Whisper from TOTORO

Shimabara no komori-uta(Lullaby of Shimabara--島原の子守唄) 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 don’t you drop on in
Our house, though it’s almost tumbled down.
We’d 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 　burning and dying out.
The Bateren Festival seems to have been over.
‘Cause we hear no more flutes and drums.
Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai.
Stop crying and fall asleep, ololonbai.

@Bateren means European or Western.

Japanese original lyric
1
おどみゃ島原の　おどみゃ島原の　梨の木育ちよ
何のなしやら　何のなしやら　色気なしばよ　しょうかいな
はよ寝ろ　泣かんで　おろろんばい　鬼の池ん久助どんの　連れんこらるばい

２
帰りにゃ寄っちょくれんか　帰りにゃ寄っちょくれんか　あばら家じゃけんど
唐芋飯や　粟ん飯　唐芋飯や　粟ん飯　黄金飯ばよ　しょうかいな
おろろんおろろん　おろろんばい　おろろんおろろん　おろろんばい

３
山ん家はかん火事げなばい　山ん家はかん火事げなばい　サンパン船はヨロン人
姉しゃんなにぎん飯で　姉しゃんなにぎん飯で　船ん底ばよ　しょうかいな
泣く子はガネかむ　おろろんばい　アメガタ買うて　ひっぱらしゅう

４
姉しゃんなどけいたろうかい　姉しゃんなどけいたろうかい　青煙突のバッタンフル
唐はどこんねき　唐はどこんねき　海のはてばよ　しょうかいな
はよ寝ろ　泣かんで　おろろんばい　おろろんおろろん　おろろんばい

５
あん人たちゃ二つも　あん人たちゃ二つも　金の指輪はめとらす
金はどこん金　金はどこん金　唐金げなばい　しょうかいな
嫁ごんべんな　だがくれた　つばつけたら　あったかろ

６
沖の不知火　沖の不知火　燃えては消える
バテレン祭りの　バテレン祭りの　笛や太鼓も鳴りやんだ
おろろんおろろん　おろろんばい　おろろんおろろん　おろろんばい

roma-ji

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

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.

.
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.

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.........

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"