Robo no ishi (1938) - full transcript
A PEBBLE BY THE WAYSIDE
Published by
Osaka Asahi Shimbun Newspaper
Tokyo Asahi Shimbun Newspaper
Written by Yamamoto Yuzo
Directed by Tasaka Tomotaka
Starring
Katayama Akihiko
as Aikawa Goichi
Yamamoto Reizaburo
as Shogo, father of Goichi
Takihana Hisako
as Oren, mother of Goichi
Izome Shiro
as Taikichi
Yoshida Kazuko
as mother of Yasukichi
Sawamura Sadako
as Kumita Sumie
Matsudaira Fumiko
as Kumita Katsuko
Yoshii Kanzo
as Kihei, master of Iseya
Bontaro Miyake
as Chusuke
Mitsui Chieko
as Oito Kamishiro
Yukichi
as Kyoya, dyer
Inoue Toshimasa
as Kawagin, kimono maker
Ushio Mantaro
as Umehara Ichiro
Mishima Tesuo
as Asataro
Onui
as Hoshi Michiko
Suda Daizo
as Kurimura Kyozo
Tobita Kisao
as Yamada Sakiji
Kosugi Isamu
as Tsugino Tatsuo
Egawa Ureo
as Kumakata Nobuyoshi
Part 1
Hey, we have to hurry!
Asa-chan hasn't come yet.
He's always late.
We'll be late.
But we have to wait for Asa-chan.
I don't want to be late.
Do you want to leave Asa-chan?
Take pity on him.
Come and warm yourself.
Kyozo,
Are you still lingering?
The clock is ringing.
I'm going.
I'll go to Asa-chan's house alone.
You all can leave.
OK. Let's go.
Asa-chan!
Kyo-chan!
You are late.
The clock already rang.
Tanaka,
Saito,
Takagi,
Yamada,
Aikawa...
Why were you late?
Did you oversleep again?
Why did you do that?
This is moral training class.
Kurimura, how about you?
Did you oversleep too?
Kyo-chan should tell the truth.
Kyo-chan is great.
Both of you, keep standing.
Kaneko,
Katsuya,
Suzuki,
Saito...
Kurimura.
Good.
Open the text book of morals.
By the way, I want to ask you something.
You know that a new junior high school
will be opened this coming April?
Yes sir.
If you want to attend the school
you must pass the examination test.
So you need to prepare.
Raise your hand if you want to go to it.
No one?
Sensei, yes sir.
I want to go.
All right.
But if you come late,
you can't pass the entrance exam.
Fukutani-san, pay attention.
Sing the second verse alone.
All the rest of you, sit down.
"Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you."
Imperial era 2562
A.D. 1902, Meiji 35, January 10th"
"He shot a bear perfectly, but said it's
not done by technique..."
Next, Okumura.
You don't know where?
"The reason that
the bear was shot is..."
"I tried to take the
front foot of the bear,
"which realized my intention
and tried to run...
"I watched the face of the bear.
"The distance between the bear and me
was approximately six feet...
"I couldn't run after it,
"and I knew from the beginning that
I couldn't shoot it from afar either,
"so I calculated instantly
what to do..."
Asa-chan, will you really go to
junior high school?
Yes, I will.
You fool. For what?
Because my father said so.
That's boring.
If you go to junior high school
you will be arrogant.
That's what the shopkeeper said.
If he wants to go, he can go.
But my father said that, even if you go
junior high, you can't earn money.
Junior high school is not a timber shop.
That's true, but, anyway,
it's useless for going into business.
Useless or not,
we won't know if we don't try.
So are you going to junior high school?
I don't know.
I don't know myself, but going to
junior high school is not a bad idea.
If it was a bad idea, the school
would've been built for nothing.
I see. Then why don't you go?
I don't know.
I don't know, I say.
No, you do know.
I know you want to go.
If I go, what's wrong with that?
But you can't, because
you are poor, aren't you?
I'll go. I will.
See? You know it.
You are going, after all.
He is a model student.
You are a point-earner, a flatterer!
Stop, stop, stop!
Goichi-chan, let's go back together.
Let's go back together.
Not you, brother.
Model student
goes back with model student.
Kyo-chan or Taku-chan can say what they
want to.
That's nothing to me.
Goichi-chan and I were born on the
same month and the same day.
Goichi-chan is top in the boys' class
and I am top in the girls'.
We have many reasons to get along.
Thank you very much.
Come again, please.
Goodbye.
We are not goody-goodies, are we?
I hate kimono-maker Kawagin.
Hello, Miss.
Welcome back.
- Is my play-house ready?
- Not yet.
I'm working on it now.
You can see it tonight.
Goichi-chan, do you want to see
my play-house tomorrow?
- OK.
- Bye-bye.
Bye.
Hello.
I'm back.
Welcome back.
I saw him.
Whom?
Kawagin-san?
He says he needs you for something.
Mother,
What?
Let me go. Please.
Where?
To junior high school.
Well, no...
But even Asa-chan of Iseya shop will go.
Naturally, he's the son
of a big shop-owner.
Please let me go.
Please, mother!
It's impossible.
You aren't the same as the son
of a shop-owner with storehouses.
Think. We can't even
pay our house rent to Inabaya-san.
But Asa-chan is not good at learning.
If such a bad student can go,
why can't I?
Goichi-chan, the truth is,
a student with poor marks
can still go to junior high school.
But he can't pass the entrance exam.
Mother, please.
Please let me.
Goichi-chan, don't touch those.
They're not dried yet.
Oh, phooey!
Don't be frustrated.
I'll talk to your father.
I'm not sure what he will say.
Father, no.
When will you tell him?
Father is always out.
He's only back once or twice a year.
Selling insurance
requires him to always be away.
He never sends us money.
If he sent us money you wouldn't need to
make paper bags from morning to night.
Aha!
I have a good idea!
I'll also make paper bags.
How about it?
You don't know how little I earn
by making them.
I'll do it with you.
No.
Goichi-chan,
a man should not do such things.
Why not?
You just shouldn't.
Forget it and study.
If I can't go to junior high school, why
should I study?
Don't upset your mother
by talking like that.
Goichi-chan, where are you going?
If you go out to play, take this penny.
Oji-san,
Hi, come in.
What's wrong? You look depressed.
Were you scolded?
How's your mother doing?
She is working at home.
She shouldn't work too much.
For her health.
Oh, I've been waiting for you.
Aikawa, you have a good library.
Welcome.
Long time no see.
Please come in.
Food is ready, not much though.
Come in.
Goichi-chan, watch the shop
till our Kozo-san is back.
My body will be completely free
this coming March.
So you quit the school, then?
I love the children
so I'll wait till March,
but I decided to go Tokyo.
But under the circumstances,
can you live off literature?
By any means necessary,
I want to live off literature.
You know,
your respected writer, Ryoku...
do you know what he says?
Consider that a pen is one piece,
and chopsticks are two pieces.
Do not mind the noise of the masses.
My interpretation is this:
Consider that a pen is a single piece,
and the mouth is also a single piece.
See? The mouth is one.
I am single.
I have nothing to worry about.
But a man is not just a single mouth.
But I am.
You are now, but cannot be forever.
If I can't eat, I'll be single forever.
I will kill myself with literature.
It's not much.
The World:
Junior High School Textbook
"Minister of Education"
"Old Mr. Fukuzawa Yukichi."
You think Fukuzawa Yukichi
is a great man,
but I don't like him because
he doesn't respect literature.
He doesn't disrespect literature.
Just, he prioritizes
the useful subjects.
Yes, practical matters are important.
But there's a usefulness to the useless.
The development of the business world
doesn't mean the
development of human society.
You are obsessed by literature
from morning to night.
But he says the 31 characters
of classic waka poetry
are the same as dodoitsu popular song,
or singing with a shamisen,
regarding poetry as lower.
How can I be quiet against such insults?
I'm afraid your great Fukuzawa Yukichi
cannot understand literature.
Have one.
Thank you.
Your spirit is so passionate.
"On the day of arrival,
blossoms falling incessantly
in the light of the sun."
Ki no Tomonori...
How beautiful!
Beautiful...
You cannot reach that level with money.
I will leave my job in March.
But in the spirit of
blossoms falling incessantly,
nothing matters.
Fukuzawa sensei cannot understand
the spirit of falling incessantly.
To a man who cannot understand
falling incessantly, science is useless.
Science? Business?
So what?
Oh, you're talking about deep matters.
I can't keep up with Tacchan.
I go a bit too far.
No problem, tomorrow is Sunday.
Enjoy yourself.
Thanks.
"On the day of arrival,
blossoms falling incessantly
in the light of the sun."
Thank you very much.
Oba-san, I'm leaving for a while.
Goichi-chan, will you run an errand?
Kawagin-san forced me to take this.
But I can't accept it.
Will you return it?
Don't lose the money.
And, on the way back, buy some oil.
This is the money for the oil.
Come back soon.
The meal will be ready.
Oji-san!
I'm going to run an errand for Mom.
Can you watch the shop for me?
Yes, yes.
Thank you.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
That boy Aikawa Goichi is too good.
He is very bright.
I also believe that he is promising.
Say, did he mention anything about
junior high school?
No, he hasn't said anything yet.
He hasn't?
I hope the boy continues his education.
I checked the applicants today.
A boy who deserves to advance can't go
due to his family's financial problems.
Meanwhile a boy who's worthless
at school raises his hand.
That's the way of the world.
Yasu-san, don't you help
with his educational expenses?
I like the boy.
As a matter of fact, I was telling
Oren-san...
Who?
Oh, Oren-san is his mother.
I was telling her
about the issue a while ago.
My son likes Goichi-chan very much,
so he doesn't demand the house rent
if she can't pay.
In addition, he offers
to help her with the education costs.
It may be good karma,
but other tenants complain.
Does only Oren-san
have education costs or rent?
Why care so much
about the maintenance of her house?
You mention it again.
I feel sorry for them, that's all.
That's why I help them out a little.
They are staying in our rental house,
so I care.
What's wrong with that?
It's natural for a man
who owns rental houses.
Don't be angry at me.
See, Tacchan?
How does she make a living?
Oren-san is very good at sewing.
She can sew white silk with red thread
without exposing a dot of red stitching.
She lives on a shoestring that way.
When she was young she was so beautiful
that she was called the "Town Belle."
Kawagin was already
crazy about her back then.
But I heard that
she'd stopped sewing these days.
Probably because Kawagin
is stalking her.
What is Goichi's father doing?
That's the problem.
Mother,
was he such a bad man,
or rather...
such an irresponsible man
when he was young?
- Shogo-san?
- Yes.
Of course no one is born bad,
but I can understand why Shogo-san
was getting to be hated by people.
It was a long time ago,
when Shogo-san was around the age
that Goichi-chan is now.
His father, that is to say,
Goichi-chan's grandfather,
was working on the railway.
He was the first to...
well, how should I say it?
When someone dies on duty.
You mean, junshoku?
Yes, that's the word. Junshoku.
When the father of Shogo-san was
working at the station,
an old, half-blind woman accidentally
dropped her cane on the rails
just as a train was coming.
It was a plain bamboo stick
but it was important to the old woman.
She hobbled toward the rail to get it
just as the train was coming.
Frightened, Shogo-san's father
rushed to the woman, pushed her,
then he jumped off the rail
and picked up the cane for her.
So far so good.
It was bad luck.
Even though he had
enough time to escape,
after he threw the stick to the woman,
he collapsed on the rail.
What happened?
They say his shoe
was trapped in the rail,
or the sudden rush made him dizzy.
Death on duty by cane.
Interesting.
Do you want to write?
I could.
The father died so tragically,
so Shogo-san's family collected
a lot of sympathy from people and...
- Naturally.
- were given a lot of money.
Shogo-san returned to this town
with the money.
But relatives and fake people gathered
around him, and he lost his money.
After that he became ill-natured.
He started to fight, drink,
and finally he himself
started to do bad things.
In the end he began to feel
uncomfortable staying in this town,
so he went Tokyo,
leaving Oren-san and Goichi-chan alone.
But I feel pity for Shogo-san.
Goichi-chan.
But mother, you were dozing.
Yes, I was.
All right. Will you help me a little?
I have to make this before morning.
I can do as many as you.
Mother, I'm done.
You did? Thank you.
Give me what you've done.
Give me that.
Mother, what's wrong?
Left side front.
I should have told you carefully.
- If it was wrong I'll fix it.
- No, no, it's OK.
Why?
I knew this was not Goichi-chan's job.
No, it's not true. I can do it.
Oh, no. That's enough.
Your help takes up more time in the end.
Goichi-chan,
It's not your fault.
Don't cry.
You have done very well by me.
It's mother's fault, I did wrong.
Where is Asa-chan?
They're all at the playhouse out back.
I see.
Oh, Goichi-chan came.
Goichi-chan, it's all right.
There's room for you.
Asa-chan, move.
You can't stay so long in the best spot.
What've you been talking about?
We have been talking our adventures.
Kacchan, continue.
Then, then,
I crawled on the grass and ran away.
So you just pulled three hairs
out of the horse's tail. Is that all?
But that horse kicks.
Every horse kicks.
One or two horse-tail hairs is nothing.
I fought against a horse.
At the ranch of Kawakami.
Didn't it kick you back?
No, but it was very angry.
When I was fighting the horse,
the cows were sleeping.
I snuck over the fence and got on
the back of a cow that was sleeping.
Then, the cow suddenly woke up
and ran after me.
Then other cows also ran after me,
"moo, moo", just like that.
I was scared.
You didn't fight,
you just ran away.
All of them are boring.
Don't you have a more interesting story?
How about walking on the
handrail of Shindabashi bridge?
Like this. Can you do it?
How about you, can you do it?
Sure, I can. I have done it.
Oh yeah?
How many times?
Many times.
I can walk from one end to the other.
Is that all?
I can go all the way
to the end and back.
Wow!
Goichi-chan, do you have any stories?
Goichi-chan will go junior high school.
You won't be able to do what we do.
Yes, I will.
But you can't walk
on the handrail of the bridge, can you?
No, I can't.
But I've had some adventures.
What adventure?
You said you walked on the handrail.
Well...
I hung down from the railway bridge.
While a train was running,
I hung from the sleeper.
Amazing!
Is it true?
It is.
I doubt it.
I can't believe it.
Kacchan, don't doubt him.
But Goichi-chan,
you did a terrible thing.
Could Goichi-chan really do it?
You are too skeptical.
Goichi-chan can show you.
Interesting.
OK, do it.
Let's watch Goichi-chan show us
how he can hang down.
Goichi-chan, what's wrong?
Why did you get quiet?
You can't? So it was a lie!
- It's true!
- Then do it!
- I will!
- I mean now!
I'll do it tomorrow.
Not tomorrow. Now!
You say tomorrow. You want to escape!
Weakling!
All right. I'll do it now.
Good!
Goichi-chan, are you all right?
I'm all right.
We should have come earlier.
But the up-train will come soon.
Down and up pass each other.
Let's wait at the bridge.
Are you really going to do it?
You will die if you do.
If you want to stop,
I can tell him so for you.
Don't do it.
Kyo-chan!
Watch for the up-train coming.
What will you do?
I'll do it.
You are stubborn.
- Goichi-chan, you're going to do it?
- Yes.
It's coming, it's coming.
Kyo-chan, let's stop this.
Goichi-chan said he would do it,
so he must.
Don't move, Goichi-chan.
Keep calm.
Did he tell you to do it?
How could he say something so stupid?
A railway bridge is not made for
a person to hang from.
Even if he tells you to,
you shouldn't do such a stupid thing.
Goichi-chan,
who else was there?
How many were there?
No one.
So just you and this boy had a bet?
Yes.
You two alone?
- You two alone?
- Yes.
So you forced this boy to hang down.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
No, no, it's not true!
No, no, it's not true!
It's not true.
- Goichi-chan,
- Kyo-chan,
Goichi-chan!
Kyo-chan didn't force me.
I said I would do it!
Aikawa.
Have you ever thought about your name?
When you write your name
on a test paper or something,
you write it without thinking,
but Goichi is a very impressive name.
Go - ichi...
means, "I am alone".
I am only one in this world.
There are countless people
in this world,
but you, Goichi,
are the only one in the world.
The only person to hang down from the
railway bridge when a train was coming.
How absurd.
When a man dies, that's the end.
Aikawa Goichi is the only one
and he only has one life.
If you die, no junior high school.
You want to go to junior high school
and be a great man, right?
Hanging down from the railway bridge
is not a brave act at all.
It's inconsequential.
Leave the matter of dying
to grandpa and grandma.
Life is not meant for dying,
but for living.
You must live.
You must keep yourself alive.
If you don't take care of yourself
and your one life,
there is no meaning
to being born as human being.
You can do whatever you want
if you have the will.
Where there's a will there's a way.
Hanging down from the railway bridge
is a bad example,
but you've done
that which no one else can do.
You see, Aikawa?
For your own namesake,
you must keep yourself alive.
You are the only one in the world.
Do you see?
Don't forget it.
Aikawa,
do you want to go to junior high school?
Oji-san, I can go to junior high school.
- Is that so?
- Tsugino sensei told me so.
That's nice to hear.
Starting tomorrow I'll study after class
for the entrance exam.
Very good.
To celebrate in advance
I'll give you a book.
Here.
The Encouragement of Learning
Thank you, oji-san!
I'm back!
Mother!
Yes. Welcome home.
I can go to junior high school.
Tsugino sensei told me so.
Someone offered to pay the cost
for a student who gets good marks
but has financial difficulty.
So if I pass the entrance exam I can go.
Tsugino sensei said so.
I'll study for the exam after school.
I'll do it, too.
They say, "Heaven did not create a man
above or below another man."
It means that Heaven made humans equal
and there was no difference among them.
As the lords of creation,
they could use all things in the world
by exercising their own body and brain
for their clothing, food and housing.
Freely, unless they bothered others,
they could live comfortably.
That's what Heaven created.
Listen, Goichi-chan.
I'll go to Inabaya-san to have a chat.
I was given this book by Oji-san,
That's good.
But now, observing human societies,
we see wise and foolish, rich and poor,
noble and peasant...
What causes such differences?
Learning does not mean
practically useless studies,
such as learning difficult
kanji characters, reading old books,
enjoying waka poems or composing poetry.
These studies are entertaining
and sometimes useful.
But they are not so valuable as
Confucians and Kokugaku scholars say.
There are few scholars of the Chinese
classics who are good at making a living
and few townspeople who are good at both
waka poetry and business from old times.
So, thoughtful townspeople
and farmers are worried
that their children may lose
their property by studying too hard.
Where is mother?
She went to Inabaya-san.
Call her.
Mother.
Father is...
Excuse me, sir.
Oh,
Oren-san left already?
Yes. Just now.
Extra news!
- Have some tea.
- Yes.
Extra news!
Again.
What extra news?
Goichi wants to go to the school.
He gets good marks.
And we were offered...
the tuition money by Inabaya-san.
Goichi,
go out and play.
I don't trust people.
Until today, I have only been
betrayed by people.
I won't ask anyone's help.
That is my philosophy.
I don't understand
the kindness of Inabaya.
He doesn't demand unpaid rent,
he takes care of you,
and, in addition,
he offers to pay for Goichi's tuition
Do you believe
it's just out of simple kindness?
You must be good at trusting people.
You trusted me and found yourself
living such a miserable life.
You must regret it, mustn't you?
Does Kawagin, the kimono maker,
still visit you like before?
Yes.
I met Kawagin on the way here.
He was not friendly to me
but he greeted me before I did.
I felt strange.
He said you had
stopped working at his shop recently.
He wants you to do the job again.
What's more...
he says he can offer the job to Goichi
as an apprentice at the Iseya shop.
But his kindness
also has a different purpose, I assume.
End of Part 1
So you won't go junior high school?
No.
Will Asa-chan go?
No.
There are no more entrance exams.
Why?
There were fewer applicants
than expected.
So, Sacchan, Kochan, Takayama-kun,
and even Taku-chan will go.
Taku-chan too?
They're all fools.
Kyo-chan,
I'll go work for Iseya as an apprentice.
- In Asa-chan's house?
- Yes.
I see.
Don't cry.
I also work. At timber shop.
Goichi-chan, look.
A train's passing.
It is running on the railway bridge
that you hung down from.
What was his name, you said?
Goichi, sir.
It's not easy to say.
The name is not good for a merchant.
You are right, sir.
What should we change it to?
Gokichi? No, not easy to say.
How about Gosuke?
OK.
Gosuke... it sounds good.
His kanji "go" is difficult to write.
The "go 吾" is too complicated,
"五 five" is good enough.
A merchant must be straight,
including his name.
That's true.
Got it?
You will be called Gosuke from now on.
When you are called Gosuke,
you must answer "hey".
No, no, no.
When you are called, you must
answer immediately, "hey!", like that.
Sorry sir, he can't answer well yet.
Please teach him well, sir.
Well then, Goichi-chan...
or, I mean, Gosuke-san.
Are you happy to go junior high school?
Are you pleased to wear the uniform?
I got into the school.
That's why I can wear this uniform.
I don't know which
makes me more pleased.
You fool.
You will fail at junior high school.
It's none of your business.
Goichi-chan.
Young master, you should not
call him Goichi-chan.
Why not?
This is not Goichi anymore,
but Gosuke, at the store.
You must call him Gosuke
without informal terms.
Gosuke?
Strange name, sounds like a coolie.
Don't you think so, sister?
No, it's not strange.
He is not your friend anymore.
You must call him Gosuke, otherwise
the store rules will be disturbed.
Gosuke-don, greet young master
and young lady.
Asa-chan
Young master.
Young master, young lady,
thank you for the new job.
You have many things to learn.
- I ate, thank you.
- OK.
Are you also going
to the Oohira shrine tomorrow?
Yes. We'll all go.
I'll pray again after a long time.
I see.
What was that?
Such a sloppy bow.
Do it again.
No, no, no.
That's why I teach you.
Do you think a merchant can do such bow?
Huh?
Just lowering the head is not enough.
No good. Do it again.
Gosuke-don,
you're training to be a merchant.
So you have to learn how to bow.
You can eat without worry everyday.
What do you owe for it?
Think about it carefully.
Then your bow will change a little.
I'll go to bed, sir.
The problem with your bow is,
your head-up is stronger
than your head-down.
It shows that you see people as lower.
No good. Do it again.
I'll go to bed, sir.
Good. Go to bed.
You told him exactly what
you were told by big master.
I'll go to bed, sir.
OK, good night.
Gosuke.
Gosuke.
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke.
Gosuke-don, wake up.
Gosuke-don.
Get up now!
Oh, you are small but powerful.
It's mostly goose down.
Gosuke-don!
Hey!
Gosuke-don!
Hey!
- Gosuke-don!
- Gosuke-don!
Hey!
- Gosuke-don!
- Hey!
You've been called.
They say, "Heaven did not create a man
above or below another man."
It means that Heaven made humans equal
and there was no difference among them.
As the lords of creation...
- Gosuke-don!
- Hey!
Gosuke, what are you doing?
Get them for me quickly.
What?
My geta sandals.
Quickly.
I can't wear these to school.
Not that.
No, that one.
Hey, give me my shoes.
"Junior high school cap"
- My leg-wrap.
- Yes.
Gosuke-don,
deliver the goods to the station!
Yes.
Aikawa-kun.
- Goichi-kun.
- Hey.
Sensei.
How are you doing?
Gotten more used to it?
Yes.
- Goichi-chan.
- Oji-san.
Long time no see.
Do you think you can endure?
Yes.
I wanted to give you a
chance at junior high school
but your father had a different opinion.
Is your mother all right?
I haven't seen her
since I went to work for Iseya-san.
You must be patient.
Don't forget what I told you before:
you are Aikawa Goichi, you know.
Train for Tokyo arriving.
Here it is.
You are working,
but don't forget to study.
Sensei is going to Tokyo. Work hard.
Tokyo?
Oji-san too?
No, I just came to see him off.
Now, sensei is going.
Take care of your health first.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
Sensei! Send me a letter
when you arrive in Tokyo.
Sure, I'll send you a beautiful card.
Ma'am, you must wear something as good
as this because you're married already.
- Gosuke-don.
- Hey!
- Bring some silk.
- Right away!
You don't understand such things? Fool.
Hey, I'll carry it, sir.
- Gosuke!
- Hey!
Come here.
Gosuke, can you do this?
"...some number, times 121...
"becomes 3087.
"What is the number?"
See? Isn't it difficult?
But not impossible to solve, sir.
Then do it!
This is it, isn't it?
Well, is it?
You haven't done it yet, young master?
Fine.
Then do number five.
This is difficult.
- You can't do it, can you?
- I can, sir.
Gosuke, Gosuke.
I can't take such a cold bath.
Don't you know when it's warm or not?
Burn some more.
You touched only the surface.
No good. Burn more.
"5 men worked 5 hours..."
Good. Well done.
Do you need me, sir?
Yesterday's arithmetic was all correct.
You are clever.
Was it really?
Now, do this for today.
This is homework, isn't this?
It doesn't matter.
Do it please.
Before morning.
But you must do homework yourself, sir.
Gosuke, do it please.
Today's work is more
difficult than yesterday's.
You can use my textbook, OK?
Junior High School Textbook
What are you doing?
Instead of doing work,
you're here reading a book.
I will tell the master.
Get back to the store!
How about this, ma'am?
Too simple.
How about this?
This one is unique and interesting.
"Up, up, soaring."
Very good sir.
We have to do that too.
Yes.
The sooner the better.
Should we start
to change the price tags tonight?
Good idea sir.
The first warehouse completed, sir.
OK. Then, start on the middle warehouse.
...7,700 in total...
Gosuke.
Have you done my homework?
I haven't done it yet.
No good.
I need it tomorrow.
But the shop is too busy.
I have no time, sir.
The shop is earning money,
but we were exhausted for nothing.
Please, no more price rises.
Chu-don, let's have a short rest.
Boys, let's take a rest.
Danna, we got this already.
Ah, yes.
That's good, sir.
Thank you for your work.
Have some tea.
I know you are busy,
but can I borrow Gosuke-don?
No problem.
Gosuke-don, come to the room.
Umbrella repairs!
Someone is sick. Be quiet.
The doctor said that undernourishment
and overwork damaged her heart.
He said he could give her medicine,
but that she must be hospitalized.
The greedy doctor threatened us so.
But the hospital is too much for us.
Goichi-chan, I'm sorry I made you worry.
I was surprised
when Kyo-chan came to tell me.
I can buy medicine.
Danna gave this to me.
Take it and buy medicine.
Danna says if I work harder
I'll get more money.
I'd like to work harder
and buy medicine as necessary.
But I can't take care of
you as you did for me.
The shop is very busy
because of the change of tags.
In addition, I have to take care of
Asa-chan's studies.
But I'll ask Oba-san from next door,
Kyo-chan and Oji-san of Inabaya to help.
Will you go to a doctor
in Yamatomachi Town for help?
Yes.
Tell him Inabaya asked him to come here.
Yes.
Gosuke-don,
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke-don, wake up.
You must wake up now.
Your mother is dead.
Your mother died.
Don't you understand?
Now, get ready.
We got the news just now.
Go home immediately.
I will follow you soon.
Change your kimono.
Well, she was ill.
So he hospitalized her.
That's OK.
Good,
but why did he visit her everyday?
Stop it. You shouldn't say so.
If you mention it, Inabaya-san's
kindness becomes meaningless.
What about your kindness, Kawagin-san?
Since you mentioned it, it
too becomes meaningless?
Stop such talk.
It makes the deceased sad.
Thank you for you advice, ma'am.
But, fortunately, the dead are at peace.
Goichi, it's you.
Goichi-chan, you are back.
Your mother has done a terrible thing.
Give a prayer for your mother.
What's the matter?
Don't be afraid.
Oren-san always
worried about you so much.
Goichi.
What's the matter?
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Mother, don't die. Don't!
No good.
No hope.
He tries to hide himself,
reading books somewhere.
He cannot be a merchant.
You're right, sir.
Can't we send him
to his father in Tokyo?
If he were a roll of cloth
we could send him back with return note.
- Is it not possible?
- Huh?
Well, he is still child.
If something happened along the way,
it'd damage the reputation of our shop.
Damage to our shop wouldn't be that.
Damage would be a rumor
that the boy of Iseya is the son
of a woman who recently drowned herself.
No good.
Do something.
I can't say no to Iseya-san's request.
So I'll send him Tokyo,
but, the cost...
Sure, that's Iseya's responsibility.
How much do you need?
How about this?
That's too much.
This.
Kyoya-san,
Again! You must call me "Danna".
- Danna,
- What?
I want to make a short visit.
Do it quick. Danna will keep walking
toward the station. OK?
OK.
Hello!
Goichi-chan.
Where is Oji-san?
He visited another town
for several days.
I see.
I wanted to find out the address
of Tsugino sensei.
Tell Oji-san I went to Tokyo to study.
You're going to Tokyo?
Yes.
I see.
Sorry that Oji-san is out.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Danna, the train is nice.
"82 km to Tokyo"
Danna, when will we reach Tokyo?
Well, after we've passed
this village, we will.
That isn't another lie?
Danna, when will we reach Tokyo?
Maybe after we've passed
the next village.
How many more towns and villages
before we reach Tokyo?
Well, Danna doesn't really know.
Tokyo!
For Tokyo!
Buy two tickets for Tokyo.
Tokyo? Really?
Two for Tokyo.
Here, two for Tokyo.
Hokota - Tokyo
Street car ticket, 6-sen
Here, this is it.
Now you can see your father.
This is a nice house.
Gosuke, you lost
some rolls of cloth, understand?
I did?
Kumita Sumie
Hello.
So you are saying that,
this boy lost shop goods, he's useless,
and so he's being returned?
That's it.
And the loss of the goods
must be paid for.
Because it was his fault.
I ask you to reimburse us for that.
Oh?
If a boy loses the goods
his kin must pay for it,
is that what you're saying?
Of course, ma'am.
They were a customer's valuable goods.
How could you ignore that?
What was your name, well, Kyoya-san?
Let me ask you something...
If you lost someone's child,
what would you do?
Well, you mean...?
Don't play innocent.
You deceived and dragged
the child around for a long time.
Isn't that unreasonable?
No, no.
I was asked by Chusuke-san of Iseya.
Chusuke-san? Who is that?
I don't know such a person.
I don't know the master
or manager of the big shop,
but by what right can he
move someone's child here and there?
If the child has no
relatives, that's one thing,
but he has a good father...
Sure, I understand what you're saying,
but according to Chusuke-san...
You say, "Chusuke-san this,
Chusuke-san that",
but Chusuke-san is neither
this boy's father nor relative.
I understand that quite well, ma'am.
Then I ask you,
did you come here to apologize
or to get money?
Sis, Umehara-san needs charcoal.
You can get the charcoal yourself.
But, my hand...
Gee, you don't want
to get your hands dirty.
Hey, you.
You must help out
when you come to someone's house.
Go to the kitchen
and get charcoal for the lady.
Kitchen's over here.
But, Kyoya-san, if you think everything
is settled now, you're wrong.
When Aikawa is back,
we'll have to have another chat.
No, no, not necessary, ma'am.
Excuse me.
Boy. Go buy me tobacco.
I have a name.
Call me by my name, please.
You are just a child.
My name is Goichi.
Stop it, boy.
He's a university student. Don't argue.
He is really mean, boy.
I am not a boy anymore!
Then you are a male maid.
Same as a boy, isn't it?
You aren't a boy.
What was your name again?
I am Goichi, sir.
Yes, Goichi.
Goichi-kun, buy me tobacco, then.
- Hey.
- "Hey"?
If you answer like that,
you will be called boy by them again.
- "Hai!"
- Hai!
♪ Rental room with meals and girls.
♪ Buy, buy, buy,
♪ everything is 208 mon,
♪ Everything is 100 mon
on Front Street,
♪ 208 mon
on Beard Street.
He says Ne-san and I
are 2 sen and 5 rin.
He insults us.
Kumakata again!
How dare he?
The man hardly pays rent on time.
Ne-san, don't let Kumakata-san
keep staying here.
I don't like guys like that.
I know, I know.
Forget it.
We'll go to the theater today.
Oh, yes.
You must prepare.
Umehara-san will be back soon.
Yes.
Which kimono should I wear?
What are you doing, boy?
Ne-san.
Ne-san, hurry.
We can drop in at the Mitsui Kimono shop
on the way.
If we go to the Mitsui Kimono shop,
I want a new shawl.
Yes, you can buy one.
Ma'am.
What?
I work hard during the day.
Will you let me go to school at night?
You want to study?
Gee.
You see Umehara-san reading books
and you suddenly get such ideas?
You shouldn't.
Umehara-san has good parents
who send him tuition money,
that's why he can go to medical school
or any school he wants.
Don't compare them
with your poor family.
What are you going to study at school?
Forget learning from books.
Do a good job cleaning lamps.
Your wick-cutting is always irregular.
To Kurimura Kyozo-kun:
I arrived in Tokyo in Autumn.
The best thing in Tokyo is
the horse-drawn streetcar's bell.
I'm back.
It's very quiet.
Where are they?
- They went to the theater, sir.
- The theater?
With the rich man again?
When the cat's away, the mice will play.
Come to my room.
Why the long face?
You were snapped at again, weren't you?
Don't mind, don't mind.
Come on.
Madame is quite a woman.
You must have a hard time.
Don't worry. It's not bad
to have a hard time when you're young.
Have a seat.
Even a baby has to take bitter medicine.
If a man takes no bitter medicine,
then he doesn't grow up well.
This is you.
Do you understand?
Is this a cartoon?
Don't say so.
Can't you see?
Read the voice written there.
"Daruma-san, daruma-san,
stretch out your feet,
try to walk by your own feet."
Do you get it at all?
You don't?
I'll give you this.
Look at it for a couple of days.
Thank you very much, sir.
But Kumakata-san,
you are painting such pictures.
Why don't you make real paintings?
Real paintings?
Like what?
Most painters make pictures
of Mt. Fuji or shrines and things...
Such kind of pictures will make...
money?
I can't pay room rent,
so you think I'm stupid too.
No, I don't.
Oh, no?
You know,
there are two
types of paintings in the world:
those which have a voice and
those which have no voice.
Usually a painting is called
a poem without voice.
But look at these modern paintings.
They are colorfully painted in
many layers, but have no poetry at all.
What is a poem? A poem is a voice.
The time today is,
"even a stone would cry".
How can a painting be voiceless?
But I can't have a gentle,
sophisticated poetic voice,
so I scream with full force,
say sarcastic things.
The scream and the sarcasm
cannot be true from deep in my heart,
unless I am hit by someone,
pressed by someone.
When you are stepped on and
loaded with a huge burden on your back,
damn, the power
of pushing back is generated.
Great poets must be born
among those hardships.
Cartoons are interesting.
Do you understand?
I want to be a poet like that.
You want to be? Funny.
But...
even a great poet gets hungry.
Say...
go and order a bowl.
A rice bowl, sir?
I see. Madame warned you
about something.
She said "don't take an order for him."
Didn't she?
Don't worry. I pay when the time comes.
Run for it.
Wait,
two bowls, OK?
- Two? You eat so many?
- Don't worry about it. Just run.
Rice bowls are so good.
- Oh, is this your first time?
- Yes.
That's good. Eat up.
Hello, thank you very much.
I came to pick up the empty bowls.
What? We don't have your bowls.
Yes. Yesterday, we got
an order of two rice bowls.
Really?
Oh, I found it here.
Thank you.
Ne-san, did you make an order yesterday?
No. Ask the boy.
Who got rice bowls yesterday?
Kumakata-san.
He had a guest?
No.
Then why two?
I was treated to one.
Boy,
come here.
Come to Ne-san!
I am polishing lamps.
OK.
OK.
OK, OK.
When Aikwa comes back I'll kick him out.
A PEBBLE BY THE WAYSIDE
THE END
Published by
Osaka Asahi Shimbun Newspaper
Tokyo Asahi Shimbun Newspaper
Written by Yamamoto Yuzo
Directed by Tasaka Tomotaka
Starring
Katayama Akihiko
as Aikawa Goichi
Yamamoto Reizaburo
as Shogo, father of Goichi
Takihana Hisako
as Oren, mother of Goichi
Izome Shiro
as Taikichi
Yoshida Kazuko
as mother of Yasukichi
Sawamura Sadako
as Kumita Sumie
Matsudaira Fumiko
as Kumita Katsuko
Yoshii Kanzo
as Kihei, master of Iseya
Bontaro Miyake
as Chusuke
Mitsui Chieko
as Oito Kamishiro
Yukichi
as Kyoya, dyer
Inoue Toshimasa
as Kawagin, kimono maker
Ushio Mantaro
as Umehara Ichiro
Mishima Tesuo
as Asataro
Onui
as Hoshi Michiko
Suda Daizo
as Kurimura Kyozo
Tobita Kisao
as Yamada Sakiji
Kosugi Isamu
as Tsugino Tatsuo
Egawa Ureo
as Kumakata Nobuyoshi
Part 1
Hey, we have to hurry!
Asa-chan hasn't come yet.
He's always late.
We'll be late.
But we have to wait for Asa-chan.
I don't want to be late.
Do you want to leave Asa-chan?
Take pity on him.
Come and warm yourself.
Kyozo,
Are you still lingering?
The clock is ringing.
I'm going.
I'll go to Asa-chan's house alone.
You all can leave.
OK. Let's go.
Asa-chan!
Kyo-chan!
You are late.
The clock already rang.
Tanaka,
Saito,
Takagi,
Yamada,
Aikawa...
Why were you late?
Did you oversleep again?
Why did you do that?
This is moral training class.
Kurimura, how about you?
Did you oversleep too?
Kyo-chan should tell the truth.
Kyo-chan is great.
Both of you, keep standing.
Kaneko,
Katsuya,
Suzuki,
Saito...
Kurimura.
Good.
Open the text book of morals.
By the way, I want to ask you something.
You know that a new junior high school
will be opened this coming April?
Yes sir.
If you want to attend the school
you must pass the examination test.
So you need to prepare.
Raise your hand if you want to go to it.
No one?
Sensei, yes sir.
I want to go.
All right.
But if you come late,
you can't pass the entrance exam.
Fukutani-san, pay attention.
Sing the second verse alone.
All the rest of you, sit down.
"Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you."
Imperial era 2562
A.D. 1902, Meiji 35, January 10th"
"He shot a bear perfectly, but said it's
not done by technique..."
Next, Okumura.
You don't know where?
"The reason that
the bear was shot is..."
"I tried to take the
front foot of the bear,
"which realized my intention
and tried to run...
"I watched the face of the bear.
"The distance between the bear and me
was approximately six feet...
"I couldn't run after it,
"and I knew from the beginning that
I couldn't shoot it from afar either,
"so I calculated instantly
what to do..."
Asa-chan, will you really go to
junior high school?
Yes, I will.
You fool. For what?
Because my father said so.
That's boring.
If you go to junior high school
you will be arrogant.
That's what the shopkeeper said.
If he wants to go, he can go.
But my father said that, even if you go
junior high, you can't earn money.
Junior high school is not a timber shop.
That's true, but, anyway,
it's useless for going into business.
Useless or not,
we won't know if we don't try.
So are you going to junior high school?
I don't know.
I don't know myself, but going to
junior high school is not a bad idea.
If it was a bad idea, the school
would've been built for nothing.
I see. Then why don't you go?
I don't know.
I don't know, I say.
No, you do know.
I know you want to go.
If I go, what's wrong with that?
But you can't, because
you are poor, aren't you?
I'll go. I will.
See? You know it.
You are going, after all.
He is a model student.
You are a point-earner, a flatterer!
Stop, stop, stop!
Goichi-chan, let's go back together.
Let's go back together.
Not you, brother.
Model student
goes back with model student.
Kyo-chan or Taku-chan can say what they
want to.
That's nothing to me.
Goichi-chan and I were born on the
same month and the same day.
Goichi-chan is top in the boys' class
and I am top in the girls'.
We have many reasons to get along.
Thank you very much.
Come again, please.
Goodbye.
We are not goody-goodies, are we?
I hate kimono-maker Kawagin.
Hello, Miss.
Welcome back.
- Is my play-house ready?
- Not yet.
I'm working on it now.
You can see it tonight.
Goichi-chan, do you want to see
my play-house tomorrow?
- OK.
- Bye-bye.
Bye.
Hello.
I'm back.
Welcome back.
I saw him.
Whom?
Kawagin-san?
He says he needs you for something.
Mother,
What?
Let me go. Please.
Where?
To junior high school.
Well, no...
But even Asa-chan of Iseya shop will go.
Naturally, he's the son
of a big shop-owner.
Please let me go.
Please, mother!
It's impossible.
You aren't the same as the son
of a shop-owner with storehouses.
Think. We can't even
pay our house rent to Inabaya-san.
But Asa-chan is not good at learning.
If such a bad student can go,
why can't I?
Goichi-chan, the truth is,
a student with poor marks
can still go to junior high school.
But he can't pass the entrance exam.
Mother, please.
Please let me.
Goichi-chan, don't touch those.
They're not dried yet.
Oh, phooey!
Don't be frustrated.
I'll talk to your father.
I'm not sure what he will say.
Father, no.
When will you tell him?
Father is always out.
He's only back once or twice a year.
Selling insurance
requires him to always be away.
He never sends us money.
If he sent us money you wouldn't need to
make paper bags from morning to night.
Aha!
I have a good idea!
I'll also make paper bags.
How about it?
You don't know how little I earn
by making them.
I'll do it with you.
No.
Goichi-chan,
a man should not do such things.
Why not?
You just shouldn't.
Forget it and study.
If I can't go to junior high school, why
should I study?
Don't upset your mother
by talking like that.
Goichi-chan, where are you going?
If you go out to play, take this penny.
Oji-san,
Hi, come in.
What's wrong? You look depressed.
Were you scolded?
How's your mother doing?
She is working at home.
She shouldn't work too much.
For her health.
Oh, I've been waiting for you.
Aikawa, you have a good library.
Welcome.
Long time no see.
Please come in.
Food is ready, not much though.
Come in.
Goichi-chan, watch the shop
till our Kozo-san is back.
My body will be completely free
this coming March.
So you quit the school, then?
I love the children
so I'll wait till March,
but I decided to go Tokyo.
But under the circumstances,
can you live off literature?
By any means necessary,
I want to live off literature.
You know,
your respected writer, Ryoku...
do you know what he says?
Consider that a pen is one piece,
and chopsticks are two pieces.
Do not mind the noise of the masses.
My interpretation is this:
Consider that a pen is a single piece,
and the mouth is also a single piece.
See? The mouth is one.
I am single.
I have nothing to worry about.
But a man is not just a single mouth.
But I am.
You are now, but cannot be forever.
If I can't eat, I'll be single forever.
I will kill myself with literature.
It's not much.
The World:
Junior High School Textbook
"Minister of Education"
"Old Mr. Fukuzawa Yukichi."
You think Fukuzawa Yukichi
is a great man,
but I don't like him because
he doesn't respect literature.
He doesn't disrespect literature.
Just, he prioritizes
the useful subjects.
Yes, practical matters are important.
But there's a usefulness to the useless.
The development of the business world
doesn't mean the
development of human society.
You are obsessed by literature
from morning to night.
But he says the 31 characters
of classic waka poetry
are the same as dodoitsu popular song,
or singing with a shamisen,
regarding poetry as lower.
How can I be quiet against such insults?
I'm afraid your great Fukuzawa Yukichi
cannot understand literature.
Have one.
Thank you.
Your spirit is so passionate.
"On the day of arrival,
blossoms falling incessantly
in the light of the sun."
Ki no Tomonori...
How beautiful!
Beautiful...
You cannot reach that level with money.
I will leave my job in March.
But in the spirit of
blossoms falling incessantly,
nothing matters.
Fukuzawa sensei cannot understand
the spirit of falling incessantly.
To a man who cannot understand
falling incessantly, science is useless.
Science? Business?
So what?
Oh, you're talking about deep matters.
I can't keep up with Tacchan.
I go a bit too far.
No problem, tomorrow is Sunday.
Enjoy yourself.
Thanks.
"On the day of arrival,
blossoms falling incessantly
in the light of the sun."
Thank you very much.
Oba-san, I'm leaving for a while.
Goichi-chan, will you run an errand?
Kawagin-san forced me to take this.
But I can't accept it.
Will you return it?
Don't lose the money.
And, on the way back, buy some oil.
This is the money for the oil.
Come back soon.
The meal will be ready.
Oji-san!
I'm going to run an errand for Mom.
Can you watch the shop for me?
Yes, yes.
Thank you.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
That boy Aikawa Goichi is too good.
He is very bright.
I also believe that he is promising.
Say, did he mention anything about
junior high school?
No, he hasn't said anything yet.
He hasn't?
I hope the boy continues his education.
I checked the applicants today.
A boy who deserves to advance can't go
due to his family's financial problems.
Meanwhile a boy who's worthless
at school raises his hand.
That's the way of the world.
Yasu-san, don't you help
with his educational expenses?
I like the boy.
As a matter of fact, I was telling
Oren-san...
Who?
Oh, Oren-san is his mother.
I was telling her
about the issue a while ago.
My son likes Goichi-chan very much,
so he doesn't demand the house rent
if she can't pay.
In addition, he offers
to help her with the education costs.
It may be good karma,
but other tenants complain.
Does only Oren-san
have education costs or rent?
Why care so much
about the maintenance of her house?
You mention it again.
I feel sorry for them, that's all.
That's why I help them out a little.
They are staying in our rental house,
so I care.
What's wrong with that?
It's natural for a man
who owns rental houses.
Don't be angry at me.
See, Tacchan?
How does she make a living?
Oren-san is very good at sewing.
She can sew white silk with red thread
without exposing a dot of red stitching.
She lives on a shoestring that way.
When she was young she was so beautiful
that she was called the "Town Belle."
Kawagin was already
crazy about her back then.
But I heard that
she'd stopped sewing these days.
Probably because Kawagin
is stalking her.
What is Goichi's father doing?
That's the problem.
Mother,
was he such a bad man,
or rather...
such an irresponsible man
when he was young?
- Shogo-san?
- Yes.
Of course no one is born bad,
but I can understand why Shogo-san
was getting to be hated by people.
It was a long time ago,
when Shogo-san was around the age
that Goichi-chan is now.
His father, that is to say,
Goichi-chan's grandfather,
was working on the railway.
He was the first to...
well, how should I say it?
When someone dies on duty.
You mean, junshoku?
Yes, that's the word. Junshoku.
When the father of Shogo-san was
working at the station,
an old, half-blind woman accidentally
dropped her cane on the rails
just as a train was coming.
It was a plain bamboo stick
but it was important to the old woman.
She hobbled toward the rail to get it
just as the train was coming.
Frightened, Shogo-san's father
rushed to the woman, pushed her,
then he jumped off the rail
and picked up the cane for her.
So far so good.
It was bad luck.
Even though he had
enough time to escape,
after he threw the stick to the woman,
he collapsed on the rail.
What happened?
They say his shoe
was trapped in the rail,
or the sudden rush made him dizzy.
Death on duty by cane.
Interesting.
Do you want to write?
I could.
The father died so tragically,
so Shogo-san's family collected
a lot of sympathy from people and...
- Naturally.
- were given a lot of money.
Shogo-san returned to this town
with the money.
But relatives and fake people gathered
around him, and he lost his money.
After that he became ill-natured.
He started to fight, drink,
and finally he himself
started to do bad things.
In the end he began to feel
uncomfortable staying in this town,
so he went Tokyo,
leaving Oren-san and Goichi-chan alone.
But I feel pity for Shogo-san.
Goichi-chan.
But mother, you were dozing.
Yes, I was.
All right. Will you help me a little?
I have to make this before morning.
I can do as many as you.
Mother, I'm done.
You did? Thank you.
Give me what you've done.
Give me that.
Mother, what's wrong?
Left side front.
I should have told you carefully.
- If it was wrong I'll fix it.
- No, no, it's OK.
Why?
I knew this was not Goichi-chan's job.
No, it's not true. I can do it.
Oh, no. That's enough.
Your help takes up more time in the end.
Goichi-chan,
It's not your fault.
Don't cry.
You have done very well by me.
It's mother's fault, I did wrong.
Where is Asa-chan?
They're all at the playhouse out back.
I see.
Oh, Goichi-chan came.
Goichi-chan, it's all right.
There's room for you.
Asa-chan, move.
You can't stay so long in the best spot.
What've you been talking about?
We have been talking our adventures.
Kacchan, continue.
Then, then,
I crawled on the grass and ran away.
So you just pulled three hairs
out of the horse's tail. Is that all?
But that horse kicks.
Every horse kicks.
One or two horse-tail hairs is nothing.
I fought against a horse.
At the ranch of Kawakami.
Didn't it kick you back?
No, but it was very angry.
When I was fighting the horse,
the cows were sleeping.
I snuck over the fence and got on
the back of a cow that was sleeping.
Then, the cow suddenly woke up
and ran after me.
Then other cows also ran after me,
"moo, moo", just like that.
I was scared.
You didn't fight,
you just ran away.
All of them are boring.
Don't you have a more interesting story?
How about walking on the
handrail of Shindabashi bridge?
Like this. Can you do it?
How about you, can you do it?
Sure, I can. I have done it.
Oh yeah?
How many times?
Many times.
I can walk from one end to the other.
Is that all?
I can go all the way
to the end and back.
Wow!
Goichi-chan, do you have any stories?
Goichi-chan will go junior high school.
You won't be able to do what we do.
Yes, I will.
But you can't walk
on the handrail of the bridge, can you?
No, I can't.
But I've had some adventures.
What adventure?
You said you walked on the handrail.
Well...
I hung down from the railway bridge.
While a train was running,
I hung from the sleeper.
Amazing!
Is it true?
It is.
I doubt it.
I can't believe it.
Kacchan, don't doubt him.
But Goichi-chan,
you did a terrible thing.
Could Goichi-chan really do it?
You are too skeptical.
Goichi-chan can show you.
Interesting.
OK, do it.
Let's watch Goichi-chan show us
how he can hang down.
Goichi-chan, what's wrong?
Why did you get quiet?
You can't? So it was a lie!
- It's true!
- Then do it!
- I will!
- I mean now!
I'll do it tomorrow.
Not tomorrow. Now!
You say tomorrow. You want to escape!
Weakling!
All right. I'll do it now.
Good!
Goichi-chan, are you all right?
I'm all right.
We should have come earlier.
But the up-train will come soon.
Down and up pass each other.
Let's wait at the bridge.
Are you really going to do it?
You will die if you do.
If you want to stop,
I can tell him so for you.
Don't do it.
Kyo-chan!
Watch for the up-train coming.
What will you do?
I'll do it.
You are stubborn.
- Goichi-chan, you're going to do it?
- Yes.
It's coming, it's coming.
Kyo-chan, let's stop this.
Goichi-chan said he would do it,
so he must.
Don't move, Goichi-chan.
Keep calm.
Did he tell you to do it?
How could he say something so stupid?
A railway bridge is not made for
a person to hang from.
Even if he tells you to,
you shouldn't do such a stupid thing.
Goichi-chan,
who else was there?
How many were there?
No one.
So just you and this boy had a bet?
Yes.
You two alone?
- You two alone?
- Yes.
So you forced this boy to hang down.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
No, no, it's not true!
No, no, it's not true!
It's not true.
- Goichi-chan,
- Kyo-chan,
Goichi-chan!
Kyo-chan didn't force me.
I said I would do it!
Aikawa.
Have you ever thought about your name?
When you write your name
on a test paper or something,
you write it without thinking,
but Goichi is a very impressive name.
Go - ichi...
means, "I am alone".
I am only one in this world.
There are countless people
in this world,
but you, Goichi,
are the only one in the world.
The only person to hang down from the
railway bridge when a train was coming.
How absurd.
When a man dies, that's the end.
Aikawa Goichi is the only one
and he only has one life.
If you die, no junior high school.
You want to go to junior high school
and be a great man, right?
Hanging down from the railway bridge
is not a brave act at all.
It's inconsequential.
Leave the matter of dying
to grandpa and grandma.
Life is not meant for dying,
but for living.
You must live.
You must keep yourself alive.
If you don't take care of yourself
and your one life,
there is no meaning
to being born as human being.
You can do whatever you want
if you have the will.
Where there's a will there's a way.
Hanging down from the railway bridge
is a bad example,
but you've done
that which no one else can do.
You see, Aikawa?
For your own namesake,
you must keep yourself alive.
You are the only one in the world.
Do you see?
Don't forget it.
Aikawa,
do you want to go to junior high school?
Oji-san, I can go to junior high school.
- Is that so?
- Tsugino sensei told me so.
That's nice to hear.
Starting tomorrow I'll study after class
for the entrance exam.
Very good.
To celebrate in advance
I'll give you a book.
Here.
The Encouragement of Learning
Thank you, oji-san!
I'm back!
Mother!
Yes. Welcome home.
I can go to junior high school.
Tsugino sensei told me so.
Someone offered to pay the cost
for a student who gets good marks
but has financial difficulty.
So if I pass the entrance exam I can go.
Tsugino sensei said so.
I'll study for the exam after school.
I'll do it, too.
They say, "Heaven did not create a man
above or below another man."
It means that Heaven made humans equal
and there was no difference among them.
As the lords of creation,
they could use all things in the world
by exercising their own body and brain
for their clothing, food and housing.
Freely, unless they bothered others,
they could live comfortably.
That's what Heaven created.
Listen, Goichi-chan.
I'll go to Inabaya-san to have a chat.
I was given this book by Oji-san,
That's good.
But now, observing human societies,
we see wise and foolish, rich and poor,
noble and peasant...
What causes such differences?
Learning does not mean
practically useless studies,
such as learning difficult
kanji characters, reading old books,
enjoying waka poems or composing poetry.
These studies are entertaining
and sometimes useful.
But they are not so valuable as
Confucians and Kokugaku scholars say.
There are few scholars of the Chinese
classics who are good at making a living
and few townspeople who are good at both
waka poetry and business from old times.
So, thoughtful townspeople
and farmers are worried
that their children may lose
their property by studying too hard.
Where is mother?
She went to Inabaya-san.
Call her.
Mother.
Father is...
Excuse me, sir.
Oh,
Oren-san left already?
Yes. Just now.
Extra news!
- Have some tea.
- Yes.
Extra news!
Again.
What extra news?
Goichi wants to go to the school.
He gets good marks.
And we were offered...
the tuition money by Inabaya-san.
Goichi,
go out and play.
I don't trust people.
Until today, I have only been
betrayed by people.
I won't ask anyone's help.
That is my philosophy.
I don't understand
the kindness of Inabaya.
He doesn't demand unpaid rent,
he takes care of you,
and, in addition,
he offers to pay for Goichi's tuition
Do you believe
it's just out of simple kindness?
You must be good at trusting people.
You trusted me and found yourself
living such a miserable life.
You must regret it, mustn't you?
Does Kawagin, the kimono maker,
still visit you like before?
Yes.
I met Kawagin on the way here.
He was not friendly to me
but he greeted me before I did.
I felt strange.
He said you had
stopped working at his shop recently.
He wants you to do the job again.
What's more...
he says he can offer the job to Goichi
as an apprentice at the Iseya shop.
But his kindness
also has a different purpose, I assume.
End of Part 1
So you won't go junior high school?
No.
Will Asa-chan go?
No.
There are no more entrance exams.
Why?
There were fewer applicants
than expected.
So, Sacchan, Kochan, Takayama-kun,
and even Taku-chan will go.
Taku-chan too?
They're all fools.
Kyo-chan,
I'll go work for Iseya as an apprentice.
- In Asa-chan's house?
- Yes.
I see.
Don't cry.
I also work. At timber shop.
Goichi-chan, look.
A train's passing.
It is running on the railway bridge
that you hung down from.
What was his name, you said?
Goichi, sir.
It's not easy to say.
The name is not good for a merchant.
You are right, sir.
What should we change it to?
Gokichi? No, not easy to say.
How about Gosuke?
OK.
Gosuke... it sounds good.
His kanji "go" is difficult to write.
The "go 吾" is too complicated,
"五 five" is good enough.
A merchant must be straight,
including his name.
That's true.
Got it?
You will be called Gosuke from now on.
When you are called Gosuke,
you must answer "hey".
No, no, no.
When you are called, you must
answer immediately, "hey!", like that.
Sorry sir, he can't answer well yet.
Please teach him well, sir.
Well then, Goichi-chan...
or, I mean, Gosuke-san.
Are you happy to go junior high school?
Are you pleased to wear the uniform?
I got into the school.
That's why I can wear this uniform.
I don't know which
makes me more pleased.
You fool.
You will fail at junior high school.
It's none of your business.
Goichi-chan.
Young master, you should not
call him Goichi-chan.
Why not?
This is not Goichi anymore,
but Gosuke, at the store.
You must call him Gosuke
without informal terms.
Gosuke?
Strange name, sounds like a coolie.
Don't you think so, sister?
No, it's not strange.
He is not your friend anymore.
You must call him Gosuke, otherwise
the store rules will be disturbed.
Gosuke-don, greet young master
and young lady.
Asa-chan
Young master.
Young master, young lady,
thank you for the new job.
You have many things to learn.
- I ate, thank you.
- OK.
Are you also going
to the Oohira shrine tomorrow?
Yes. We'll all go.
I'll pray again after a long time.
I see.
What was that?
Such a sloppy bow.
Do it again.
No, no, no.
That's why I teach you.
Do you think a merchant can do such bow?
Huh?
Just lowering the head is not enough.
No good. Do it again.
Gosuke-don,
you're training to be a merchant.
So you have to learn how to bow.
You can eat without worry everyday.
What do you owe for it?
Think about it carefully.
Then your bow will change a little.
I'll go to bed, sir.
The problem with your bow is,
your head-up is stronger
than your head-down.
It shows that you see people as lower.
No good. Do it again.
I'll go to bed, sir.
Good. Go to bed.
You told him exactly what
you were told by big master.
I'll go to bed, sir.
OK, good night.
Gosuke.
Gosuke.
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke.
Gosuke-don, wake up.
Gosuke-don.
Get up now!
Oh, you are small but powerful.
It's mostly goose down.
Gosuke-don!
Hey!
Gosuke-don!
Hey!
- Gosuke-don!
- Gosuke-don!
Hey!
- Gosuke-don!
- Hey!
You've been called.
They say, "Heaven did not create a man
above or below another man."
It means that Heaven made humans equal
and there was no difference among them.
As the lords of creation...
- Gosuke-don!
- Hey!
Gosuke, what are you doing?
Get them for me quickly.
What?
My geta sandals.
Quickly.
I can't wear these to school.
Not that.
No, that one.
Hey, give me my shoes.
"Junior high school cap"
- My leg-wrap.
- Yes.
Gosuke-don,
deliver the goods to the station!
Yes.
Aikawa-kun.
- Goichi-kun.
- Hey.
Sensei.
How are you doing?
Gotten more used to it?
Yes.
- Goichi-chan.
- Oji-san.
Long time no see.
Do you think you can endure?
Yes.
I wanted to give you a
chance at junior high school
but your father had a different opinion.
Is your mother all right?
I haven't seen her
since I went to work for Iseya-san.
You must be patient.
Don't forget what I told you before:
you are Aikawa Goichi, you know.
Train for Tokyo arriving.
Here it is.
You are working,
but don't forget to study.
Sensei is going to Tokyo. Work hard.
Tokyo?
Oji-san too?
No, I just came to see him off.
Now, sensei is going.
Take care of your health first.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
Sensei! Send me a letter
when you arrive in Tokyo.
Sure, I'll send you a beautiful card.
Ma'am, you must wear something as good
as this because you're married already.
- Gosuke-don.
- Hey!
- Bring some silk.
- Right away!
You don't understand such things? Fool.
Hey, I'll carry it, sir.
- Gosuke!
- Hey!
Come here.
Gosuke, can you do this?
"...some number, times 121...
"becomes 3087.
"What is the number?"
See? Isn't it difficult?
But not impossible to solve, sir.
Then do it!
This is it, isn't it?
Well, is it?
You haven't done it yet, young master?
Fine.
Then do number five.
This is difficult.
- You can't do it, can you?
- I can, sir.
Gosuke, Gosuke.
I can't take such a cold bath.
Don't you know when it's warm or not?
Burn some more.
You touched only the surface.
No good. Burn more.
"5 men worked 5 hours..."
Good. Well done.
Do you need me, sir?
Yesterday's arithmetic was all correct.
You are clever.
Was it really?
Now, do this for today.
This is homework, isn't this?
It doesn't matter.
Do it please.
Before morning.
But you must do homework yourself, sir.
Gosuke, do it please.
Today's work is more
difficult than yesterday's.
You can use my textbook, OK?
Junior High School Textbook
What are you doing?
Instead of doing work,
you're here reading a book.
I will tell the master.
Get back to the store!
How about this, ma'am?
Too simple.
How about this?
This one is unique and interesting.
"Up, up, soaring."
Very good sir.
We have to do that too.
Yes.
The sooner the better.
Should we start
to change the price tags tonight?
Good idea sir.
The first warehouse completed, sir.
OK. Then, start on the middle warehouse.
...7,700 in total...
Gosuke.
Have you done my homework?
I haven't done it yet.
No good.
I need it tomorrow.
But the shop is too busy.
I have no time, sir.
The shop is earning money,
but we were exhausted for nothing.
Please, no more price rises.
Chu-don, let's have a short rest.
Boys, let's take a rest.
Danna, we got this already.
Ah, yes.
That's good, sir.
Thank you for your work.
Have some tea.
I know you are busy,
but can I borrow Gosuke-don?
No problem.
Gosuke-don, come to the room.
Umbrella repairs!
Someone is sick. Be quiet.
The doctor said that undernourishment
and overwork damaged her heart.
He said he could give her medicine,
but that she must be hospitalized.
The greedy doctor threatened us so.
But the hospital is too much for us.
Goichi-chan, I'm sorry I made you worry.
I was surprised
when Kyo-chan came to tell me.
I can buy medicine.
Danna gave this to me.
Take it and buy medicine.
Danna says if I work harder
I'll get more money.
I'd like to work harder
and buy medicine as necessary.
But I can't take care of
you as you did for me.
The shop is very busy
because of the change of tags.
In addition, I have to take care of
Asa-chan's studies.
But I'll ask Oba-san from next door,
Kyo-chan and Oji-san of Inabaya to help.
Will you go to a doctor
in Yamatomachi Town for help?
Yes.
Tell him Inabaya asked him to come here.
Yes.
Gosuke-don,
Gosuke-don.
Gosuke-don, wake up.
You must wake up now.
Your mother is dead.
Your mother died.
Don't you understand?
Now, get ready.
We got the news just now.
Go home immediately.
I will follow you soon.
Change your kimono.
Well, she was ill.
So he hospitalized her.
That's OK.
Good,
but why did he visit her everyday?
Stop it. You shouldn't say so.
If you mention it, Inabaya-san's
kindness becomes meaningless.
What about your kindness, Kawagin-san?
Since you mentioned it, it
too becomes meaningless?
Stop such talk.
It makes the deceased sad.
Thank you for you advice, ma'am.
But, fortunately, the dead are at peace.
Goichi, it's you.
Goichi-chan, you are back.
Your mother has done a terrible thing.
Give a prayer for your mother.
What's the matter?
Don't be afraid.
Oren-san always
worried about you so much.
Goichi.
What's the matter?
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Goichi-chan!
Mother, don't die. Don't!
No good.
No hope.
He tries to hide himself,
reading books somewhere.
He cannot be a merchant.
You're right, sir.
Can't we send him
to his father in Tokyo?
If he were a roll of cloth
we could send him back with return note.
- Is it not possible?
- Huh?
Well, he is still child.
If something happened along the way,
it'd damage the reputation of our shop.
Damage to our shop wouldn't be that.
Damage would be a rumor
that the boy of Iseya is the son
of a woman who recently drowned herself.
No good.
Do something.
I can't say no to Iseya-san's request.
So I'll send him Tokyo,
but, the cost...
Sure, that's Iseya's responsibility.
How much do you need?
How about this?
That's too much.
This.
Kyoya-san,
Again! You must call me "Danna".
- Danna,
- What?
I want to make a short visit.
Do it quick. Danna will keep walking
toward the station. OK?
OK.
Hello!
Goichi-chan.
Where is Oji-san?
He visited another town
for several days.
I see.
I wanted to find out the address
of Tsugino sensei.
Tell Oji-san I went to Tokyo to study.
You're going to Tokyo?
Yes.
I see.
Sorry that Oji-san is out.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Danna, the train is nice.
"82 km to Tokyo"
Danna, when will we reach Tokyo?
Well, after we've passed
this village, we will.
That isn't another lie?
Danna, when will we reach Tokyo?
Maybe after we've passed
the next village.
How many more towns and villages
before we reach Tokyo?
Well, Danna doesn't really know.
Tokyo!
For Tokyo!
Buy two tickets for Tokyo.
Tokyo? Really?
Two for Tokyo.
Here, two for Tokyo.
Hokota - Tokyo
Street car ticket, 6-sen
Here, this is it.
Now you can see your father.
This is a nice house.
Gosuke, you lost
some rolls of cloth, understand?
I did?
Kumita Sumie
Hello.
So you are saying that,
this boy lost shop goods, he's useless,
and so he's being returned?
That's it.
And the loss of the goods
must be paid for.
Because it was his fault.
I ask you to reimburse us for that.
Oh?
If a boy loses the goods
his kin must pay for it,
is that what you're saying?
Of course, ma'am.
They were a customer's valuable goods.
How could you ignore that?
What was your name, well, Kyoya-san?
Let me ask you something...
If you lost someone's child,
what would you do?
Well, you mean...?
Don't play innocent.
You deceived and dragged
the child around for a long time.
Isn't that unreasonable?
No, no.
I was asked by Chusuke-san of Iseya.
Chusuke-san? Who is that?
I don't know such a person.
I don't know the master
or manager of the big shop,
but by what right can he
move someone's child here and there?
If the child has no
relatives, that's one thing,
but he has a good father...
Sure, I understand what you're saying,
but according to Chusuke-san...
You say, "Chusuke-san this,
Chusuke-san that",
but Chusuke-san is neither
this boy's father nor relative.
I understand that quite well, ma'am.
Then I ask you,
did you come here to apologize
or to get money?
Sis, Umehara-san needs charcoal.
You can get the charcoal yourself.
But, my hand...
Gee, you don't want
to get your hands dirty.
Hey, you.
You must help out
when you come to someone's house.
Go to the kitchen
and get charcoal for the lady.
Kitchen's over here.
But, Kyoya-san, if you think everything
is settled now, you're wrong.
When Aikawa is back,
we'll have to have another chat.
No, no, not necessary, ma'am.
Excuse me.
Boy. Go buy me tobacco.
I have a name.
Call me by my name, please.
You are just a child.
My name is Goichi.
Stop it, boy.
He's a university student. Don't argue.
He is really mean, boy.
I am not a boy anymore!
Then you are a male maid.
Same as a boy, isn't it?
You aren't a boy.
What was your name again?
I am Goichi, sir.
Yes, Goichi.
Goichi-kun, buy me tobacco, then.
- Hey.
- "Hey"?
If you answer like that,
you will be called boy by them again.
- "Hai!"
- Hai!
♪ Rental room with meals and girls.
♪ Buy, buy, buy,
♪ everything is 208 mon,
♪ Everything is 100 mon
on Front Street,
♪ 208 mon
on Beard Street.
He says Ne-san and I
are 2 sen and 5 rin.
He insults us.
Kumakata again!
How dare he?
The man hardly pays rent on time.
Ne-san, don't let Kumakata-san
keep staying here.
I don't like guys like that.
I know, I know.
Forget it.
We'll go to the theater today.
Oh, yes.
You must prepare.
Umehara-san will be back soon.
Yes.
Which kimono should I wear?
What are you doing, boy?
Ne-san.
Ne-san, hurry.
We can drop in at the Mitsui Kimono shop
on the way.
If we go to the Mitsui Kimono shop,
I want a new shawl.
Yes, you can buy one.
Ma'am.
What?
I work hard during the day.
Will you let me go to school at night?
You want to study?
Gee.
You see Umehara-san reading books
and you suddenly get such ideas?
You shouldn't.
Umehara-san has good parents
who send him tuition money,
that's why he can go to medical school
or any school he wants.
Don't compare them
with your poor family.
What are you going to study at school?
Forget learning from books.
Do a good job cleaning lamps.
Your wick-cutting is always irregular.
To Kurimura Kyozo-kun:
I arrived in Tokyo in Autumn.
The best thing in Tokyo is
the horse-drawn streetcar's bell.
I'm back.
It's very quiet.
Where are they?
- They went to the theater, sir.
- The theater?
With the rich man again?
When the cat's away, the mice will play.
Come to my room.
Why the long face?
You were snapped at again, weren't you?
Don't mind, don't mind.
Come on.
Madame is quite a woman.
You must have a hard time.
Don't worry. It's not bad
to have a hard time when you're young.
Have a seat.
Even a baby has to take bitter medicine.
If a man takes no bitter medicine,
then he doesn't grow up well.
This is you.
Do you understand?
Is this a cartoon?
Don't say so.
Can't you see?
Read the voice written there.
"Daruma-san, daruma-san,
stretch out your feet,
try to walk by your own feet."
Do you get it at all?
You don't?
I'll give you this.
Look at it for a couple of days.
Thank you very much, sir.
But Kumakata-san,
you are painting such pictures.
Why don't you make real paintings?
Real paintings?
Like what?
Most painters make pictures
of Mt. Fuji or shrines and things...
Such kind of pictures will make...
money?
I can't pay room rent,
so you think I'm stupid too.
No, I don't.
Oh, no?
You know,
there are two
types of paintings in the world:
those which have a voice and
those which have no voice.
Usually a painting is called
a poem without voice.
But look at these modern paintings.
They are colorfully painted in
many layers, but have no poetry at all.
What is a poem? A poem is a voice.
The time today is,
"even a stone would cry".
How can a painting be voiceless?
But I can't have a gentle,
sophisticated poetic voice,
so I scream with full force,
say sarcastic things.
The scream and the sarcasm
cannot be true from deep in my heart,
unless I am hit by someone,
pressed by someone.
When you are stepped on and
loaded with a huge burden on your back,
damn, the power
of pushing back is generated.
Great poets must be born
among those hardships.
Cartoons are interesting.
Do you understand?
I want to be a poet like that.
You want to be? Funny.
But...
even a great poet gets hungry.
Say...
go and order a bowl.
A rice bowl, sir?
I see. Madame warned you
about something.
She said "don't take an order for him."
Didn't she?
Don't worry. I pay when the time comes.
Run for it.
Wait,
two bowls, OK?
- Two? You eat so many?
- Don't worry about it. Just run.
Rice bowls are so good.
- Oh, is this your first time?
- Yes.
That's good. Eat up.
Hello, thank you very much.
I came to pick up the empty bowls.
What? We don't have your bowls.
Yes. Yesterday, we got
an order of two rice bowls.
Really?
Oh, I found it here.
Thank you.
Ne-san, did you make an order yesterday?
No. Ask the boy.
Who got rice bowls yesterday?
Kumakata-san.
He had a guest?
No.
Then why two?
I was treated to one.
Boy,
come here.
Come to Ne-san!
I am polishing lamps.
OK.
OK.
OK, OK.
When Aikwa comes back I'll kick him out.
A PEBBLE BY THE WAYSIDE
THE END