The Legend of the Shimanean
by Lee Crockett 　

　10 years sounds like a long time but it feels like just yesterday when I reflect back now on how a group of five CIRs, myself included, got together in February of 1992 to determine the expediency of starting an English newsletter for the residents of Shimane. Since Shimane is the true home for many of Japan's grandest legends and gods, I'd like to tell my own tale of how it all started.
　In 1990, I was fortunate enough to serve as the second CIR in Shimane prefecture spending my first year as a JET in idyllic Akagi-cho, for which I will forever hold the fondest of memories as it is where I met my future wife at a JET supported international music / peony festival. By the way, I still enjoy taking my two sons, Kentaro and Hiroyuki, back to Akagi to see where daddy and mommy met, but I digress.

Left: Eleanor Kane, 10 years younger.

　After the completion of my first year in July of 1991, I transferred to the kencho [The Prefectural Government Offices] to replace the first CIR in Shimane, Mark Dunn, who was heading back to the U.S. to enter graduate school. At the same time that I transferred to the kencho , four new CIRs and a host of ALTs arrived in Shimane to begin their JET assignments. The other four CIRs and their "shokuba" [workplace] were as follows: Thea Sternbach (Matsue-shi), Eric Wynkoop (Akagi-cho), Grace Perez (Nichihara-cho), and Thad Tanski (Shimane Youth Center). All totalled, there were approximately 25 JETs on assignment at the time in Shimane.

　Over the course of our JET assignments, I think that all of us had numerous opportunities to visit different cities, towns, and villages throughout Shimane. Through these travels and experiences, we each met many Japanese and non-Japanese who were very interested in learning more about English, Shimane, and foreign countries. Several of us realized and discussed with one another and our host institutions the idea of starting an international English newsletter for all Shimane residents.

Ten years ago, Kawatsu looked like this!

　After much informal discussion about the idea and its pros and cons (i.e. mainly cost), the five of us got together in February of 1992 to take the idea from conception to realization. There was really no heavy resistance to starting the newsletter though the name was a big topic for debate as there were several strong opinions contested. The runner up for the name of the newsletter was The Twisted Rope or "shimenawa" in Japanese. In the end, we chose to incorporate this idea as the symbol (i.e. picture the big twisted rope at the entrance to Izumo Taisha) for the newsletter. Though this symbol has been dropped from use in the newsletter, for many years on its cover the "shimenawa" represented the diversity and human bond between the people of Shimane. We decided on the name of the Shimanean because it not only sounded good but also it seemed to capture best the unique feeling of being in Shimane and loving the land and its people.
　I am so very proud and grateful that I had a chance to be part of the founding of the Shimanean. Also, I thank all those who have over the past 10 years contributed to the successful continuation of this "madoguchi" of international friendship and understanding. Every time that I receive and read it, I still remember and relive the warm memories and friendships that became such a treasured part of my life. No matter where your life may take you, this newsletter will always remind you that you are forever the true Shimanean. Long live this legend of international understanding.