Japanese Reports
怪談 小泉八雲 Kwaidan by Yakumo Koizumi
G7 Japanese class
Since it is summer, we are currently reading Kwaidan in Japanese. It is written by an author named Lafcadio Hearn, who is known in Japan as Koizumi Yakumo. Kwaidan is a book that collects many of the traditional Japanese horror stories such as Snow Lady (Yukionna) and Earless Houichi (Miminashi Houichi). They are very scary and give us goose bumps. Therefore, we read them in the summer when it is warmer. It is a Japanese tradition that has been passed on for many years.
小泉八雲の生涯 Biography
耳なし芳一 Mimi-nashi Houichi
これ壇ノ浦の戦いの後（７００年前）のお話。あるところに、目が見えない琵琶法師の芳一という名の者がいた。芳一は壇ノ浦の戦いで平氏が敗れたことを琵琶を演奏しながら人々に伝え、有名になった。ある日芳一が和尚の寺の縁さきにいる時、侍がやってきて、侍は芳一に身分の高い女中に演奏してほしいと頼みでた。芳一は侍がどのような姿をしているかわからなかったが、喜んで引き受けた。芳一が演奏をしている時とても熱い感じがしたが、見えなかったのでどうなっているのかわからなかった。そして毎日、夜に侍が来て演奏してくれといい芳一は毎日夜に琵琶を演奏した。ある日和尚が縁先にいった時、芳一が侍に連れて行かれるのが見えた。
この続きは、ぜひ図書館で借りて読んで見てください。
雪女 Yukionna
A young man named Minokichi and his father Mokichi were out hunting in a snowy mountains. As the storm was getting worse, the two hunters found a hut to stay at for the night. They were talking about Minokichi’s future as they fell asleep. In the middle of the night, the door opened and a gust of wind flew in. At the door stood a very pale lady. She looked very beautiful to Minokichi. She walked in like a queen, and killed Mokichi within seconds with her icy breath. When she walked over to Minokichi she was about to do the same with him. But he asked to be spared, and she did with one promise, to never speak of that night. Soon, he sees his lover, but does not realize that it is her.
We have Kaidan in our library. Please read more to find out or guess what happens! (dan dan dan)
G7 Japanese class
Since it is summer, we are currently reading Kwaidan in Japanese. It is written by an author named Lafcadio Hearn, who is known in Japan as Koizumi Yakumo. Kwaidan is a book that collects many of the traditional Japanese horror stories such as Snow Lady (Yukionna) and Earless Houichi (Miminashi Houichi). They are very scary and give us goose bumps. Therefore, we read them in the summer when it is warmer. It is a Japanese tradition that has been passed on for many years.
小泉八雲の生涯 Biography
- １８５０年レフカス島に生まれた。
- He was born in Lefkas Island in 1850.
- アイルランドのダブリンに移る。
- Moves to Dublin, Ireland
- １３歳のとき左目失明。
- He loses his ability to see on his left eye
- １９歳でアメリカに移る。
- Moves to America at the age of 19.
- アメリカで新聞記者になる。
- Becomes a journalist in America.
- 古事記（英訳）を読んで、日本に憧れる。
- Reads the English version of Kojiki and dreamed of living in Japan.
- １８９０年４月４日、バンクーバーから横浜に入港。
- In April 4th 1890, he moved from Vancouver to Yokohama.
- 神話の国 出雲の地に住む。
- He lives in Izumo, a place of ancient stories.
- 小泉節子と結婚。
- He marries Setsuko Koizumi.
- 熊本へ移り３年間第五高等学校の先生として勤めた。
- Moved to Kumamoto and becomes a teacher at ‘the fifth high school’ for 3 years.
- 神戸で２年過ごす。
- Spends 2 years at Koube.
- 東京で東京帝国大学（現在の東京大学）、早稲田大学で文学を教える。
- He teaches literature in tokyo university and waseda university.
- 怪談、そして英訳のKWAIDANを出版する。
- He publishes the Japanese and English version of Kwaidan.
- １９０４年９月狭心症で息を引き取った。
- In September 1904 he died of Angina Pectoris.
耳なし芳一 Mimi-nashi Houichi
これ壇ノ浦の戦いの後（７００年前）のお話。あるところに、目が見えない琵琶法師の芳一という名の者がいた。芳一は壇ノ浦の戦いで平氏が敗れたことを琵琶を演奏しながら人々に伝え、有名になった。ある日芳一が和尚の寺の縁さきにいる時、侍がやってきて、侍は芳一に身分の高い女中に演奏してほしいと頼みでた。芳一は侍がどのような姿をしているかわからなかったが、喜んで引き受けた。芳一が演奏をしている時とても熱い感じがしたが、見えなかったのでどうなっているのかわからなかった。そして毎日、夜に侍が来て演奏してくれといい芳一は毎日夜に琵琶を演奏した。ある日和尚が縁先にいった時、芳一が侍に連れて行かれるのが見えた。
この続きは、ぜひ図書館で借りて読んで見てください。
雪女 Yukionna
A young man named Minokichi and his father Mokichi were out hunting in a snowy mountains. As the storm was getting worse, the two hunters found a hut to stay at for the night. They were talking about Minokichi’s future as they fell asleep. In the middle of the night, the door opened and a gust of wind flew in. At the door stood a very pale lady. She looked very beautiful to Minokichi. She walked in like a queen, and killed Mokichi within seconds with her icy breath. When she walked over to Minokichi she was about to do the same with him. But he asked to be spared, and she did with one promise, to never speak of that night. Soon, he sees his lover, but does not realize that it is her.
We have Kaidan in our library. Please read more to find out or guess what happens! (dan dan dan)
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