FLORENCE, Ky.
- The cow story is Martha Ferguson's favorite. It's an advertisement, almost, for the benefits of a Japanese friend.
Language barrier? No problem. You don't need vocabulary to see a cow. What you do need is a fresh perspective. That's where the friend comes in.
Thanks to her Japanese companion, Ms. Ferguson sees Kentucky differently now. It's an extraordinary place, really - land of abundant grass, big houses, scary interstates, and, of course, the ultimate thrill: loose farm animals.
''It was so funny,'' Ms. Ferguson says of their bovine encounter. She met Satoko Kiso during story hour at the Boone County library. Ms. Kiso speaks little English and Ms. Ferguson no Japanese, but both are 38 with toddlers, and they sensed common ground.
On one of their first outings together, they piled into a pickup truck and drove to the farm of Ms. Ferguson's father-in-law.
In Japan, most beef is imported and very expensive. To see any kind of animal, people must go to the zoo - hence Ms. Kiso's delight. ''There were cows. We were drifting close enough to touch them, and she was so excited,'' Ms. Ferguson recalls. ''In Japan, they say, 'Mow, mow,' and she was 'mowing.' ''
This, she says, is one way her life has been enriched.
''I am surprised by how close I feel to her,'' Ms. Ferguson says. ''I can't even describe it.''
Throughout Northern Kentucky, the Japanese are having other impacts big and small.
The Japan America Society counts 1,500 Japanese nationals living temporarily in Greater Cincinnati. In 1996 alone, the opening of Toyota's new headquarters in Erlanger brought to the region 86 Japanese employees and their families.
A year ago, Northern Kentucky had no Japanese restaurants. Now there are two: Matsuya in Florence and Jo an in Erlanger.
Last summer, the Kroger stores in Florence, Erlanger and Union added Japanese sections. And every Saturday at Northern Kentucky University, more than 300 Japanese children gather for intense instruction in the schoolwork they're missing.
The Japanese education system is unforgiving. If these kids fall behind while living here, they may fail the exams required to enter junior high, high school or college.
Saturday school begins at 8:45 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. If Japanese youngsters aren't attending slumber parties on Friday nights, that's why.
At Caywood Elementary in Kenton County, one Japanese fourth-grader has introduced her classmates to a new skill.
Teacher Fran Kavouras had noticed Yuka Yamaguchi twisting pieces of paper into beautiful figures. The other children were interested, so Ms. Kavouras suggested an origami lesson.
Understanding cultures
The little girl was eager to share. She brought extra paper, and soon everyone was making the complicated shapes.
''She has added so much to the class,'' Ms. Kavouras says of Yuka, whose father works at Toyota.
In Cincinnati, the Japan America Society provides friendship opportunities for people on both sides of the river. About 150 area companies are members, and 800 people receive mailings. The organization's next event is Monday: It's a tasting of sake - the Japanese rice wine - along with the traditional breaking of a sake barrel to celebrate the new year.
The society also fields questions about Japanese culture. Once, an American family called with a dilemma: It seems they had welcomed Japanese neighbors with a small gift, to which the newcomers reciprocated. The gift-giving quickly escalated, with each side thinking the other's tradition required yet another present. ''I said, 'Why don't you guys have dinner together and just talk about the gifts?' '' recalls a society spokeswoman. They took her advice, had a good laugh and then drew up a gift-giving plan.
Feeling isolated
In Japan, visitors stand out and are treated as guests, the society spokeswoman says. The United States, by contrast, has a long tradition of multiculturalism, so it's more difficult to determine who's new.
That means some Japanese, particularly women whose husbands work long hours, feel isolated in their big suburban homes.
''They feel like, 'Gosh, I'm new, and nobody's going out of their way to come over and meet me,' '' the spokeswoman says. ''So they're shy.''
Well, some are shy. Not Satoko Kiso.
More friends
She moved to Northern Kentucky recently after a year in New Jersey, where she picked up this tip: If you want to get involved, visit the library.
Ms. Kiso began taking her daughter to story hour in Florence. There she met Ms. Ferguson, who eventually memorized the Japanese woman's vocabulary of English words. Now, when her friend looks confused, Ms. Ferguson simply rephrases the sentence.
Last fall, the Kiso family celebrated Thanksgiving with the Fergusons. Together, the women joined a quilting club and went to the salt festival at Big Bone Lick State Park.
In a month or so, Ms. Kiso will return to Japan.
''She is determined that I am to have another Japanese friend,'' says Ms. Ferguson, laughing. ''She has introduced me in the last few months to about 10 Japanese women.''
Ms. Kiso, of course, can't be replaced. But that hasn't stopped her from trying.
Cattle calling
This week at the library, she brought another candidate to meet Ms. Ferguson: Junko Niwa, a friendly, 33-year-old mother.
I've got a feeling they'll get along. Ms. Niwa, it turns out, has a keen interest in cows.
Karen Samples is the Enquirer's Kentucky columnist. Her column appears on Sundays and Thursdays. She can be reached at 578-5584.
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