Allow me to present our own Mr. Ogawa (Ryo Ogawa), until recently a Boeing 747 jumbo jet captain with JAL (Japan Airlines), and since last October the Deputy Director of the Yokohama Museum of Modern Art.
He is married to Kimiyo and has three children: Ryohay, Shinko, and the beautiful Akiko. They live in the city of Sakura, in a beautiful home where, back in 1990, they hosted two friends from Greece: Pepo–Epicurus Govinas and Nikolaos Strikos from Gortynia, raised in France.
I will take you for a short journey to the Land of the Rising Sun, distant Japan.
Konnichiwa, Ryo-san.
My first post about him was published many years ago. Today, our friend Ryo has many grandchildren. Please allow me, however, to mention the three Muses who were the reason we came to know Ryo’s family and, through them, the families of Mr. Sakamoto, Mie, Yumiko, Hiroko, Massami, Emi, Keiko, and many other dear friends.
Everything began with two simple treats I offered the Muses: roasted chestnuts and baked quinces. From that small gesture was born a WONDERFUL and UNIQUE friendship that continues to this day. We are talking about forty years ago—unbelievable, yet true.
In 2025, my beloved nieces Iro and Dimitra visited Japan and met Ryo and Kimiyo, Mie and Yumeta, Eriko, Kazunobu, Thalassa, Yuto, Ena, and Rei. They experienced unforgettable moments by their side.
One month later, our beloved Myrto–Mina traveled to Japan for her honeymoon with Alexander. They met our dear Eriko, whom I thank once again for her invaluable help.
Dear friends, if I were to continue speaking about the kindness and courtesy of all these people, we would need many months. Two years ago, we suffered a painful loss: our deeply beloved friend Mako, the husband of Mie, passed away. Although he was a doctor, his heart betrayed him.
Every May, Lola, myself, and a few close friends honor the memory of Mako. Courage, dear Mie.
Let me now come to the interview given to us by our friend and koumbaros, Ryo Ogawa. I should note that the Muses I mentioned earlier were flight attendants, and that Mr. Sakamoto was also a pilot. He lived in Athens for a long period with his wife and their two sons, which is why our beloved Eriko knows Greece so well. During her stay here, she was fortunate to have an exceptional teacher, Mrs. Stella Tragganida.
Dear friends,
Allow me to present Mr. Ryo Ogawa.
Enjoy him.
PROLOGUE
Today, we are not simply presenting a former captain of Japan Airlines’ Boeing 747 aircraft, nor only the Deputy Director of the Yokohama Museum of Art. Today, we are presenting a friend. A friend from the past. A friend from a golden era—those years we lived at Dionysiou Areopagitou 18, facing what is now the Acropolis Museum.
From Athens to Sakura City in Japan, from the cockpit of a jumbo jet to the halls of a modern art museum, from the village of Gorgogyri to the skies above the world, Ryo Ogawa’s journey is one of dignity, humility, and deep humanity.
The interview that follows is not merely a series of questions and answers. It is a testimony of memory. A dialogue between cultures. A meeting point between friendship, life, and time.
THE INTERVIEW
Mr. Ogawa, thank you very much for accepting our invitation to this interview. We would like to begin with our usual opening question.
What do you remember from your childhood, and what memories have stayed with you from those early years?
When I was a child, I loved animals very much and could observe them for hours. That is why I never missed the opportunity to visit the zoo of my city almost every month. It was located about thirty minutes away from my home.
At what age did you decide to become a pilot, and what was the stimulus that led you to this choice?
I decided to become a pilot when I was a high school student, at the age of sixteen. The stimulus for this decision was the sky itself. I discovered its magic while lying on the grass of the university yard, gazing at it.
You were born a few years after the destruction of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Do you remember what the older generations told you about this tragedy?
I was born eight years after the atomic bomb attacks, so I have no personal memories of that event. Moreover, my hometown is far from those cities. I truly realized the scale of the destruction when I started attending elementary school.
Since you were until recently one of JAL’s top pilots, if you were in the position of the pilots who dropped the bombs, would you have done the same?
I never worked on bomber aircraft, so I cannot answer this question with certainty. However, I do not believe that I would ever be able to do such a thing.
In 1985, JAL selected you to stay in Greece for about two years, operating the Athens–Karachi–Athens route. What do you remember from that period?
I lived in Greece from July 1985 until July 1987. I remember many beautiful things, including, of course, the Govinas family. Thanks to them, we experienced many wonderful moments.
When you decided to come to Greece, did you ever imagine that you would become the best man at Alekos and Rania’s wedding in Gorgogyri?
No, I never imagined such a thing! It is one of the most important memories of my life. Staying in Gorgogyri with you and participating in the wedding were truly unique experiences.
We have heard that during one Easter, while driving up the mountain, you had a small accident with a flat tire. Do you remember how the problem was solved?
Please, forget about it! (laughs)
When do you plan to visit Greece again?
I believed that the first opportunity would be last August, when I retired from JAL. However, immediately after my retirement I started my new job. Still, I believe I will return within the next five years. In three years I will retire from the Art Museum, and I hope that will be my first opportunity.
From your many years as a pilot, could you share one particularly pleasant and one almost unpleasant incident?
I have collected many pleasant experiences, but fortunately I never had a truly unpleasant flight.
What is your opinion of Greek people? What impressions did you form during the two years you lived in Athens?
First of all, I would like to say that I love Greek people! (laughs) You are bright, talkative, critical thinkers with great endurance. I believe you truly enjoy life—although when you say a meeting is at 10:00, you may arrive at 11:00!
Are there common elements between the two peoples?
Yes, there are many. Differences depend more on individuals than on nations.
Could you describe your farewell flight as a captain?
I flew to Boston with one of my best friends, a young and reliable first officer. When I returned to my office in Narita, many beloved people were waiting to congratulate me. I received so many bouquets that Kimiyo decorated the entrance of our house—it looked like a flower shop!
In 2011, your country experienced dramatic moments. How are things today, and where were you on that day?
Nothing in my area was affected. However, even today, hundreds of thousands of people cannot return to their homes in Fukushima due to radiation. I remember I was driving and had stopped at a red light when the earthquake struck. Kimiyo was in Tokyo shopping and could not return home that day, but fortunately she stayed at Shingo’s house.
Since last October, you have been Deputy Director of the Yokohama Museum of Art. How did this come about?
I submitted my application along with a summary and a short proposal for the museum. Later, I learned that there were 131 candidates, including myself. I was shocked! The museum was built 25 years ago and is the largest art museum in Yokohama.
What was your favorite food in Greece, and what do you miss most?
moussaka! Lambrini’s.
Who are your favorite painters, musicians, poets, or writers?
I like many painters, including Europeans such as Gustave Caillebotte. Recently, I have also admired the works of Kanzan Shimomura, a famous Japanese painter.
Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, of course! I enjoy playing the saxophone. I play classical music, not jazz.
Finally, what would you like to say to your friends in Greece?
I had an exceptional experience in Greece thanks to the families of Spyros and Alekos. I always think of you and deeply appreciate you all.
EPILOGUE
Some farewells are not endings, but promises. And the voice of Ryo Ogawa, heard through these words, does not say “goodbye,” but “until we meet again.”
The sky was his profession. Art became his second flight. And people were always his true ground. From the cockpit of a Boeing 747 to the halls of a great museum, Ryo Ogawa proved that true navigation is not about destinations, but about how one lives.
For us, he is not simply a Japanese friend. He is family. A man who shared Greek tables, village weddings, mountain Easters, laughter, delays, and unforgettable moments.
Distances may remain great, but true friendship needs no map.
Ryo-san, we are waiting for you.
The sky already knows the way.
WITH LOVE PEPOS-POOF-PEPE-EPIKOUROS - FUJI TOMO KAZU.
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| The Muses of Japan |
親愛なる友人の皆さま、そして当ブログをご訪問くださった皆さまへ。
本日は、古き良き時代の友人をご紹介いたします。ディオニシウ・アレオパギトゥ18番地、現在のアクロポリス博物館の向かいで過ごした、あの黄金の日々の友人です。
ご紹介するのは、小川亮（Ryo Ogawa）氏。最近まで JAL（日本航空） のボーイング747型機の機長を務め、昨年10月より 横浜美術館の副館長 を務めておられます。
小川氏は 君代（Kimiyo） さんとご結婚され、亮ハイ、慎吾、そして美しい明子（Akiko） という三人のお子さまがいらっしゃいます。ご家族は 佐倉市 の美しいご自宅にお住まいで、1990年にはその家にギリシャから二人の友人、ペポ＝エピクロス・ゴビナス と フランス育ちのゴルティニア出身、ニコラオス・ストリコス を迎えてくださいました。
しばし皆さまを「日の出づる国」日本へご案内いたします。
こんにちは、リョウさん。
私が最初に彼について投稿したのは、ずいぶん昔のことです。今では、リョウにはたくさんの孫がいます。しかしここで、彼の家族、そして私たちが知り合うきっかけとなった 三人のミューズ について触れさせてください。それは 坂本氏のご家族、ミエ、ユミコ、ヒロコ、マサミ、エミ、ケイコ、そして多くの大切な友人たちとの出会いでもありました。
ユミコ、ヒロコ、マサミ。この三人のミューズと私は、ディオニシウ・アレオパギトゥ18番地で初めて出会いました。私は今でも、友人と、ローラと、そして近いうちには小さなイオナスと共にアクロポリス博物館を訪れるたび、その場所に敬意を捧げています。
すべては、私がミューズたちに振る舞った二つのおもてなしから始まりました。焼き栗とオーブンで焼いたマルメロです。その小さな行為から、素晴らしく、唯一無二の友情 が生まれ、今日まで続いています。
それは 40年前のこと。信じがたいですが、真実です。
2025年には、私の愛する姪たち イロ と ディミトラ が日本を訪れ、リョウと君代、ミエとユメタ、エリコ、カズノブ、タラッサ、ユウト、エナ、レイ と再会しました。彼女たちは忘れられない時間を過ごしました。
一か月後には、愛する ミルト＝ミナ が アレクサンドロス と共に新婚旅行で日本を訪れ、私たちの大切な エリコ と再会しました。ここで改めて、彼女の助けに感謝いたします。
友人の皆さま、もしこの方々の優しさと品格について語り続けるなら、何か月も必要でしょう。二年前、私たちは悲しい別れを経験しました。ミエの夫であり、私たちの大切な友人マコ がこの世を去りました。医師でありながら、心臓に裏切られてしまいました。
毎年5月、私とローラ、そして数名の親しい友人たちは マコ の思い出を偲んでいます。ミエさん、どうか強くあってください。
さて、ここからは、私たちの友人であり、クンバーロ（結婚の証人）でもある 小川亮氏 のインタビューをご紹介します。先ほど触れたミューズたちは客室乗務員であり、坂本氏 もまたパイロットでした。彼は妻と二人の息子と共に長期間アテネに滞在しており、そのため、私たちの愛する エリコ はギリシャについて非常に詳しいのです。彼女は滞在中、素晴らしい教師 ステラ・トラガニダ先生 に恵まれました。
親愛なる友人の皆さま、
小川亮氏をご紹介します。
どうぞ、お楽しみください。
WITH LOVE PEPE - FUJI TOMO KAZU.
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