SENSEI

About the Book

This is the account of the experiences of a farm boy from the western prairie and a girl from the Bronx. These two spent 35 years in Japan. No two societies could be more different This is the story of their struggle to understand, their mistakes, the humorous situations they find themselves in, all against the background of the American occupation and the Korean conflict next door. It contrasts American and Japanese life and tells the story of many courageous Japanese and their response to life situations. It tells of their being ushered in to meet the Emperor and of his kind words of thanks. It is the account of the trip from culture shock to true bi-cultural living.

About the Author

Arthur Eikamp grew up on a farm in South Dakota during the dust storms and depression of the 1930s. He worked his way through college and then through the Yale Divinity School. He married Norma Blewitt from New York City and they spent two years ministering to the agricultural migrants from the Rio Grande to the Canadian border until they received a call to minister in post-war Japan. During their 35 years in Japan they started two churches and were co-founders of a junior high and high school. Before returning to America Arthur was honored by the Japanese Ministry of Education with a medal---the Fourth Order of the Sacred Treasure. At the presentation of the medal he and Norma were ushered into the presence of Emperor Hirohito who commended them for their contribution to Japan. Upon returning to America he taught at Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon, for three years and then moved to Langlois where they designed and built their own house. They live there now in the middle of the woods.