“I am Ichiro, but not the famous one.”

That line drew laughs as Japan’s ambassador to the U.S. walked through the halls of Catharine Blaine K-8 School once again after many years away.  Ichiro Fujisaki, who first moved to America in the 60′s and attended Blaine, paid a visit to his old school today to meet with some of his former teachers and current staff and students.

“When I came here, I didn’t speak a word of English.  It would have been easy just to kick me out.  But they didn’t.  They were so patient,” Fujisaki told the crowd.

The ambassador got the chance to visit some classrooms where the “Japan in the Schools” program is used.  In the school’s courtyard, former teachers talked with him about their memories of Blaine as they looked through old programs. 

Fujisaki was also presented with a Blaine Tigers sweatshirt that he immediately put on over his suit.

“This is so nice to come back to this building.  Really, I’m very touched.”