King and Queen of Bhutan Visited Elementary School in Fukushima, Cheered Children

The young king of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his 21-year-old queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, whom he married in October, have been in Japan as the first national guests after the March 11 disaster.

On November 18, they visited Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture and talk to children in an elementary school. The king talked about a "dragon" in everybody's heart. Children were ecstatic.

Bhutan is a "country of dragon". East of today's Iraq, a dragon is associated with power, majesty, and nobility. Total opposite of the west. The king would be horrified at Siegfried killing the dragon.

From NHK News video (11/18/2011), this is what the king said to the children of Soma City (he spoke in English):

Do you know that the dragons exist? I've seen the dragon. [Children go "What....?", some giggles.]

There's a dragon in each and every single one of us.

Dragons feed on experiences. It becomes stronger and stronger over the years. We must always be in control of that dragon.

He told the children to be strong, and feed the dragon inside them.

Afterwards, one of the children said, "I am so excited. He shook my hand, and I'm not going to wash it."

The king, devout Buddhist, performed a ritual of consolation for the dead at a location in the city where the tsunami swept off everything.

There are many on the net who expressed dismay that the Japanese government is using the young royal couple as another PR ploy that Fukushima is safe. One TV station (I don't know which one) apparently said in the morning news that this was all good, because it proved to the world that Fukushima was safe to visit, even for royals.

He and his wife are clearly touching the hearts of many Japanese, though their visit is not that widely publicized in the media, except for the visit to Fukushima.

I hope his country is set to receive tremendous amount of money and aid from Japan for his kindness.

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