take some of the
ceiling off and put a bucket on the floor to catch
the rain. They had not been able to get the worknen
to come and repair it, but as soon as I called, they
came. The next trouble was the water faucet that was
dripping instead of running. It takes a long time ・o
get a kettle full of water. This trouble is due to
the poor materials they used at an early stage after
the war. There seemed no end to necessary repairs
with very little money.
"After spending eleven happy, passive months I
find it so hard to be active , and at first I did not
know where to begin . My staff are so relieved on my
coming home that they seemed to have relaxed . So I
had to plunge into work right away . This is my pen-
alty for my wonderful year.
"So many welcome parties have been given me and
many more are planned, but I shall have to go slowly .
I am getting very tired and have little resistance
after the cold I took in Los Angeles.
"You no doubt heard that the present topic here
is the H-bomb experiment in Bikini. Wherever I go I
am asked how people in America think about this prob-
lem. But I heard the news the first time on the Pa- ﾐ
cific. I am trying to build a sound bridge between
our two dear countries but I must say this Bikini
news has disturbed our people very much. Why , oh why ,
do we have to suffer so much when most people want
peace ? Why can't people show love instead of using
the H-bomb ? God only knows why , and we must work
harder in His vineyard. "

Mrs. Johnson reproted from the Primary Depart-
ment at the Bloomington end of the new "Bridge : " To
the children Miss Takata was a new and a delightful
friend. We made plans with her to build a 'Friend-
ship Bridge' between our two countries, and building
has gone on steadily . So far as we are concerned it
is an association that has no end . Perhaps the way
we feel about her was well expressed by a second
grade boy who was writing a Christmas greeting card
to her last year in the name of our department . He
looked up from his arduous task of writing ・to say,
with a look of great sweetness on his face : ' Miss Ta-
kata is the nicest church person I know ! "
The planned activities in Bloomington included
sending things and letters across the "Bridge" to Ka-
wasaki . In addition, original drawings by the child-
ren went along with small gifts such as a small book
called Happy Holidays which had stories and pictures
describing fourteen of our Arnerican holidays. A set
of cards of pictures of Useful Birds of America made
the journey . The Primary Department used church
money to purchase a Viewmaster Projector and invited
children and their parents to purchase reels of dif-
ferent parts of the United States , of Bible stories
and of children and animals . A small doll was pur-
chased and a third grade child took it home to make
clothing for it . Plans were also made for a big doll
with changes of clothing , and a bed . Miss Strickland
planned to buy the doll and the bed was to be made by
a third grader and his fathere , y the extra clothes by
the parents of various children .
Mrs . Johnson then reported, "In due time the
Junior Viewrnaster projector and the 31 reels were

sent to Kawasaki . Most of the reels had been 'pre-
viewed' by our children with own Junior projector .
The families had chosen the reels with care. The
package arrived safely in Kawasaki as excerpts from
the letter of November 1 , 1954, tells so graphically

"What a wonderful surprise you gave
us ! Your projector and a number of view-
master reels arrived today . As I was going
out to mail the Christmas Box for your
children , the notice from the custom house
as to the projector came so I went and got
it right away . We showed the pictures for
the children's class and they were thrilled
and excited . I am going to show them again
this evening and try to explain in English .
I screamed at some of the views I had visit-
ed and was so homesick for America. Thank
you so very much.
"Now I must tell you t hat I mailed a
little more than seventy presents for your
children. We did not wrap them to save
weight. Also we thought you would like to
look at them first and give them according
to their ages and other ways . . . Most are
small dolls which our children love to
collect. . .
"I am carrying a very crowded schedule
this term, teaching Japanese language to
some missionaries , teaching at the Bible
School in Yokohama , giving private lessons
to several people as well as carrying on my
own work and teaching Sunday School, too .
So I haven't a day that is free . But I
find that I can do more than when I have an
easier time. "

At the Bloomington end of the "bridge" Mrs .

Johnson wrote of the arrival of the Japanese dolls.

"About December I the two Christmas
boxes of gifts for our children arrived.
There were dolls and more dolls- the larg-
est about six inches high , the smallest
less than an inch . The majority of them
were wooden dolls with beautifully enameled
features and clothing ; many were boy and
girl dolls as twins. There were dolls at-
tached to small platforms and which were
covered with brocaded material. Some of
these dolls were playing minature instru-
ments or dancing ; others represented a
trade , s 蛍ch as the ' noodle boy doll ' who
had his boxes of noodles on a tiny tray .
Some were puzzle dolls which could be twist-
ed apart and were found to contain another
tiny doll . Included with the presents were
a set of pictures showing many parts of
Japan , a piece of Japanese ceramic, and a
number of small boxes with glass sides, in
which were small garden scenes with doll
people .
"As the teachers looked at and sorted
the gifts they were all moved by the affec-
tion which was represented here and they
spoke of the care with which the things had
been chosen and wrapped , also the delicacy
of the workmanship . We well knew what joy
the things would bring the children. They
were distributed after Christmas because we
felt they would be enjoyed more in the less-
hectic after-Christmas days .
"We kept a representative group of
things for the beginnings of a ' ﾎ World
Friendship ' display. It is hoped that in
the new education building which our church

has planned, and for which the ground is
broken , there will be a place where these
samples of the craft of others in the ' Big
Christian Family ' can be kept and looked
at and used .
"In the meantime plans were in progress
for a Valentine box to be sent from our side
of the ' Bridge ' . We decided on a box of
crayons and a pencil for each child. Valen-
tines would be purchased or made by our
children . We used the birthday money and
church funds. Two committees of children
shopped for the things. We purchased Valen-
tine napkins and heart-shaped candies with
' message ' to add a party touch to our box .
Since we were not sure that the Japanese
celebrate Valentine 's Day , an explanation
of the day was sent. The box started across
the ' Bridge ' on January 12, by sea mail . "
About the middle of February word came that
our Valen �tine box had gotten safely across
the ' Bridge ' .

The " word " was the thank-you letter from Miss
Takata that gives such an insight into the welcome
by herself that the little ones of the class, that
it is here included.

"Thank you so very much for your letter
of January 14th with the many interesting
and happy news . Your Valentine package ar-
rived here two days ago with the things
about which you told me . It came in good
condition. I wish you could see the bright
little faces when they received their unex-
pected gifts yesterday .
"It was a windy and stormy day so we
decided to give them a happy surprise .

First I gathered them by the fire , and told
them about the Valentine , as we don't have
the day. I told them to share the candies
with their mothers . Since we have no Valen-
tines they are bringing some picture post-
cards on Monday, and will write a few words
and send them to your children. We are so
happy that they are able to write their
names in English while they feel an advan-
tage over the American children who cannot
write their names in Japanese.
"My precious souvenier to Japan, Bon-
nie Johnson, comes here often to spend the
weekend with me. She always brings back
fresh memories and flavor of America, and
Christ , of course . She is improving her
lariguage very fast . She has become accli-
mated to our life and is loved by our young
people here .
"She gives me many hints as to how
much is needed to help these young mission-
aries in their early years in Japan . Wher-
ever they may be they always give , and get
very little . People expect frorn them with-
out giving anything . This may come from
early pioneer missionaries who gave things
too freely in order to gather people . Our
homes are not opened freely to the foreign-
ers as they should be and missionaries who
come find it hard to get a chance to know
us when they are ready to adapt themselves
to our lives . This is somewhat different
among Japanese Christian people but the
missionaries should walk among all kinds
of people .
I am planning to start a ' Japanese
Speaking Society ' for the young mission-
aries so that they have fellowship with us .

Some of my friends who have been abroad are
willing to help me in this project . We can
have all kinds of interesting programs : for
instance we can take them to various fami-
lies , schools , have Japanese manners and
customs lessons , also Japanese cooking .
The entire p
rogram can be in Japanese lan-
guage . We need your prayer for this pro-
j ect."

Mrs . Johnson explained about the kamishibai to
the Presbyterian congregation in her report .

"A Ietter from Miss Takata sent us on
January 9 , 1955 , said that she had gone to
Tokyo and bought us a ' kamishibai ' set. A
kamishibai really means a paper theater- a
wooden box which locks like a suitcase with
doors that open on each large side . In Ja-
pan the kamishibai man goes about with his
wooden stage fastened on the handles of his
bicycle . He tells a story as he shows pic-
tures that he slides into the open side to
the audience , mostly children . When he gets
to the exciting part of the story he stops ,
offers some candy for sale , and tells them ・
he will be back tomorrow to finish the story.
"Since before Christmas the big doll
and bed had been in our church school room.
Miss Strickland had purchased the doll , a
beautiful , real-skin dolly with blue , blue
eyes. Of course she could open and close
them , and of course she had received much
gently loving from the children of our de-
partnent . Steven Jung , a third grader now
turned fourth grader , and his father had
made the bed . It was a fine sturdy bed ,
painted white . There was no bedding ,

however , and when the children saw the doll
lying on the bare bed their reaction was
immediate and specific . Volunteers for
' mothers to make ' this or that other thing
were numerous . Before one could blink an
eye plans had been made for a mattress , a
pillow, a blanket , a bedspread and sheets .
Also one of the children said there ought
to be some sort of deco 疵ation on the bed-
meaning some decals .
"For several Sundays thereafter, child-
ren arrived bringing their contributions to
the dollls bed ; Debbie , eyes shining , car-
ried in the pillow one morning . ' Do you
know, Mrs. Johnson , where my mother got the
feathers for the pillow ? She opened up my
pillow and took some out ! ' Lynn as she
brought the bedspread and laid it down ,
said , ' This is my favorite doll's bedspread .'
"Finally everything was ready to the
last decal . One of the third grader's fa-
ther and the superintendent's husband packed
the box for shipment . Ask them the dimen-
sions for a box going overseas and see the
response you get ! The box made only part
of its journey , was sent back , and had to
be disassembled and repacked.

But here we must let Miss Takata continue the
story .

"On April 7th, your big box containing
a big doll , bed , mattres.s and two sheets ,
the blanket and pillow came. Th ・y were in
good condition and without duty . How we
screamed while unpacking ! April 8th was
our opening day and I was glad to be able
to show them to our children and their

mothers. The bed and mattress and bedding
and the doll are on the window seat of our
classroom, and all the students come and
pat the doll on her face every day. My
maid brings her every morning to say good
morning . She gives much joy not only to
the children but to all the people who see
her. The children have named her Mary .
Thank you so much for them. Please thank
fathers, mothers , and grandnothers and
Debbie . . .
"I am going to Tokyo on a buying trip
and I plan to get a doll to send to you .
I will make some beddings and will send
them to you . "

Mrs . Johnson and the Primary Department received
the new doll in due time , and with its ' beddings '
that were mostly bright yellow and red , it was quite
a surprise . She reported :

The doll was dressed in a ' winter ' k ﾟi-
mono and had straight black hair and black
eyes set into the head , a nd beautifully
painted nose and mouth . The ' beddings ' in-
cluded futon , zabuton and makura .
Was the doll a ' boy ' or a ' girl ' ? The
teachers were not sure but the children
said , ' boy doll ' and never wavered . A Iet-
ter to inquire of our Japanese friends con-
firmed the children ' s judgement . A name
for the doll was needed and Miss Takata
wrote , ' Why can't you call him Taro , for
Taro is the name of the first son ! .
" She told us that she had bought Taro
in a great hurry , and then she apologized
because Taro was such an ugly doll . ' Next
time I will send a pretty girl doll ' .

"None of us would agree that Taro was
an ugly doll . We think that the five-year-
old daughter of one of our teachers expres-
sed our feelings completely when she heard
of Miss Takata's comment , and cried out in
indignation as she fondled the doll and
smoothed i ・s jet-black hair , ' It is not an
ugly doll ! ' And who would know better than
a doll 's mother , especially a five-year-old-
Doll 's mother ? "

And so the Friendship Bridge became strong as it
linked the Primary School children of First Presbyte-
rian Church in Bloomington , Indiana , with the child-
ren of the Kawasaki Chapel and School in Japan .

The following letter of August gives a brief
glimpse of Miss Takata ' s way of life and of the way
the school children chose to give the dolls some com-
fort and coolness during the steamy hot Auqust weath-
er of Japan .

" August 25th , 1955- Dear Mrs . Johnson ,
It has been many weeks I know since you have
had a letter. I am very conscious of it and
am truly sorry to have delayed so long be-
fore thanking you for the lovely doll and
some scrapbooks , you so kindly sent us. We
loved your dolls so much . Our children who
came to our summer school , played with them
all the time . They look so dirty n ｯow, but
we wash them often .
" When I went into the classroom I often
found them lying without anything on . The
children thought they must be too hot with
so many nice things on . I told them that
the dolls don't look modest but the children
couldn't bear to see them modest . It was

too hot .
" Our Japanese doll we sent must have
suffered from the heat with a winter kimono
on .
" I was very interested to hear about
your church being remodeled . How I wish I
could see it again ! Still I often remember
the happy time I shared with you on Sundays .
I can see some of your children's faces
clearly . - Isn't it wonderful that shared
experience like this stays with us always ,
there in the mind's eye to be called forth
whenever we want it ! I 'm glad I can always
see your church and Ruth's home . I Im sorry
though that I cannot see your home and nei-
ther can you see my home in Japan . Some
day you will , I am sure .
"It has been a very hot summer, and
still is , and humid . In fact all of July
and August all over Japan has melted in high
heat and high humidity. Everything includ-
ing myself , drips . So we are all a bit ex-
hausted from this . As for me , I never felt
better . I don't mind the heat at all , but
I do mind the cold . My house is very cool
now , full with cool breezes coming all the
time .
" This summer I didn't go anywhere , but
stayed at home idling myself with lots of
nice things to eat and having a bath as
many times as I wish . There is no place
like home to have a good rest , I think .
Yesterday I went up to Tokyo to see a
nice play and it was too cold- the theater
was air-conditioned . So I wrapped myself
with my ' Furoshiki ' , the cloth we use for
wrapping things with . Madame Butterfly was
acted by Americans and a Japanese famous

actress . The combination was pretty. . . Thus
I spend my va Dcation.
"Today it is raining and very cool .
The light is gone for some reason . I can't
see well so will continue after I come home
from meeting I am going to in Yokohama.
August 26.
" Good morning !
I hope this finds you well . Did you
have a nice trip ? It is still raining here ,
and very cool . It isn't possible that two
years ago I was with you . Time flies very
fast .
" I used your children's scrapbooks for
our lesson during the summer session . They
enjoyed them very $ much .
" It won't be very long before we should
think about our Christmas . Have you any
idea what we should do for our Friendship
Bridge ? Shall I send you some more Kamishi-
bai stories ? Do give me your suggestion .
" I haven't written to Mrs. Field for
such a long time , but I believe you will
share my letters with her . Please give her
my very special love .
With my love to your children and you ,
of course .

Yours very sincerely.
Toshi T.