I had  just put on my jacket to go home after my MRI, when suddenly the nurse ran out, shouting “Stop,

stop! Where are you going? You have to go straight to the hospital!!” So my ordeal began with my first operation to

cut out what they could of my brain cancer the next day. The operation lasted over 5 hrs and I thought that was

that was .  I did NOT know what lay in front of me! 


At first, I was given too many pills, including an anti-depressant, which I refused but the doctor said was essential. I

took about 2 weeks of that particular drug, but I felt extremely woozy and out of it.  I thought it would be better to be

myself even if depressed, and who wouldn’t feel down at the news of brain cancer! So I stopped it, and felt glad

about that little step back to myself.


We spent Christmas in the hospital, not my idea of fun, but the staff made it as cheerful as possible.  I had a

number of visitors to help, with Sivam and Manu at my side.  At this point, I was still assuming I would go straight

home, and get back to my life with little change. Was I ever wrong!!

I listened to so many people tell with kamishibai, all over Japan, and was lucky enough to meet older performers like

Shiozaki Genichiro.  He performed kamishibai until a war injury stopped him. But he shared his amazing collection,

of hundreds and hundreds of these wonderful cards that tell so many tales. He rented them out so that they spread

across Japan, and  frequently gave some to places that needed them.   When I visited him years ago in Osaka, he told

me why he shared this art…


“Japan was a defeated country after the war, and to build up the country, we have to be a

nation that talks with other countries. We can’t imitate other countries, but have to walk

the way of our own to ask for the truth. I wanted the child to be a person who can see a

wide world and think about Japan in the world. To spread love of homeland and develop

world friendship-- that is my kamishibai philosophy.”

Korean

It dies when it drinks water.                                                                    fire

The red silk purse that has hundreds of coins.                                   chili pepper


Japanese

Hair is white when young, turns black when old.                            writing brush

The taller it grows, the more clothes it takes off.                               bamboo


Indian

A mother carries her children around her neck.                              coconut tree

A man makes money by burning what he makes.                            potter


Filipino

Two boats with only one pilot.                                                              shoes

Planted in the early afternoon, harvested at dawn.                          stars


Chinese

When this big rooster sees someone, it makes a big bow.            teapot

Two pieces of bamboo drive ducks through a narrow door.       eating rice with chopsticks


Sri Lankan

Eats fire and coal and drinks water.                                                     steam engine of a train

White hen with plenty of eggs.                                                             moon and stars