"心の鍵 Kokoro no kagi" (The key is to mind), 1943 May 25

Date

1943 May 25

Summary

This kamishibai instructs home front citizens to be vigilant about home security so that Japan can save money in police investigations and court resources. It’ll help Japan win the war against the US and Britain by allocating these resources to the war.

Archival processing title

"心の鍵 Kokoro no kagi" (The key is to mind)

Transcription

Card 16
防犯指導畫劇
心の鍵
警視廳刑事部防犯課指導
作・小林 夜詩男
畫・芝 義雄
1(表 紙)
(輕い出だしで)
陽気がよくなって來ますと，空巣の書入時です。

Card 1
(調子をかへて)
午後三時から五時頃までの間、御覽なさい、市場の中は、夕食のお惣菜や、その他の買出しに來た奧さん連中の行列で、ごった返して居ります。
だが、この奧さんたちの中には、家を留守にして出て來た人もあるでせうが、その人たちは、家を留守にしても心配はありませんと、自信のもてる人が何人あることでせう?
では、試みに、先づさうした、一軒の留守宅に、私が 見張りに行って見ませう。
（ー寸の間)
(拔きながら)
ここは、繁華な電車通りから、小廣い道を、づうっと 奥に入った、勤め人の住宅ばかり並んだー區域です。

Card 2
(あたりをはばかるように)
男「今日は。今日は。」
或る一軒の家の戶を開けて、洋服を着た一人の男が、 家の中へ盛んに聲をかけて居りますが、その眼は家の中を見るではなく、家の外へ、しかも四邊を、キョロキョロ見廻し乍ら聲をかけてゐるのです。　
だが、勿論此の家は留守なので、家の中からは何の返事も聞えて來ません。
(低い聲で)
男「お留守ですか。どなたもおいでにならないのですか――。」
念を押すやうな男の聲だ、それと同時に男の顏にニャりとした微笑が浮びました。
(拔き乍ら)
(意外そうに)
そして、此の男は何とした事か、此の家が留守だと判り乍ら、玄關へ入らうとした時です。
(一寸間をおいて)
(さっと拔く)

Card 3
(ハキハキとした少年の聲で)
少年「小父さんは誰なの? 此の家の人、今市場に行ってて、僕留守を賴まれてゐるんだけど。」
さう云って男の前に近づいたのは、近所で遊んでゐたらしい十二三の少年でした。
男は、ちょっと面喰ったやうな顔をしてゐたが、急に微笑を作って、
(どぎまぎした感情で)
男「留守? あゝさうか、實は、今日來てくれるように云はれてゐたもんだからね、留守ぢゃ仕彷がない、ではまた來よう」
(一寸不審らしく)
少年「さう、だって近い市場だから，小母さん直ぐに歸つて來るよ」
(あわてて)
男 「うゝん、いや、また來よう」

Card 4
男「チェツ、忌忌しい小僧だ」
失敗から來る腹立たしさといふか、その男は、いかにも忌忌しさうに眩き乍ら步き出した。
今の家の奧さんは、恐らく買出しに行く時、そのへんで遊んでゐた近所の子供に、賴んで出かけたと見えますが、一寸のこと乍ら、これ位の心がけが欲しいものです。
(間)
それにしても、この男は、これからどこへ行くのでせう。一つ今度は、此の男の後を尾行て見る事にしませう。
男「おや?」
すると突然、男は何を見つけたのでせう、眸を輝やかせて、立ち停りましたが。

Card 5
それも道理です。
(調子をかへて觀衆に話しかけるように)
御覽なさい。或る一軒の家の表に立って，これから外出でもするのでせう、綺麗に着飾った奧さんが 表戶に錠を降してゐるのです。
(拔き乍ら)
それから、間もなくでした。

Card 6
(ハッキリとした調子で)
表に錠を降した誰もゐない筈の、その家の中に一人の男がゐるではありませんか。
しかもその男は、大型トランクの中へ何か盛んに詰め込んでゐる樣子です。
アッ顏に見覺えがあるでせう。
先刻の男なのです。
ここで初めて此の男の正體がはっきり判りましたねえ。いや賢明な方でしたら、もう、とうに此奴が空巣狙ひだった事にお氣づきだったでせう。

Card 7
その夜遲くなって歸って來た奧さんは、一步家の中 へ足を跻み入れて吃驚仰天した事は勿論です。
女「まあ一つ、泥棒ツ」
それだけ叫んで、後の言葉が出ないのです。 簞笥の抽斗は、座敷の中に放り出され、中の金屬類貴重品は勿論のこと，奧さんが婚禮の時に持って來た大事な衣類。また洋服簞笥の中にあった御主人の洋服類。勿論この盜まれた衣類や洋服の中には縫付紋や縫付ネーム は入ってゐるかも知れませんが，そんなものは直ぐ除けます。
それで、もう、こと、ここに至れば仕方がありません。
(拔き乍ら)
一秒でも、屆けが早ければ、それだけ手配も早いわけ、奧さんは一座敷の中をそのまゝにして置いて、一番近くの交番へ屆け出ました。

Card 8
屆けが早かったためか、幸ひ、その空巣狙ひは、その 翌日〇〇署に擧げられてゐたのです。

(明噺な語調で)

しかも此の男は 前科五犯 五犯とも全部空巣だ。しかも、三ヶ月の短期間に百ハ十餘件、一萬三千餘圓の衣類と現金を盜んだ不敵の賊だったのです。

三ヶ月間に百八十餘件といふと、一日二件ではありま せんか、 それが、たった一人でですよ、十人なら千八百 餘件、それを一年に積ると，どれ位になるでせう。勘定 が出來ますか。そして、その男は、取調べの係官に、こんなことも喋ってゐるのです。

(半分拔いて)

Card 9
(調子をかへて観衆に話しかけるように)
皆さんに、あの恐ろしいスパイが判りますか。黑い眼鏡をかけた外人だけが、スパイだと思ったら大間違ひです。スパイは、こんな恰好はして居ないでせう、こんな姿をして步けば、俺はスパイだぞ、と、廣吿をして步くやうなものですからね。そのスパイが判らんやうに、
(全部拔いて) ，
恐らく空巣狙ひが、どんな恰好をしてゐるか判らない
でせう、空巣狛ひに特殊な恰好はありません，頭から頰冠りをして、大きな風呂敷包みを背負ってゐたのは昔の事で、今は皆相當な服裝をしてゐるんです。

Card 10
それに大抵の者は、いや十人のうち十人までが、外出する時、表戶に南京錠でも降して行けば大丈夫だと思ひ込んでゐるらしいが、何といふ暢氣千萬な話でせう。 これは、私たち空巣狙ひが見ると、「家は留守です、どうぞ卸自由に」と書いた證明書をブラ下げてゐるのと同じ事です。
もっと研究し、外から見えなくて、そして，戶のはづれないやうな工夫は出來ないものだらうか。

Card 11
いや、ない筈はない。錠は內側からかけるべきです。 それも、一本の戶にニケ所の錠を降されると、いくら腕の達者な我々の仲間でも、手出しが出來ないのです。 つまり、御覽のやうに上と下、それが硝子戶であれ、 格子戶であれ、二ケの錠を降されると、はずすことも出來ないのです。
一本の戶に、二つの錠、ええい、そんな事を、と思はれるなら、ごく簡單に、一枚の戶の下から敷居へ向って 一本か二本の五寸釘でも剌し込んで置くのも一つの方法 でせう。然しこれも絕對安全ではありません。

Card 12
なあに、そんなにまで嚴重にする必要はないさ，空巢なんていふ奴は、入らうと思へば、どこからでも入って 來るさ，と、暢氣に構へてゐる御夫婦もありますが、そんな家には、家そのものが油斷をしてゐる。我々にはその家が、主人がゐなくなると、居眠りでもしてゐるやうに見える。だから、我々は、大手を振って威張って入る事が出來るのです。
(拔き乍ら)
だが、これが、反對だったら。

Card 13
男「戶締りは大丈夫だったかな?」
女「えゝ、内側からチャンと嚴重な錠を降してありますし、貴重なものは仕末し、整理してありますから，行きがけにお隣りへ お願いして置きませう」 男「さうだ、千の鍵より一人の留守居と云ふからなあ、 それに今月はお隣りが防犯當番だから一寸御願ひして置かう」
（寸間をおいて)空巣が観衆へ話しかけるように
これ位細心な注意を拂ふやうにすれば、主人がゐなくとも、家、そのものの身構へが違ってゐて、空巣め、入れるなら入って見ろ、俺は一步だって踏み込ませないぞ、と睨みつけられてゐるやうで、留守とは判ってゐながら，身をすくめて素通りしなければならないのです。

Card 14
(調子をかへて明晰に)
今、試みに、こゝへ最近の統計を示して見ますと、被害件數 十二萬ハ百五十七件のうち，窃盜が九萬二千三百三十五件を占め、しかもその窃盜の中で空巢が一萬三千七百八十三件となって居ります。
元來この空巢といふ犯罪は、白晝堂々と行はれる犯罪で、犯人は留守の家宅を捜して步くのですが、一時間も步けば二軒や三軒の留守宅が見つかると云ひますから油斷も隙もなりません。
そして入ったが最後、良い品物を持てるだけ持って行くのですから、その被害も莫大です。
まして、今日は昔と違ひ、金さへ出せば物の買へる時代とは違って、腰紐一本買ふにしても衣料切符を必要とします。當〇〇署管內だけで、屆出で件數が〇〇となってゐますが，たとへば，一警察署管內に，最少一日一件三十圓の被害が發生したと假定せんか、例を東京だけ にとって見ても九十一件、二千七百三十圓の被害となり 年にすると九十九萬六千四百五十圓の數字となり、これを また六大都市に、 更に全國的に、見た場合、どんな數字が 現はれるでせう。ましてや、被害が存すれば捜査は當然として、その上、裁判所――判決あって刑務所――それに 要するさうした人と費用を加算するとすれば、――想像し たヾけでも、目玉が飛び出すやうな莫大さではありませんか。
(拔き乍ら)
日本は今戰ってゐるのだ。

Card 15
(迫力のある明晰な調子で)
敵、米英を徹聖的に擊滅すべく、東亞の諸民族と手を握って、有史以來の戰爭を行ってゐるのだ。
各人が、一人一人、心にしっかり鍵をかけて、さうした犯罪防止に協力したならば、その莫大な費用や人は皆無になるのではないでせうか。
そして、その莫大な費用や人を戰爭に振り向けたなら 勝ち拔く上にどんなに役立つでせう。
戰ひだ、各人の心の扉をぴたりと締めて、鍵を忘れぬやうにしようではありませんか。
――完――

Translation of transcription

Card 16
Crime prevention guidance kamishibai
The key is to mind
Guidance by Crime Prevention Unit, Detective Division, Metropolitan Police Department
Script: Yoshio Kobayashi; Illustration: Yoshio Shiba
(Cover)
(Start lightly)

NARRATOR
As it gets warmer, it’s the most profitable season for thieves.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 1
NARRATOR (continued)
(Change the tone)
Look at the market. Between 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, the market is full of wives who came to buy food. Among the wives, however, are some who left their homes unattended. How many of them could confidently say that there is nothing to worry about back home?
Let's check on one of these unattended houses.
(Pause for a moment.)
(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
This is a residential district away from the busy street along the train tracks, deep in a wide alley.

Card 2
A MAN
(Looking around carefully)
Hello, hello.

NARRATOR (continued)
A man in Western clothes opens the door to a house and calls loudly. Instead of looking inside the house, he is looking outside at the area around him.
Of course, nobody responds from the home because everyone is away.
A MAN
(In a low voice)
Anybody home? Anybody home?

NARRATOR (continued)
He made sure that nobody was home, and a grin appeared on his face.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
（Sound surprised, as if this was unexpected）
As soon as the man learns that nobody is home, what does he do? He attempts to enter the house.
(Pause for a moment)
(Pull the slide quickly.)

Card 3
BOY
(In a boy’s clear voice)
Who are you? The owners of this house are at the market now, and they asked me to look after the house.

NARRATOR (continued)
A 12- to 13-year old boy who appears to have been playing in the neighborhood approached the man.

NARRATOR
The man looked surprised and showed a sudden and forced smile on his face.

MAN
Nobody is home? Is that right? They asked me to come by today, but I’ll come back later if nobody is home.

BOY
(In a slightly suspicious tone)
Are you sure? The auntie will return soon because the market is near.

MAN
(Hastily)
No, no. I’ll come back.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 4
MAN (continued)
That annoying brat!

NARRATOR
The man blinked and started walking away annoyed, perhaps out of his failure. The woman who lives at this house may have asked a neighbor child to look after the house when she went shopping. It is trivial but necessary to pay attention to this. .
(A pause)
By the way, where is this man going now? Let’s follow him.

MAN
Oh?

NARRATOR
The man stopped excitedly. What did he find?

(Pull the slide.)

Card 5
NARRATOR (continued)
No wonder.
(Change the tone and speak to the audience)
Look. A housewife dressed up beautifully is locking the entrance door. She is perhaps going out.
(As you pull the slide)
Soon after that,

Card 6
NARRATOR (continued)
(In a clear tone)
A man is inside the locked house where nobody should be.
He appears to be packing something hurriedly into a large suitcase.
We have seen him before.
It’s the same man.
Now we know who he is. No, anyone clever enough would have already noticed he was a thief.

Card 7
NARRATOR (continued)
It’s not surprising that the housewife was startled as soon as she stepped inside the house later that night.

WOMAN
Oh my! A thief!

NARRATOR
She shouted once but lost her words. The dresser drawers were thrown out to the middle of the living room. Valuable objects like gold and silver, important clothing that she brought with her at her wedding, and her husband’s Western clothes were stolen from the cabinets. Of course, some of the stolen Japanese and Western clothes were marked with names or family emblems. However, it’s easy to remove them.
Not much you can do about it.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
Every second matters when it comes to reporting to the police station. Then, an arrest warrant will be issued sooner. The woman left the living room as is and immediately reported to the nearest police station.

Card 8
NARRATOR (continued)
Perhaps the quick reporting helped. Fortunately, the thief was arrested at the 〇〇 police department the following day.
(In a clear tone)
This man had five criminal offence records, all thefts. On top of that, he was an unrivaled thief, stealing about 13,000-yen worth of clothes and cash from 180 houses in the last three months.
One hundred eighty houses in three months—that’s two houses a day. He did it all by himself. If ten thieves stole from 180 homes each for ten years, can you count how many houses they might be? The arrested man revealed the following with an interrogator.

(Pull the slide halfway)

Card 9
NARRATOR (continued)
(Change the tone and speak to the audience)
Everyone, can you see that terrifying spy? It’s a mistake to think all spies are foreigners wearing dark glasses. Spies are not dressed like this. If they were, it would be as if they were advertising their profession.
As much as you cannot tell spies from their appearances,

(Pull the slide all the way)

NARRATOR (continued)
You probably won’t be able to tell thieves from their appearances. They don’t wear unique costumes. They no longer wear head covers and carry large furoshiki bags on their back like they did long ago. Now, they are dressed in fine clothes.

Card 10
NARRATOR (continued)
Most people, no, I’d even say ten out of ten people appear to believe locking a padlock will be sufficient when they go out. What a carefree attitude! To thieves, such low-level security is the same as hanging a certificate that says “we are away from home, please enter freely.”
Can’t we study a way to lock the house that is not apparent from the outside, and that won’t allow the door to be removed?

(Pull the slide.)

Card 11
NARRATOR (continued)
Yes, there must be. You should lock the door from inside. Double locks on every door would deter even skilled thieves. As you can see, double locks are impossible to break in, whether they are glass doors or grille doors.
If you think double locks are too troublesome, you may want to hammer a long nail or two toward the ridge under the door. However, this is not absolutely secure.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 12
NARRATOR (continued)
Some careless couples may think thieves will enter if they wish, no matter what, so no severe deterrent is worth it. These households look like the houses themselves are not alert. To us thieves, these houses appear as if they are asleep when the residents are away. Thus, we can freely enter the house.

(As you pull the slide)

But on the other hand, if you prepare,

Card 13
MAN
Did we lock the door?

WOMAN
Yes, we locked the door securely from inside. We put away and organized our valuables. Let’s ask our neighbor to look after our house.

MAN
One house sitter would be mightier than a thousand locks.
Our neighbor is in charge of this month’s crime prevention. Let’s ask her.

(Pause for a moment)

NARRATOR
(As if the thief is speaking to the audience)
If you pay this detailed level of attention to show your determination not to let thieves in, we would have no choice but to skip the house.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 14
NARRATOR (continued)
(Change to a brighter tone)
Let’s look at the recent statistics. Out of 120,857 crimes, thefts account for 92,335. Out of the robberies, household thefts when the residents were away accounted for 13,783 cases.
You cannot lower your guard because thieves are said to find two or three empty houses if they walk for one hour. Once they enter a home, they will steal as many valuables as they can carry, and the damage will be enormous.
Unlike in the past, we can no longer purchase whatever we wish with money. We are required to have a clothing ration coupon to buy even underwear or kimono sashes.
The number of reported thefts in our 〇〇 jurisdiction is 〇〇. For example, if we assume a minimum of thirty yen in damages per case daily, it will amount to 91 cases, 2,730 yen, or 996,450 yen annually in Tokyo alone. What if we expand the figure to six major cities, or nationwide? The damage requires an investigation, judgments at courts, and prisons. If we add up all the human and financial resources required, that amount will be enormous.

(As you pull the slide)

Now Japan is winning.

Card 15
NARRATOR (continued)
(In a powerful and clear tone)
We are fighting a historic war together with East Asian peoples to annihilate the US and Britain. If we lock our minds and cooperate for crime prevention, we will save enormous expenses, won’t we?
How much would the enormous resources help win the war if we re-allocate them to the war?
We are in a war. We should close the doors of our minds firmly and lock them!

(The end.)

Scope and contents

Shiba Yoshio 芝 義雄 (artist); Kobayashi Yoshio 小林 夜詩男(author); Dai Nihon Gageki Kabushiki Kaisha 大日本画劇株式会社 (publisher). Guidance by Crime Prevention Unit, Detective Division, Metropolitan Police Department 警視廳刑事部防犯課指導.

Language

Japanese

Script

Japanese (alias for Han + Hiragana + Katakana)

Genre/form

Drama

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

"心の鍵 Kokoro no kagi" (The key is to mind), 1943 May 25, Kamishibai collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3xp46

Identifiers

Record ID

2018C32.00012

Permalink

https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3xp46

RefID

55fc02ed66242e432cb134591a354181

EZID

ark:/54723/h3xp46

Digitization information

Imaging system

iXG 100MP, Phase One

Capture date

2020-11-11T13:45:38-08:00