2019/02/12 The forbidden room

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a hard-working young woodcutter.

One day, he found a small bird by the road. It was an uguisu bush warbler. It was hurt. Poor little bird. I will help you. the woodcutter took the bird home. After a few days, the bush warbler was much better. So he let the bird go back to the mountains.

A few days later, the woodcutter went into the mountains to work. But he became lost.

What should I do?

The woodcutter walked and walked. Finally, the sun set, and it became dark. Then, he saw a light.

I’m saved. I'll go to that house over there and ask for help.

The woodcutter walked toward the light and found a castle. He knocked on the gate.

Hello. I’m a woodcutter. The sun has set, and I’m lost. Please let me stay here tonight.

The gate opened, and a young girl came out.

Please, come in. You are welcome to stay.

The young girl was living alone in the castle. She gave him wonderful food. The woodcutter was so happy that he stayed for one, two, and then three nights. On the fourth day, he became the girl’s husband. They lived happily in the big castle.

One day, the girl said, Today, I have to go to town alone. Please stay here. On the top floor, there are 12 rooms that you have never seen. You can see them today. But please promise me you will never, ever go into the second room.

Of course, I promise, said the woodcutter.

After the girl left, he went to the top floor.

I can't go into the second room, but I will take a look at the other rooms.

So he started opening the doors. He looked into the first room. There was a beautiful New Year’s pine tree growing tall and green.

Wow, this is amazing.

He then walked by the second room without going in and went to the third room. Inside there was a cherry tree with blossomes all over it. This is wonderful. This must be March.

The woodcutter was now having fun, and opened more and more doors. The fourth room had tsubaki camellias of April. The fifth room had shobu irises of May. Each room showed beautiful flowers and trees of the month.

After a while, the woodcutter felt he had to see inside the second room.

Just a little look.

He opened the door. Inside there was an ume plum tree with beautiful blossoms. It was February. And there was a bush warbler singing in the tree.

The bird flew down from the tree and landed in front of the woodcutter. Suddenly, the bird turned into the woodcutter’s wife.

I asked you not to look into the second room.

Then, the girl turned back into a bush warbler and flew off into the mountains. The castle disappeared, and the woodcutter was standing alone in the mountains.

2019/02/11 A&B @ The Tottori Sand Dunes

Ben, let's take a picture.

Ah, okay. But why?

Because we’re in a place wonderful with a view. Look at this. Everywhere we look, it's sand, sand and more sand. Isn't it magical?

I’m Ben. Today, Akito and I are in Tottori Prefecture. Akito says there is a place in Tottori that we just have to go to, but.

The Tottori Sand Dunes are the largest sand dunes that we can visit in Japan.

Oh.

Hey, aren’t you interested at all?

Well, I've been seen many sand dunes before, and.. hey, is that the ocean? Wow. This view is great.

That’s one of the best things about the Tottori Sand Dunes. They are right by the ocean, so you can enjoy both views.

You're right. The two views are so different. Over here it looks like the desert, and over there it looks like a Hawaiian beach.

I hear that more than one million people visit here every year.

Huh? What was that?

It's a camel. You can ride a camel on the dunes.

I've been to sand dunes before, but I have never ridden a camel. Let's try it.

Whoa. It's shaky.

Yeah, and camels are really tall. I can see so far from here.

Over there, you can see a famous sand dune called the Horse’s Back. It 47 meters high.

Wow. Climbing it must be a lot of work.

Yeah. I can see people resting on the sand.

Hey, people over there are sliding down the sand hill.

And over there, people are flying kites.

Some people just like to sit on the sand and enjoy the view.

So each person have the own way of enjoying the sand dunes.

Hey, why is there a rope around that pond? It says, Do not enter.

They are protecting a type of beetle that lives in the sand.

A beetle?

Yes. The beetles are very rare and starting to disappear from the sand dunes.

Do the tourist catch them and take them home?

No. People sometimes step on their nests by mistake and destroy them.

Ah, so that’s why you can't go in there.

The wind from the ocean feels so nice.

The wind creates patterns on the sand. Each time the wind blows, they change, so you can enjoy many different patterns.

Wow. It's a work of art created by nature.

That’s right. Many people step on the sand during the day. Then, at night, the wind blows away all the footprints, and the sand is smooth in the morning.

So the sand dunes reset themselves every day.

Uh-huh.

Akito, we should do the same. Relax, reset and restart every day, just like the sand dunes.

Sure, but Ben, aren’t you always relaxing?

Hey.

2019/02/08 Red candles and the mermaid E1

Mermaids do not only live in the southern seas. They also live in the northern seas. The seas in the north were very blue.

One day, a mermaid was resting on top of a rock.

 This is such a lonely place. Why do we have to live in a cold, dark place deep down in the sea? Humans look like us, but they don't live in a dark place. Why is that?

This mermaid had lived for many years without anyone to talk to. And she was pregnant.

I hope that my baby will not feel so sad and lonely like me. I heard that humans are kind creatures. Once they accept you, you will always be protected by them. Maybe my baby can become part of the human world.

Thinking so, the mermaid decided to give birth to her baby on land. On a small mountain by the sea, a light from a shrine could be seen from far away.

By the seaside, there was a small town with many different shops. One of them was a candle shop owned by an old couple. The old man made candles, and the old woman sold them.

When the people of this town and fishermen living nearby went to pray at the town shrine, they always bought candles at the old couple’s shop.

If there were no shrine on this mountain, we would not be able to sell our candles.

I pray to the gods from the bottom of my heart, too.

One night, the old woman was walking down the mountain after praying at the shrine as usual. The moon was shining beautifully. Suddenly, she found a baby crying below the stone steps.

Oh, poor baby. Who left you here? The gods will punish me if I leave you here.

Saying so, the old woman picked up the baby and took it home. She told the old man everything when she got there. The old man said,

The baby must be a gift from the gods.

So the old couple decided to raise the baby. The baby was a girl. And the baby’s lower baby was not in the shape of a human but a fish. The old couple knew that this baby must be a mermaid. They had heard about such creatures.

This baby is not human.

No, but she has the loveliest face.

The gods knew we wanted a child. So we will raise her with care. I am sure she will grow up to be a smart girl.

From that day, the old couple raised the baby girl with love. As she grew older, she became a gentle and smart girl with beautiful black eyes and shining black hair.

2019/02/07 Azerbaijan

Hello. I am the Republic of Azerbaijan. I was part of the Soviet Union, but in 1991, I became a country. So I am still young. I’m on the west coast of the Caspian Sea, just north of Iran. I am at a crossroad of eastern Europe and western Asia. I’m a little bigger than Hokkaido with a population of about ten million. My people use the Azerbaijani language.

The word Azer means fire in Persian. My country name comes from that word. Can you guess why? I am really a country of fire. Near my capital city Baku, there is a famous mountain called Yanar Dag or Fire Mountain. People say that it has been burning for more than 2000 years. Sometimes the flames became as tall as three meters. In one area, there is a ten-meter-long wall of flames, and they don't stop burning even in rain or snow. Fire also rises from a nearby stream. Can you imagine such scenery? Even Marco Polo was surprised.

Even today on Fire Mountain, fire continues to burn because of natural gas and oil under the ground. Actually, my country has one of the world’s largest oil fields, you see. Because of this large amount of natural resources, my country has become rich, and my people live good lives. With this economic success, they made a man-made flame in my capital city. You can see three tall buildings in the shape of a flame. They even shine bright red like fire at night. Oil has also been used as way to help people with sicknesses. People in my country say that it's good for your health to take an oil bath. It is a special oil from a certain place. But you can only stay in the bath for ten minutes because longer is not good for you. If you don't have time to go to a spa, you can visit a drugstore. There you will find many things made from this oil that my people have been using for a long time.

There is a religion called Zoroastrianism that is important here. It is one of the oldest religions in the world. Followers believe that fire is the symbol of God’s message. So fire is important for them. There is a temple for that religion here that is a World Heritage Site. The fire there continues to burn today.

Please come visit my land of fire one day. I am sure it will light your heart.

2019/02/06 My mother's dream

I’m home. Hey, what's this big package?

It's from your mother. It's a present for Kenichi.

For Kenichi? His birthday isn't until next month. Where is Kenichi?

He's sleeping. He was playing all afternoon. He started kindergarten, so he's become even more active. He always says he's a superhero.

All boys want to be a superhero around that age.

Well, I’m always the monster he wants to attack. I have bruises all over me.

Oh, no. don't worry, I'll be the monster next time. Okay, why don't I open the package because our little superhero son is sleeping? Oh, it's heavy.

It says painting on the package.

It's a painting? A long time ago, my mother gave me a painting, too.

Really? Did your mother paint it?

No. it was a copy of a painting by Renoir. It's called Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette. Do you know it?

No. Let me look at it online. Ah, this painting. I've seen it before. It's really famous, right?

I think so.

I think it's a lovely present. Your mother gives good presents.

You think so? I’m an adult now, so I can understand how great this painting is. But I didn’t understand when I was a child. She gave it to me when I was starting elementary school.

Elementary school? That’s a little early.

I was only interested in becoming a superhero, just like Kenichi. So I told her I didn’t want the painting, and she got angry.

Of course, she did. That wasn’t nice.

But I was only a child. You understand how I felt, right?

Yes.

My mother’s dream was to become a painter.

Really? She doesn't seem like the artist type.

Don't say that in front of her. She’ll get angry.

Oops. Please don't tell her I said that.

I won't. When my mother was growing up, her family didn’t have a lot of money. So she couldn’t do what she wanted. She gave me the painting because she hoped that I would want to become a painter someday.

That’s interesting. But do you like painting?

Not really. I've never thought about becoming a painter.

Wait. So your mother is giving a painting to Kenichi so that he might want to become a painter?

I think so.

I just hope Kenichi can say Thank you, even if he doesn't want the painting.

That might be difficult.

Then, what should we do? I don't want Kenichi to say something that will hurt your mother’s feelings.

It’ll be okay. My mother should know that sending a famous painting won't make a child happy. Anyway, let's see which painting she’s giving him.

Oh.

What is this?

It's a painting of Kenichi’s favorite superhero.

Really?

Wow. Now she really understands what children like. Maybe Kenichi will want to become a painter.