"ラバウルの爪切 Rabauru no Tsumekiri" (Rabaul and the nail clippers), 1944 August 15

Date

1944 August 15

Summary

Sadao borrowed nail clippers from his sister before he joined the army press in Rabaul. Some soldiers clipped their nails in the battlefields, leaving part of them behind before they died in the battle. Sadao returned to Japan to boost the home front factory workers’ morale by telling the frontline stories. Harue took care of her volunteer worker Yoshikawa, who fell ill. Although Yoshikawa first insisted on sending a telegraph to her mother to urge her to come, she became embarrassed after hearing of the stories of the front lines and decided to endure the hardship and be part of the proud production force.

Archival processing title

"ラバウルの爪切 Rabauru no Tsumekiri" (Rabaul and the nail clippers)

Creator/Contributor

Editor

Aoki, Ryokuen

Transcription

Card 20
ラバウルの爪剪
海軍省許可濟
昭和十九年三月十九日
東京中央放送局より放送。
飯澤 匡　原作
靑木 綠園　脚色
城取 春生　繪畫

今から一歲を遡った昭和十八年夏、南太平洋ソロモン 方面に敵米の反攻は漸く熾烈の度を加へ來り、一方、山本元帥の戰死、アッツ玉碎の報至って一億國民はあげて 痛憤の情やる方なき有樣であった。
而してラバウルに對する敵米の反覆空襲いよいよ激烈 なるとき――。
(ぬく)

Card 1
母
『おや降って來たやうですよ。これじゃ飛行機延びるんぢゃないかしら』
貞雄『通り雨でせう。直に止みますよ』
父 『ああ、やむだらう』
貞雄『お父さん、もうお寝みになったらいかがです』 父 『うん。さうするかな。ぢや、行っといで。再前の 新聞記者もそろそろ板について來たし從軍は二度目だか ら要領は判ってるんだらう』
貞雄『ええ、そのつもりです』
父『だが、今度のラバウルは相當激しいらしいな。まあ、報道班員の名を恥かしめない事だね。さあそろそろ 出掛けたらいいだらう』
母『あなた、未だ早うござゐませう』
父『そんな暢氣な事を云っとると遲れてしまふぞ。お母さんもだらだら引留てちゃいかんぜ。ぢや元氣でな』
貞雄『え。行って參ります』
(ぬ く)

Card 2
母『お父さまたら學者風って云ふのか……何時もあの
調子でゐらっしゃるんだからねえ』
貞雄『いいぢゃありませんか、さっぱりしてて』
母『でも、今度の春江の事なんかが起るとやつぱりあ
の調子ぢゃねえ』
貞雄『春江のことって、何です?』
母『いやですね。上海に私が何度も手紙を出したぢゃ ないの。あなたもあなたですよ。ちっとも返事はくれないし』
貞雄『それを云はれると困ってしまふけれど。本當のことを云ひますとね、母さんの手紙は例のお家流の達筆 でせう』
母『まあ、ぢゃ読まないの』
貞雄『いいえ、そんな事はありませんよ。仲人の細川氏 が獨り吞込みでどうとか、對手の態度がどうとか云ふんでせう?』
母『たよりないのね』
貞雄『要するにですね。纏らなかった縁談なら、そんな こと綺麗さつぱり忘れて、又出直せばいいぢゃありませ んか』
母 『まあ、あなたもやっぱり五百旗頭の子ですね。お父さまと全然同じ事を云ふのね。それじゃお話になりませんよ。』
貞雄『さうですか。そんなにいけませんか――』
母『ああ、貞雄さん、また悪い癖ね』
貞雄『ええ?』
母『爪、爪を噛むのだけはやめて咱戴』
貞雄『ああ、いや、今度歸って來る迄にはきっと直しますよ』
(ぬく)

Card 3
貞雄『その爪剪なかなか凝ったものだね。バンカラのお前のものにしちゃ珍らしいね』
春江『驚く勿れ、此のセットの中の一つなのよ』
貞雄『化粧道具セットとはこれ亦舊體制も甚だしいな。どうしたんだね。そんなもの』
春江『ううん、結婚のお祝ひよ。氣の早い方が持ってら したの……』
貞雄『ああ、さうか。だがね、あんまりこだはるなよ』
春江『こだはってなんかゐないわ』
貞雄『しかし元氣ないさうぢゃないか、この頃』
春江『さうかも知れませんわ。だけど結婚か破談になつたために悲觀してるんぢゃないの。むしろ、前からのが ぶり返したんだわ』
貞雄『何がぶり返したんだね』
春江『不安なのよ。この決戰のとき、こんな風に安閑と 暮してゐていいのかと思ふと、惡いことをしてゐるみた いで少しも落着かないの』
(ぬきながら)
貞雄『ふうん。眞面目なのは大いに結構だけれど、下ら んことを何時迄もくよくよしてゐない事だね』

Card 4
貞雄『まあいいや。おい、兄さんにその爪剪お餞別にく れないか』
春江『こんな赤いセルロイドが張ってあって、いいの』
貞雄『そんな事かまはんよ。よく切れればいいんた』 春江『ぢゃ、どうぞ』
貞雄『有難う』
春江『あ、上げるの止すわ。お貸しします。だからきっ と持って歸ってゐらしてね』
貞雄『變なこといふね』
春江『だってこんどは隨分危いんでせう？さし上げてし まふとこれっきりになってしまふやうな氣がして』
貞雄『ご幣を擔ぐね。ぢゃ借りた。これをお前に返すの は一年先か二年先か判らないが、それまでにお前も是非 どうにかなってゐてほしいね。その時になっても憂鬱病に取り憑かれてるんぢや困るぜ。出來得べくんばいいお嫁さんになっててほしいな』
（ぬく）

Card 5
それから五ヶ月。ラバウルは、當に空の決戰場と化し た。
春山『お前もかういふ時になると足が早いな。俺は肥ってゐるから坂道はごめんだよ』
（演出参考: 息をきらし乍ら）
岸 『病院はもうこのちょっと上だ、一走りだから行か うか』
春山『まあ、待て。うかうかしてゐられんよ。何しても 今日は運が惡い。あそこの防空壕へ入らう』
岸『さうするか』
(ぬ く)

Card 6
春山『おい誰だそこにゐるのは』
貞雄『ふふふふ』
岸『なんだ五百旗頭か、そんな奧に居たのか』
貞雄『さつきから此處で寢轉んでるのに二人ともちっとも氣が付かないなんて……あははは』
春山『何を云ってやがるんだ。急に暗いところへ入って 來たんで見えなかったんだよ』
岸 『パチンパチンと音を立てて、また例の氣障な爪剪を 出してやってやがる。だから上海歸りは困ると云ふんだ』
貞雄『何と惡口を云ってもいいがね。俺はただ漫然と爪 を切ってゐるんぢゃないんだ。阿母へ孝行してゐるとこ ろなんだぜ。さう云っても何の事か判るまいがね』
(ぬきながら)
岸 『勿論判らんがね。爪を切ることが親孝行なんてりくつは――』

Card 7
貞雄『今日ばかりは俺もやられたと思ったね。そしたら トタンにばっとおふくろの顏が見えたんだよ。こわい顏 でね。それで出發する時おふくろから云はれた事を思ひ 出して、早速爪を切りだしたのさ。俺は爪をかむ癖があ るだらう』
春山『うん、よくやってるな』
貞雄『それを癒す出をおふくろと約束して來んだ』
岸 『ははは。可愛い事をいふよ』
春山『しかし正直なところ俺もさつきは予供の顔が目の前にちらっと浮かんで来たよ。全くひどかったな』
(ぬく)

Card 8
竹田『失禮します』
岸 『ああ、どうぞどうぞ』
竹田『此の壕の方が幾分ましらしいですね』
春山『此處も今ので少し崩れましたよ』
竹田『今のは近くでしたな。五十米位しか離れて屈らん ですよ。あっちに大きな穴があいてゐますよ』
岸 『さうですか。おい見に行かう』
貞雄『よせよせ危いぞ』
春山『さうかな。もう爆音も聞えんぢゃないか』
岸『大丈夫だらう。一寸様子を見て來やう』
(ぬく)

Card 9
竹田『報道班の方ですな』
貞雄『ええ、さうです』
竹田『御苦勞ですな。今日は病院へ 來られたのですか』
貞雄『ええ、仲間がマラリヤで入院してるもんですから、 見舞に來たんですが』
竹田『私も轉勤早早で病院は始めて來たんですよ――おやその爪剪、よく切れさうですね』
貞雄『ああお貸ししませうか』
竹田『いいですか』
貞雄『どうぞ』
竹田『ぢゃ拜借します。なかなか爪などゆっくり切る機 會ってないものですな。ええと何か紙をお持ちぢゃないですか？』
貞雄『これぢゃ如何です。我々の原稿用紙ですが』 竹田『有難うござゐます。戴きます。いやね爪をとって 置かうと思ひましてね。我われの遺すものは髮の毛か爪 ですからな』
(ぬく)

Card 10
貞雄『ああ搭乘の方でゐらっしゃるんですね?』
竹田『ええ。一三一航空隊の竹田大尉です』
貞雄『私は五百旗頭と云ひます。鳥渡變った苗字ですが』
竹田『字は五百はたがしらと書くんでせう?』
貞雄『ええ。よくご在じですね』
竹田『學者で五百旗頭といふ博士がゐますな、東洋學といふものをやってゐる人で』
貞雄『それは私の親父ですよ』
竹田『え。あ、さうですか。へえ。私はお宅へ伺ったことがありますよ』
貞雄『親父とは御懇意なんですか?』
竹田『それがね。妙な用件で伺ったんでね。實は私は平野の從兄なんです』
貞雄『平野さんてどういふ方です?』
竹田『それ、あなたの妹さんと縁談があったけれど、その一寸わけがあって……自分の從弟ながらあいつは怪しからん奴で……そのお詫びに上ったんですが――』
貞雄『さうですか』
竹田『あなたの妹さんにも、二三度お目にかかりました が、いい方だ。平野の代りと云っちゃ大變失禮だが戴け たら私が戴きたかった』
貞雄『それやその時申込んで下さればよかったですな。 はははは』
竹田『まさか、さうもいかんですよ』
(ぬく)

Card 11
竹田『ああまた來ましたよ』
貞雄『第二陣ですね。こんどは相當高いですな』
竹田『四千米位ですね。今頃雲の上では相当戰ってゐますよ』
貞雄『さうでせうな。今日はこっちは何機ぐらゐ上って るだらうな。尠い機で實際よくやりますね』
竹田『もう少しあればもっと何とかなるんですがね。たしかに飛行機が欲しいですな。みすみす敵機を逃がすのは全く殘念ですよ』
(ぬく)

Card 12
春山『おお、ラバウルの三勇士歸って來たな。岸はどうしてる?』
貞雄『元氣だよ。相變らず瘦せてはゐるがね』
春山『海軍省へはもう顏出ししたのか』
貞雄『今行って來た。今度我われが歸されたのはつまり 飛行機と船舶の增產に役立たせるためらしいね。あっち の生生しい決戰の有樣を方方の工場へ行って報吿してだ ね、大いに產業戰士に頑張って貰はうと云ふわけらしい んだ。俺は早速明日から廻ることに決めて來た』
春山『そりゃ又頑張るね』
貞雄『これだけは急がんことには意味ないからな』 春山『ところで君、家へは歸ったのか?』
貞雄『それがね、田舍へ疎開したんださうだよ。さつき 電話で親類の奴にきいたんだがね。親父はね、一生かかって蒐めた本を燒くのが忍びんと云って、何もかも叩き 賣って本だけ持って鄕里へ引込んだんださうだよ』
春山『それや賢明だ。一切合財持って行かうとするから 疎開も却却捗らないらしいな。ああさうさうありや本當 かね、竹田大尉が戰死したといふのは』
（演出參考：沈痛なおもむきで。）
貞雄『うむ。いい人だった』
春山『さうか。あの山の防空壕で知り合ってから隨分お 互ひに世話になったな』
貞雄『うむ』
(ぬく)

Card 13
吉川『ねえ、五百旗頭先生』
春江『なあに……』
吉川『………』
春江『どうしたの? 氷囊替えませうか?』
吉川『いいえなんでもないの』
春江『何でも遠慮しないで云って頂戴ね』
聲 『寮母先生。事務所からお電話です――』
春江『はい』
(ぬ く)

Card 14
（演出參考 貞雄登場 せずゝ聲 のみ）
春江『あ、もしもし、五百旗頭でござゐます』
貞雄『春江か、俺だよ、貞雄だよ』
春江『まあ、お兄さん。今どこにゐらっしゃるの?』 貞雄『ここの事務所に居るんだよ』
春江『え？本当? いつお歸りになったの?』
貞雄『昨日の午後だ』
春江『私すぐ伺ふわ。あ、駄目。今私の寮に病人が居るんで手が離せないの。私の處へ、ちよっと來て戴けませ ん？事務所から七八分ですけど――』
貞雄『お前が居ると知ったらこんな豫定を立てるんぢゃ なかったんだが、これからバスで驛へ行って五時の汽車 に乘るんだよ。殘念だな』
春江『ああ、お父様方には』
貞雄『歸って來て驚いたよ。まるで浦島太郞さ。とりあ へず電報だけは打って置いたがね。ああ、お前にいいお 土産をやるよ』
春江『お土産?』
貞雄『樂しみにしてろ。ぢゃさよなら!』
(ぬく)

Card 15
吉川『先生、すみませんけど家へ電報打って下さいませんか。お母さんに來るやうにって』
春江『まあ吉川さん、さっきも工場醫の先生おっしやったでせう? 何でもない、普通の風邪だって——』
吉川『でも、私前に肋膜をやったことがあるんですもの』
春江『その事も、ちゃんと先生に申上げて特によくみて 戴くやうにお願ひしたんだから大丈夫よ。ね、そんなに 心細がらないで 』
―間―
春江『そりゃお家を離れて知らない土地へ來て病氣にな ると誰だって心細くなるわ。だけどお友達は大勢ゐる し、それにちゃんとしたお醫者さまもゐて下さるし…… 第一あなたは女子挺身隊の 一人ぢゃないの。少し位のこ とは我慢しなくちゃ。どうしても打てと云ふんなら打つ て上げるけど、電報を受け取ったお母さんはどんなにお驚きになるか判らないでせう』
―間——
春江『あなたのお母さんがお驚きになるだけではなくそ れを聞いたあなた方の仲間のお母さんがみんな自分の娘 もそんな事になってゐるんぢゃないかって心配し始めた らどうなすって？折角のも形なしぢゃありません か。ねえ、電報のことは先生とよく御相祓してからにし ませう。それまで我慢して頂戴ね』
(ぬく)

Card 16
（演出參考: 地方の訛 のある口 調で、）
班長『第三寮全員百四十一名唯今講演會から戾りました』
春江『御苦勞さま。講演どうだった？』
班長『迚もよかったです。私達もぼんやりして居られませんね』
春江『それはよかったこと。後でゆっくり聞かして頂戴。 ああ今日の報道班員私に似てなかった？』
班長『いいえ。だって男の人ですよ』
春江『それは知っててよ、似てる筈なんだけどな』 班長『さう云へば似てるやうですね、でも』
春江『まあ賴りないこと。あれは私の兄よ』
班長『あつ、さうだ。私は五百旗頭と申しますって云ひましたっけ。さうださうだ。たしかにさう云ひました。 さうですか。先生のお兄さんですか。やつぱり違ひます ね。道理で立派な方だと思ひました。』
春江『あら、さう、どうも有難たう』
(ぬく)

Card 17
男 『實は私お詫びに來たんですよ。昨日本社から電話が掛った時どうも電話の具合が惡うござんしてね。幾ら 聞き返しても今日來て下さる報道班員さんのお名前が聞きとれなかったんですよ。もつとも電話を間いたのは私ぢゃありませんがね。本當に殘念な事をしました。お兄さんだったんですってね。しかしいいお話でしたよ。もうあなた私みたいな老人でも、やってやるぞ――とかう 思ひましたからね。ましてや血の氣の多い若い工員達に はそれこそ、ええもう今日からピーンと生產高が上る事 は保證付ですよ。あ、さうさう、これをあなたに渡して くれって事でした。お手紙らしいですが!』
(ぬく)

Card 18
春江『ああ、爪剪。すっかり忘れてたわ。え―、一筆認め候。お土産はこれさ。長長有難う。大變役に立った。 然し俺の爪を嚙む癖は全然癒ってをらん。此の爪剪は隨分色いろな人の爪を切った。その中には一命を君國に捧 げて南海の空に散華した人も幾人かある。特にお前もお 目に掛ったことがあり向ふもお前に好意をもって居られ た人が、此の世に殘す形見として御自分の爪をとって居 られた時の光景は俺には忘れられぬ想出だ。(まあ、どなたかしら――)兎もあれ、今日それも斯の如き場所で これを返すことが出來るのは實に嬉しい。お前がどんな になったか、一寸會ふ日が樂しみだ。然し、有態に云ふと、俺は此の爪剪が隨分遠い恐ろしい所まで行って色いろな目に遭って來てゐ乍ら相變らず如何にも有閑婦人の持物らしい姿をしてゐるのが面白いのだ。お前も激しい 世の中の變化にあって種いろ考へもしたらうが、願はく ば外から打ち眺めたところは相變らずの春江であってほしい。夢、こわいおばさんなんかに、なって居らんやうに――』
(ぬ く)

Card 19
春江『ほほほほ。隨分おもしろいお兄さんでせう。私の お兄さんて……あら、吉川さん、眠ってしまったの』
吉川『いいえ』
春江『頭痛いこと？』
吉川『少し樂になりました』
春江『さう。あ、隨分あなたの爪伸びてること。切って上げませうね。まあまあこんなに油が入り込んでる。ああ夜直の人達が出掛けて行くわ。今日は足音も何だかいつもより元氣があるみたいね』
吉川『先生、電報打つのやめます。この事誰にも云はな いで下さいね』
(終り)

Translation of transcription

Card 20
The nail clippers of Rabaul
Permitted by the Japanese Imperial Navy
March 19th, 1944
Broadcast by the Tokyo Central Broadcasting Station
Script: Takumi Iizawa; Editor: Ryokuen Aoki; Illustration: Haruo Shiratori

NARRATOR
One year ago, in the summer of 1943, the enemy Americans intensified a counterattack in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific, and Admiral Yamamoto died in a battle. On top of that, the news that Japanese soldiers died heroic deaths in the Battle of Attu shook one hundred thousand Japanese citizens with indignation.
As the enemy Americans intensified the counterattack in the air in Rabaul,

(Pull the slide.)

Card 1
MOTHER
Now it's started raining. The plane departure may be delayed.

SADAO
It’s probably a quick shower. It'll stop soon.

FATHER
Yeah, it'll stop.

SADAO
Father, why don't you go to sleep?

FATHER
Yes, I will. I wish you good luck. You are now trained as a press reporter, and this is your second campaign, so you know the ropes.

SADAO
Yes, I believe so.

FATHER
However, I hear the battle in Rabaul is quite violent. Don't do something disgraceful as press staff. Why don't you get ready and go?

MOTHER
Sweetheart, I think it's too early.

FATHER
If you take it easy, he'll be late. Don't delay his departure. Stay healthy.

SADAO
Yes. I'll go now.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 2
MOTHER
Your father is like a scholar, I suppose. He is always like that.

SADAO
That's alright. That's the way he is.

MOTHER
But if he's like that even with Harue’s case…

SADAO
Harue’s case? What happened?

MOTHER
My, didn't you know? I wrote to you many times while you were in Shanghai. You never replied.

SADAO
Ah, you make me feel embarrassed. To be honest with you, you write like a master calligrapher.

MOTHER
Then, you don't read my letters?

SADAO
No, that’s not true. You wrote about the matchmaker Hosokawa who makes his own judgments, or you complain about my arranged marriage partner's attitude.

MOTHER
You're not very dependable.

SADAO
What I mean is, let's forget about the arranged marriage opportunities that didn't go well. We should start over again, shouldn't we?

MOTHER
You're indeed a child of the Ihokibes. You say the same thing as your father. That’s out of the question.

SADAO
I see. Is it so terrible?

MOTHER
Oh, Sadao, that's your bad habit.

SADAO
Yes?

MOTHER
Your nails, please do not bite your nails.

SADAO
Ah, right, I'll get rid of this bad habit by the time I return next time.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 3
SADAO
You have such elaborate nail clippers. It's unusual for you, you're unconcerned about appearances.

HARUE
Don't be surprised. This is a part of a set.

SADAO
A cosmetics set, now that’s excessive even under the old order. How did you get it?

HARUE
This is a wedding gift. Somebody gave it to me prematurely.

SADAO
I see. Don't be fussy about it.

HARUE
I'm not fussy about it.

SADAO
But, I hear you're mopey recently.

HARUE
You may be right. But I'm not disappointed at the breakup of my marriage. It's rather like a relapse.

SADAO
Relapse to what?

HARUE
I'm concerned. I’m restless with guilt when I think about how I’m living peacefully in the midst of this decisive battle.

(As you pull the slide)

SADAO
Hm, your seriousness is commendable, alright. But don't worry about such trivial things all the time.

Card 4
SADAO
Anyway. Can you give me those nail clippers as a farewell gift?

HARUE
Are you sure you want them? They are covered with a red celluloid finish.

SADAO
I don't care. As long as they cut well.

HARUE
OK. Then please.

SADAO
Thank you.

HARUE
Actually, I won't give them to you. I'll lend them to you. Please make sure to bring them back.

SADAO
You say such a strange thing.

HARUKO
This campaign is dangerous, isn't it? If I give them to you, I'm worried that this will be the last time to see you.

SADAO
You are superstitious. OK, I'll borrow them. I'm not sure when I can return them to you, it may be one year or two years from now. By that time I want you to find a way out, too. I don't want you to be possessed by your depression. I want you to get married if you can.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 5
NARRATOR
Five months have passed since then. Rabaul became a decisive air battlefield.

HARUYAMA
You walk really fast, don't you? I'm overweight, so going uphill is tough.

(Performance suggestion: Become out of breath)

KISHI
The hospital is within a short distance on top of that hill. Shall I go up?

HARUYAMA
Wait. We should be on our guard. We have had bad luck today. Enter the air-raid shelter there.

KISHI
OK. Let's do it.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 6
HARUYAMA
Who is that over there?

SADAO
Heh heh.

HARUYAMA
It's you Ihokibe. I didn't know you were so deep in the shelter.

SADAO
You too didn't notice that I was lying here for a while. Ha ha ha

HARUYAMA
What are you talking about? We couldn't see in the darkness.

KISHI
As usual, you're clipping your nails with the nail clippers, making annoying sounds, clink, clink. You’re such a Shanghai man.

HARUYAMA
You can bad-mouth me all you want, but I'm fulfilling my filial duty to my mother. I'm not just cutting my nails without a purpose. You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?

(As you pull the slide)

KISHI
I certainly don't understand--your argument is that clipping your nails is a filial duty for your parents.

Card 7
SADAO
Today, I really thought the enemy got me. Then all of a sudden, I saw my mother's face. She had a scary face. That reminded me of what my mother told me when I departed and I pulled out the nail clippers. You know, I bite my fingers.
HARUYAMA
Yeah, you do that often.

SADAO
I promised my mother I'll get rid of that habit.

KISHI
Ha ha ha ha. You are cute.

HARUYAMA
But to be honest with you, a second ago, my children's faces appeared in front of my eyes. It was indeed terrible.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 8
TAKEDA
Excuse me.
KISHI
Yes, please, please.

TAKEDA
I heard this shelter is a little bit better.

HARUYAMA
All of them have collapsed a bit with the last explosion.

TAKEDA
This explosion was quite near, about 50 meters away. I see a big hole over there.

KISHI
Is that right? Let's go see it.

SADAO
Don't. It's dangerous.

HARUYAMA
Is it? We don't hear any more explosions.

KISHI
It'll be alright. Let's go see, just a little.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 9
TAKEDA
You are from the press unit, aren't you?

SADAO
Yes, that's right.

TAKEDA
Thank you for your hard work. You came to the hospital today?

SADAO
Yes, my friend is being hospitalized for malaria. I came to see him.

TAKEDA
I was recently transferred, and I came to the hospital for the first time.
By the way, those nail clippers seemed to cut well.

SADAO
Would you like to borrow them?

TAKEDA
Could I?

SADAO
Please.

TAKEDA
Thank you.
I haven’t had a chance to clip my nails leisurely.
Do you have a paper of some sort?

SADAO
Will this do? This is my writing paper.

TAKEDA
Thank you.
I’d like to keep my nail clippings because all we can leave behind is our hair or nails.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 10
SADAO
You’re a crew member on the plane, aren't you?

TAKEDA
Yes, I’m Major Takeda of the Air Force unit 131.

SADAO
My name is Ihokibe.
I have an unusual last name.

TAKEDA
It's written as 500 flag heads, is that right?

SADAO
I'm surprised you knew it.

TAKEDA
There’s a scholar named Ihokibe who does Oriental studies.

SADAO
That's my father.

TAKEDA
Is that right?
Wow.
I have been to your home before.

SADAO
Do you know my father well?

TAKEDA
I came to see your father for an unusual matter.
In fact, I'm Hirano's cousin.

SADAO
Who is Hirano?

TAKEDA
He had a match making opportunity with your sister. However, it didn't work out for…some reasons.
He's my younger cousin but I must say he’s disgraceful…so I went to apologize.

SADAO
Is that right?

TAKEDA
I saw your sister two or three times as well. She's very nice. It may sound rude, but I wanted to take her hand in place of Hirano.

SADAO
I wish you had asked for it then.
Ha ha ha ha.

TAKEDA
That would have been asking too much.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 11
TAKEDA
Ah, here we are again.

SADAO
This is the second campaign. They fly high this time.

TAKEDA
It's about 4000 meters above ground. They must be fighting well above the clouds now.

SADAO
That’s probably so. I wonder how many of our planes are up in the sky. They're doing well with what few planes they’ve got.

TAKEDA
If we had a few more planes, we could manage. We definitely want more planes. It's unfortunate we have to let so many enemy planes go.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 12
HARUYAMA
Oh, the three heroes of Rabaul have returned. How is Kishi doing?

SADAO
He's doing fine.
He's as thin as before, though.

HARUYAMA
Have you gone to the Imperial Navy?

SADAO
I have.
I hear that they sent us back to Japan to be of service to the plane and ship production.
I understand that we are to report vivid details of the battles to encourage the industrial warriors to work harder.
I decided to visit factories starting tomorrow.

HARUYAMA
You work hard, don’t you?

SADAO
We cannot waste time.

HARUYAMA
By the way, did you go home?

SADAO
My family moved to the countryside.
I heard that from my relatives on the phone.
They say my father couldn’t burn the books he collected throughout his life, so he had fire sales of everything he owned and receded to the countryside with just his books.

HARUYAMA
That's a wise idea.
If you try to bring all your belongings, escaping to the countryside will be a challenge.
By the way, is it true that Major Takeda died in battle?

(Performance instructions: Solemnly)

SADAO
Yes. He was a nice guy.

HARUYAMA
He took care of us well ever since we met at the air-raid shelter.

SADAO
Yeah.

Card 13
YOSHIKAWA
Miss Ihokibe.

HARUE
What?

YOSHIKAWA
….

HARUE
What's the matter?
Shall I change the ice bag?

YOSHIKAWA
No, nothing.

HARUE
Please don't hesitate to tell me anything.

VOICE
Miss Ihokibe, there is a phone for you in the office.

HARUE
Yes.
(Pull the slide.)

Card 14
(Performance instructions: Sadao does not appear in person. Only his voice is heard.)

HARUE
Hello.
This is Harue.

SADAO
Is that you, Harue?
It's me, Sadao.

HARUE
Oh my, Sadao. Where are you now?

SADAO
I'm in the office here.

HARUE
Is that right? When did you come home?

SADAO
Yesterday afternoon.

HARUE
I'll come right now.
Oh, no, I cannot.
I have a patient in my dorm, so I cannot leave her.
Would you mind coming to see me?
It's about 7 to 8 minutes from the office.

SADAO
If I had known you were there, I wouldn't have planned this, but I'm now taking a bus to go to the station to take a five o'clock train.
I'm sorry.
HARUE
What about father?

SADAO
He was surprised I came home.
He treated me as if he hadn't seen me for ages.
I did send him a telegraph. Oh, and I have a great souvenir for you.

HARUE
A souvenir?

SADAO
Look forward to it.
See you later!

(Pull the slide.)

Card 15
YOSHIKAWA
Miss Ihokibe, excuse me. Could you send a Telegraph home?
To tell my mother to come.

HARUE
Miss Yoshikawa, the factory doctor told you a second ago that it's not serious. Just a common cold.

YOSHIKAWA
But I’ve had pleurisy before.

HARUE
Since we told the doctor about it and asked him to keep an eye on it, it'll be alright. Don't worry about it too much.
(A pause)
I understand, anyone would be worried if they got sick in a new place away from home.
But you have many friends, and you are seeing a doctor.
First of all, you are one of the women volunteer workers.
You have to endure small things.
If you insist on sending a telegraph, I'll do so, but there is no telling how shocked your mother will be when she receives it.
(A pause)
Not only will your mother be surprised, but also your colleagues' mothers would all become worried. What would you do if they became worried that their daughters are also falling sick? That would spoil the women volunteer worker team. Let's consult with the doctor about the telegraph.
Please be patient until then.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 16
TEAM LEADER
(Performance instructions: speak with a dialect)
One hundred forty-one members of the third dorm are all back from the lecture now.

HARUE
Thank you.
How was the lecture?

TEAM LEADER
It was very good.
We can’t sit idly either.

HARUE
That was good.
Please tell me more about it later.
Do you think today's press team member looks like me?

TEAM LEADER
No, that was a man.

HARUE
I know that.
He should look like me.

TEAM LEADER
Now that you say it, it seems he looks like you.

HARUE
My, you're not very dependable.
He's my brother.

TEAM LEADER
Oh, that's right.
He said his name was Ihokibe. That's right. He's your brother, is he? He's different from the others. I thought he was an honorable man.

HARUE
Is that right?
Thank you.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 17
A MAN
I came to apologize. When we received a phone call from the headquarters today, our phone was not working well. We couldn't get the name of the press team member who was coming today, no matter how many times we asked him to repeat.
It wasn't me who answered the phone, but I’m very sorry.
I heard he was your brother. He told such a great story. He inspired even an old man like me.
It's guaranteed that the energetic young workers will exponentially improve their productivity from today.
Oh yeah, he asked me to give this to you.
It seems like a letter!

(Pull the slide.)

Card 18
HARUE
Oh yes. The nail clippers.
I had completely forgotten about them.
Let’s see--
“Dear Harue,
This is the souvenir I spoke of. Thank you for letting me use it for a long time. They’ve served me well. However, I haven't been able to get rid of the habit of biting my fingernails. These nail clippers clipped many people's nails. Among them were several who dedicated their lives to the empire and perished in the South Sea sky. Particularly, I cannot forget the scene of a man you have met and who liked you clipping his nails to leave a part of him behind in this world.
(I wonder who that might be.)
Nonetheless, I'm delighted I can return them to you today.
I'm looking forward to seeing how you are doing now.
It's quite the cliché, but I find it amusing that these nail clippers still look like a woman's belongings, even after they have gone far and to terrible places and experienced a lot.
You must have thought a lot amid the many changes in the world. I hope you still keep the same appearance of the Harue I used to know. I hope you haven't turned into a scary old middle-aged woman.”

(Pull the slide.)

Card 19
HARUE
Ha ha ha. You are funny, my brother…Oh, Miss Yoshikawa, did you fall asleep?

YOSHIKAWA
No.

HARUE
Do you have a headache?

YOSHIKAWA
I feel a little better.

HARUE
Do you? Oh, your nails have grown long.
Let me clip them for you. My, my, so much oil has seeped in.
Oh, the people on the night shift are going out.
It seems their footsteps sound more energetic today.

YOSHIKAWA
Miss Ihokibe, I decided not to send a telegraph. Please don't tell anybody about this.

(The end.)

Scope and contents

Takumi Iizawa 飯澤 匡 (author); Aoki Ryokuen 靑木 綠園 (editor); Shiratori Haruo 城取 春生 (artist); Kyōa Gageki Kabushiki Kaisha 興亜画劇株式会社 (publisher). Permitted by the Japanese Imperial Navy 海軍省許可濟 March 19th, 1944 Broadcast by the Tokyo Central Broadcasting Station 昭和十九年三月十九日 東京中央放送局より放送.

Language

Japanese

Script

Japanese (alias for Han + Hiragana + Katakana)

Genre/form

Prints

Collection information

Collection title

Kamishibai collection

Collection ID

2018C32.12417284

Collection abstract

Japanese illustrated paper play sheets, intended primarily for children and women at the homefront and dealing with World War II propaganda themes.

Rights

No known restrictions.

Holding repository

Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Preferred citation

"ラバウルの爪切 Rabauru no Tsumekiri" (Rabaul and the nail clippers), 1944 August 15, Kamishibai collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h39w39

Identifiers

Record ID

2018C32.00017

Permalink

https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h39w39

RefID

0cedd4f8e571f6a6d6fbe37e4dd69f04

EZID

ark:/54723/h39w39

Digitization information

Imaging system

iXG 100MP, Phase One

Capture date

2020-11-11T15:27:16-08:00