Serial TV Story
Dad...
...didn't come back, did he?
Minoru (Dad)
Because her Father, Minoru, who had gone to Tokyo as a migrant worker hadn't come back for New Year's...
...Mineko had made up her mind that she would work in Tokyo.
Do your best!
Onee-chan!
Do your best!
1965/Showa 40 - April 5th
Ueno... Ueno...
Ah, ah, keep in touch, okay!
Yeah! I will!
I was able to confirm it.
Mukojima Electric Factory Nagai Aiko
Yatabe Mineko-san is on our rolls.
And thus, Dad...
...I have arrived in Tokyo.
Heiwa Fansubs Presents
Hiyokko
愛の言葉をリルシャイなハートがドキドキ Ai no kotoba o riru shai na haato ga dokidoki A shy heart saying sweet nothings beats so fast
Week 5 "Young Girls, Safety First!" (Episode 025)
Screenplay: Okada Yoshikazu
Music: Miyagawa Akira
あの日観てたサウンドオプミュージック Ano hi mite ta saund oopu myuujikku That day when we saw "The Sound of Music"
Theme Song: Kuwata Keisuke "Wakai Hiroba" (Plaza of Youths)
瞼閉じれば蘇る Mabuta tojireba yomigaeru I can relive that day just by closing my eyes
Narrator: Masuda Akemi
幼い頃の大事な 宝物だけは Osanai koro no daijina takaramono dake wa It's the only precious treasure of my youth
Cast:
Yatabe Mineko: Arimura Kasumi
ずっと この胸に抱きしめてきたのさ Zutto kono mune ni dakishimete kita no sa One I've held in my heart all this time
Sukegawa Tokiko: Sakuma Yui
Akiba Sachiko: Kojima Fujiko
Kanehira Toyoko: Fujino Ryoko
夜の酒場でロンリーあの子今頃どうしてる Yoru no sakaba de Ronrii ano ko imagoro doushiteru The girl that night at the bar "Lonely," I wonder what's become of her
Nabatame Sumiko: Matsumoto Honoka
Natsui Yuko: Yagi Yuki
Mori Kazuo: Kageyama Hiroshi
さなぎは今 蝶になってきっと誰がの腕の中 Sanagi wa ima chou ni natte kitto dare ga no ude no naka That pupa is now a butterfly and is surely in someone's arms
若い広場 楽しいドラマ Wakai hiroba tanoshii dorama Plazas filled with youths have such fun dramas
夢膨らむ 青い空 Yume fukuramu aoi sora Bursting with dreams, full of blue skies
肩寄せ合い声合わせて Kata yose ai koe awasete Arms around one another, their voices unite
Nagai Aiko: Wakui Emi
Executive Producer: Kashi Hiroshi
希望に燃える 恋の歌 Kiboueru ni moeru koi no uta In a burning with hope, song of love
Director: Tanaka Tadashi
Mineko and the others left the Ueno station...
...and headed towards Sumida-ku Mukojima, where the factory and dormitory was.
Sumida-ku, Mukojima, where Mineko and the others would work and live...
Tokyo - Sumida-ku, Mukojima
...is now the eastern side of the Sumidagawa River in downtown Tokyo and is a place famous for its sakura blossoms.
They had sumo wrestlers there, didn't they?
Since the Kokugikan is nearby.
(a hall of sumo in Tokyo)
Where today the world-famous Sky Tree now sits...
...back in those days it was a town lined with factories with tall chimneys.
It's said this was the district in Tokyo where those off for group employment were the most numerous.
Farewell.
With them was Sumiko-chan, whom they had met on the employment train.
Their friends have increased by one more, haven't they?
Actually, back at the Ueno Station...
1 Hour Earlier
Sorry about this.
I carelessly forgot about one other person arriving on a different train.
Let's see...
Huh? Let's see...
If you are looking for Kanehira Toyoko of Aomori 2nd Middle School, that would be me.
Kanehiro Toyoko From Aomori Prefecture
Eh? Ah! Eh?
Yes, that's right! I'm sorry; have you been waiting?
Yes. I've been waiting quite a while.
You have, haven't you? I'm sorry.
Huh? Are you alone? Where is Kudo-sensei?
He went in search of.
Of who?
Of Mukojima Electric's Nagai Aiko-san.
Ah, for me?! My, what shall I do?
Hold on here a minute, okay? I'm sorry.
Um... nice to meet you.
Ah... I'm Yatabe Mineko.
And this is Sukegawa Tokiko. We're both from Ibaraki Prefecture.
And this girl is Nabatame Sumiko-chan from Fukushima Prefecture.
Nabatame Sumiko From Fukushima Prefecture
You two are high school students?
Yeah.
That's right.
What were your grades during your three years of middle school?
Huh?
Since I got a lot of 4's, I was in the upper averages.
Let's see, I, um, was good at P. E. and practical skills...
...but except for those, I was just a duck out of water.
With the exception of P. E., I got straight 5's.
Eh?!
Yet even so, I came here without going to high school.
Ah... I'm sorry... somehow...
Dad...
...there's something scary about this girl.
Sorry! I'm sorry! Well then Kudo-san, I will take her under my care.
And that's why their friends had increased by one.
Now, we've arrived. Thanks for your hard work.
Mukojima Electric Factory
That is the factory where you will be working.
And this building next door...
...is the girl's dormitory where you will be living starting today.
I'll be living here at the dorm with you, too!
Dad, she was giving us a look.
Since you're a young girl too, right, Aiko-san?
Really? Then it should be fine!
Yes!
Now, let's go.
Safety First
Tokiko... don't act so indifferent. Step up a bit more.
Ah, sorry.
Well, look, this isn't what I'm here for, so I don't have any interest in this place.
Geez... I realize that.
But please at least show a little more interest, okay?
All right. Sorry.
This is it?
Eh?
Something the matter?
This isn't the feel I thought Tokyo would be like.
Both the factory and dormitory are more rundown than I'd been told...
Dormitory
Factory
...and don't you hate that the dormitory is right next door to the factory?
It's like they're gonna control us, 24-7.
What do you think about this labor environment?
Eh? Labor environment?
It's not that bad of an environment, is it?
Yeah, well, she's right. It's handy in that we won't be late for work.
Yeah.
Ah... that's true, isn't it.
Dad...
...I thought, "she's hopeless."
Mineko!
Mukojima Electric Factory
Girl's Dormitory
Mukojima Electric - Chorus Club
We are all alive
Bokura wa min'na ikite iru
And because we're alive, we can sing
Ikite irukara utau 'nda
We are all alive
Bokura wa min'na ikite iru
And because we're alive, we can feel sadness
Ikite irukara kanashii 'nda
If you hold your palm up against the sun
Tenohira o taiyo ni sukashi te mire ba
You can see your deep-red blood flowing
Makka ni nagareru boku no chi shi o
Then, let's have you give your names, one by one.
Coming from Ookuibaraki village in Ibaraki Prefecture, I'm Yatabe Mineko.
Um... I'm clumsy...
...so I'm anxious I might cause worries for you, but I'll work hard!
From the same Ookuibaraki village as Mineko, I'm Sukegawa Tokiko.
My dream for the future is to be an actress.
But I will work hard at my work, too.
From Iwaki village in Fukushima Prefecture, I'm Nabatame Sumiko.
Um... I can be kinda blurry and sleepy all the time...
...but as much as I can help it...
...I'll stay awake.
From Aomori Prefecture, I'm Kanehira Toyoko.
I...
My goal is to be the top worker here.
Let's get along.
I'm the top worker!
For today's welcoming party, we are having the Girl's Dormitory's top popular menu item, curry rice.
Kazuo-san, please serve it!
Dining Room Chef Kazuo-san
Sure thing. Today'll be an especially tasty one.
There's lots of meat in it!
Dorm Leader, please teach them well.
Yes.
Ah, then, you can put your bags over there. And then get in the line.
Yes.
This way.
I will be your Dorm Leader and Guidance Coach. I'm Akiba Sachiko.
Akiba Sachiko From Yamagata Prefecture
Let's get along, okay? We'll be sharing the same room.
It's nice to meet you.
Dad... she's kind and wonderful.
Yuko.
And, the one other person sharing our room...
Natsui Yuko From Akita Prefecture
I'm Natsui Yuko. Nice to meet you.
Her "young lady" feeling...
Let's be friends, okay?
...is so wonderful.
It's nice to meet you.
Now, get in line, get in line.
I'll take it.
For seconds, it's first come, first served, so get in early if you want more.
Yes.
Yes, here you go.
Then, let's eat. Itadakimasu!
Yum... It's so tasty!
Yeah!
You eat such tasty foods like this every day?
Curry rice is served every Monday.
Whaa!
What's that?
This is mayonnaise.
I like eating my vegetables with this.
Ehh...
The mayonnaise in this container was first sold in Showa 33 (1958).
Ever since, it has been in commonplace use in Tokyo households.
But for Mineko and the others, who were coming from rural areas...
...it was still quite rare.
Whaa...
What is this...
Ah...
I'm sure you'll come to love it in time.
Really?
I didn't care for it at first, either.
Me, either.
Ehh...
So good...
Just what was the curry I was eating before...
This is meat...
Dad...
...this curry rice is delicious.
I thought, "since I've come to Tokyo"...
"...I'll just stay and live here from now on."
The curry rice here was totally different from the one we made at home...
...but while it is tasty, it suddenly reminded me of home...
...and I felt I wanted Chiyoko and Susumu to be eating this, too.
Good luck to you.
It's tasty, isn't it?
Yeah...
Delicious, isn't it?
Tasty, isn't it... Huh?
Ah...
Dad, right now...
...just where are you and what are you eating for dinner?
Are you at a place close by to me?
I have started my life in Tokyo.
To Be Continued
Showa Era Trip
Hiyokko
End
My Birthday Party