The guest from Greenaction, USA

Bradley Angel, the Executive Director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice (San Francisco based NGO), visited Kyoto in the end of April, as part of a visit to Japan to meet with environmental groups. The purpose of his visit to Japan was talking about problems caused by incinerators and this trip was covered by a grant to support networking people and organizations in different countries on environmental issues. Bradley visited several incinerators and had seminars with citizens groups in Tokyo and Chiba, then after he traveled to Kyoto on a sightseeing trip. Bradley's interpreter for the days, Kyoko Murao and I, Hosoki, took him to the Kyoto tour.
First we met Bradley at the JR Kyoto station and went to the Tofu restaurant for lunch. After that, we visited the Honenin temple and the Ginkakuji temple. We still had a time before it gets dark. Kyoko suggested hiking up to Mt. Daimonji as she learned that Bradley also enjoys hikes. When we were top of the mountain, we could see the whole city of Kyoto with a population of 1.5 million under the clear blue sky. At night we had a Sukiyaki dinner together with another JEE member, Micyiyo Fujimoto, at the JEE office. Bradley told us this was his second visit to Japan. He likes Japanese foods and was very good at using chopsticks. He kindly bought our JEE portable chopsticks.
On next day, Bradley and Kyoko rode a bicycle and visited the Daitokuji temple. A sprinkle of rain made the fresh green leaves at the temple especially beautiful. Bradley tried to understand Japanese culture by listening to Kyoko's explanation, whose interest is the tea ceremony.
Bradley stayed one night at JEE in Kyoto. He returned to Tokyo on next day and left for his next destination to Malaysia. I was overwhelmed by his energetic attitude. Greenaction's first big achievement was stopping a nuclear waste dump. Knowing that Bradley has been conducted so many massive protests, it is quite a surprise to find the real image of Bradley very quiet, reserved and gentle.
Bradley suggested promoting international exchange through Greenaction groups with JEE and I was very pleased to hear that. I hope to study more about their activity for the suspension of nuclear power plants. (Please refer to the Greenaction's brochure in the newsletter.)

Written by Hosoki

Transration by Kyoko Murao