Would you like to read a story in Japanese? I would like to introduce a story called "Kasajizo".
Hello everyone.
It's time to read a story in Japanese!
1 more day in 2022... I feel a little lonely. What kind of year was this year for all of you? I am happy that I was able to grow a lot and that it was a fun year. Next year, I want to do my best so that I can level up even more! Please let us know if you have any goals for next year.
Well, this time, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, so I brought a story from a Japanese folktale called "Kasajizo". This is a heartwarming story for New Year's Eve, so I think it's perfect for this time of year.
Please read to the end!
"Kasajizou"
Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman.
Tomorrow is New Year's Day.
But they were so poor that they didn't even have rice cakes to eat on New Year's Day.
"Old man. The only thing I can sell is this used clothes. Let's sell this in town and buy rice cakes for New Year's."
"That's right. Alright, I'm coming."
The old man immediately took his old clothes and went to town to sell them.
"Ugh, it's cold."
The old man walks trembling.
Along the way, I found six Jizo statues.
A lot of snow is piled up on Jizo's head.
“Wow, it must be cold with so much snow piled up…”
The old man carefully brushed the snow off Jizo's head and started walking the long road again.
After many hours, we finally reached the town.
"Would you like some old clothes? Old clothes are warm."
Grandfather said in a loud voice.
But today is New Year's Eve.
People are so busy with New Year's preparations that they don't even pay attention to their grandfather's old clothes.
After a while, the number of people in the town gradually decreased.
"Haa, there will be no rice cakes for tomorrow..."
Disappointed, the old man put away the old clothes that were left unsold.
Then a man came to the old man.
"Are they left unsold? Nice second-hand clothes. I made umbrellas and came to sell them, but no one bought them on New Year's Eve. How about all this umbrella and all those old clothes?" Would you like to exchange?"
"Even if I received an umbrella on New Year's Eve, there's no use for it..."
The old man was troubled.
However, I gradually felt sorry for the man selling umbrellas, so I exchanged old clothes for umbrellas.
The old man carried the exchanged umbrella on his back and trudged along the way he had come.
And I passed by that Jizo-san again.
A lot of snow is piled up on Jizo's head again.
“Jizo-san, it must be cold.
The old man brushed off the snow and put the umbrella he was holding on Jizo's head.
"One, two, three... oops, one is missing."
I was able to cover five jizos, but the last one, the smallest jizo, is missing.
"I'm sorry for this. Please bear with me."
The kind-hearted old man covered the little Jizo with his umbrella and went home.
After returning home, the grandfather told the grandmother about the day.
"Grandfather, you did a good job. With the umbrella, Jizo won't be cold."
"I thought your grandmother would say that."
That night, while they were sleeping, they heard a rustling noise.
"Grandmother. Did you hear anything?"
"It's true. Grandpa, let's go take a look outside."
The old man and the old woman fearfully opened the front door and looked outside.
What then?
Rice, vegetables, fruits, rice cakes, fish, and many other foods are placed in front of the entrance.
The old man and the old woman rolled their eyes and looked around to see who could have given them such a gift.
When I did, I saw a shadow of six Jizo statues walking back in a line.
The smallest Jizo, wearing the grandfather's umbrella, turned around once and smiled at the old man, then followed the other Jizo and started walking.
"I guess the Jizo-san left it behind..."
"Thank you very much."
In this way, the grandfather and grandmother ate the rice cakes and vegetables that they had received, and had a wonderful New Year's holiday.
How was it.
It's a heartwarming story about a kind-hearted old man. The kindness of Jizo-san, who seems to be cold, and covers him with his own umbrella, is wonderful, isn't it? This kindness may not be in me ... I lose confidence (lol)
It's a slightly fantastical story about Jizo-san moving in the middle of the night.
Today, I introduced a story called "Kasajizo".
In this blog, I will post useful reading materials and problems for learning Japanese, so please come and read it next year!
Happy new year to all of you.
