Introduction
If you look at a map of the world, you will see, to the
east of China, south of Russia, west of the USA, and north of Australia, a
group of islands that are known as Japan.
As you look at this country, you will
observe four main islands, called Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. And if your map is very detailed, you will
notice there are thousands of little islands peppering the coast.
The biggest island is Honshu Island,
and it is here that this story is set.
To truly understand this tale, however, you need to know some background
in what had been happening over the last years.
So, now for a history lesson:
For many years, the Japanese had tried
to control China. They fought and were
winning for many years. Then the USA
thought it best that the Japanese stayed in Japan. So they stopped trading with the Japanese and
drove them from the country of China.
Afterwards, World War II broke out,
and Japan sided with Germany, against the Allied Forces. Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor
killing many Americans and sinking their ships.
The Americans, who weren't part of the war at that time, retaliated
against the Axis Powers, which were the countries of Germany, Japan and
Italy. The bombing of Pearl Harbor signified the split in the war – the war in Europe, and the war in the Pacific
Islands. After several years, Germany
was defeated, and the war in Europe ended.
However, Japan refused to surrender and kept on fighting. The Allied forces commanded Japan to sign a
peace treaty or else they would come in force and attack Japan’s shores. Japan refused the treaty.
Harry Truman was the President of the
USA at that time. USA had a powerful
bomb, the atomic bomb. The President
thought it would be best to bomb Japan, and finish the war, and thus save the
lives of many American young men. But,
did Harry Truman realize how many people would die? Yes, he knew. They ran a test bomb in Mexico, and it was
highly destructive. Did he know how many
people and unborn children would be affected, get ill, deformed and die over
the years to come? Probably not. This was the first time the Atomic Bomb would
be used on people, and hopefully will be the last. The USA bombed Japanese city of Nagasaki, and
three days later, when they didn't respond, they bombed Hiroshima. This time, the Japanese paid heed, and
surrendered.
After the bombing, people throughout
the world panicked, fearing there would be an atomic war, and the world would
be blown to bits, and no-one would survive.
This didn't happen, though, as a world-wide committee, called the League
of Nations, drew up an agreement and many countries signed it declaring Atomic
Bombs would never be used again.
Our story is set on the biggest island
in Japan. Please allow me to introduce
you to Ka-ra, Ha-bi, Fabio and Jasumin.
Ka-ra is the mother of the household.
She is short and thin, and her black hair is always tied in a hard
little bun. Her mouth is stern, but her
eyes are soft and kind. Ha-bi is the
father. He too, is short, but rather
plump. He is nearly always stern with
the children and works at a major bank.
Fabio is seventeen. He is short and thin, like Ha-bi. Fabio doesn't take delight in his father’s
trade, and would rather be a soldier. He
spends most of the day in school.
Finally, Jasumin is eight, and the
youngest of the family. She is short and
thin, and like Ka-ra and she has soft eyes.
She understands much of what is going on, even more than what the others
realize. She is rather lonely for there
is no one to play with. Jasumin has two
wishes. One: to go to School, and two:
to have a pink kimono.
They live in a four roomed house, a
bedroom for each, and a kitchen/dining area.
They have a little courtyard, surrounded by high stone walls and a
cherry blossom tree blooms in the corner.
So please join this family of four and
travel with them through all of their adventures.
Chapter 1 “Jasumin,
time to get up,” called Ka-ra, “you too, Fabio.
Breakfast is in ten minutes!”
Jasumin stirred, and looked out the window,
enjoying the blue summer’s sky. She
watched the cherry blossom blow in the wind.
One moment more, she thought, just one more minute in bed. One minute ticked by; then two, three, four
and then five. Ka-ra poked her head in
the door, “Jasumin, get up. Breakfast is
in five minutes!” She stood in the
doorway waiting until Jasumin slowly dragged herself out of bed, “Now, roll up
your bed mat, get dressed and brush your hair.”
Jasumin nodded and started to roll up her
bed. She picked up her paper dolls and
put them in her little box next to the roll of bedding. Next, she put on her everyday play clothes, a
little green skirt and yellow t-shirt and managed to pull a brush through her
hair. She went out of her little room,
and met Fabio, who was also coming down to breakfast.
“Good morning, sir,” Jasumin giggled,
bowing low. Fabio nodded regally in mock
formality, and took Jasumin’s hand. They
met Ka-ra the kitchen where she was stirring the pot of boiling tea.
“Here,” she said, pointing to a pile of
bamboo place mats, bowls and chopsticks, “Set the table, please Jasumin.”
Fabio went outdoors, and gazed longingly
at the barracks, half a mile away, yet still visible from the courtyard.
Jasumin hummed a little tune to herself
as she laid the placemats on the table, the bowls on the placemats and the
chopsticks on the bowls.
Ka-ra came over and spooned cold white rice
into the bowls and poured boiling hot green tea over it.
“ Breakfast,”
she called they sat down, and after a moment’s hesitation, starting
eating.
“Ka-ra, can’t I go to the barracks
today?” Fabio pleaded, as he did every
day at the breakfast table, “I can be home before Ha-bi comes back.”
“That will be Sir Ha-bi, thankyou,”
corrected Ka-ra sharply.
“Before Sir Ha-bi comes home,” continued
Fabio, “I do so hate school.”
“Your father paid good money to get you
to such a fine school,” said Ka-ra uneasily, “I don’t know, Fabio, skipping
school is a big thing. You know how much
Sir Ha-bi will care.”
“Sir Ha-bi won’t mind,” Fabio said
quickly, “He is too much to busy to notice much.”
“Not today,” Ka-ra finally decided, “Let
me think about it...”
“That is what you say everyday day,”
Fabio sulked.
“Ka-ra, may I go to school?” Jasumin
eagerly asked.
“Not now, Jasumin,” Ka-ra sighed, “you
know Sir Ha-bi doesn’t believe in educating girls, particularly ones as young
as you.”
Jasumin sighed as she ate the last of her
rice. This was the conversation that occurred every day, and every day Ka-ra gave the same answers. She pushed back her bowl and asked
to be excused.
“Help clean up first,” instructed
Ka-ra. Fabio jumped up and took the
dishes over, washed and dried them and then Jasumin put them away. Ka-ra just sat there, looking out into space,
thinking hard.
“Sir Ha-bi will just have to hear me out
tonight,” she thought, a firm line crossing her brow.
That night, as Sir Ha-bi came home, he
turned into his courtyard, where Jasumin and Fabio were playing.
“Good evening Sir Ha-bi,” they greeted
him respectfully. Ha-bi demanded up most
respect and formality with his children.
He turned, barely acknowledging their greeting, and entered the house.
Ka-ra was there, ready to take his hat,
coat and shoes, saying as she always did, “There’s some fresh rice and sushi on
the table, tea will be a moment.”
Ha-bi nodded and sat at the low table,
eagerly reaching for the food.
Ka-ra sat down across from him, “You
know,” she began, feeling her way a little, “I've been thinking, we do want the
best for our children, don’t we?”
“Mmm,” murmured Ha-bi, his mouth
full.
“We want our children to be able to make
their own decisions in life, just as our parents allowed us to do, and get
married, instead of them pre-arranging a wedding. Well, Fabio has his heart set on being a
soldier, and little Jasumin just longs to go to school, to learn to read and to
have friends her own age.”
“No! Fabio needs a proper future; he
needs education, and Jasumin only need must learn the house tasks to become and
good housewife. You never have learnt to
read, but you can still make dinner.”
“Yes I can, but just think if I could
read and write, I could have a job and we could have earned double wages. All those years when I could barely put food
on the table, I had to stay at home, doing nothing and earning nothing. I could have been working, building our
little home with you. Just think, Jasumin
could have food everyday, a solid income and never know what it is like to be
hungry, all because she was educated as a little girl. And Fabio, he wants to be a soldier. There is only small talk of war. Surely he will get tired of endless drilling
and marching in circles. He will come
back and be happy to study, after he finds out that his taste of the world was
bitter. He will return; I am sure of
that.”
“Yes, but what if he doesn’t,” quizzed
Ha-bi, who had been listening in almost mock interest to his wife’s
exploit.
“Then I would be happy to give him up to
my country’s services, if that need be necessary,” Ka-ra quietly answered.
“Fine, if he must, he must. Fabio can go to the barracks. I will arrange everything. Just stop talking to me while I eat.”
Ka-ra nodded, holding her breath. So far she had only been half successful,
and, ignoring her husband’s last command, asked, “What about Jasumin?”
“Jasumin will most definitely stay,”
replied Ha-bi firmly, “I don’t believe she needs an education, especially at
her age of eight. And what will people
say when they find out that I have taken Fabio out of a promising school, to
put my baby daughter in. They will think
I care more about Jasumin, or worse, they might think I am not wealthy enough
to send both children to school.”
“But, what will everyone say when they
send all their young children to the school.
They will look down on Jasumin, your
daughter, because she can’t read or write.
She will be behind because by that time, everyone will be reading
century-old plays, while she is learning her alphabet.” Ka-ra was playing her last card. Originally, she had not wanted to put
‘everybody’ into it. However, she turned
the card marked, ‘Pride’ over and hoped against hope that it would work.
Ha-bi grumbled, “Okay. Fine, she can go,” he said, knowing he was
beaten, and not liking to admit it, “but she is your daughter.”
...to be continued...
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