Valley stories featured in Japanese book

By Ethelyn Mosher

Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com



A few days into the new year I received a parcel in the mail containing a most unusual and pleasant surprise.

It was a beautifully presented large white hard covered book, much like a book we often refer to as a coffee table book.

The surprise continued as I opened the cover to discover many beautiful and recognizable pictures of our Annapolis Valley and full-page photos of some Valley residents with whom I was acquainted.

However, the surprise continued as I realized I was viewing pages of an unfamiliar language.

Now I will do a quick rewind and tell you how I happened to receive this unusual and delightful gift.

In the summer of 2005 a trio, three very attractive Japanese young people, arrived at my home. The visitors included a photographer, the editor of a popular Japanese magazine, and a tourism employee who was also the interpreter for the other two.

The latter had called me earlier to see if she would be permitted to take some pictures of me, an Atlantic Canadian, and of my home, to do a pictorial story to be published in Japan. Not accustomed to being interviewed and photographed for a foreign magazine I invited them to my home.

Yuka Takahashi .the spokesman for the group, is the regional sales manager for the Japanese Tourist Market who works with Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership. She was accompanied by Kaz Yoshimura, a photographer, a world traveler, and a writer who has several books published in his homeland. With them was another young lady, who was the editor of a Japanese magazine.

Now let me give you a glimpse of this 140-page book. There are over 75 full-page pictures of various areas of the Annapolis valley including Wolfville, Grand Pré, Avonport, Canning, The Lookoff, Aldershot, Gaspereau, Billtown, Kingsport, Halls Harbour, Woodville, Sheffield Mills, Granville Ferry, Annapolis Royal, Dempsey Corner, Weston, Blomidon, Canard, Granville Centre, Windsor, Aylesford,and Middleton -- covering an area from Digby to Windsor.

Featured in this publlication are 10 Annapolis Valley senior residence: Jim Howe, Annapolis Royal; Margaret Arthur, Bridgetown; Donald Armstrong, Granville Beach; Joan Harrison, Annapolis Royal; Glen Ells, Sheffield Mills; Mildred Eaton, Berwick; Fred Walsh, Berwick; Peggy Armstrong, Granville Beach; Howard Dill, Windsor; and yours truly (Ethelyn Mosher) Middleton.

In additon there are 95 smaller photos of places and people from Digby to Windsor.

I was speaking with Glen Ells, Fred Walsh, and Peggy Armstrong and like myself they were delighted with the pictorial presentation of our Valley.

"I think this book is a great promotional tool for the Annapolis Valley. The photos are of such excellent quality. Perhaps we could have the written text translated into English," Mr. Walsh commented.

Mr. Ells too felt the many pictures of every season could be used by our tourism department to promote this area of Nova Scotia.

In a telephone interview with Yuka Takahashi, I learned that the photographer has spent 10 years in the Atlantic provinces and has published many books (including this one on the Annapolis Valley) which are carried in bookstores throughout Japan.

"He was particularly attracted to the Annapolis Valley and decided to focus on the people and beautiful scenery of this area. He found the people very happy and contented," the tourism manager told me.

I asked her why he chose only senior citizens for his Valley stories.

"Japan has one of the fastest ageing populations in the world due to our low birthrate. By presenting this book we want to show our Japanese elders how they can live a healthy, productive, happy life as senior. We want to tell these stories so they can see examples of the lives of seniors in this area of Nova Scotia" she explained.

As yet I have not been able to find a person to translate the book nor have the other three I contacted, so we really have no idea about the content of the stories. As I mentioned before, the book is completely written in the Japanese language except for "Annapolis Valley Stories" written in very, very tiny lettering beneath a red apple.