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Traces That Remain:
A Pictorial History of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith among the Japanese
edited by Sheridan Sims
Chapter 72
72. Two Birthday Parties
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Miss Alexander was born July 21, 1875. On July
21, 1963, for her eighty-eighth birthday, the Local Spiritual Assembly of Tokyo
had a party in her honor. There were refreshments, and speeches of
appreciation, which she graciously answered. There was even music, played on
the traditional Japanese instrument, the koto. It was a happy time.
Seated. Mrs. Konno (a friend of one of the Bahá'ís); Mrs. Yasuko Mori
Irwin, daughter of Miss Alexander's old friends Mr. and Mrs. Tsuto Mori; Mrs.
Michiko Mizuno and Mrs. Bashir-Elahi. Mrs. Yuri Furukawa is sitting next to
Miss Alexander (middle) and to the right is Mrs. Tadako Arakawa; Mrs. Suma Mori
and Mrs. Ayako Ogi. Standing from the left are Mr. Philip Marangella, Mr.
Masazo Odani; Mrs. Barbara Sims; Mr. Rouhollah Mumtazi; unidentified; Mr.
Bashir-Elahi; Mrs. Michiko Takano; Mr. Irwin; Mr. Hiroyasu Takano; Mr.
Shibukawa the koto player; Mr. Hideyasu Takashima; Dr. Yasuyuki Hosoda; Mr.
Masaaki Ushibata; Miss Fumiko Hirayama; Mrs. Akiko Schreiber; Miss Reiko
Masuto, Mrs. Chiyo Suzuki; Mr. Hiroshi Yamazaki; Mrs. Mitsuko Yamazaki; Miss
Masako Inoue; Miss Yoko Ishihara and Dr.
Mizuno.
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Within a few days of the party in Tokyo, the
Bahá'ís in Kansai celebrated Miss Alexander's eighty-eighth birthday at the
Osaka Center. At least two people aside from Miss Alexander attended both
parties. In Japanese 88 is  and it makes an ideograph  which is the character for rice. Rice is the staple food
and has all good connotations. Therefore when an individual reaches 88 it is
time for a special celebration.
At the Osaka party, the first piece of birthday cake goes to Miss
Alexander. Mr. Zenimoto is assisting her.
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