1st slide (Title)

Good afternoon! As presented, I will be reporting about O Sei San, Rizal’s Japanese lover.

2nd slide (O Sei San)

Aside from being the national hero, Rizal was also known for having “a long list of ex-lovers.” He
met and fell in love with all sorts of women from different parts of the world of whom Seiko Usui
is one. Seiko Usui also goes by the name O Sei San. She is a Japanese samurai’s daughter
and serves as an epitome of a high- cultured Japanese woman.

3rd slide (The Romantic Affair)

It was during Rizal’s second trip abroad when he met Seiko Usui. From Hong Kong, he moved
to Japan upon the invitation of Don Juan Perez Caballero to work for him in the Spanish
Legation.

One afternoon, Rizal saw Seiko passing by the legation in one of her daily afternoon walks.
Rizal immediately became smitten with her and asked a Japanese gardener some basic
information about her. The gardener served as an intermediary between the two due to
language differences. However, like Rizal, Seiko was conversant in English and French. Thus,
they began to converse and bond.

O Sei San voluntarily acted as Rizal’s tour guide. She accompanied him to Japan’s shrines,
parks, universities, and other interesting places like the Imperial Art Gallery, Imperial Library,
and Botanical Garden. Likewise, she served as Rizal’s tutor and interpreter, helping him
improve his knowledge of the Japanese language and introducing him to some Japanese
cultural elements and traditions like the Kabuki plays.

Kaya naman hindi na nakapagtataka pa na nahulog ang loob ni Rizal kay O Sei San. Dahil din
sa pagiging matalino at mabuti, nasuklian ni O Sei San ang pag-ibig ni Rizal sa kanya.

4th slide (The Parting)

Ngunit kahit pa man masaya ang naging relasyon nila, kinailangan nilang maghiwalay dahil sa
mga tungkulin at layunin ni Rizal para sa kanyang bayan.

Noong Abril 13, 1888, matapos ang isang buwan nilang ugnayan ni O Sei San, lumipad si Rizal
patungo sa San Francisco bitbit ang ideyang kailanman ay hindi na sila muli pang magkikita.

5th slide (Diary Entry)

This is what Rizal had to say on the eve of his departure. In this entry, he did not only express
how amazed he was by the beauty of Japan. He also signified his love and gratefulness for O
Sei San and bid her goodbye. For the record, Sayonara is the Japanese term for goodbye.

6th slide (The Song)

As I see it, the most relevant song for Rizal and O Sei San’s love story is Somewhere Down The
Road by Barry Manilow. As its lyrics go,

We had the right love

At the wrong time
Guess I always knew inside
I wouldn't have you for a long time

Letting go is just another way to say

I'll always love you so
We had the right love at the wrong time
Maybe we've only just begun
Maybe the best is yet to come

The song tells about a love that needed sacrifice because it is simply just not the right time for it.

As victims of “wrong-time” love, this song substantiates the unfortunate love affair of Rizal and
Seiko. They had to let go of each other for Rizal to achieve his dreams for his country.

But it is true that the best was yet to come for them during those times. They never met again
and married other people. O Sei San became the wife of Englishman, Alfred Charlton, who was
an English and Chemistry teacher in high school.

Seiko died on May 1, 1947 at the age of 80.