Supper, "The Way of the Sword," and the Way of Airport Security

The last Saturday we were in Sapporo we enjoyed a great meal at the home of Chiemi-san (Yukari's sister) and Yoshio-san. Entrees included pizza, baked chicken, and sushi. Joining us were Yoshio-san's daughter's (Yumi Matsunaga) family, pictured below. (Not pictured, but present, was Yumi's husband, Yasuyuki Matsunaga.)

[front] Yukari, Ren, Yuya, [middle] Phil, Ruben, Buzz, Yumi, [back] Yoshio, Maru, Tatsuya, Chiemi

Ren, voluntarily occupying the pekingese Maru's cage. Maru's Mickey Mouse water dish is in the foreground. In the background is our dinner table. The floor chair was for Phil's sitting comfort.

After the meal we played the card game, Uno. Then the Matsunaga brothers presented Ruben with a shinai, a kendo practice sword. Kendo means "Way of the Sword." It is a martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu. The shinai, pictured below, is a bamboo practice sword used in kendo. Use of the shinai makes it possible to deliver strikes and thrusts with full force but without injuring one's opponent.

Tatsuya (12) and Yuya (16)

present Ruben with a shinai, a kendo practice sword

Perhaps you're wondering how we managed to transport the shi nai from Japan to The States. It wouldn't fit in a suitcase. The Delta ticket person in Tokyo Narita airport considered it a weapon, not a bamboo stick, as we tried to classify it. So we were disallowed storing it on board in a closet. Apparently that was a "no-ken-do."

We were advised we could pack it aboard as cargo and that because it would cause us to exceed our checked baggage limit, there'd be a $150 charge.

"May I see your supervisor?" I asked, not thrilled at having to pay that price for a practice bamboo stick we got for free, for goodness sakes.

"I don't want to argue with you, sir," she rejoined. "I'll let you fly it for free."

Our gratitude duely conveyed, we sought means to get it packagaged more securely for the trans-ocean flight. We found a domestic Japanese airlines willling to assist us by providing bubble-wrap and a cardboard tube for free. We checked the stick with Oversized Luggage and proceeded to go find something to eat before our flight took off.

Then we were stopped by two airport security guards who wanted to see our passports. (Was this the result of asking to see the ticket person's supervisor?) Satisfied that we must be harmless Americans, they bid us good day and we bided our time in Narita until our flight took off, Ruben enjoying the luxurious massage recliners available throughout the airport. The end of this chapter came after we passed U.S. Customs in Salt Lake City when we noticed several Homeland Security stickers on and inside the package of the "stick."