Intestinal Fortitude in Minatomirai

The Yokohama Mafia

The Japanese Navy (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) has four medical admirals. During most of our time in Japan, Admiral Otsuka and Admiral Hatada have held the top two doctor-admiral positions.  Last night we went to a fancy floating restaurant in Yokohama, Pier 21, to celebrate their recent retirements.


What began as collegial relationships have blossomed into true friendships over the course of four years.  We have twice enjoyed Kabuki in Tokyo with Otsuka-sama, experiences we will never forget and which we hope to repay with some Broadway shows when they visit the United States.  Hatada-san and his youngest son were the honored guests at one of my very first dinner parties where I served second helpings of creme brulee for dessert to help them forget whatever unfortunate entree was on the menu that night.

The two formative decades I spent engaging in snappy suppertime repartee with four brothers comes in handy when I'm sharing a five-course meal with five doctors and a dentist.  Any conversational topic is fair game when doctors are eating, much like back on Burr Street when Mom was out of the room, and I couldn't imagine finding a better panel of experts to answer a question that's been pressing the back of my brain since the book club went to Nagano in late August.

"Is it true," I wondered, "that Japanese intestines are approximately one meter longer than Caucasian intestines?"  There was a long pause while six of the nine participants translated the question into Japanese, formulated a response, and translated that response into English.  Yanagida-san, the newest Japanese admiral present, was the quickest.  "Yes!"

Otsuka-sama, in his best sensei fashion, compared the evolution of my intestine with his.  The people on these islands were originally grass or grain eaters and their digestive tracts evolved to accommodate their diet.  I, however, am descended from a long line of meat eaters.

So now you know.  Kanpai!