When I first arrived in Japan more than 40 years ago, one of the first words I learned was sayonara and that it meant "goodbye." As I stayed on, I began to learn that sayonara did not mean goodbye in the sense of "till we meet again" or "God watch over you" as such phrases are used in the West. The literal meaning of sayonara is "if that's the way it is" with a little implication of sorrow and the unspoken hope that if things must be different, perhaps there will be other pleasures somewhere, some time, in another future.

That, I think, is how I want to say goodbye. I have been writing this column for 36 years. It began as an attempt to be useful to foreigners living in Japan, helping them with the where's of procurement, the why's of behavior and the how's of getting things done in an unfamiliar environment and with a different language. I have made many friends I have never met, Americans, other foreigners and Japanese. I've written a few books, expanding on the kind of information I try to provide in my column. I have had some heart-warming successes in helping people to solve problems, to form support groups, to adjust to Japanese customs. There have been some failures. I have come to learn that our humanity, with all the opportunities it offers for good and evil, is what we share and must make the most of.

I have had the luxury of writing from the wonderful platform of The Japan Times, Japan's oldest and unquestionably best English-language daily, whose mission from its inception has been to present and explain Japan to the outside world. It has supported my efforts with fidelity and good humor. I have been blessed with editors and readers who have made my work a pleasure to perform. And Japan has made it possible to have an added benefit -- the possibility of a glimpse of cherry blossoms or wisteria, a trip into the realm of the past at a village festival, the unexpected sight of Mount Fuji at twilight, even through the haze of a busy city.