Mr. and Mrs. Gulick receive welcoming bouquets of flowers from the children (Chukyo-ku, Takakura Elementary)

On June 23, the grandson, along with his wife, of the American man who in the early Showa Period gave to Japanese children "Blue-eyed Dolls" with the wish for Japanese-American friendship visited Chukyo-ku's Takakura Elementary School, where a doll still exists. The couple enjoyed meeting the doll at Takakura Elementary, which had merged with Honno Elementary School, where the doll was kept previously.

This doll is one of the over ten thousand dolls given by pro-Japanese Dr. Sidney Gulick in 1927 to foster friendship between Japanese and American children through dolls. During World War II the majority of the dolls were destroyed, but the doll named "Mary" at the former Honno Elementary School survived.

Sidney Lewis Gulick (63), grandson of Dr. Gulick, and his wife Frances visited Takakura Elementary School. They had come previously to Honno Elementary in 1986. The children welcomed them with American and Japanese flags in hand.

The welcoming ceremony took place in the gymnasium, where Mr. Gulick was given a bouquet of flowers by the children. He greeted them with the following words, "This doll's message is one of 'international understanding and friendship between both countries.' Please enjoy playing with the doll." The children had several questions, such as, "When is the doll's birthday?"

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