SCRIPT: CHAPTER 12 – ROMANTIC INTERLUDE IN JAPAN (1888)

PART 2

NARRATOR: On April 13, 1888, Rizal boarded the Belgic, an English streamer, at Yokohama,
bound for the United States. He left Japan with a heavy heart, for he knew that he would never again
see this beautiful “Land of the Cherry Blossoms” and his beloved O-Sei- San. Truly, his sojourn in
Japan for 45 days was one of the happiest interludes in his life.

NARRATOR: On the eve of his departure, he wrote in his diary to bade farewell to lovely O-
Sei-San

RIZAL: “Japan has enchanted me. The beautiful scenery, the flowers, the trees, and the
inhabitants---- so peaceful, so courteous, and so pleasant. O-Sei-San, Sayonara, Sayonara!

I have spent a happy golden month; I do not know if I can have another one like that in my
life. Love, money, friendship, appreciation, honors--- these have not been wanting.

To think that I am leaving this life for the uncertain, the unkown. There I was offered an
easy way to live, beloved and esteemed……

To you I dedicate the final chapter of these memoirs of my youth. No woman, like you
has ever sacrificed for me. Like the flower of the chodji that falls the stem fresh and whole without
falling leaves or without withering----- with poetry still despite its fall—thus you fell. Neither have
you lost your purity nor have delicate petals of your innocence faded--- Sayonara, Sayonara!

You shall never return to know that I have once more thought of you and that your
image lives in my memory; and undoubtedly, I am always thinking of you. Your name lives in the
sight of my lips, your image accompanies and animates all my thoughts. When shall I return to pass
another divine afternoon like that in the temple of Meguro? When shall the sweet hours I spent with
you return? When shall I find them sweeter, more tranquil, more pleasing? You the color of the
camellia, its freshness, its elegance…….

Ah! Last descendant of a noble family, faithful to an unfortunate vengeance, you are lovely
like…… everything has ended! Sayonara, Sayonara!

NARRATOR: As everything on earth has to end, the beautiful romance between Rizal and O-
Sei- San inevitably came to a dolorous ending.

O-Sei- San mourned for a long time. She was broken- hearted by the departure of Rizal who
was the first man to capture her heart.

NARRATOR: Despite his sorrowing heart, Rizal enjoyed the pleasant trans- pacific voyage to
the United States. On the ship, he met a semi- Filipino family---- Mr. Reinaldo Turner, his wife Emma
Jackson which is a daughter of an Englishman, their children, and their maid servant from
Pangasinan. One day one of the children, a bright young boy, asked Rizal:

LITTLE BOY: Do you know, sir, a famous man in Manila named Richal? He wrote a novel,
Noli Me Tangere

RIZAL: Yes, hijo, I am Richal

NARRATOR: In great joy the boy rushed to his mother, informing her that the famous man is
their fellow passenger, she felicitated Rizal, feeling proud that they were travelling with a celebrity.
 LITTLE BOY: Mom, mom, mom !!!!! Richal is here with us! the famous man who wrote noli
me tangere!!!!

MOTHER (EMMA): Really ?? where is he ? I want to see him !!

LITTLE BOY: Come mom, his over there

MOTHER (EMMA): Good Afternoon Sir, I am the mother of this boy and he told me that you
are Richal, the famous Filipino man who wrote noli me tangere.

RIZAL: Yes, he’s right I am Rizal

MOTHER: Nice to meet you Sir, We are so felicitated to know you and we felt proud to be
with such a celebrity like you.

NARRATOR: Another passenger which Rizal be friended on board the Belgic was Tetcho
Suihiro, a fighting Japanese journalist, novelist, and champion of human rights, who was forced by
the Japanese government to leave the country, just as Rizal was compelled to leave the Philippines by
the Spanish authorities.

NARRATOR: At the beginning of the voyage from Yokohama, Tetcho was miserably alone,
for he knew only his Japanese Language and so he could not communicate with the ship officers and
the passengers. Learning of his predicament, Rizal, who knew many foreign languages, including
Japanese, befriended him and acted as his interpreter during their long trip from Yokohama to San
Francisco, across the U.S to New York until they reach London, where they parted.

NARRATOR: Rizal and Tetcho were kindred spirits. Both were valiant patriots, implacable
foes of injustice and tyranny. Both were men of peace using their trenchant pens as formidable
weapons to fight for their peoples’ welfare and happiness.

NARRATOR: Rizal told Tetcho his Story.

RIZAL: My mission in life is to emancipate my oppressed people from Spanish tyranny and
of the persecutions which I and my family suffered from the vindictive Spanish officials and bad
friars. This is the reason why I flee to foreign countries where I could freely carry on my libertarian
activities.

NARRATOR: The intimate acquaintanship of Rizal and Tetcho was lasted for almost eight
months (April 13- December 1, 1888) and because of this Tetcho came to admire Rizal.

TETCHO: Mr. Rizal, I admire you for your patriotism and magnificent talents. I am lucky to
meet a person like you. Thank you for everything and also for inspiring me.

NARRATOR: Tetcho was greatly fascinated to Rizal. He was influenced to fortify his own
crusade for human rights in his own country.

NARRATOR: On December 1, 1888, after a last handshake and bidding each other goodbye,
Rizal and Tetcho parted ways—never to meet again. Rizal remained in London to conduct historical
researches on Mora at the British Museum, while Tetcho returned to Japan.

RIZAL: Goodbye my friend, hope to see you again

 TETCHO: I’m hoping too. Thank you for the friendship. I wish you to be successful in all
you’ve been fighting for. Once again, Goodbye Sir Rizal (in Japanese)

NARRATOR: In 1889, shortly after Tetcho return to Japan, he published his travel diary which
contained his impressions of Rizal, as follows:

TETCHO: “Mr. Rizal was a citizen of Manila in the Philippines. Age about 27- 29. Young as he
was, he was proficient in seven languages”

“It was in S/S Belgic that we first met. I came to England by way of America with him. Ever
since I had been intercoursing with him”

“Rizal was an open- hearted man. He was not hair-splitting. He was an accomplished, good at
picture, skillful in exquisite wax work, especially”

“I arrived at London late May, 1888. I temporarily stayed at “King Henry’s Road”, then moved
to room 56 of Parliament hill road. I intended to stay here until February or March, but unfortunately
London had been shrouded by fog since early October. I have Slight illness, and it appeared to be
very hard for me to spend the coming winter here. I decided to go home, and schedule to leave
London on December the First.

“On December the first, I got up early, it was a fine sunny day, after uncomfortable days of fog
and rain. The sun rose as if it congratulated my lucky departure for home. I took a farewell of my
people and at 9:30 AM when I was going down the parliament hill road, I met Rizal coming up to my
hotel. I called him to ride with me on the coach. Mr. Rizal came from Manila. He has a good
command of seven different languages at the age of only twenty-seven…. He was a frank and daring
fellow, fond of various arts, especially good and dearing…

NARRATOR: After the publication of his travel diary, Tetcho resigned his position as editor
of Tokyo newspaper which is Choya, and entered politics. In 1890 he was elected as member of the
lower house of the first imperial diet (Japanese parliament), where he carried on his fight for human
rights. The following year (1891) he published a political novel entitled Nankai- no- Daiharan (storm
over the south sea) which is resembles Rizal’s Noli Me tangere in Plot. Three years later (1894) he
published another novel entitled o-unabara (the big Ocean) which was similar to El Filibusterismo.