The Final Journey Back to Japan After 103 Years (A Nisei's ashes is spread in Japan)

This video is a snapshot into the life of my Aunty, Elsie Sueko Kuroda. Aunty Sue was a Japanese American Nisei from Hawaii who lived to be 103 years old. Her final wish was for some of her ashes be taken back to Japan which she loved so much and spread in a river which would lead to the ocean so she could continue to travel in her afterlife. My sister and brother-in-law from Hawaii brought some of her ashes to Japan on their visit in April 2019 where we helped out with the "Aunty Sue pilgrimage." We first visited her university, Kyoto Women's University, which was being renovated and I am sure looked much different from when she graduated in 1938. We put some of her ashes at the base of a beautiful blooming cherry blossom tree and then we went to Kamogawa (River) to release the rest of her ashes into the river to fulfill her final wishes.

Aunty Sue was born on May 26, 1915 and was the youngest of nine children. The eldest sibling was my Grandfather, Kosaku Matsuno. Aunty Sue visited Japan at a young age and after high school in Hawaii, she returned to study in Japan. She was one of the first true degree seeking study abroad students! She did one year of studying in high school in Hiroshima and then entered Kyoto Women's University in Kyoto. She graduated in 1938 and returned to Hawaii before War World II broke out in 1941. Aunty Sue lived a very fruitful life and passed away on February 13, 2019 at the age of 103. There are edited subtitles available. If the subtitles are not on your Youtube screen, click on the CC button down in the right bottom corner.

[korenng]

Treasured family history...thanks for sharing yr Aunty with us! So sweet 💕

[lorimatsuno]

Great job, Mike! What a treat to see and hear Auntie Sue and to see her travelling down the river!