Picture Card Show
(紙芝居 kamishibai):
The Mountain Village Assembly,
April 1944
IHL Cat. #2767
The Mountain Village Assembly
(A National Policy Kamishibai)
Summary of the Story
Sanpei, a 12- or 13-year-old boy, living in a house deep in the mountains, decides he must become a youth worker (shōnen kō) to aid the war effort. He has just graduated from elementary school (kokumin gakkō - National Citizen's School) with honors and despondent over being too young to soldier, asks his teacher to allow him work in the factory building airplanes.
The night before he is to leave for the factory, a young monkey awakens him to take him to a celebration in his honor put on by the forest animals. They arrive at a cave deep in the forest where he is greeted by a bear, the leader of the Mountain Neighborhood Association, and many other animals. Thanking him for his decision to build airplanes to support the Greater East Asia War (Pacific War) which has now entered its "decisive stage," he is urged on by them and given various tokens to keep him strong. As dawn arises, Sanpei takes his leave, reminding the young monkey to protect the forest as airplanes are now being made of wood. Facing the rising sun, he shouts to all the young people in Japan, "I will absolutely become Japan's top young craftsman and build airplanes. You all must study hard too, so you won’t lose to the children of the enemy, the Americans and British."
The Context
By early 1944, the Japanese leadership faced an unwinnable war, and life on the home front grew increasingly harsh under the strain of shortages, mobilization, and air raids. Despite these challenges, the government maintained a narrative of resilience and ultimate victory, urging citizens to make sacrifices for the emperor and the nation. The combination of military defeats abroad and worsening conditions at home foreshadowed Japan’s eventual surrender in 1945.
Shōnen kō (youth workers), who our young protagonist, Senpei, so desperately wanted to be, were aged 12 to 16. Many were recent graduates of elementary schools or students pulled from their schooling. The aviation industry was a major focus for youth labor, as the production of military aircraft became increasingly urgent.
In the later stages of the Pacific War, Japan faced a critical shortage of metals and other materials necessary for aircraft production due to Allied blockades, resource constraints, and the bombing of industrial centers. This forced the Japanese to increasingly rely on alternative materials, including wood, for building aircraft. Plywood and laminated wood were used extensively in the construction of wings, fuselages, and propellers. Resin adhesives and varnishes were employed to improve the strength and durability of wooden parts, although these materials were also in short supply. Japanese forests became a crucial source of materials, with significant reliance on woods like hinoki (Japanese cypress), cedar, and beech, which were valued for their strength and lightness.
The Greater Japan Village Youth Associations (Dai Nihon seishōnendan), one of which the forest animals were so proud to be members of, resulted from a consolidation of semi-governmental nation-wide village youth associations (seinendan) in 1941. The youth associations included virtually all young men between their early teens and late twenties who had completed elementary school. In rural areas they were "deeply rooted in village communal life" providing organized farm labor, organizing seasonal festivals and volunteer work. "The state depended on village seinendan to discipline youth, who were often labeled as impressionable and immature, and create ideal Japanese subjects. Through the political and economic upheavals of the 1930s, seinendan members carried the heavy burden of agricultural production increases, unpaid infrastructure maintenance, and military service, and with devotion they lived up to the reputation as the bastion of nationalistic ideology. The influence of the seinendan in rural life was so widely recognized that they even challenged the centrality of academic instruction provided by the school system."*
*Source: "Nation-Empire, Ideology and Rural Youth Mobilization in Japan and Its Colonies," by Sayaka Chatani, Cornell University Press, 2018, p. 21-22.
click on an image to enlarge
Card facing audience
Script read by narrator
お山の常會 Oyama no jōkai
The Mountain Village Assembly
興亜画劇株式會社
Kyōa gageki kabushiki kaisha
KOA Picture Play Co., Ltd.
______________________________________
Instructions for narrator
お山の常會
The Mountain Village Assembly
題字を讀む
(ぬく)
read the title
(pull the card)
⑳
Colophon (below) and Instructions for Narrator (left column)
脚本靑木綠園 繪畫城取春生
Script: Aoki Ryokuen (active c. 1915-1950)
Illustrations: Shirotori Haruo (active ?-c. 1944)
昭和十九年四月 二十五日 印刷納本
昭和十九年四月 三十日 發行
Printed and deposited: April 25, Showa 19 (1944)
Published: April 30, Showa 19 (1944)
お山の常會
The Mountain Village Assembly
賣價稅共金四圓也 (送料內地40外地80)
(Shipping: 40 yen domestically, 80 yen for overseas)
東京都京橋區銀座四ノ四
著作兼發行人 青木菊男
Ginza 4-4, Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo
Writing and Publishing: Aoki Kikuo
東京都日本橋區堀留町ニノ一〇
印刷人 水野義孝
Horidomecho 2-10, Nihonbashi-ku, Tokyo
Printer: Yoshitaka Mizuno
東京都京橋區銀座四ノ四
發行所 興亞画劇株式會社
Ginza 4-4, Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo
Publisher: Kōa gageki kabushiki kaisha
電話京橋 (56) 三二八二番 五六八三番
振替口座東京一七四二五七番
Phone: Kyobashi (56) 3282, 5683
Postal Transfer Account: Tokyo 174257
(東東 4006)
(Tōtō 4006)
①
[the narrator speaks]
Master Sanpei’s house is in the mountains, deep in the mountains in a very lonely place.
Sanpei, who was just about to graduate with honors from the National Citizen’s School*, made the following request to his teacher.
At this time of decisive battle, I am deeply disappointed that I cannot go to war. Please let me work in a factory. I want to make as many airplanes as I can and send them to our soldiers.
(as you pull the card)
Sampei's wish was granted, and it was decided that tomorrow he would leave for the airplane factory in town.
* Kokumin gakkō - the wartime name for elementary schools
①
三平君の家は、お山の、お山の、またその奥の、寂しい所です。
こんど國民學校を優等で卒業した三平君は、先生にお願ひしました。
決戰の今、僕は戰争に行けないのが殘念でたまりません。僕を工場で働かせて下さい。飛行機を一機でも澤山作って、兵隊さんに送って上げたいのです。
(ぬきながら)
三平君は望みがかなひ、明日、町の飛行機工場へ出發する事になりました。
②
Father: "Mother, what's that?"
Mother: "Dried persimmons. I'll pack them for Sanpei, so he can eat them on the train tomorrow. You know, the ones he loves so much."
Father: "Hmm. You won't find dried persimmons this delicious anywhere else... The dried persimmons I make are the best in Japan. Ha ha ha ha ha!"
(pull the card)
②
父「お母さん。それば、なんだね」母「干柿ですよ。お父さん、三平の大好きな―――あした、あの子が、汽車の中で食べるやうに、持たせてやるのですよ」
父「ウム。こんなに、うまい干柿は、何處を探してもないからなア―――ワシが、作った干柿は、日本一だ。ハハハハハハ」
(ぬく)
③
Voice: "Tap, tap, tap. Sanpei-san. Tap, tap, tap. Sanpei-san."
From somewhere, a voice is calling Sanpei. Who could it be at this late hour?
(pull the card)
③
聲「コツコツコツ。三平さん。コツコツコツ。三平さん」
何處からか、三平君を呼ぶ聲がします。この夜更けに、いつたい誰でせう。
(ぬく)
④
Sanpei: "That's strange. I'm sure I heard someone calling me."
(after a brief pause)
Voice: "Tap, tap, tap. Sanpei-san. Over here. Please open this. Sanpei-san."
Sanpei: "Ah, it's coming from the window. Who could it be?"
(pull the card)
④
三平「變だなア、たしかに僕を呼ぶ聲が聞えたんだけど」
(少しの間)
聲「コツコツコツ。三平さん。此處ですよ。ここを開けて下さい。三平さん」
三平「あつ、窓だな。誰だらう!」
(ぬく)
⑤
Sanpei: "Was it you who called me? Oh, Little Monkey!"
Little Monkey: "Yes, it was me. I've come to fetch you, Sanpei-san."
Sanpei: "You've come to fetch me? This late at night? Where are we going?"
At that, Little Monkey rolled his round eyes around nervously and explained:
"The animals of the mountain heard from the quick-eared Rabbit that Sanpei-kun is going to become a young factory worker. So tonight, they’ve decided to hold a send-off party for you!"
(pull the card)
⑤
三平「君かい。僕を呼んだのは、ええ、小猿君」
小猿「はい。私です。三平さんをお迎ひに來たのです」
三平「僕を迎ひに来たのだってこんなに遅く、何處へ行かうつて云ふの?」
すると、小猿が丸い眼玉をきよろきよろさせて、話すには、〃三平君が、少年工になることを、早耳のうさぎから聞いた山の動物達が、今夜、三平君の壯行會を開くといふのです。
(ぬく)
⑥
Sanpei: "Hey, Little Monkey, that light over there—it's moving around from time to time. What is it?"
Little Monkey: "Ha ha ha!, That? That light is Owl-san. Since the path is dark, he's helping by acting as a lantern."
Just then, the nearby light shifted and moved.
Owl: "Good evening, Sanpei-san."
Sanpei: "Good evening, Owl-san. Thank you for your help."
(pull the card)
⑥
三平「ねえ、小猿君。あの燈火ね。あれ、時時ぎよろりと動くんだけど、なんなの?」
小猿「はははは。あれですか。あの燈火はね、臭さんですよ。道が暗いから、ああやつて電燈の代りをつとめてくれてゐるのですよ」
その時、近くの燈火がぎよろりと動いて
梟「今晩は、三平さん」
三平「今晩は、梟さん。御苦労さま」
(ぬく)
⑦
Little Monkey: "We've finally arrived. Sanpei-san, you see the cave over there, don't you?"
Sanpei: "Oh, I see it! I see it! It's a big cave, isn't it? Is that the place?"
Little Monkey: "Yes, that's the place. The Mountain Neighborhood Association holds meetings in there to discuss various matters."
Sanpei: "Wow, so you even have meetings?"
Little Monkey: "Of course, Sanpei-san. We, too, are animals of the Great Japanese Empire. We understand well that unity comes first if we're going to defeat America and Britain."
(pull the card)
⑦
小猿「到頭、來ました。三平さん、向ふに洞穴が見えるでせう」
三平「あつ、見える、見える。大きな洞穴だねえ。あそこなの?」
小猿「ええ、あそこです。山の隣組は、あの中で常會を開いて、いろいろな相談をするのです」
三平「へーえ、常會なんかあるの?」
小猿「さうですよ、三平さん、われわれだつて、大日本帝國の動物です。米英をやつつけるには、先づ團結だ つてことを、よく知つてゐますよ」
(ぬく)
⑧
[Narrator]: The leader of the Mountain Neighborhood Association is Mr. Bear.
Bear: "They're late. Could Sarukichi [Little Monkey] have gotten lost? Maybe I should have gone instead."
Parent Monkey: "Th-that’s not possible, Mr. Leader. M-my Sarukichi would n-never get lost. Th-the other night, he went to Sanpei-san's house and, um, about the dried persimmons..."
Bear: "What about the dried persimmons?"
Parent Monkey: "W-well, actually, he secretly took one without permission, s-so I gave him a good scolding. Y-yes, I did."
The parent monkey’s eyes darted nervously.
Just then, the lookout squirrel came running in.
Squirrel: "Sanpei-san has arrived!"
(pull the card)
⑧
お山の隣組長は熊さんです。
熊「遅いなぁ、猿吉の奴、道を間違へたのかな、やつ ばりワシが行くんだったよ」
親猿「そ、そんな事はありませんよ。く、組長さん。 う、家の猿吉が、み、道を間違へるなんて、そ、そんな-。こ、この間の晩も、さ、三平さんの家から、千 柿を、ひとつ、そ、その…………」
熊「千柿を一つどうしたんだね?」
親猿「そ、その、じ、實は默つて、貰って来たと云ふ ので、うんと、し、叱ってやったのです。ハ、ハイ」
親猿は眼を白黒させてゐます。
恰度其處へ見張り役の栗鼠が駆け込んで来て、
栗鼠「三平さんが、到着しました。」
(ぬく)
⑨
[Narrator]: After the national ceremony was finished -
Bear: "Now, on behalf of the Neighborhood Association, I would like to offer some congratulatory words. This war is one we absolutely must win!"
Voices: "That's right! That's right!"
Bear: "To achieve that, nothing is more important than airplanes. We need to build as many airplanes as possible. That's why I think it's admirable that Sanpei-san is becoming a youth worker to help build airplanes. I'm sure you'll become an exemplary worker, Sanpei-san. Please build lots of good airplanes and send them to the soldiers as quickly as possible."
(as you pull the card)
"We will be praying for you from deep within this mountain."
⑨
國民儀禮が終ると、
熊「では、隣組を代表してお祝ひの言葉を述べさせて戴きます。ええ、この戰爭は斷じて勝たねばなりません」
聲「さうだ。さうだ」
熊「それには何を措いても先づ飛行機です。飛行機を澤山作ることです。だから、飛行機を作るために、少年工になつて働く三平さんは、感心だと思ひます。きつと模範工になられるでせう。三平さん。よい飛行機をうんと作って下さい。そして、早く兵隊さんに送って上げて下さい」
(ぬきなながら)
「われわれは、この山の奥から祈つてゐます」
⑩
Sanpei: "Allow me to say a few words. As you all know, the Greater East Asia War has now entered its decisive stage. This is a time when every single person on the home front must work with all their might to build airplanes. Although I am still just a child, I cannot let myself be outdone by the adults. I intend to work as hard as I can to build as many airplanes as possible, as quickly as possible."
(as you pull the card)
Voices: "Do your best! Stay strong! We're counting on you!"
⑩
三平「一言、ご挨拶を申します。皆さんもご承知のやうに、大東亞戰爭は、愈々決戰段階に入りました。今や、銃後國民の一人残らずが飛行機を作るために力の限り働かねばならぬ時です。僕は未だ子供ですが、大人に負け ては居られません。僕は、飛行機を、一機でも多く、一日でも早くつくるために一生けん命働くつもりです-」
(ぬきながら)
聲「しつかりやって下さい。
頑張れ!
お願いします! -」
⑪
Little Monkey: "Sanpei, please accept this as a celebratory gift!"
Sanpei: "What is this?"
Bear: "Well, you see, Sanpei, this is ‘Saru-zake’, Monkey Wine. It’s a treasured creation of the monkeys, made from tree fruits. Since it’s a celebration, please have a cup."
(as you pull the card)
At that moment, the sound of a strong wind roared, whoosh, and a great eagle flew in.
⑪
三平「一言、ご挨拶を申します。皆さんもご承知のやうに、大東亞戰爭は、愈々決戰段階に入りました。今や、銃後國民の一人残らずが飛行機を作るために力の限り働かねばならぬ時です。僕は未だ子供ですが、大人に負け ては居られません。僕は、飛行機を、一機でも多く、一日でも早くつくるために一生けん命働くつもりです-」
(ぬきながら)
聲「しつかりやって下さい。
頑張れ!
お願いします! -」
⑫
Eagle: "Good evening, Sanpei. Good evening, everyone. I’m terribly late. Sanpei, this is a feather from one of our strongest eagles. Please take it as a charm, so that you may build strong and fast airplanes."
Sanpei: "Thank you so much, Mr. Eagle. I’ll treasure it and take it with me. Truly, thank you—"
(as you pull the card)
At that moment, Mr. Bear spoke up—
⑫
鷲「今晩は、三平さん。今晩は、皆さん。すつかり遅くなつちまつて…………三平さん。これはね私達の仲間の一番強い鷲の羽です。どうか、強い、速い、飛行機が出來るやうに、お守りに持つて行つて下さい」
三平「有難う。鷲さん。大事に持つて行きます。ほんとにありがたう-」
(ぬきながら)
すると、熊さんが-
⑬
Bear: "That's right! Sanpei, take some of my fur with you too. It will make your arms grow stronger and stronger."
Sanpei: "Thank you, Mr. Bear."
When Sanpei received some fur from Mr. Bear's arm, a great commotion followed.
(quickly pull the card)
⑬
熊「さうだっ!三平さん私の毛も持つて行つて下さい。三平さんの腕の力がもりもり強くなるやうに」
三平「有難う、熊さん」
三平君が熊さんの腕の毛を貰ふと、さあ大變です。
(早くぬく)
⑭
Voices: "Take mine too!"
"Take mine!"
"Mine as well!"
"Please take mine, so it can help you if there's a blackout, Sanpei."
The one saying this was Mr. Owl.
(pull the card)
⑭
聲「私のも」
「僕のも」
「あたいのも」
「わたしのも持つて行つて下さい。停電したとき三平さんのお役に立つやうに-」
かう云つてゐるのは臭さんです。
(ぬく)
⑮
Bear: "Well then, let’s move on to the entertainment!"
When Mr. Bear gave the signal, a tanuki leapt out, thumping its belly with a loud pon.
Pon, pon, pon!
"Young ones, pon!
Like the morning sun,
Bright and new, pon pon!
We are the Great Japan Village Youth Association,
Pon pon!"
(pull the card)
⑮
熊「では、これから餘興に移ります」
熊さんが合圖をすると、狸がボンと腹鼓を打つて飛び出して来ました。
ポン、ポン、ポン、
「若き者ポン
朝日のごとく
新らたなる ポンポン
我等大日本青少年團
ポンポン」
(ぬく)
⑯
"Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
"Oh, the first rooster's call!"
"Dawn is breaking already!"
Bear: "Quiet, everyone, quiet. Sanpei-san, it seems the night is finally giving way to dawn. If you’re late for your departure, it’ll be a big problem. Though it pains us to part, let’s say our farewells here. Please, do your best, not just for yourself but for all of us."
(pull the card)
⑯
「コケッコー。コケッコー」
「あつ一番鶏だ」
「もう夜があけるぞ!」
熊「靜かに、みなさん、靜かに - 三平さん。どうやら、夜も明けて来たやうです。出發に遲れると大變です。お名残りはつきませんが、これでお別れをしませう。どうぞ、私達の分まで頑張って下さい」
(ぬく)
⑰
Sanpei: "Goodbye, goodbye!"
Animals: "Sanpei, goodbye! We’re counting on you!"
(pull the card)
⑰
「三平「さやうなら、さやうならあ」
動物達「三平さん。さやうならあ。 お願いしますよう」
(ぬく)
⑱
Sanpei: "From here on, I can manage on my own."
Little Monkey: "Saying goodbye is such a sad thing."
Sanpei: "Stay strong, Little Monkey. Don’t get all teary-eyed. Remember, you’re a Japanese monkey! And now that wooden airplanes will be made, you need to stop your mischief and protect the mountain. Especially the trees in this forest—like cypress, beech, and cedar—because they’re vital materials for building airplanes. It’s a crucial role. Got it, Little Monkey?"
Little Monkey: "Yes! I understand. I swear to protect the mountain!"
(pull the card)
⑱
三平「これから先は、ひとりで解るよ―――」
小猿「お別れつて、悲しいものですね―――」
三平「しつかりしろよ、小猿君。めそめそしちゃいけないよ。君も日本のお猿だからね。それに、今度は木製飛行機が出来るんだから、君は悪戯を止めてお山を護るんだ。とくに、この森の木、ヒバ、ブナ、ヒノキなどは、飛行機を作る大切な資材なんだからね。大事な役目だよ。 いいかい。小猿君!」
小猿「はいつ!解りました。誓つて、お山を守ります」
(ぬく)
⑲
Sanpei: "Hey! Listen! I, Sanpei, will definitely become the best young craftsman in Japan. A craftsman who won't bring shame to our mountain—the number one craftsman in the country!
"So, everyone, as you’ve heard, I will absolutely become Japan's top young craftsman and build airplanes. You all must study hard too, so you won’t lose to the children of the enemy, the Americans and British.
The end!"
⑲
三平「おーい。僕はねえ。三平はねえ。必ず日本一の少年工になるぞ。お山をはづかしめない日本一の少年工に。さて、みなさん。おききのやうに、僕は必ず、日本ーの少年工になつて飛行機をつくります。 みなさんも敵米英のコドモに負けぬゃう、しつかり勉強して下さい。
おはり!」