KAMISHIBAI: わらしべちょうじゃ THE STRAW MILLIONAIRE
This resource aims to develop students’ language skills in a cultural context through visual multimodal text. This is a traditional story telling resource which can be used interactively by bringing students into the story and engaging their imagination. It provides students the opportunity to enter into and explore the world of Japan.
HISTORY oF KAMISHIBAI IN JAPAN
The history of storytelling with pictures dates back to 9th century Japan when Buddhist monks used pictures to teach about their deities and the history of their temples. The earliest form of storytelling with pictures for entertainment was emaki (illustrated scrolls) which were used by the nobility in the 11th-12th centuries. In the Edo Period (1603-1868), utsushie, entertainment in the form of a magic lantern picture show appeared which became a paper puppet show, and this is said to be the prototype of kamishibai.
Kamishibai became a form of Japanese street theatre for children in the 1930s. The large colourful pictures and the simple stories lines entertained children. Riding on a bicycle carrying a large kamishibai theatre box, the storyteller who appeared on the street corner excited children. Snacks and lollies sold by the kamishibai teller were also enjoyed by children.
Although kamishibai declined with the emergence of TV, kamishibai are now used for educational purpose and found in schools and libraries throughout Japan and beyond.
REFERENCE:
Background of kamishibai: https://my.wlu.edu/document/rp2-background-on-kamishibai
Brief history of kamishibai: http://www.kamishibai.com/history.html
STORY OUTLINE
A hard-working but unlucky peasant named Sasuke prays to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, to help him escape poverty. Kannon tells him to take the first thing he touches in the morning. The next morning, he stumbles on his way out of the house and grabs a piece of straw. While traveling, he catches a horsefly that was bothering him and ties it to the straw. While walking further, a little boy sees the buzzing horsefly and request it, so Sasuke gives it to the boy and receives three oranges in exchange. Taking the oranges, he continues on his journey and encounters a woman who is suffering from thirst. He gives her the oranges and she thanks him by giving him a beautiful silk cloth for making kimono. Sasuke then meets a man with a horse which has collapsed by the road. To help him out, Sasuke offers the silk cloth in exchange for his horse. Sasuke nurses the horse by praying to Kannon, and the horse recovers, so he continues on his journey. Sasuke walks past the estate of the local lord and notices that he is moving out. He decides to offer his horse to help with transport.
The lord is impressed by his offer of the horse and invites him to stay in his home while he goes away. However, the lord never returns, so Sasuke inherits the entire estate, and he becomes a millionaire.
HOW TO USE THE RESOURCE
1. Printing the kamishibai cards
Download the PDF below and print out on B4 (or A3) size thick paper. There are 24 pages in total, 12 pictures and 12 story pages. Do not change the order of the cards as they are paired to be glued back-to-back.
2. Making the kamishibai cards
Glue the picture and story pages onto the front and back of a thick piece of paper or cardboard to make your kamishibai cards. Please note that in kamishibai theatre style, the text on the back of the title page will correspond to the second picture page, and so on. Be sure to glue them exactly as outlined below.
Front
+ Back
Front
+ Back
Front
+ Back ...
3. Assembling the kamishibai cards
Make sure that you keep the kamishibai cards in order. The title page should be at the very front and the matching story page for the title page should be at the back.
HOW TO PERFORM KAMISHIBAI
Step 1: Hold up the set of kamishibai in front of you, so that the students can see the side of the cards with the pictures.
Step 2: Read the story text for title page from the card at the back.
Step 3: When you finish reading, slide the title page to the right with your right hand and place it at the back of the pack.
Step 4: Now picture card 2 is at front and can be seen by the students and the story line for this card is at the back.
Step 5: Read the text for picture 2 from the last card and continue this procedure for all of the pictures until the story finishes.
FURTHER TEACHING IDEAS
① Students act out the story
Using the Classroom Resource ‘The Twin straw millionaire’https://classroomresources.sydney.jpf.go.jp/resources/play-the-twin-millionaires-and-the-straw/, students can make a presentation in class or for a school event. Please note that the story is modified to accommodate more students.
② Students make their own kamishibai cards
Ask students to think of a storyline and draw their own pictures. They can then write their own narration in English based on what people would say in Japanese using expressions they have learned, eg greetings, feelings..etc. More advanced students, may create dialogues.
Resource created by Himiko Negishi-Wood, illustration by At.inc (https://www.vat.jp/), story page design and layout by Kosaku Makino. (August 2024)
