Sazae
Based on a popular manga which was written by Hasegawa Machiko and published in Newspapers beginning in the 1950, Sazae San became a popular television cartoon program for children shown every Sunday evening. there have been over 6,000 episodes broadcast. The Ochiai article explores the popularity of this program and its expression of Japanese family life. We are going to look at 4 episodes. "Day Before Girl's Day at the Isono House" "Kagamibiraki Nyumon- New Years" "Everyone wants to be the fire warder," and "It's Difficult to be a Role Model." The translations are provided for you. Two of them here and two of them in a separate file.
CAST: lsono family:
Father = Namihei (N), Mother= Ofune (F), Oldest daughter: Sazae (S), Her
husband: Masuo (M), Her son: Tarao (T), son: Katsuo (K), daughter: Wakame (W),
nephew: Noritsuke (Nori), His wife: Taiko (Tai), His son, lkura (I), neighbors,
friends, shopkeepers
Day Before Girls' Day at the lsono House
Matsuo enters.
Wakame (W): "Don't open the door!"
Namihei enters.
W: "Don't open the door!"
Namihei (N): "You've just finished putting it up!"
Tara (T) "Rika-chan, It's on display!"
Rika-chan: "Please show me.''
W : "This cherry or that mandarin orange which side should we put it on?"
Sazae (S) "Every year we ask that."
Mitsuko: "The sakura is on the right and the tachibana is on the left."
S: "Oh! You remember that very well"
Mitsuko: "Every time I display them I wonder too."
N: "The Hina dolls are more beautiful now than in the past."
Fune (F): "In the past they were made of paper."
W: "Made of paper!"
F: "Yes, of course. Hina dolls made of paper were floated down the river."
W: "What are waste!"
N: "They were called "Floating paper dolls". They still follow that custom
today in the Tottori area."
Mitsuko: "That was the origin of the Hina dolls."
W: "Why did they do that?"
N: "In the past, around the Heian period or so, they gave the dolls good
things to eat such as fruits and vegetables and sake. The dolls were to
take all the misfortunes and evils from people.
Then at the beginning of the Edo Period, the dolls were brought into the
house and displayed. From the Genroku period they put them on red felt
and displayed them on tiers. From the samurai down to the common
people, it became a regular festival. From this time, chests and carts and
other accessories were added to the display."
W: "Well, then its okay to add this to the display, isn't it? It's beautiful."
Rika-chan "Tara-cha, tomorrow's okay."
T: "Yes!"
Rika-chan: "Mother days she will make some delicious things to eat"
T: "Yes, I ' l l go."
Katsuo (K): " So that's it!''
At school the next day
K to his classmate: "So, you have displayed your Hina dolls. I really want to see them."
The girl: "Okay!"
K: "Then I'll go right after school."
K says to Kaori: "Of course, I really want to see your Hina dolls."
Kaori: "I'll wait for you. What time will you come?"
K " Well, right after school Oh! Wait! I have something I must do. I'll come an hour later."
At the Girl's house
K, at the door, "Hello!"
K: "Oh, that was delicious! Thank you."
Girl: "What! Are you leaving?"
K: "Well I have an appointment ... I have something I must do."
Girl: "He didn't even look at the dolls!"
Kaori's House
K: 'I My stomach is full. Thank you very much."
Kaori: "What do you think of my Hina dolls?"
K "Of course, they are delicious!"
Kaori: "I'm talking about my dolls"
In the lane
K: "Ohina summa are a celebration for girls but boys too can enjoy it"
Hanazawa san (H): "lsono, I've found you at last!"
K: "What about?"
H: "That's good. Come now."
K: "Eh! You have Hina dolls too?"
H : "Do you think it is strange that I celebrate the Hina dolls?"
K: "No that's not what I meant."
H: "Please help yourself."
K: "All this!"
H: "Don't hold back, Eat lots!"
At Mitsuko's house
Mitsuko's father is waiting for her, "Everythings prepared. So where is
Mitsuko, she should come soon. Hey! Are you ready!"
Mitsuko's mother: "Coming soon"
Mitsuko: "Father, thank you for waiting."
Mitsuko's father "At last! You are ready."
Mitsuko: "Then let's all have some white sake."
Mitsuko's father "White sake, why not regular sake?"
Mitsuko: "It's for the Dolls festival. So lets drink the white sake."
Mitsuko's father "Yes, that so, well just one cup."
Mitsuko: "Oh! Look! Papa has already become red faced."
Mitsuko's Father "It's okay. What a beautiful Hina-samma."
lsono House
Taiko (Tai): "Look! They are lovely, aren't they!"
Ikura(1): "Yes!"
Tai: "Don't touch! mischievous boy!"
S: "Don't worry about it. Because he's a boy, it's something new and
strange for him."
Tai "For girls displaying the dolls is a pleasure. Too bad for boys."
T : "lkura. Do you want Hina dolls?"
lkura (I): "Yes!"
Tai: "It's a girls festival."
I: "Nah!"
On the street
Tai: "Come quickly! What!"
I: "Yes."
Tai "1 told you that this was a festival for girls, didn't I?"
I: "Nah!"
I kura's house
Noritsuke (Nori): "What's that? Who's Hina doll is that?"
Tai: "When we got married, I brought that doll with me."
Nori: "Oh! At that time. A very skillful craftsman made that doll, didn't he?"
Tai "lkura really want to have a Hina doll so I brought it out for display."
Nori: "Hey! lkura does? lkura likes festivals doesn't he? But he doesn't look
so happy. So, just the empress doll looks a little lonely."
I: "Yes!"
Tai: "But here, that is the only doll we have."
I: "Nah!"
At lsono House
Nori: ''Hello!''
"Welcome"
Nori " We came to see the Hina dolls one more time."
T: "Hey! Come this way."
K: "Does lkura chan want a set of Hina dolls?"
S: "But you have a real special Hina doll."
T: "But its lonely because it is only one doll. Isn't that so Ikura-chan?"
I: "Yes!"
Mitsuko: "Good evening."
S: "Oh! Mitsuko -sun!"
W: "O!M itsuko! You are so beautiful!"
Mitsuko: "You are too Wakame-chan. If its okay why don't you come andcelebrate my dolls."
W , T and lkura all say "Yes!"
Nori: "Oh that would be a problem to have so many come visit."
Mitsuko: "Don't worry about it. It's no problem. Ikura-chan will you come?
Oh! that's really cute. It has a lovely face. Is thislkura-chan's Hina doll?"
Mitsuko's house
S: "Look lkura! Your doll can be a guest with my dolls."
W: "Now the doll isn't sad at all."
I: "Yes!"
Translated and transcribed by Barbara Mori and Kumiko Ogawa,
February, 2002
Sazai San Kagamibiraki Nyumon
Katsuo: I’m home.
Sazae: You said you want to take Judo lessons?
Katsuo: I understand there is a try out at a dojo behind the
station.
Mother: How come you are interested in that suddenly?
Katsuo: Well, I am a Japanese you know.
Sazae: "Welcome! A kagamibiraki party after tryout.’ Now I understand.
Father: So, you must want to join, because of the party.
Mother: You must be a fool.
Katsuo: Oshiruko is just an extra treat.
Sazae: Can you take Tara-chan with you?
Tarao: I don’t want to go.
Sazae: Why don’t you go and se. I know quite many children are practicing
there.
Father: I see Tara-chan needs to be stronger.
Tarao: No…….
Mother: You may decide after consulting with Masuo-san.
Masuo: Tara-chan is not a kind of kid to do judo.
Sazae: That is a reason I want him to take a lesson.
Masuo: What does Tara-chan say?
Sazae: He is very reluctant.
Masuo: Of course, he must be!
Sazae: Don’t agree with him!
Guest: I think Tara-chan is a child who plays piano or violin, but not
judo.
Tarao: Yes. Judo seems to me very painful.
Sazae: Is that a reason you don’t want to learn judo?
Tarao: I feel like they are just fighting.
Guest: Because, you, Tara-chan, are a very gentle child.
Sazae: Gentleness is OK, but….
Nakashima: Wow! A great big Kagamimochi, isn’t it?
Katsuo: Yes. 30 bowls of Oshiruko can be made from it.
Teacher’s wife: Welcome!
Katsuo: We would like to try out.
Friend: What? You mean you already applied?
Katsuo: Is something bothering you?
Friend: I heard that if you once try there, you are forced to take
a lesson.
Nakashima: You may ask to cancel your application.
Katsuo: Or you may be able to skip the activity.
Friend: Well, if you do so, somebody from there will come and visit
you, and he may throw you out.
Katsuo & Nakashima: Really?
Friend: I heard that a teacher there is very strict.
Mother I have no comment.
Sazae: It was wrong from the beginning that you are interested in only
oshiruko.
Katsuo: That is not a problem.
Sazae: What do you mean?
Katsuo: I have written Tara-chan’s name down, too.
Tarao: My name too?
Sazae: Why did you do so without my permission?
Katsuo: You are the one asking me to take Tara-chan with me.
Tarao: I am scared.
Sazae: Don’t worry! I will go for you if the worst case comes up.
Katsuo: What did you say? You want to be stronger than you are now?
Sazae: What do you mean?
Masuo: Can’t you cancel by phone?
Sazae: I think it’s better to tell them directly as Tara-chan’s parents.
Masuo: I hope the teacher is not rude (tough).
Sazae: Don’t worry. I’m with you.
Genbutsu: Slow. Slow. Quick. Quick
Sazae: Wow!
Genbutsu: Slow. Slow. Quick. Quick
Sazae: It seems to me it is a dancing class.
Masuo: Are you sure this is the place?
Sazae: Yes. This is the one.
Genbutsu: Oh, welcome. Would you like to observe the class?
Sazae: No. I want to know where the Judo teacher is.
Genbutsu: Oh. He was broken.
Masuo: He was broken?
Sazae: That is a reason this place became a dance studio, seems like…
Masuo: Well, we will come to visit here again later.
Father: What? You said that place is closed out?
Mother: May be not enough students applied.
Wakame: That is great, isn’t it, for you, Tara-chan.
Tarao: Yes, I’m safe now.
Katsuo: I wish it was closed after the Kagamibiraki party.
Wakame: That beg decoration might be fake mochi!
Katsuo: No, No. that was a real one!
Father: You don’t need to talk about mochi.
Katsuo: Yes. Father.
Sazae: Don’t you think that dance teacher looks nice?
Masuo: I don’t think so, but why…?
Sazae: Shall we take a lesson, you and I?
Masuo: Oh, no. I don’t think…
Mother: You better quit talking about that.
Ring! Ring!
Mother: This is Isono. Kumakura dojo? Aha..the one behind
the station?
Sazae: Mother!
Wakame: isn’t it closed?
Sazae: It said that they are waiting for Katsuo-kun and Tarao-kun to
attend a tryout.
Tarao: I do not want to go there.
Katsuo: They may come to get you if you don’t go.
Wakame: Brother, Nakashima-kun is here.
Katsuo: Did you get a phone call too, Nakashima?
Nakashima: There was a very frightening voice on the phone
Katsuo: We’d better be well prepared.
Nakashima: They may force us to join the class.
Katsuo: Don’t worry. We have a strong supporter. Sister!
Sazae: What’s going on here?
Katsuo: I think you had better go with us, especially for Tara-chan.
Sazae: of course, I am planning to go with you.
Katsuo: See!
Sazae: It isn’t close, right?
Katsuo: What is going on?
Teacher’s wife: Please come forward and observe from here.
Katsuo: Look! Kagamimochi is still there!
Nakashima: Yes.
Sazae: Look, look over there at that man!
Genbutsu: Oh, Madam! Welcome!
Sazae: How come you said that dojo was broken. You told us a
lie, didn’t you?
Genbutsu: No. Yes. My teacher was broken. That was true.
Teacher’s wife: Oh, yes. My husband was deeply drunk.
Sazae: I see. You missed one word before broken.
Teacher’s wife: Gen-san has just arrived in Japan. Right, Gen-san?
Genbutsu: Japanese language is "ashamed."
Teacher’s wife: You mean "difficult," don’t you?
Genbutsu: Oh, you found my another mistake!
Father: Ha ha ha….
Masuo: I don’t understand why it became a dancing school, too.
Sazae Genbutsu-san is teaching dance when there is no judo practice.
Mother: It is not easy to run the business having only judo lessons.
Sazae: Children nowadays are not going for the hard practice.
Masuo: Sazae, is Tara-chan made to stay there?
Father: The teacher must be very strict.
Sazae: Yes, that is the reason he can see at first look who is the
one to come for judo or kagamimochi party.
Teacher: Well
Teacher’s wife: Did you find some kids who really qualify for judo lessons?
Teacher: Well…
Genbutsu: I will be very ‘violent’ in judo class.
Teacher’s wife: You mean you will "help."
Katsuo: Excuse us, but may we help you with something?
Teacher’s wife: Thank you for offering anyway/
Teacher’s wife: Be careful! It’s hot!
Katsuo: Excuse us…are we able to enter the class?
Teacher’s wife: Yes, I understand what you are thinking. You
must help me at next year’s party for exchange.
Katsuo & Nakashima: Wow! let’s go.:
Nakashima: Here you are! Thanks for waiting.
Girl: It looks very delicious.
Tarao: It is very sweet and tasty.
Katsuo: This is kagamibiraki.
Genbutsu: Oh, good and delicious.
Genbutsu: hahan…One order of kagamibiraki.
Waitress: What did you say?