Gifted Hands: Saino No Aru Te: A novel that would particularly bring enjoyment to those who like to travel and to learn about other cultures

Gifted Hands: Saino No Aru Te, A Novel by Kenneth Fenter

Review by Ron Paradis

This novel is filled with suspense, intrigue, and tragic comedy. It involves romances discovered in the wake of sacrifices. Will the long lost prince and princess find each other and reunite? The two main characters, Charlie and Keiko, are a mixed race college couple kept apart intentionally by way of her mother’s parental deception. A prearranged Japanese marriage is desired by Keiko’s mother. The reason is more a matter of cultural and financial concerns than outright prejudice, though.

In essence, this book contains the elements of a spy novel. There is the intrigue of a cat and mouse chase with good guys and bad guys. Are the private eyes’ intentions good or evil? A mystery is revealed at the end, as the characters did not realize how much danger they were really in from the mobsters in hot pursuit. A detective’s snapshots are taken for his client to help find her daughter. They are used to perpetrate a jealous encounter from an enraged husband highly trained in the martial arts.

The novel takes place in two different eras, beginning in the mid 1950’s, then twenty years later, in the late 1970’s. In the beginning, the young couple is affected by attitudes of post WWII Japan and America. As they come back together in a different time, Japan is becoming increasingly westernized, especially among the youth. The elders cling to traditional ways, as if with a death grip. The omiai, prearranged marriages are still common, yet are looked down upon by many characters in this novel.

Charlie and the young foreign teachers and missionaries that he meets in Nagasaki cope with cultural differences. The novel lets readers experience Japan as a tourist through Charlie's experiences and first impressions. For example, on the evening of his first full day in Japan, while looking for a place to spend the night, he meets an American and his Japanese friend. They have come from working out at their dojo (martial arts gym). They take Charlie for a snack and introduce him to the public bath.

The American explains that in olden times men joined their buddies there to soak and commune in the large public hot tubs. Charlie expressed concern about whether the bath was open for men and women. As explained to Charlie, “Nakedness is a Christian offense.” However, in small towns like Isahaya the laws were not strict. Charlie was mortified when two women got into the bath with them. Charlie had been preparing to get out of the tub because of the high water temperature when the women appeared. On the verge of passing out from the hot water, he makes his exit, to the amusement of the Japanese bathers.

From there, he and his new acquaintances go eat and get drunk together while making important connections in the community. Their acceptance as colleagues is indicated by the exchange of business cards (meishi). This introduction teaches Charlie lessons both positive and negative that are tempered as his stay in Japan continues, and his first impressions change to understanding of what had happened that night.

Missionaries tended not to last long, due to the Japanese acceptance of many faiths and practices at once. The shame culture prevails. Honor has supreme value, even over life itself. Charlie is told that the honorable ritual in response to shame is the taking of one’s own life.

A central question posed is that of who has the right to judge others. And is this judgment tarnished with preconceived notions? Perhaps only divine guidance plus an intertwining of cultures and faiths can lead to a happy ending here, rather than a horrible tragedy. Between the tragic humor, irony, martial arts, spy intrigue and suspense, a movie could be based on this novel. The cinematic version would be the combination of a James Bond movie, “The Hangover”, and “Love Story.”

A repeated theme is that the Japanese culture has different attitudes than Americans in some ways. For example, there is a lifetime relationship between teachers and their students; children and their parents. Favors may go around only to come back around later. Children respect and take care of their elders, who have kindly raised and cared for them as youngsters. Extended families under one roof contrast with families in the United States spread far and wide, possibly out of contact with each other.

The downside of extended families would be cramped quarters with thin walls. The sacrifice is that of privacy for lovers. An institution in Japan compensates in the form of rent-by-the-hour motels. The double standards and inferior treatment of women are exposed and criticized in the novel. I suppose that Americans have their share of fault in regard to double standards in treatment of women also.

“Gifted Hands” is actually the title of a poem written by the character Hideaki Haraguchi (Pancho) in reference to Charlie and Keiko’s separation, then reunion as accomplished artists. Pancho is a poet who has a small percentage of Ainu, with a heavy beard as a throwback trait. The Ainu are a Caucasian indigenous people who predate the Asians who later populated Japan. The prejudice can flow both ways. “Pancho” is a nickname given to him by the Catholic priest, Father Alvarez, who runs the International Center where Pancho works, and where Charlie stays when he arrives in Nagasaki. Pancho considers his blood impure. He gravitates to a young woman in the book who is a mix of Japanese and American, and has a like interest in literature. This is significant in that, according to the two characters, men and women of mixed races are not considered marriageable to pure Japanese. They are a miraculous find for each other.

Poems and haiku are interspersed throughout the novel, creating an artistic flair. Many of the characters express artistic talent including Father Alvarez (Padre). Though he is Mexican and Catholic, the Padre keeps an open mind to all races, religions, and cultures. He therefore is a hero to the Japanese people.

Japanese youth have become more “Americanized” both in dress and thought. While portrayal of nudity is accepted in Japan, the reasoning is no shame of biological anatomy. For example, breasts are simply a device used to feed babies. Increasingly, though, breasts are becoming a symbol of sexuality, as in the United States and other westernized countries. Some traditions that appear very different are actually similar in essence between the countries.

This novel is filled with references to World War II, and especially the plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki via B-29 bomber. The reality of how the bomb shaped the lives of the people is explored in its tragedy and horrors. A commitment to peace now abounds, such as with visitations to the Peace Park. The Japanese honor their ancestral victims of mass destruction with shrines and hospitals. Those scarred by radiation remain ashamed, and cloak themselves in veils. Keiko was able to guard her identity for so long by wearing veils. People assumed she was horribly disfigured by radiation. Some very tender moments took place when she was able to unveil her beauty first to her mother, then to the world, as a famous koto musician.

Keiko and her mother shared a long-time Christian ancestry. As a minority religion in Japan they kept it a secret. For example, their Buddhist shrine had Christian symbology hidden on the back, out of sight. Keiko always wore a crucifix around her neck. It was kept tucked underneath her clothing out of sight. She wished to not offend and not to be looked down upon. A crucial decision for Charlie and Keiko was whether to forgive her mother for the deception that kept them apart for twenty years. Keiko said she could not forgive. Then she pulled out her crucifix, kissed it, and stated she must forgive and be true to her faith. This led to Keiko and her mother becoming happily reunited. Her mother gave them her blessing to marry.

Historically, Japanese Christians (Kakure Kirishitans) had to hide their faith for hundreds of years. Those possessing Bibles were killed. So, scripture was passed down by word of mouth, taking on changes. Wars and slaughter throughout history have been precipitated by the attitude that a country’s prevalent religion is the only true religion. So, those professing other religions must be converted or killed, even if the fundamental morals are the same. The ultimate irony of war is the mixing of cultures.

Some lessons I learned from this book were: If someone loses contact with you there may be a misunderstanding to resolve, or something unknown going on. Do not make assumptions. It is great to learn other languages. English is not the only language spoken on our planet. Learning foreign languages helps one to function in other societies, and helps others to function in ours. It is difficult to cooperate and avoid misunderstandings without understanding what others are saying. Honesty has its rewards. A person’s intentions may or may not be malicious. One must understand their own traditional role in a foreign culture prior to marrying into it. One must be prepared to embrace the differences in a foreign culture before becoming a part of it.

The novel, though fictional, is accurate geographically, and to the style and traditions of the Japanese culture and ways of thinking. Attention to culture in this novel includes style of dress, foods, and other detailed descriptions, including holidays, cultural ways, behaviors, attitudes, infrastructure, architecture, politics, and even weather. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the Tokonoma shrine in Japanese homes. Though not a religious shrine, it functions as a place of honor to show off a piece of art and a flower arrangement, or some other precious item that the family possesses. Because it contains the family's most precious treasure or some statement of art, that is a place of honor, and thus a special guest will be seated in front of it. Charlie had the honor of being seated there, but did not entirely understand the significance.

Characters’ thoughts are italicized, giving an internal perspective into ways of thought. The author, Kenneth Fenter, writes with the authority of his own experiences while living and conducting business in Japan. This makes the novel believable even with the magical, mystical, and spiritual events that take place.

This is a well-organized novel, and is easy to follow. It begins with a summation of previous events as background from the previous novel, Pivotal Times: The Freshman Year. Also to the reader’s advantage is the “Author’s Note” which explains the experiences and perspectives involved in writing this work. An Author’s Notes at the end gives a summation of events that clarifies the significance of this novel in retrospect. The book is organized into 41 chronological chapters, like scenes in a movie, over the span of 365 pages. The characters, time frame, and settings are identified at the beginning of each chapter. A glossary allows the reader to look up the meanings of actual Japanese words that are interspersed for a realistic effect. Japanese phonetic pronunciation of English words for less fluent characters is used to create realism also, (an editor’s nightmare).

I would recommend this novel to anyone for the entertainment value it provides. This book would particularly bring enjoyment to those who like to travel and to learn about other cultures, the historical origins, and cultural evolution. In other words, the accuracy of the background details and the descriptions make this book a learning experience. The story line embeds certain lessons to be learned.