dadako
後輩
- 1 Dec 2003
- 160
- 0
- 26
I have a small question to ask you all, but first I must tell you the story that lead up to my need to question:
A few years ago I lived and worked in Tokyo, where I met a girl and we got very close. Soon it was time for me to leave Tokyo and come back to England, and the girl (I shall leave her name undisclosed) came to see me some months later. We had a pretty hard time of it all, because I had little money and no job. Eventually she decided to pay for me to come back to Japan and spend new year with her parents.
It's quite a touchy subject for them, however their son died of leukaemia when he was about 15. The girls father obviously still missed him, this became even more apparent when forced me to accept three samurai swords, when we were drunk one evening. Now, I didn't have a clue what to say and basically just had to accept what he was trying to do; give me the swords he bought for his son and make them into myself and the girls wedding gift.
I came back to the UK some days later and landed myself a very good job, although it did keep me very busy. I successfully managed to bring the swords back though customs telling them "nanchatte kanatana ne"... The girl came to live with me some months later.
We lived in the UK on a engagement visa, which was surprisingly easy to get I might add. After six months we had to either get married or the girl had to return to Japan. Because of all the arguments we had over this time we both felt it would be best if she went back, however because of the strong bond between us it just wasn't that simple. She decided to send the swords back to her father, to the best of my knowledge.
Ok, fast forward 6 months and I'm back in Japan again on holiday, I meet the girl and once again we try to see if we can salvage the relationship with her coming back to the UK. We almost did it... I met someone else... the girl moved to Italy.
Fast forward another 6 months and she asking me if she can come to the UK for a few days to see me and talk over some things. Basically she didn't ever send the swords back, they were with her friend just five minutes down the road from where I lived!! So to this day I still have the swords. She moved back to Japan and we hardly talk anymore, because we have finally found other people to be with.
Her father said something to me that new years eve which I will never forget; "don't spoil my family name, I have no sons only two daughters, take care of (girl)". To which I promised myself that if I ever moved back to Japan again, I'd change my surname to Okayama.
Now this might sound bizarre... that I understand. But you see, my family name is double barreled and not something I particularly want to keep since my parents got divorced some 10 years ago. I have no intention of marrying her, but would like a Japanese surname.
Fast forward to now, and I'm moving back to Japan in April of this year. My passport is due for renewal and I'm thinking about this whole name change idea again.
Is Okayama a good name? Would I be foolish to change my name to Okayama? My reasons are justified because I can convert my first name into something interesting in Kanji, and to have a seal or kanji name would help a lot in Japanese life. It might also quash a lot of prejudice that some people have for gaijin.
Your thoughts are most welcome.
A few years ago I lived and worked in Tokyo, where I met a girl and we got very close. Soon it was time for me to leave Tokyo and come back to England, and the girl (I shall leave her name undisclosed) came to see me some months later. We had a pretty hard time of it all, because I had little money and no job. Eventually she decided to pay for me to come back to Japan and spend new year with her parents.
It's quite a touchy subject for them, however their son died of leukaemia when he was about 15. The girls father obviously still missed him, this became even more apparent when forced me to accept three samurai swords, when we were drunk one evening. Now, I didn't have a clue what to say and basically just had to accept what he was trying to do; give me the swords he bought for his son and make them into myself and the girls wedding gift.
I came back to the UK some days later and landed myself a very good job, although it did keep me very busy. I successfully managed to bring the swords back though customs telling them "nanchatte kanatana ne"... The girl came to live with me some months later.
We lived in the UK on a engagement visa, which was surprisingly easy to get I might add. After six months we had to either get married or the girl had to return to Japan. Because of all the arguments we had over this time we both felt it would be best if she went back, however because of the strong bond between us it just wasn't that simple. She decided to send the swords back to her father, to the best of my knowledge.
Ok, fast forward 6 months and I'm back in Japan again on holiday, I meet the girl and once again we try to see if we can salvage the relationship with her coming back to the UK. We almost did it... I met someone else... the girl moved to Italy.
Fast forward another 6 months and she asking me if she can come to the UK for a few days to see me and talk over some things. Basically she didn't ever send the swords back, they were with her friend just five minutes down the road from where I lived!! So to this day I still have the swords. She moved back to Japan and we hardly talk anymore, because we have finally found other people to be with.
Her father said something to me that new years eve which I will never forget; "don't spoil my family name, I have no sons only two daughters, take care of (girl)". To which I promised myself that if I ever moved back to Japan again, I'd change my surname to Okayama.
Now this might sound bizarre... that I understand. But you see, my family name is double barreled and not something I particularly want to keep since my parents got divorced some 10 years ago. I have no intention of marrying her, but would like a Japanese surname.
Fast forward to now, and I'm moving back to Japan in April of this year. My passport is due for renewal and I'm thinking about this whole name change idea again.
Is Okayama a good name? Would I be foolish to change my name to Okayama? My reasons are justified because I can convert my first name into something interesting in Kanji, and to have a seal or kanji name would help a lot in Japanese life. It might also quash a lot of prejudice that some people have for gaijin.
Your thoughts are most welcome.