"続く人々 Tsuzuku hitobito" (People who follow suit), 1944 March 30

Date

1944 March 30

Summary

The family of Private Fujita, who died in battle, decide to follow in his request to them and do everything they can to contribute to the war effort. This kamishibai depicts the ideal family, where each member does their part and perseveres even after losing a family member in battle.

Archival processing title

"続く人々 Tsuzuku hitobito" (People who follow suit)

Creator/Contributor

Producer

Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai

Artist

Koyano, Hanji, 1907-1992

Author

Matsunaga, Ken'ya, 1907-1996

Transcription

Card 20
續く人々

脚色　松永健哉
繪肅　小谷野半二
製作　日本敎育紙芝居協會

(表紙の洗明) 昭和十八年も押し迫った或る小春日の朝。

(ぬきながら)

靖国神社の大鳥居の傍らで、時々軽い笑い声を立てながら、語りあってゐる四人づれの親子があった。

Card 1
(母)
「では、そろそろ出かけませうかね。正子と幸男は、省線の方が便利でせう。」

(正子)
「お母さんたちを お送りしてから行きますわ。」

(母)
「そんなことは いりませんよ。
それに、わたしたちの方は、すぐ近いんだから、眞一とニ人でゆるゆる步いて行きますよ。 少し運動しないと、
何日も引込んでゐたので、體がだるくなって——」

(幸男) 「お母さんは、泣いてばかりゐたからな。」

(母)「ほんとにね。でも、もう泣きませんよ。
一 郞も間もなくこのお社にかへつて來るだらうし、 これからは强くなりますよ。
では、行っておいで。工場長さんによくお禮をいって下さいよ、何れ 改めてお伺ひしますがってー」

(正子)
「はい。」

(ぬきながら)

それから二十分の後、母親と眞一の少年との二人は、陸軍航空本部の受付に姿を現はした。

Card 2
(母)
「あのう、吉田少佐殿にお目にかかりたいのですが。」

(受付)
「吉田少佐殿は、二人ゐるんですがね、
少年航空兵係と—」

(母)
「その方でございます。」

(受付)
「それでしたら、
そこの廊下を右に曲って 三つ目の部屋です。
さつき來客があったやうですから、
しばらく入口でお待ちになっていらつしやい。
あなたのお名前は?」

(ぬく)

Card 3
(古田少佐)
「この藤田小隊といふのは、僅かーケ小隊で、三ヶ月間 ボブダビ高地を支へたのてす。 連日、敵の猛烈な空爆でした。 たうたう 最後は十二名になつて、隊長の藤田少尉も片手片腕を折られながら、 曉方を期して全員玉碎したんです。
一人だけ傳令を出しましてね。ほかに爆弾に打ち碎かれた山頂の岩に、 てんのうへいかばんざい ヒカウキ ヒカウキと、爪で刻んだ文字を殘してゐたんです。」

(男ー)
「その傳令は今どうなってゐるんでせうか。」

(吉田少佐)
「戰死しました。山本といふ一等兵でしたが...
傅令の任務を果たすと同時に倒れたのです。 これがまた悲壯でしてね。

(ぬきながら) 三日三晚飮まず食はずで馳けて、 その間に數回敵に見つかったらしい。腰と頰とに彈を受けてゐました。

Card 4
(吉田少佐)

「それでも、報吿書を手渡すまではしゃんとしてゐましたが、
ばったり倒れてから、助け起す兵隊に 「て、て、て、」とロ走るんです。 頰を射貫かれてゐるもんで、物がいへないんですよ。手をどうかしたのかと思ったら、 さうではないんです。

「天皇陛下萬歳」を叫ぼうとしてゐたんですよ。

戦友の兵隊がそれと氣づいて 傍からいってやりました。

(兵隊)

「おうい、山本、おれがお前に代っていってやるぞ、いいか。
てんのうへいか、—いいか—てんのうへいか、ばんざあい。」

山本一等兵はうれしさうに頷きました」 (ぬきながら)

それから間もなく 息を引き取りました。」

Card 5
(男ー)
「泣かされますね。
藤田少尉の遺族の方は、どこにをられるのでせう。」

(吉田少佐)
「父母と、兄弟が三人、東京にゐます。
今、そのお母さんと弟の眞一君といふのが見えたさうですがね。
傳令がもたらした藤田少尉の遺書といふのがあって、その中に、妹と弟は飛行機工場に入れ、眞一は航空兵になれ、と書いてあったのです。 その遺書通り生き抜かうとしてゐる。 この一家の人たちには 衝たれますよ。」

(男二)
「私共も一緒に
お目にかからせて頂けませんでせうか。」

(吉田少佐)
「ご希望ならどうぞ。
今日は、眞一君の航空兵志願のことで、 その打合せだけの用件ですから。」

(やゝ静かにぬく)

Card 6
(吉田少佐)
「もう受驗票も屆いたかね。」

(眞一)
「はい。」

(吉田少佐)
「試驗までは、特に體な大切にしておかないといけないね。」

(眞一)
「はい。」

(古田少佐)
「中學二年まで行ったんだから學科の方は心配ないよ。」

(眞一)
「少佐殿。」

(吉田少佐)
「何かね?」

(眞一)
「學校を出たら、きつと爆撃機に乘れませうか。」

(吉田少佐)
「乘れるとも、きっと乘れるよ。」

(眞一)
「そして 是非南方へ行きたいのです。」

(吉田少佐)「うん、それも出來る。しかし 君の兄さんを殺した敵は、一萬や二萬の サラモアのアメリカ兵ばかりではない。いいかね」
(眞一)
「はい。」

(吉田少佐)
「試験に通ったら、一年間は東京陸軍航空學校て みっちり 基礎をきづいて、それから、熊谷や水戶の操縱士方面や、所澤の整備學校に分れることになつてゐる。 そこで二年間勉强して、初めて一人前の 航空兵になる。眞一君は、數へ年幾つだったかね。」

(眞一)
「十六です。」

(吉田少佐)
「そしたら十九て航空兵長だ。
それまでが、兄さんの仇討の準備だよ。」

(眞一)
「はい。」

(吉田少佐)
「實は、今日君にいいものを上げようと待ってゐたのだ。」

(ぬきながら)

さういって、吉田少佐が大事さうに 机の抽出から取り出したものは、

Card 7
黑く焦げたひとかけらの石ころであった。

(吉田少佐)
「この石はね、眞一君、 ボブダビ高地の岩のかけらです。 君の兄さんたちが刻んだ爪文字の すぐ下にあったのを、 君と幸男君に上げようと思って 僕が持ち歸ったのです。

兄さんはよく君たちのことを 話してゐた。

幸男君を醫者にして、君を造船技師にしたいって、 そのことを 大へん 樂しみにしてゐたらしい。その兄さんが、君たちにすぐ學校を 止めてくれといふ氣持は、よくわかるだらう。 僕にも男の子が二人あるから、國民學校を出たら、 きっと君たちの道を踏ませようと思ってゐる。 兄さんの遺書は君たちだけではなく、 日本の國民全體への遺書なんだからね。ほんたうに賴むよ。」

(ぬきながら)

少佐の手から渡された石は少年の手の中で

Card 8
ひしと握りしめられてゐた。

たまりかねて、思はず差しのべる母親の手も、 わなわなとふるへてゐた。

(間)

(ぬく)

Card 9
「もしもし、お父さん？...わたし正子ですの。
お母さんから電話ありまして?
さうお、まあ、その石、藤田家の竇ですわ。
こちらはね、工場長さんが
とても親切にして下さって、わたし製圖場て働くことになりましたの。 明日から出勤するやうにしましたわ。 幸男ちゃんは、仕上工場の方ですわ。 運のいいことに、
仕上場に幸男ちゃんの小學校時代の先生が、 指導員でゐらして、幸男ちゃん、 早速敎へて頂いてますの。
もう少し、工場の中を見せて頂いてから歸ります わ。え? え、え、それから...」

(ぬく)

Card 10
(父)
「それはよかった。めりがたいことだ。
遺家族だからといって、
假にも甘えるやうな氣持を起してはいけないよ。

うん、うん、
お母さんと眞 一も、少しよそを廻って歸るさうだ。

それまでに、お父さんは
神棚と佛壇のかざりを すませておく。

さうだ、その通りだ。...」

(ぬく)

Card 11
その工場にも 女子挺身隊が來てゐて、 隊員たちは、縫工といって 翼を縫ふ仕事と塗裝といって 塗り上げる作業に從事してゐた。 見た所簡單なやうであるが、 その一針々々、一ハケーハケが、 空の決戰を左右するのである。

そして、いくら人手があっても足りない仕事てある。

(早くぬく)

Card 12
(正子)
「あら!」

(工場長)
「どうしたんですか。」

(正子)
「あの一番奧の臺の 右端から三番目の方、何ておっしゃるんでせうか。」

(工場長)
「三番目といふと、少し淋しさうな顏の方ですね。」

(正子)
「さうですの。」

(工場長)
「この職場はまだ新しいので
名前IIよく覺えてゐませんが、 ご存じの方ででもあるんですが。」

(正子)
「さうなんですの。」

(工場長)
「では、お呼びしませう。
ついでに、わたしも一寸用事をして來ますから、
ゆっくり話してゐて下さい。」

(稍靜かにぬく)

Card 13
(正子)
「まあ!」 目を膛る正子に反して、呼ばれて來た婦人は淋しい顏に微笑を浮べてゐた。

(婦人)
「ずいぶん お久しぶりですのね。 でも、お兄さんのことは新聞でも拜見しましたし、あなたがこちらへいらっしゃることも、 うすうす聞いてゐましたのよ。」

(正子)
「そんなことより….大丈夫ですの、秋子さん。」

(婦人)
「この通り、もうーヶ月も働いてゐるんですもの。

(急に聲を落して)

でもね、まだ誰も知らないのよ。 知れたら多分許してくれないと思って、
かくして來たんですもの。 でも遠くの町內の報國隊に加らなければならないのて、 ずいぶん苦勞したわ。」

(正子)
「よくお家の人が許して下さったわね」

(婦人)
「母なんか、初めは泣いたりしてゐたけれど、 今ではわたしが、前より却って 明るくなって喜んでるわ。自分が片輪であればあるほど、こんな時勢に、とてもぢっとしてをれないんですも
の。それはさうと、 坂本さんも、ここの工場に來てゐるのよ。」

(正子)
「まめ、どちらのお仕事?」

(婦人)
「それが大へんですのよ。
わたしも直接には 坂本さんに剌激されちやったの 熔接工場なんですもの。...」

(ぬく)

Card 14
(正子)
「秋子さん、失禮ないひ方ですけれど、あなた、ほんたうにお偉いわ。兄のことでもなかつたら、 わたしなんか、今でもまだぐづぐづしてゐるかも知れないのに。 片手きりしかないあなたが こんな ご決心なさるなんて。」

(秋子)
「あなたに、そんなことおつしゃられると、わたし どうお答へしてよいかわからないわ。正子さんこそ、女子大まで止していらつしやって。 でもね、正子さん、 悲壯な氣持で來て見たら 工場って、何でもない當り前の所よ。 家の台所仕事よりずっと気楽ですわ。坂本さんにお逢ひになる?」

(正子)一
「でも、作業の妨害になるでせう」

(秋子)
「さうね、あそこなんか、 おいそれと手が離せないから...」
(正子)
「遠くからお姿だけ 覗かせていただきますわ。」

(稍靜かにぬく)

Card 15
(工場長)
「どうです。大體見當はつきましたか?」

(正子)
「ご迷惑でせうけれど、
最後に熔接工場を見せて頂きたいんですけど...」

(工場長)
「熔接工場、大へんな所に興味をお持ちですね。 さうさう、あそこに一人、あなたのやうな動機ではいった娘さんがゐますよ。
これは偉い娘さんです。坂本といふんですがね。 職業指導所から紹介されて來た時、 いきなり熔接の方を希望しましてね。
もう昨年のことですよ。女子專門學校を出てゐるし 志望の態度が どうも普通と違ってゐるので、わけを訊ねましたら、仲々考へて來たんですね。 かういふわけなんですよ。

(ぬきながら)

昭和十七年の夏、印度、ビルマ國境の上空で

Card 16
敵の三機と わたりあって、その中の二機まで擊墜し、最後になって 敵彈も受けないのに、不時着した 友軍機が あったのてす。その故障の原因といふのが、どうしたのか、機體の熔接部分が バラバラに離れたためだったらしいんです。 搭乘員は頻死の重傷を負ひましたが、 それが、坂本さんの婚約者だったらしいのですね。 この報せを受けた時、坂本さんは 泣くことも泣いたでせうがその涙の中から 決心したのです。わたしに逢った時、「是非熔接をやらせて下さい。 外のことはやれなくても、熔接だけは必ず立派な仕事をいたします。」って、 きつぱりいひきりましたよ。 感心させられました。

ところが結果は全くその通り、 男も及ばない腕前ですよ。

(ぬく)

Card 17
(工揚長の話のつづき)

「あれはもう、只の熱心ではありませんよ。
一流の熟練工が製品に魂を打ち込んだ時の表情です。」
工場長のいふ通り、
ほんとうに美しい友の顏であった。 それは 正面きって 聖戰を戰ひ拔く者の 冴えわたる心の美しさであったらう。 それをみつめてゐる間に、正子の瞳は、ぐつしより濡れて來た。不意に 嗚咽が こみ上げて來た。

(早く ぬく)

Card 18
(工券長)
「どうしたんですか、一體。
兄さんのこさても思ひ出して...」

(正子)
「いいえ、さうじゃあないんですの。 ほんたうのことをいひますわ。
さつきわたしが話した 女子挺身隊の方は 片手がなくて 義手を はめてゐるんです。 ここの坂本さんだって、
とてもとても、ご理想の高かった方ですわ。
頭もご家庭もいい方ですわ。
わたくし、皆さんがこれほご懸命になって勵んでも、
まだまだ 飛行機が追ひつかないかと思ふと、とても 悲しくなりまして...」

(工場長)
「ああ、そのことですか、それなら ご安心なさい。 國家の機密ですから 具體的にはいへませんが、 この一年に日本で出來る飛行機の 數をきいたら、きっとびっくりするでせう。 それは、十分勝利を收めるだけのものです。

しかもただの計算ではなく實際に出來る數なんです。 材料もあります。技術も大丈夫です。

ただ問題は、國民の勞力と、
どんな苦しみにも負けない 精神です。

(ぬきながら)

それさへあったら 必ず勝ちます。 太鼓判をおします。」

Card 19
(正子)
「ほんたうでせうね。」

(工場長)
「こんなことは、うそなんていへませんよ。 どうか、希望をもって働いて下さい。」

(正子)
「働きますわ。きっと、きっと...」

(間)
(終)

Card 21
情報局委矚作品ニューギニア戰線ボブダビ高地で玉碎した藤田小隊長の弟妹たちが 兄の遺書の通りにそれぞれ銃後 戰鬪配置に 就く。思へば藤田小隊長が殘したポブダビ高地の爪文字「ヒコーキ」の四字こそ、前線に續く銃後の人々に信賴する血の文字であったのだ。造らう、飛行機を! 送らう、飛行兵を!そして敵米英を擊滅する 準備は、今着々と進行 してゐる。名作「爪文 字」の續篇となるもの。

Translation of transcription

Card 20
People who follow suit

Adapted by Ken’ya Matsunaga
Painted by Hanji Koyano

Production by Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai (The Association of Japanese Educational Kamishibai)

(Cover explanation)

NARRATOR
It was a mild late autumn day, Showa 18 (1943) was drawing near.

(As you pull out the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
A family of four stands beside the great torii archway at Yasukuni Shrine. Occasionally, light laughter can be heard as they talk amongst themselves.

Card 1
MOTHER
Now, shall we get going? Masako and Yukio, it will be more convenient for you to use the government railway, won’t it?

MASAKO
I’ll go after I see you off, mother.

MOTHER
That won’t be necessary.
Besides, we are only going a short distance, I’ll take a leisurely walk with Shin’ichi. I need to get some exercise, I’ve been shut in for days, my body feels sluggish…

YUKIO
Because you did nothing but cry, Mother.

MOTHER
That’s true. But, I won’t cry anymore. Ichiro is bound to return to this shrine soon, and from now on I must be strong.
Now, go on. Thank the factory manager well, and tell him I will visit at a later date…

MASAKO
Yes.

(As you pull out the slide)

NARRATOR
Twenty minutes later, the mother and young man Shin’ichi arrived at the reception of the Army Aviation Headquarters.

Card 2
MOTHER
Excuse me, I would like to see the Major Mr. Yoshida?

RECEPTIONIST
There are two Major Yoshida’s, one is in charge of the youth air force, and the other--

MOTHER
Yes, he’s the one.

RECEPTIONIST
In that case, if you turn right down that hallway, his office is the third door down.
It seems he just had some visitors earlier, so please wait by the entrance for a while. What is your name?

(Pull out slide.)

Card 3
MAJOR YOSHIDA
The Fujita Platoon is a platoon that held down the Bobdubi Ridge for three months on its own.
Day after day, they met with the enemy’s fierce aerial bombing attacks.
Finally in the end there were only 12 members left, and the commanding officer, Second Lieutenant Fujita broke one of his hands and arms. Before daybreak they had all died valiantly.
Just one of them was sent out as a messenger.
On a rock on another summit crushed by bombs were the words “Banzai for the Emperor, airplane airplane,” etched into the rock with fingernails.

MAN 1
What happened to that messenger?

MAJOR YOSHIDA
He was killed in action. He was a private named Yamamoto...Right as he completed delivering the message, he collapsed. And this story, too, is so tragically heroic.

(As you pull out the slide)

He ran for three days and three nights without food or drink, and within that time he ran into the enemy several times. He had been hit with a bullet on the hip and cheek.

Card 4
MAJOR YOSHIDA
Even then, until he handed over the report he was standing straight and tall, but then he collapsed, and when a soldier helped him up, he began repeating “Hand, hand, hand.”
He couldn’t speak because he had been shot through his cheek. We thought something was wrong with his hand, but that wasn’t it.
He was trying to say “Hands up (Banzai) for the Emperor.”
His friend in battle realized this and said from nearby,

SOLDIER
Hey, Yamamoto! I’ll say it in your place, alright? Banzai--are you ready? Banzai for the emperor!

MAJOR YOSHIDA
Private Yamamoto nodded happily.

(As you pull out the slide)

MAJOR YOSHIDA (continued)
Soon after, he took his last breath.

Card 5
MAN 1
That is a moving story.
Where is the surviving family of Private Fujita?

MAJOR YOSHIDA
His mother, father, and three siblings, live in Tokyo.
Right now, the mother and younger brother Shin’ichi are apparently here.
The messenger had brought Second Lieutenant Fujita’s will, and in it he had written for his younger sister and brother to work in an airplane factory, and for Shin’ichi-kun to join the airforce. They plan to live exactly as is written in the will. This entire family really is inspiring.

MAN 2
Would it be possible for us to meet them as well?

MAJOR YOSHIDA
If you would like, yes. Shin’ichi-kun is applying for the air force, it seems that today they are just here for a briefing on the matter.

(Pull out slide quietly.)

Card 6
MAJOR YOSHIDA
Did you already get your admission ticket for the exam?

SHIN’ICHI
Yes.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
You should take extra care of your body until the exams.

SHIN’ICHI
Yes.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
You got to the second grade of junior high, so there’s no need to worry about your studies.

SHIN’ICHI
Sir.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
What is it?

SHIN’ICHI
Once I finish school, surely I will be able to ride on a bomber?

MAJOR YOSHIDA
You will, most certainly you will.

SHIN’ICHI
And I would like to go to the south.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
Yes, you can do that too. But your brother was not just killed by the ten or twenty thousand American soldiers in Salamaua. Do you understand?

SHIN’ICHI
Yes.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
Once you pass the exam, you’ll be strictly trained on the basics at the Imperial Army Air Force School, and from there you will be split up into the piloting field at Kumagaya or Mito, or the mechanic school in Tokorozawa. You will study for two years there, and then you will finally be a full fledged pilot. Shin’ichi-kun, what is your age*?

SHIN’ICHI
I’m 16.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
Then you will become a leading private in the air force when you are 19. Until then is the preparation period to get vengeance for your brother.

SHIN’ICHI
Yes.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
Actually, I was waiting to give you something today.

(As you pull out the slide)

NARRATOR
Saying this, Major Yoshida carefully pulled something out from his desk drawer.

*The age referred to here is in kazoedoshi, or the traditional Japanese age-counting system.

Card 7
NARRATOR (continued)
It was a small piece of rock that had been charred black.

MAJOR YOSHIDA
This rock, Shin’ichi-kun, is a fragment from the rocks of Bobdubi Ridge.
It was under the rock where your brother etched words with his fingernails.
I brought it back with me, wanting to give it to you and Yukio-kun.

Your older brother spoke of you often.

He said Yukio-kun would become a doctor, and you would become a shipbuilder, and he seemed to look forward to it very much.
You must understand how he felt saying you both should quit school.
I have two sons myself, and once they finish elementary school, I plan to have them follow in your footsteps.
Your older brother’s will was directed not just at you, but to the entire nation of Japan. I’m really counting on you.

(As you pull out the slide)

NARRATOR
The rock that had passed from the major to the boy’s hand,

Card 8
NARRATOR (continued)
Was being gripped tightly.

Unable to bear it, his mother reached out her hands, and they, too, were shaking.

(Pause)
(Pull out slide.)

Card 9
MASAKO
Hello? Father? ...It’s me, Masako.
Did you get a call from Mother?
Really, my, that rock is the Fujita family’s treasure.
Over here, the factory manager is being so kind, and it’s been decided that I will work in the drafting department.
I’ll begin working tomorrow.
Yukio-chan is going to be a finishing workman.
Luckily, one of the instructors of the finishing department is Yukio-chan’s teacher from elementary school, so he can begin learning immediately.
After I get a tour of the inside of the factory, I will go home. What? Yes, yes, and then…

(Pull out slide.)

Card 10
FATHER
That’s good. We must be thankful.
Just because we are a bereaved family, we cannot allow ourselves to take advantage of the situation in any way.

Uh-huh, uh-huh,
Mother and Shin’ichi also said they will head home after going around to a few other places.
Until then, I will finish setting up the kamidana and butsudan altars.

Yes, that’s right…

(Pull out slide.)

Card 11
NARRATOR
In that factory, too, there was a girls’ volunteer corps.
The troops engaged in work as seamstresses sewing wings, or as painters painting them up.
Looking from the outside, it seems easy, but each stitch, each paint stroke, would influence the direction of the decisive battles of the skies.

And it was a job for which no number of hands would ever be enough.

(Pull out slide quickly.)

Card 12
MASAKO
Oh my!

FACTORY MANAGER
What is it?

MASAKO
The individual on the very last bench, third from the right, what is her name?

FACTORY MANAGER
Third from the right, you mean the one with a slightly lonely look on her face?

MASAKO
Yes.

FACTORY MANAGER
This is still a new workplace so I do not remember their names, but is she someone you know?

MASAKO
Yes, indeed.

FACTORY MANAGER
Then shall I call her over?
I have some matters to attend to in the meantime, so please take your time.

(Pull out slide quietly.)

Card 13
MASAKO
My!

NARRATOR
While Masako stared with round eyes, the woman who was called over had a lonely smile on her face.

WOMAN
It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it.
But I read about your brother in the papers, and I’d been hearing some vague news that you would be coming here too.

MASAKO
Nevermind that… are you okay, Akiko-san?

WOMAN
I’ve been working here like this for a month already.
(Suddenly drop voice)
But, nobody knows yet. If they find out, I didn’t think they would allow it if they found out, so I’ve been hiding it.
But I had to join the National Guard of a faraway neighborhood, so I endured quite the hardship.

MASAKO
I’m surprised your family allowed it.

WOMAN
At first my mother cried, but now she sees that I am in much higher spirits than before and she is happy. The more I think of my deformity, the more I cannot sit idly by in a time like this. By the way, Sakamoto-san is here, too.

MASAKO
My, what position?

WOMAN
You wouldn’t believe it.
To be honest, Sakamoto-san was the one who gave me the incentive to join, because she is in the welding plant…

(Pull out slide.)

Card 14
MASAKO
Akiko-san, this may be a rude way to say it, but you really are remarkable. If it weren’t for what happened to my brother, I might still be dawdling now. But you only have one hand and you made such a resolute decision.

AKIKO
I don’t know what to say hearing something like that from you. You even gave up going to the women’s college. But you know, Masako-san, I came here feeling grim, but once I got here I saw that a factory is just a normal, mundane place. It’s so much easier than working in the kitchen back home. Would you like to meet Sakamoto-san?

MASAKO
But I'll get in the way of her work.

AKIKO
Yes, I suppose she can’t leave her work at such short notice.

MASAKO
I’ll just go peek at her from afar.

(Pull out slide quietly.)

Card 15
FACTORY MANAGER
How is it? Did you get an idea of what it’s like here?

MASAKO
I’m sorry to be a bother, but before I go, could you show me the welding plant?

FACTORY MANAGER
The welding plant, that is an awfully specific place to be interested in.
Oh yes, there is one young lady there who joined for a similar reason as you. She is one admirable young lady. Her name is Sakamoto. When she first came here upon being introduced through vocational guidance, she immediately applied to the welding plant.
It’s already been a year since then. She had graduated from a women’s vocational school, and her ambitious attitude was different from normal, so I asked her about it. She really had thought things through before coming here. Her story goes as follows.

(As you pull out the slide)

FACTORY MANAGER (continues)
The summer of Showa 17 (1942), in the skies above the border between India and Burma.

Card 16
FACTORY MANAGER (continues)
There was a military plane that met with three enemy planes. It shot down two of the three planes, but without even receiving an attack from the third plane, it made an emergency landing. The reason for the breakdown was that, for some reason, the welded parts were disconnected and in pieces. The crewmember on board suffered severe injuries and was on the verge of death, and that crewmember was Sakamoto-san’s fiance. When she received this news she no doubt must have cried, but from those tears came resolution.
When she met me, she said flatly, “Please let me weld. Even if I can’t do anything else, I will definitely do a fine job at welding.” I was impressed.
But the result was just as she said, she is more skilled than the men.

(Pull out slide.)

Card 17
(FACTORY MANAGER continues)
Hers is not just a matter of enthusiasm.
She has an expression like a first-class skilled craftsman pouring her soul into her products.

NARRATOR
Just as the factory manager said, there was the beautiful face of her friend.
It was a beauty that came from the clarity of heart of one who is battling head-on in a crusade.
Seeing this, Masako’s eyes became wet with tears. Suddenly a sob welled up in her.

(Pull out slide quickly.)

Card 18
FACTORY MANAGER
What on earth is wrong?
Were you reminded of your older brother…

MASAKO
No, that’s not it. I will tell you the truth.
The woman from the volunteer corps with whom I spoke earlier, she is missing one hand and has an artificial arm.
And Sakamoto-san too, she had very, very high ideals.
She is smart and from a fine family.
All these people are working so hard and yet we still don’t have enough planes, and that just made me so sad…

FACTORY MANAGER
Oh, that, well you don’t have to worry about that. It’s a state secret, so I cannot give you any details, but you will be surprised if you hear the number of planes that will be built this year.
It is more than enough to achieve victory.

And this isn’t just a calculation but the actual number that will be built. We have the materials. Our technology is there, too.

The only question is the citizens’ effort, and a spirit that will not break in the face of any hardship.

(As you pull out the slide)

As long as we have that, we will certainly win. I stand behind this.

Card 19
MASAKO
You are certain about this?

FACTORY MANAGER
I couldn’t lie about something like this. So please, work with hope.

MASAKO
I will work. Certainly, certainly…

(Pause)
(Fin.)

Card 21
A J?h?kyoku production.
After Private Fujita dies honorably on the Bobdubi Ridges in the New Guinea war front, his younger siblings, in accordance with his will, take up positions in battle stations on the home front.
One can imagine the word “airplane” that Private Fujita left etched in the Bobudabi Ridges was a message written in blood to the people on the home front who would follow suit in the troops on the front lines. Build airplanes! Send air force troops! And now, preparations for annihilating the American and English enemies are moving forward.
A sequel to the masterpiece “Letters etched with nails.”

Scope and contents

Koyano Hanji 小谷野半二 (artist); Matsunaga Ken’ya 松永健哉 (author); Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai 日本敎育紙芝居協會 (producer); Nihon Kyōiku Gageki Kabushiki Kaisha 日本教育画劇株式会社 (publisher)

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

"続く人々 Tsuzuku hitobito" (People who follow suit), 1944 March 30, Kamishibai collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3kk6t

Identifiers

Record ID

2018C32.00004

Permalink

https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3kk6t

RefID

43d2d839754c4b151d42dc25c703aa33

EZID

ark:/54723/h3kk6t

Digitization information

Imaging system

IQ180, Phase One

Capture date

2018-07-09T08:39:38-07:00