Takeda no komoriuta(竹ç°ã®åå®å) is a beautiful song. Takeda was located near Kyoto. This is also "moriko-uta". The nursegirl comforts herself with singing about her miserable situation. Once, this song was said to have something related about discrimination against outcast people. In 1960s, when a band sang this song and got a big hit, broadcast stations hesitated to air it. There remained feudal class discrimination in those days. Listening this lyric, we can imagin the miserable situation of nursegirls in feudal period. Nursegirls were usually under 12 years old. As usual, there are some variations of the lyric of this song. The lyric I quoted is the one known well. The lyric is told in simple words. We need some imgination to get the meaning. I tried to make free translation in the English lyric. You can listen it below. The singer is Yamamoto Junko.
Takeda no komori-uta English lyric 1 I'll be bored in baby sitting after bon comes. It must snow and the baby must cry. 2 Nothing would be good for me when bon comes. Because I have neither komono nor sash. 3 This baby always cries and annoys me. I'm macerated with care every single day. 4 I want to get out of this village soon. To home where my parents live. Japanese original 1 å®ãããããããçããå ã«ã éªãã¡ãã¤ãããåãæ³£ãã 2 çãããã¨ã¦ããªã«ããããã 帷åï¼ããã³ãï¼ã¯ãªãã帯ã¯ãªã 3 ãã®åããæ³£ããå®ããã°ããã å®ããä¸æ¥ãããããã 4 ã¯ããããããããã®å¨æï¼ããããï¼è¶ ã㦠ãããã«è¦ããã¯ã親ã®ãã¡ roma-ji 1 Mori mo iyagaru, bon kara sakinya yuki mo chiratsukushi ko mo nakushi 2 Bon ga kita tote, nani ureshikaro katabira wa nashi, obi wa nashi 3 Kono ko you naku, morioba ijiru mori mo ichinichi yaseru yara 4 Hayo mo ikitaya, kono zaisyo koete mukou ni mieruwa oya no uchi
picture right: a old sign board which adopts nursegirl as its symbol
Shimabara no komori-uta(Lullaby of Shimabara--島åã®åå®å) is also a well known lullaby. Shimabara is located about 100km northern from Itsuki village. Most of lullabies in Japan are traditional folk song though, this song was written by an individual, Miyazaki Kohei, after WW2. Some say there was an original song around Shimabara and Miyazaki touched it up and adapted into musical score. I don't know if it is true or not. This song has melancholy melody and words as well as Itsuki no komori-uta. It suggests a history about poverty of people of Shimabara. In the latter half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many of young girls were sold to foreign countries, mainly for south east Asia, as prostitutes. They were called "karayuki-san". This song suggests that sad history in old dialect of this area. So, even Japanese, many of those who read or listen the words of this song without any background knowledge, surely wouldn't understand what it says at all. Anyway this tragic song isn't suitable for babysitting, I'm sure.
picture upper: I painted the image of nursegirl of Shimabara. You can listen to some part of it below.The singer is Koyanagi Rumiko. The writer of this song, Miyazaki Kohei, was the executive of this railway company.
Shimabara no komori-uta lyric, English translation (1) I was born in Shimabara. And was brought up in the utter poverty. Our village was truly poor and we had little thing to live on. So my life's never been a happy one. So I have no charming point at all. Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai. Kyusuke may come and take you away.
@Kyusuke was a prostitute trader. Young girls might have been much afraid of him.
(2) When you are on your way back, why donât you drop on in Our house, though itâs almost tumbled down. Weâd offer you rice cooked with potatoes, or rice cooked with millet, So our rice is shining like gold. Ololon, ololon, ololonbai. Ololon, ololon, ololonbai.
@Shimabara has little flat land. They couldn't harvest enough rice. The poor seldome ate 100% of white rice. They mixed potato and millet with rice.
(3) They say there's a fire on a hill side house. The sampan-boat are run by Okinawan sailers. My sister must be confined in bottom of the underdeck. She might be given rice ball. Crying baby should be nipped by a crab. I'll buy you a candy if you stop crying.
@The kidnapping guys often placed fire in order to deflect attention away from fhem when they stole girls. Sampan-boat was a small barge. White rice ball must have been a treat for the poor girl.
(4) Where has my sister gone? Butterfield' line ship with blue funnel carried her away. Where is the overseas? They say it is in the end of the sea. Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai. Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai.
@Butterfield was a British shipping line. (5) Those women each wear two of gold rings. Where did they get the gold rings? I hear they got them from the overseas land. Who gave the lip rouge to the bride? It must be so beautiful if it's licked.
@Karayu-san sometimes got married to rich persons and returned home with money and honors. They were envied and despised at the same time.
(6) Do you see the mysterious fire ? That mysterious fire on the sea is Repeating ãburning and dying out. The Bateren Festival seems to have been over. âCause we hear no more flutes and drums. Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai. Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai.
1 Odomya Shimabara no, Odomya Shimabara no Nashinoki sodachi yo Nan-no Nashi yara, Nan-no Nashi yara Iroke nashi bayo, shokaina Hayo nero nakande, Ololon bai On-no-ike no Kyusuke-don no tsure ni koraru bai
2 Kaeri nya yochokuren ka, Kaeri nya yochokuren ka Abara-ya jakendo Karaimo-meshi ya awan-meshi, Karaimo-meshi ya awan-meshi Kogane meshi bayo, shokaina Ololon Ololon Ololon bai, Ololon Ololon Ololon bai
3 Yaman ie wa kan-kaji genabai, Yaman ie wa kan-kaji genabai Sampan sen wa Yoron-jin Aneshan na nigin-meshi de, Aneshan na nigin-meshi de Funen soko bayo, shokaina Nakuko wa gane kamu, amegata koute hipparashu
4 Aneshan na doke itaroukai, Aneshan na doke itaroukai Ao entotsu no Battan-full Kara wa dokon neki, Kara wa dokon neki Umi no hate bayo, shokaina Hayo nero nakande, Ololon bai Ololon Ololon Ololon bai
5 An hitotacha futatsu mo, An hitotacha futatsu mo Kin no yubigane hametorasu Kin wa dokon kin, Kin wa dokon kin Kara-kin genabai, shokaina Yomegon bena daga kureta, tsuba tuketara attakaro
6 Oki no shiranui, Oki no shiranui Moete wa kieru Bateren-matsuri no, Bateren-matsuri no Fue ya taiko mo nari yanda Ololon Ololon Ololon bai, Ololon Ololon Ololon bai
"Itsuki no komoriuta"(lullaby of Itsuki village--äºæ¨ã®åå®æ) is one of well known lullaby. Itsuki is a remote village in Kyushu mountains. People there had sung several variations of "Itsuki no komoriuta". After WW2, a composer adapted it into musical score and arranged in modern style. It was sung by a proffesional singer and released for nation wide. So the song we listen nowadays is quite different from original. Still, its melancholy melody and lyric tells us something sorrow of lives in feudal period people.
You can listen the song below. The senery is taken by me at Morotsuka in Kyushu mountains. Morotsuka is not far from Itsuki. The singer is Koyanagi Rumiko.
Komoriuta, in Japanese writing, means lullaby, and like any country, Japan has its fair share of them. Every region of Japan, perhaps every village, has its own komoriuta, and many of these have become part of the national cultural heritage. Itsuki no komoriuta, the lullaby of Itsuki, is perhaps the most famous of all, and its haunting melody has inspired even Western composers to write arrangements. But when we look at the text of this, and many other komoriuta, we don't find the soothing words we would expect in a lullaby. It is about people waiting for the festival of bon when they will, like everybody else in Japan, have a holiday to return to the villages where they were born to commemorate their dead ancestors. These are poor people working for the rich, and they are scolded when the babies they have to look after are crying. But who will cry over them when these poor people are dead? This is a text from the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), when Japan was a class society and the difference between rich and poor was very big. During this important part of Japan's history her people were divided into four classes: samurai, farmers, craftsmen and merchants. The samurai class was the highest. They enjoyed many privileges, but also had responsibilities and were supposed to set a good example for the rest of society. The next class was that of the farmers, placed so high because the livelihood, i.e. the rice, of the samurai depended on them. But farmers had to work hard, were bound by many restrictions and were generally very poor. Craftsmen came next, followed by merchants. Merchants were placed on the lowest rank of the class system because they produced nothing and acted only out of a desire to amass wealth. Outside these four strictly defined classes were on the one end courtiers and priests, doctors and some intellectuals, and on the other end the outcasts, a group of classless people who performed the most despised tasks. Working in virtual slavery for the rich and looking after their babies was a way to survive for these people. Itsuki no Komoriuta lyric
We will work here until Bon, So we will no longer be here from Bon. If Bon comes early, We will go home early.
We are poor peasants, They are of a good family. Wealthy people with nice sashes And nice kimonos.
Even if I die, Who will lament my death? All that is heard is the chirping of the cicadas Among the pine trees in the mountain near by.
When I die, Please bury me beside a road. Those who passing by would put flowers on it.
What flower should it be? Camellia would be nice. For the camellia Water would fall from the sky.
Odon ga uchindatyute Daga naite kuryuka Ura no matsuyama semi ga naku
Odonga uchindara Michibata ikero Tooru hitogochi hana aguru
Hana wa nan no hana Tsuntsun tsubaki Mizu wa ten kara moraimizuã
This lyric is spoken in old dialect. So even young Japanese might not understand what it says. As I mentioned, there are some variations in words and melody. This is one of the example well known.
Once, about 2 years ago, Ghibli producer Suzuki mentioned that Takahata was planning to produce a film which deales with "komoriuta"--(lullaby). On hearing it, I expected very much of its completion. However, Takahata seemed to give up the plan before starting actual production. As we know, he is now producing a film about "Taketori monogatari".
I guess he couldn't cast his ideas into shape as a feature animation film. I can imagine it well. There are many folk lullabies in Japan. They are placed into 2 groups. One is komori-uta (cradle song) and another is moriko-uta ( songs comforting nursemaid sung by herself). The latter is mainly known well. Famous lullabies are almost latter ones. Most of them are sad songs because nursemaids used to be in pitiable plight in feudal period. So, Takahata's film should have been a tragic drama. Maybe it might have been the obstacle for realization. Usually Ghibli anime is released during summer vacation and attract a lot of audiences including children and their parents.
upper: I painted a nursemaid of "Itsuki no komori-uta" She is watching camellia flowers.
lower: old photo showing nursegirls in meiji-era, more than 100 years ago. It is colored by hand paint.
Hanafuda is a kind of playing cards. About 500 years ago, Portuguese brought European playing card to Japan. Soon, it bacame popular and often used for gambling. To avoid revelation from governers, they changed the style and design like this for camouflage. 12 kinds of flowers or plants are set in each month instead of Spades,Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts.The theme of these pictures comes from ancient short poems. If you want to know about hanafuda more, see the wiki page below. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda
. On october 4, we saw the harvest moon. On the night of harvest moon, Japanese enjoy moon viewing. It's one of traditional yearly events. Some enjoy it with having "dango"(rice cake) and some with drinking. Moon viewing is called "tsukimi", the dango is called "tsukimi-dango", the alcohol is "tsukimi-zake(sake)". It is just like "hanami", "hanami-zake" and "hanami-dango".
right:Tsukimi is never without "susuki"(Japanese pampas grass)
Tsukimi-dango. Look at the package paper behind. There is 3 items set of "tsukimi"--rabbit, susuki and dango in it. Japanese think that a rabbit is making rice cake in the moon.
There is a souvenir shop "MAMMA AIUTO!" in Ghibli museum. "MAMMA AIUTO!" comes from the name of pirate in "Porco Rosso" They sell a lot of Ghibli goods.
upper: I got a business card of "MAMMA AIUTO!" from the museum. He is the boss or the pirates.
I bought a set of water playing toys of Ponyo for my granddaughter. Small kids always love playing with water. I'm sure she loves this Ponyo toys very much.
Koganei-maru
She is rescuing a duck from jam jar instead of Ponyo.
6 short movies have produced for Dosei-za before now.
Kujira-tori--Catching whale--2001 Koro no dai-sanpo--Koro's big walk--2002 Mei to Koneko-basu--Mei and kitten-bus--2002 Mizu-gumo Monmon--Water spider, Monmon--2006 Hoshi wo katta hi--The day bought a star--2006 Yadosagashi--Serching a house--2006
We can't see any of sequels of Ghibli movies. Ghibli fans want to see the continuation of "Kiki", "Whisper" or "Nausica". If Ghibli makes sequels, they can easily get big hits. But Ghibli never makes the sequels.
Only one exception is "Mei and kitten-bus". It's a side story of "Tonari no Totoro"(My Neighbor Totoro) Of course, it is screened at only Dosei-za. So I've never watched it.
One day Mei happens to meet a small tornado. It follows her to her house. Mei keeps it in the house. The mini tornado is really a kitten-bus. Mei gave it a candy and they become friends. On the night, when Mei is going to sleep, the kitten-bus comes to pick her up. Mei rides on the kitten-bus and enjoys the night sky flight. After that, they goes to a shrine where many cat-buses and Totoros and Susuwatari gather together.........
First of all, I watched a Ghibli short movie at Dosei-za(åæ座--means The Saturn theater) Ghibli shorts are screened only at Ghibli Museum. We can't see any DVDs or pirated movie files of them on the internet . Now, "Hoshi wo katta hi" is on the screen.(æããã£ãæ¥--The day I bought a star--15 minutes) It's a story about a boy who bought a seed of a star and grew it. It's a simple and short story but is full of fantastic images. The location of this story is Iblard. It's an imaginary land created and painted by Inoue Naohisa(äºä¸ç´ä¹ ï¼ You can see some images of it in "Whisper of the heart"(è³ããã¾ãã°--1995, Ghibli, directed by Kondo Yoshifumi). Or, Ghibli published a DVD "Iblard jikan" which shows the fantastic sceneries of Iblard with many still images.
In Japan, we had big holidays from September 19th to 23th. I went on a long drive to Tokyo with my wife---about 2700km in total. We sometimes got stuck in heavy traffic jam on the highway. It took about 18 hours each way.
At Tokyo, I visited Ghibli Museum. There weren't anything special that surprised me because I had had many informations about the museum. Still, it was very nice, of course. Once, 8 years ago, I tried to get the ticket on the net auction when I got a chance to go to Tokyo. However, the price jumped up to more than 10000yen, the regular fare is only 1000yen though. There were many Ghibli ticket scalpers on the net in those days. Ghibli sometimes accused them and some scalpers were exposed. I gave up at that time. These days it is easy to get the week day tickets though, often not easy holiday tickets. I got 2 tickets at web auction for 4000yen.
pic above: you can see a Laputa robot on the roof.
pic right upper: a bus from JR Mitaka station to the museum. I recommend to go by walk. It takes only 15 minutes on foot.
pic right middle: visiters are waiting in line at the entrance. In the sign here, Miyazaki asks the visters not to take picture or video in the museum but only enjoy watching and feeling. So I didn't take any pictures inside the museum.
pic right lower: tickets made of movie film. one is "Whisper of the Heart", the other is "Gedo senki"
Takeda no komoriuta(竹ç°ã®åå®å) is a beautiful song. Takeda was located near Kyoto.
WIDGETIZE