As I wrote this account of my time studying abroad and reviewed the various memories which passed through my mind, I realized that I had come to grips with all sorts of issues while I had been at Oxford. Fond memories of each scene flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern. I faced one problem in writing this book; it was seven years since I had left Oxford. Although I could remember a good deal, there were limits to the extent to which I could recall individual events. However, fortunately while I was at Oxford, I had jotted down each day what I had done and had kept these notes. I was able to put these together with the memos made bymy police escort and through these I was able to recall my experiences. My diary in English, which I had written while I was staying with the Halls and which had been checked bymy English teachers, was also useful and the pamphlets and leaflets about places which I had visited onmy travels together with the tickets and other items, which I had kept, were a real treasure-trove. I had taken over two thousand photographs while I was at Oxford and these were very useful for reference. In addition, the official telegrams which had been sent at the time naturally provided background material. After I came home the occasional essays which I had written about my studies were also valuable memory aides and these have been incorporated into this book.

In September 1991, I revisited England to attend the Japan Festival and was delighted to be able to meet once again many of those who had helped me during my time as a student. I was much gratified to receive the award of an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. I revisited Merton where I met Dr Roberts, the warden, Dr Highfield and other dons of the college and was able to get together again with some of the students whom I had known and who were pursuing their researches. I was invited to a pub by the student I mentioned earlier who had been learning to play the shakuhachi. As I trod the familiar streets that evening I felt that Oxford had not changed and nostalgic memories welled up within Me.