prologue (1/2)
Recently, I reviewed Jin Mayahly enjoyed and consider it one of the best japanese novels I’ve read As I’ to improve my translation skills, especially for novels, I decided on translating just a few pages of it
In short, the novel is about a teacher who volunteers to help teach an elementary school which has been heavily impacted by 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsuna ies of those who lived through a natural disaster and it’s aftermath
This was an extreinal japanese text ritten at a pretty high level, but also because it contains many cultural references which need to be treated very carefully tothe material accessible to readers who are less faes, there are iral to the book as a whole
To be clear, this is a completely unofficial fan translation, in no way endorsed by the author Jin Mayama or publisher Kodansha If you like this and know japanese (or are studying it), please consider buying the novel somewhere like Amazon japan or Book Live Or buy it as a present for someone who speaks japanese
(Note: as I may come back and revise portions of this in the future, please do not excerpt any of the translated text on a blog or anywhere else Linking to this post directly is fine, however)
“And thus, the starry night fell upon them”ByJin Mayama
Book 1: Unbearable Times
Chapter 1
“I’d like to welcome Mr Teppei Onodera, who has come to assist us all the way from Kobe He was involved in the Great Hanshi+n Earthquake sixteen years ago, and ever since has continually strived to help children in the face of difficulties brought about by the disaster We are very grateful to have his positive attitude and energy helping out at our school”
It was the first day of school after the long Golden Week holiday break, and Onodera ondering what he got himself into as he listened to the principal address the students at theh, it was my students who supported me, not the other way around
The three Northeastern prefectures severely impacted by the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake had made a request for aid due to a lack of teachers, and in May of that year the City of Kobe’s board of education responded by dispatching a total of 34 teachers, including Onodera Although all of them had volunteered for the transfer, each had a different reason for doing so There were young, enthusiastic teachers anted simply to provide assistance to the children affected by this disaster, as well as good-hearted veterans hoping to repay the favor for the support they received during the aftermath of the Hanshi+n Earthquake Of all of the was probably the least honorable: he was trying to escape froot into trouble with
Shortly after n if not allowed to transfer, he got a call about the same opportunity from the ex-principal of an ele the time of the 1995 Kobe disaster This was one of the few people whoenuinely respected, so he went ahead and applied for the transfer with the ex-principal’s recommendation
After 20 years as a teacher, he’d becorind and fed up with complex relationshi+ps at work Onodera kneas a selfish desire, but now that he was in his 40s he needed a change of environment
“Now let’s have a feords from Mr Onodera”
Taking the cue from the principal, Onoderaasse that caught his attention was the large pile of rubble towering on the far side of the campus In stark contrast to the fine weather, it stood as a sobering reminder that this was the site of aoverwhelmed by this harsh reality was the earnest faces of the children watching him
“hello! hello!”
He shouted out these first words loudly to help clear his ht hand But there was no change to the students’ expressions, and an aard tension fell over the crowd Onodera continued on with his thick Kansai accent
“Is anyone awake out there? When soreet them back! Let’s try one more time…hello!”
An unenthusiastic “hello” came back froed confused glances with their friends, unsure of how to respond
“hellooooo!”
Onodera yelled out once y into his voice As he repeated this a few an to strengthen
“OK, much better! Now that’s what I wanted to hear! I’ so forward to spending the next year with everyone”
He bowed deeply to end his short introduction, purposely buhter rose from the crowd Now this is how kids are supposed to act Onodera hit the hter in the audience further intensified with nearly every student responding favorably to his antics as the neatly-arranged rows of theassembly were thrown into chaos
“Letclear While I aion, the birthplace offunny it’s OK to laugh out loud”
Just as Onodera finished his speech and began to descend froround started to shake
He screahtly to the microphone stand The tremors continued for the next 10 to 20 seconds After solances with the principal
“Mr Onodera, the earthquake is over now”
When he finally stood up after the principal spoke, a few students were laughing As Onodera scratched his head he realized sole sound when the very earth beneath the
The disaster had caused terrible das hit by the tsunaer usable For the schools that were fortunate enough to suffer onlyused as shelters, resulting in preparations for the next school year getting postponed and the beginning of next term delayed as un, it felt like a pree number of children and teachers scattered far from their homes
The Toma District 1 Elened was close to the scenic Matsubara coast, faate, downhill frorounds, had been coh the school buildings thee The urban area surrounding the school also suffered severe dae, with 31 children, 51 faically lost
Of the 518 children ere enrolled, nearly a third transferred to another school because of the disaster Four teachers left due to family circumstances or other problems
The govern staff, not just to compensate for the vacant positions, but also to help treat the students’ psychological trau delays caused by the disaster However, there was an overwhel lack of teachers As a result, only two teachers joined the District 1 Ele woman
On insistent request frorade class, where twenty-four students noaited his arrival
When Onodera entered the classroom one of the students called out “Stand!”, and the entire class rose from their desks As he took his place behind the podiu!”
“hello!”
He waved with his right hand as he spoke, causing h the classrooan to shake Onodera ordered the class to hide under their desks, and while a few children did as they were told, the rinned as they watched him lose his cool
“The next tiet down,” Onodera warned them once the tremors faded
“But it was just short of ato worry about,” announced a s in the first row of seats He was clearly unaffected by the earthquake
“Are you supposed to be some kind of earthquake detector?”
“Mr Onodera, Manda’s guesses are pretty accurate”
“That doesn’t et under your desk That’s an order”
“Sir, you were in the Great Hanshi+n Earthquake, right?”
“So what?”
“So I thought that maybe you were pretty used to earthquakes and all…”
“No ould I ever get used to sos frighten us Pretending nothing is wrong is the worst thing you can do Never forget that When you feel the shaking, get down”
“You’re just a coward”
“No, but I aet down, it’s because I don’t want any of you to get hurt”
His heartfelt appeal to their safety fell upon deaf ears It was as if they wereafraid