 Hi everyone, good afternoon or good morning. If you're tuning in from Japan where our presenters are from We are so glad that you're here Welcome everyone Go ahead and settle into your seats. We have a very special program for you today With our presenters who are zooming in all the way from Japan to present you a very special cultural treat called kamishibae We'll get started right now. It just turned two o'clock. So welcome everyone My name is Christina, and I'm the family engagement coordinator for San Francisco Public Library We're really glad that you're here with us to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month we have a whole month set of Fabulous programs for youth and families and today's program is a storytelling performance by Chisei and Shizuha Mokaitani Zooming in again all the way from Japan. This is our kickoff program, and we're so glad that you're here This is part of an AAPI program series that we celebrate each May Where we really spotlight and highlight the Asian and Pacific Islander history culture and heritage and the diversity that exists between all the many cultures that exist in that part of the world We know that the celebration shouldn't only take place in May But all year round and we thank you for being here with us as we spent an extra special amount of time Spotlighting, celebrating, and highlighting the incredible people and cultures that come from this part of the world Definitely check out our AAPI webpage from the San Francisco Public Library Where we have a whole calendar of events for all ages, not just youth and families and also we've developed some incredible book lists by AAPI Authors and illustrators, so we hope that you enjoy all the resources that our library staff has put together for you Before we start we want to give a huge thanks to the friends of San Francisco Public Library They really are a major major part of supporting our programming and Supporting us with this special series. We simply could not do it without them So let me tell you a little bit about what you're about to experience here What do you see here a brochure that was created for a program that was supposed to occur last year as you know in May we were at the very start of the pandemic and We weren't able to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in the way that we usually do But we had previously connected with two sisters Chisei and Shizuha through a wonderful library patron named Jane And I want to thank you Jane so much for connecting the library with the Mukaidani sisters And the program was going to be essentially an in-person experience of what you will have today So thank goodness to technology, but we are able to actually have this bring this experience to you With our presenters in Japan and with us here in San Francisco or wherever you're tuning in from And I really hope that you are excited to get to enjoy a 90 year old Japanese tradition of picture card storytelling This is our presenters are here today on behalf of the Yamaguchi Children's Center These are the Mukaidani sisters and they are the daughters of Kikoe Mukaidani and Kikoe Spent dedicated so much of her life to come Excuse me to collecting The award-winning Kamishi by stories today. We will hear three stories The man who does nothing the story of Japan and The Fox tail brush those stories that you will hear today will be presented in English and We know that whether you're six years old or a hundred years old that you will enjoy them Just want to say that if you don't know already Kami means paper and Shiba means play or theater. So together Kamishi by Long ago the Kamishi by storytellers would travel by bicycle throughout Japan's countryside to enter chain Children with picture card tales of adventures and dreams Not too different than story time with our beautiful picture books that we do today as a librarian's It was nearly a forgotten art form and the lake Kikoe Mukaidani who you see here pictured kept the tradition alive by interviewing and collecting over a hundred remembered stories from the elderly 70 of the hundred stories were published in an award-winning book in In 1993 Kikoe helped create the Yamaguchi Children's Center to preserve Japanese culture Before we start I would like to just take another moment to thank Jane Young fellow San Francisco resident San Francisco Public Library patron and cousin to the Mukaidani's who approached me over a year ago to bring this program to the western edition branch library While we had to cancel that program because of COVID I am thrilled that we can bring this program to our SFPL audiences this year using the technology that we have So without further ado Wherever you're tuning from please give a warm warm san francisco. Welcome to chisei and shizuha Mukaidani Thank you very much for inviting us to the san francisco public library programs Hello everyone I'm shizuha. I'm chisei We are very glad to present our mother's kamishiba is here Shizuha, let's start kamishiba Okay Do you know any lazy person around you? The title of this story is a young man food as nothing This is a folk tale in Yamaguchi prefecture My mother collected many stories from old people in Yamaguchi prefecture Scenario my mother Kikue Mukaidani picture Miyuki Yoshi Long long time ago, a young man was living in a village His name was taro Taro was very lazy I Buried it anything except wander around the village all day long When I feel hungry I eat something and then sleep Eat and sleep Eat and sleep One day he found a small vase when he was wandering around the village as usual Hip hip a flying crow always catches something When taro looked into the vase Wow What is that? There is a small bald headed man in the vase We should be friends Could you take me to your house? Oh, it's amazing Taro brought the vase to his house and took him out of the vase Oh, you are so small Don't worry about it I will be bigger soon when I live with you When I live with you Hmm You will be bigger Oh, that's funny Hey small vase man I will be wandering around the village Wait here for a while But phone I am a guy Food has nothing When I am hungry I eat something and then sleep Eat and sleep Eat and sleep I do nothing and wander around the neighborhood Eat and sleep Eat and sleep Look at me It's me I was a man in the vase You picked up this morning Wow You are a small vase man Food could fit into my hand How did you become bigger? I become bigger when I live with a person Like you who does nothing Hmm Next day Taro also wandered around the village and came back home And then Oh my goodness You became very big again Oh He is sleeping and snoring loudly and he makes bubbles with his nose Who is a host? You or me? And he mumbled Taro should land at every time he is lazy The vase man grows bigger and bigger But next day He wanders around the village again And then Oh my goodness I can see the vase man from the outside of my house Wake up This man No I feel very comfortable here Get out from my house But I can't move Because I was so big Next day In the early morning A lady in the neighborhood came to Taro's house But Taro could you help me plant rice? We don't have many helpers around this time I have never planted rice before Anyone can do it I beg for your help Okay, then I will try Taro, good job I cannot believe that you are doing this for the first time Here is some money for your service Wow, really? Am I getting paid for that? I'm happy Thank you Taro goes back home with his first wage When Taro went back home He noticed that The vase man was shrinking He said to the vase man Keep him pray You are shrinking What happened? I shrunk Because you worked today Next day The lady came again Hey Taro Today we have no workers for hardening the ground Well, I can help you You sons of workers I am in the mood to come back here and work every day Taro went to the lady's house next day and the day after next day Yay The vase man is shrinking and shrinking Yay Stop laughing I hate people who work Vase man I started enjoying work I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow Oh my goodness Vase man Are you a poor god? Yes, I am I enjoyed staying at your house But here isn't where I should be Could you please put me back into the vase and throw it away? Okay, you have better leave now Taro puts the vase man into the vase And throw it away on a small street Next to a rice field It's finally over The end As Christina introduced My mother established the Yamaguchi branch of the Institute for Cultural Studies of the Child The group made several commissions about history and culture of Japan I will present one of them here The story of Japan The scenario Hikue Mukairani Picture Yasuko Kaji This is the oldest folk tale about a time in the very beginning of the earth When the skies and the oceans first appeared One day A god named Amano Minakanu Nushi Appeared for the first time At the place called Takamagahara The house of the heavenly gods As soon after that He met with five gods Once again Six more gods Shodak One day There was a meeting with all the gods Since we were born as gods We are just floating around in the sky It's not much interesting How about we create a land here? Oh That's a good idea Let's ask Izanagi and Izanami to create the land Great Let's ask Ben Izanagi and Izanami replied This is a difficult task Ben Let's do it The gods offered them a decorated spear and grabbed with a precious stone Izanagi and Izanami worked towards the Etiobaflote pink celestial bridge The Amanouki Hashi In the direction of the ocean Where they point the spear downwards Steering the water into the into circles Round and round Suddenly the ocean made a very strange sound like Sara-sara-sara Sara-sara-sara After a while They pulled the spear back From the bottom of the spear Salt began to drip and start to pile up with a very deep sound like The first mount was Awajishima followed by Shikoku Okinoshima Kyushu Ikinoshima Tsushima Sadogashima And finally Honshu Forming eight irons together The gods looked down to see the new creations What a wonderful land has been created into the ocean How beautiful It'd be nice if it had four seasons Also nice If it were filled with many people who can build a nice country At first There were severe winters and active volcanoes But later The land became a livable place for humans to thrive I'd be grateful for all the food harvested throughout the four seasons From the rice planting and harvesting People can build their homes to survive the harsh winters and hot summers They can build tools, use fire, produce and preserve foods For comfortable life We don't know how much time has gone by Since people believe in gods Yaoyorozunokami Mountains Ocean Fire And grand gods and living deities People turn their hands towards the sunsets Praying for blessings Dear son Thank you very much As time goes by a new era Raver has began The end The story is also a folk tale From Yamaguchi Prefecture The story was one of my mother's favorite This was also published as a child book The title is a folk tale brush Sinario Kikuemu Kaidani Picture Kei Matsuda This is a story of a fox That enjoyed tricking people into thinking it was a human being Long ago There was a fisherman Called Mosuke Who lived in a village called Kusigahama in Yamaguchi Prefecture Every day He would go to the sea to catch fish And sell them to the people in the mountains There was a fox called Kon Who'd always observe him from a distance Let me trick Mosuke Mosuke walked back to the village in a very happy mood The sons of a worker S.S.H.Hoyster He shamed very happy I'd better wait for another chance Let me wait until he gets back to the various to trick him People living in the mountain were waiting for the fish That Mosuke was bringing Here Have some sake Mosuke drank lots of sake He exchanged the fish he called potatoes chestnuts and persimmons Today I sold out all my fish again That's great Mosuke went back home very drunk That's my chance The fox was following him And appeared in front of Mosuke The fox was disguised and turned into a beautiful girl Hello, Nesme Hello, cute girl Did you sell all the fish? Yes, I did Now look at this Let me give you one persimmon So he gave the young girl one persimmon Thanks, dear However, I have one brother and one sister too All right, let me give you two more persimmons Thank you Pat I also have a father and a mother And I have a grandmother, a grandfather, and a great grandmother too Oh, I see You are very kind to your family I will then give you everything I have Thank you for your kindness In return, let me therapy a basket with these gold coins Oh my goodness I have never seen so many gold coins before Thank you Mosuke repeatedly thanked the young girl And started heading back home The sons of a happy worker carrying the basket of gold coins I am tired Let me take a break Mosuke dropped the basket on the ground in front of a stone statue Made like a child Called Ojizo-san on the top of a hill With so many golden coins I will be able to build a big house Yay Mosuke slowly fell asleep While checking on his treasure How many hours went by? He didn't know He walked up to the voice of a guide Speaking to him Mosuke How much long you planning to sleep? Wake up Mosuke woke up abruptly and placed his hand inside the basket Oh no It's empty He moved his hand around the basket that all he could find were leaves from the trees Oh my goodness I was tricked by a fox What? How did it happen? Mosuke sat down Very weak and powerless I'm too tired to go back home He is crawling back to the shrine The fox corn went back to his cave With lots of persimmons, potatoes, and chestnuts Did I overdo the trick this time? Corn Still remembered Mosuke's sad face Hmm I must do something to fix my bad action As I think of it I noticed that Mosuke's brush is very old I have an idea That's when Corn decided to pluck off the hair from its tail The next day Oh This is a fox tail's brush I'm very fortunate A fox tail brush is rare and expensive Mosuke was forever fascinated by the silver fox brush The end Finally, I would like to thank Vera and Mr. Inoue for a lot of advice to prepare these English version kamishibas And greatly thank Jane and Christina for a lot of efforts to hold in this program Thank you Bravo Even though we can't see all of our viewers we have had Somewhere between 50 to 54 people riveted and watching all of your stories. So thank you so So much There are some great questions coming in so if I can ask a few questions Yes One of the questions Relates to what you just said about preparing this English presentation Did you translate the kamishibai from Japanese to English? Did you Both of you Yes Yes, yes I translated the Japanese kamishibai into English English kamishibais. Yeah Thank you for making this accessible to us English speakers. It's absolutely wonderful. Yeah, but yes My friend helped a lot One of the questions one of our first questions was do you know the name of the book that contained 70 of the hundred stories that was published Yes, the yes several books were published in In Japan in Japan as a child book. Yes, the some of them. Yeah, one of them is Okitsune no fude that means the The fox tail brush Yes Yeah, that's great. Maybe if you can you can put it in the chat You can type it in the chat and we can share it on the youtube chat if you're able to do that the name of the book Oh, yes It's okay if it's not in English Oh, yes, okay We'll see if that works Well, we have people that have been listening from around the bay area Seattle Los Angeles So all different kinds of people have been tuning it not just in san francisco Sacramento Another one of the questions was who illustrated the stories presented today Who did the beautiful drawings the illustrations? Oh, yes. Yeah, some of them from my Yeah from my mother's friend. Yeah, foo is also a member of the The Charles Center and Yeah, Okitsune no fude the Yes, the fox tail brush The picture was written by a professional drawer Yeah Yeah, it's something about seeing it on the screen. It was very clear You just had like a front row seat to see the pictures. It was beautiful Thank you One of our viewers is wondering how much have you been able to share these stories? Chizuha and she say in japan How many? Yeah, yes Yes, the group have more than 50 Yeah, yeah 50 kamishibas in japanese Wow Yeah, shizuha usually Present kamishibas at school elementary school and libraries Wonderful And are there some kamishibai that also Have american popular stories or is it always a japanese story folktale? Yes, now we have only japanese stories, but in future we try to Yes, produce Japanese and yeah kamishibas of English Yeah stories english yeah american stories. Yes. Yeah, we would like to try that Well, that is so amazing I'll see if anybody else has any other questions, but those are the questions that have come in so far But just again so many people Sending you hearts Sending you Clap emojis just so happy for what you were able to do And bring to our audience today Someone said that your mother is happy and proud of you both So I don't see any more questions And I just want to thank you both so much not only for bringing your very special talents The stories, but also waking up very early. It's the next day and it's quite early Right now. So thank you so much Yeah, it's our pleasure Do you have any words of farewell that you want to share with our audience before we finish? Thank you very much for I think attending this program See you again in san francisco next time Yes, we hope to see you again next time in san francisco. That would be wonderful Well, again, we are so honored that your mother's legacy lives on through you both. Thank you so much for sharing Her passion and the stories that she's collected with us And I want to thank the audience again for joining us today If you love today's program, please check our calendar of events for more virtual aapi programs Next week we will welcome the author christin my yang Who is the author of a children's book called ginger and chrysanthemum? Ginger there are two cousins ginger is very Spicy and hot and fiery chrysanthemum is more cool and likes to take things slowly And they love each other, but they're very different and they have to work together to make a cake for grandmothers So you'll get to hear more about that story and from christin my yang next week That's all folks. We hope that you take good care of yourselves Stay very safe and we hope to see you soon at another virtual library program Goodbye everyone. Thank you again