Customer Reviews

Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl

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Since many of my Japanese friends married American servicemen, I looked forward to reading Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl by Yaeko Sugama Weldon and her daughter, Linda E. Austin. To my delight, it reminded me of the "Little House" books except that rather than being written about nineteenth century rural America, this book was written about twentieth century Japan, set in a small town near Tokyo with Mt. Fuji in the distance.

This gentle book shows how children entertained themselves before the advent of mass media--playing outside, catching snails and tadpoles, using flowers and seeds for pretend play, daring each other to take scary adventures such as fetching something from the graveyard or icehouse where others hid in order to scare them. Illustrations and photographs by the authors add to the interest, as Weldon and Austin describe holidays and festivals such as Boys' Day, Girls' Day and Tsukimi (Full Moon Viewing in September).

Not all of Yaeko's life was happy. She describes sibling rivalry, hunger during the Depression, and hiding in air-raid shelters during the war, although these events inspire the reader by showing how these struggles helped Yaeko become stronger. After reading this book, I now understand why many Japanese women married American men during the U.S. occupation, since many of the Japanese men had died in the war.

Children studying other cultures could identify with Yaeko as they read about her life and adventures, while the glossary of Japanese terms might motivate them to learn some Japanese conversational language. Also in the appendices are some delightful children's songs in both Japanese and English and photographs of Japan during the 1950s. This is a well-designed and edited little book that will educate and entertain both elementary and middle school students.

by Susan M. Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl by Yaeko Sugama Weldon and Linda Austin is a beautifully written and inspiring story of a girl's life in Japan during the depression era, World War II, and the U.S. occupation. The authors, a mother and daughter team, have carefully and thoughtfully written this true story in a way that completely draws in the reader. I read this book in around 3 hours, I could not put it down. I felt that I was transported to 1930-50s Japan because the story was written with such detail, but it also moves along quickly.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has lived or travelled in rural Japan, because although it was written about Japan during World War II, some of the traditional customs, especially the holiday celebrations, are still practiced today in much the same way in rural Japan. So this book brought back some happy memories of Japan for me, even though I lived there only 10 years ago.

This is thankfully not one of those books that sensationalize life in Japan and focus on geisha or samurai. This story feels so much more real, and in this way, the reader can relate to and sympathize with the main character, while learning what everyday life was really like in Japan at that time.

In my opinion, this book would be absolutely ideal for school classroom teaching about World War II in Japan, appropriate for lower or middle school kids because it is easy to read, extremely informative covering a wide range of cultural and historical topics of interest, and there is some mention of the violence that did occur at that time, but it is definitely not too graphic for young children.

The book also includes black and white photos of rural Japan in the 1950s, beautiful illustrations by Yaeko Sugama Weldon, and 5 traditional Japanese children's songs, including the musical scores.

In addition, this charming story written by a mother and daughter team would make a lovely mother's day gift, or a gift for a daughter who is interested in Japan.

"Cherry Blossons in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl," by Yaeko Sugama Weldon, with her daughter, Linda E. Austin, is the charming life story of a Japanese-born senior citizen. It is a book for readers of all ages, from young people learning about history and other cultures to older people who lived through World War II.

Yaeko Sugama was born in 1925 in the small town of Tokorozawa, Japan, where she could see Mt. Fuji and the Chichibu mountain range in the distance. The family was poor, and lived in a typical one-story wooden house with a tin roof. Her father's shoemaking shop was in the front. Yaeko adored her father, but somewhat resented her mother's preference for her brother. "Girls are not so good to have because they marry and leave home, but when a son gets married, he stays to take care of his parents." That was the Japanese custom.

The author describes other customs of the time: the nature celebrations, the making of origami birds and kirigami from colorul paper, Yaeko's pet owl, stories from Japanese folklore. The author's charmingly drawn illustrations from a child's life in Japan are an added bonus.

After "Childhood" comes a section on "School," and then "World War II," "After the War," and "A New Life." The book ends with an appendix of Japanese children's songs, photographs of Japan in the 1950's, and a useful glossary and index of Japanese terms.

World War II disrupted peaceful life in Tokorozawa and brought air raids, bomb shelters, and rationing, leading the children to ask, "Who wants war anyway?" While the war took away the young Japanese men she might have married, it gave Yaeko a view of the outside world. She worked for American military families, eventually married an American soldier, and moved to the Chicago area.

Yaeko Sugama Weldon now lives in St.Louis, Missouri, near her daughter Linda, who helped her put her stories together. This book is a good example of the family memories and experiences we all need to share. While Yaeko expresses her regret that she didn't learn English better, her simple, direct prose is charming. That, as well as the story itself, should make this book especially interesting to young readers. However, I couldn't put it down myself.

Reprinted from "Write Your Life!" at http://www.seniormemoirs.blogspot.com

Now in a new edition edited for young readers in elementary grades and older, Cherry Blossoms in Twilight: Memories of a Japanese Girl is the true-life autobiography of a Japanese girl's life during the Depression, World War II, and the Occupation. Young Yaeko Sugama Weldon's memories of a poor but content childhood were torn apart by the crushing impact of war. "At noon time on August 15, Emperor Hirohito spoke to the people. For the first time in history a Japanese emperor spoke to his people!... He announced on the radio that the war was over - not whether we won or lost, just that the war was over and an agreement was made. I was so happy! Most people in our town were excited and relieved. They cheered and hugged each other. Many people were just glad the war was over. We were all tired of the war." Cherry Blossoms in Twilight tells of the jobs she took to earn a living after the war, her marriage to an American serviceman and move to America, motherhood, and the difficulties involved in adjusting to American culture. A handful of black-and-white photographs, a glossary of Japanese terms, and a couple of Japanese children's songs round out this memoir, highly recommended for children's library collections and personal reading shelves.

Cherry Blossoms in Twilight was a delightful read and I recommend everyone to purchase a copy. I am 60 and read it in the first sitting, but it is very appropriate for a school age child. This book tells a true story, includes an index of Japanese words, several songs and the illustrations - drawn by Yaeko - add visual images for the story.

Who wanted war anyway ? is a message we can share with children (and adults) throughout the world. Purchase several copies to give as Holiday gifts, full of memories from Japan, for everyone, no matter what age on your list. You will not be disappointed...

This book is a touching, engaging read. I read it from start to finish in one sitting, not wanting to put it down. It teaches us how important it is to have loved ones document their lives and share their experiences with others, not just family. You feel transported to another time, and laugh and cry with the authors. It gave me a greater understanding of another time and place, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This would be great recommended reading for any age.

A touching, private, yet extremely insightful read. A treasure of life's personal experiences from the perspective of a young Japanese girl growing up during, arguably, the most tumultuous period of modern world history. I couldn't put it down.