Tadashi Nishisaki, the shrine builder of Sepik, dies in Japan
08 July 2015
ROB PARER
SO there goes a lot of Sepik history. What a character was Tadashi Nishisaki, who died recently at his home in Japan. He was an extravert of the Sepik in the 1960s.
Tadashi had initially arrived in Aitape and told us in Pidgin that he was on his way to where his father – who had been killed in World War II - was buried near Malol village, 15 kilometres to the west.
At the time we did not believe him. We did not know that his father’s wartime friend had buried him near a huge ficus tree and had given Tadashi instructions about how to find the remains.
A few weeks later Tadashi walked into the Aitape Club with his father’s dog tag and his bones wrapped in leaves.
When he returned to Japan his exploits made him a celebrity and he was on the front pages of the newspapers.
Tadashi spoke Pidgin but no English. He was behind a lot of the Japanese shrines around the Sepik and his PNG-Japanese Friendship Society helped Sir Michael Somare with a vehicle and a loudspeaker when he first stood for election to the Legislative Assembly.
The Society also spent a great deal of money establishing the beautiful Peace Park opposite the Windjammer Hotel in Wewak.
He led many groups of Japanese widows and their children to East and West Sepik to see where their husbands and fathers had died.
He also organised many Buddhists monks to visit, including the head of the Zen Buddhists of Japan, Yamada Mumon.
For 35 years Tadashi kept coming back to make sure the memorials were in good shape.
Tadashi owned a boutique factory manufacturing popular hand-made soap and remained a celebrity in Japan.
With thanks to Harry and Betty Roach
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