Dear My Daughter

Coming of Age Day (Seijin no Hi) is a Japanese holiday held annually on the second Monday of January. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached the age of majority (20 years old=hatachi) over the past year, and to help them realize that they have become adults. Festivities include coming of age ceremonies (seijin-shiki) held at local and prefectural offices, as well as after-parties among family and friends.

…from “Coming of Age Day”(Wikipedia)



My daughter turned 20 years in June last year and yesterday she attended coming of age ceremonies in Nagoya where she was born.

I divorced when she was 6 and hadn’t seen her for a long, long time and last summer we met for the first time in 13 years.

Then I felt as if she had come back from the future in time machine.

I had been away from her for a while but I’m glad she still remembers the time we spent together in Nagoya.

I may not be a good father but she’s the one I’m proud of the most.

I hope she can go her own way to make her dreams come true.

And I’m sure she is my daughter and she can do anything she wants. All she got to do is trust her instinct whatever she may do.

Someday she’ll become a mother and I do want her to tell her kids about their grandfather.

Come and see me, my daughter.

Let’s have a toast sometimes. Bring your steady too.

I want to be your dad who is proud of you who are proud of a father like me.