A distinctly Vietnamese funeral for a Japanese archaeologist.

Dressed in coarse cloth shirts, straw hats, mourning scarves, and leaning on canes, the two boys walked bewilderedly as they carried their father's coffin – Dr. Nishimura Masanari – to the vehicle. The funeral of the Japanese scientist on the afternoon of June 13th was conducted according to Vietnamese customs.

At over 12 o'clock, crowds of people lined up outside the funeral home to see Dr. Masanari one last time. Inside, the archaeologist's coffin was placed beneath a large framed photograph of him. To the left of the photograph was a calendar showing the date of his passing – June 9th. On the altar, in addition to flowers and fruit, there were two banana trees.

Mr. Masanari's family, including his parents, his wife's parents, his wife (Ms. Nishino Noriko), his two sons, and his younger brother, arrived very early. Wearing white mourning scarves and headscarves, the Japanese woman occasionally adjusted the straw hats and headscarves of her two energetic sons, affectionately nicknamed Suhao (9 years old) and Susu (7 years old). Like his sister-in-law and nephews, Mr. Masanari's younger brother also wore mourning scarves.

When the funeral service began, each family member took turns lighting incense and walking around the coffin to bid farewell to him. Mrs. Nishimura (the doctor's mother), dressed in black and holding a handkerchief, tried to hold back her tears. Looking at her son through the glass of the coffin, she stood with her face in her hands, weeping for a while before finally walking away. The entire family then stood in a line to bow in gratitude to those who came to pay their respects.

The first to pay their respects were his friends from the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, some wearing mourning headscarves, others with black armbands on their chests. Upon reaching the family, each person stopped to offer condolences to the doctor's relatives. In response, Dr. Nishumura's family bowed deeply to express their profound gratitude.

In a corner of the room, close friends, colleagues, and those who admired the heart and talent of a Japanese scientist who loved Vietnam stood together, weeping. They shared simple stories about the archaeologist with a distinctly Vietnamese character, about his dedication and contributions to Vietnamese archaeology, and about the two young boys who were orphaned at such a young age. Not only the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, but also research institutes and societies in Hanoi, and many delegations from Nam Dinh, Hoi An, and Hue brought wreaths to offer condolences to the family.

Too young, Suhao and Susu didn't seem to understand what was happening. They stared blankly at the people in black, their eyes red with tears, who came to comfort their mother and pat their heads. Unlike their older brother, who stayed by their mother's side, the younger boy only wanted to take off his mourning clothes to find toys. Only when given video games on a phone would he sit still. If someone asked him a question and hugged him, Susu would giggle mischievously and speak Vietnamese, English, or Japanese. Seeing him, those attending the funeral couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Before his son Masanari's coffin was placed in the vehicle, Mr. Nishimura Keji gave a touching thank-you speech. According to Mr. Keji, there's a song called "1000 Windows" in Japan, and he would stand under one of them to sing it to bid farewell to his son. The father thought his son was somewhere in the sky over Vietnam and hoped that he would one day be able to speak with him there.

Mr. Keji said that Dr. Masanari loved Vietnam very much, which is why the archaeologist had lived and worked here for over 20 years. “After Masanari passed away, my daughter-in-law and two grandchildren remained in Vietnam. I didn't want to bring his body back to Japan; I wanted to bury Masanari in Vietnam. I think my son, in the afterlife, would be happy with this decision. I chose a resting place for him in Kim Lan commune, Gia Lam district,” he said.

Dr. Masanari had a special connection with Kim Lan – a land situated along the Red River – so his remains were interred in the commune's cemetery. In 2000, while researching ceramic artifacts on the banks of the Kim Lan River, Dr. Masanari met farmer Nguyen Viet Hong. Prior to that, while digging wells, gardening, or working along the riverbank, Mr. Hong had often found fragments of bowls, plates, jars, ancient coins, and other antique objects.

Sharing a passion for archaeology, Mr. Hong assisted Dr. Masanari in his research and studies. Fond of the down-to-earth Japanese man, Mr. Hong's family treated Dr. Masanari like a member of their own household. At that time, Masanari and Noriko were dating, not yet married. Even after their marriage and the birth of their two sons, Masanari's family continued to visit Mr. Hong's home.

In Mr. Hong's mind, the Japanese doctor enjoyed simple Vietnamese dishes, especially the "vờ" dish (a type of Vietnamese vegetable), sardines, and cornmeal rice. Every time he came to visit, Mr. Masanari's two children would happily play barefoot with Mr. Hong's grandchildren. Not only Mr. Hong, but every resident of Kim Lan loved this archaeologist. Because they couldn't pronounce his Japanese name, they called Mr. Masanari "Mr. Japanese" or "Mr. Ajinomoto."

“When we called him that, he just smiled. His whole family, who are Japanese, spoke Vietnamese very well. He was hardworking and didn't mind working from morning until noon. He was very approachable and kind. When we heard the news of the doctor's death, everyone in the village was saddened. Reading about him online, I and everyone else cried,” shared Ms. Oanh from Kim Lan commune.

Unable to go to the funeral home, she and other villagers went to the cemetery early in the morning to prepare to receive Dr. Masanari's coffin. For the people here, Dr. Masanari was not only an archaeologist but also a kind and honest Vietnamese farmer. Besides their affection, they are also grateful to the Japanese archaeologist couple for establishing the Kim Lan Ceramic Museum – one of the most diverse and well-organized local ceramic museums today. Out of respect for him, Kim Lan commune has reserved a burial plot for this archaeologist.

According to VnExpress - TH