A Tale for the Time Being (62 page)

74
. 
ikisudama
(
)—a living ghost.

75
. 
tatari
(
)—spirit attacks.

76
. 
shitamachi
(
)—downtown.

77
. 
kappa
(
)—lit. “river child.” Mischievous
mythological creature, like a water sprite, with webbed hands and feet, and scaly green, blue, or yellow reptilian skin. It has a carapace like a turtle’s shell, and a bowl-shaped
indentation on the top of its head, which it must keep filled with water. If the bowl spills, the kappa becomes paralyzed.

78
. 
z
ō
ri
(
)—flip-flops.

79
. 
Nao-chan desu ne?
—You are dear Nao, aren’t you?

80
. 
Ohisashiburi
—It’s been a very long time.

81
. 
Ookiku natta ne
—You’ve gotten very big, haven’t you?

82
. 
Ob
ā
chama
—honorific but intimate way of addressing grandmother.

83
. 
Shitsurei itashimasu
—Pardon me for intruding.

84
. 
danka
(
)—temple parishioners.

85
. 
homushiku
(
)—from Engish
homesick.

86
. 
nyuugakushiken
(
)—entrance exams.

87
. 
mochi
(
)—sweet rice balls.

88
. Miyagi . . . Sendai is in Miyagi!

89
. 
The Rhetoric of Confession
by Edward Fowler. See Bibliography.

90
. Bluestocking Society.

91
. Red Wave Society.

92
. This title seems to come from a poem by Yosano Akiko, titled “Rambling Thoughts,” which was published in the first
issue of
Seito
magazine. See Appendix C.

93
. Searched Google for these names but found nothing. Nao wrote the names in
romaji
, so I knew only the pronunciation.
Tried guessing the kanji but wasn’t able to come up with a combination that could be located on a map. See Appendix D for some possible kanji for
Hiyuzan
and
Jigenji
, as
well as more information about Japanese temple nomenclature.

94
. Cryptomeria.

95
. 
Obento wa ikaga desu ka? Ocha wa ikaga desu ka?
—Would you care for a lunchbox? Would you care for some tea?

96
. 
tenugui
(
)—a thin cotton cloth used as a head
covering or a towel.

97
. 
kakkoii
(
)—stylish, cool, snappy.

98
. 
minminzemi
? (
)—
Oncotympana maculaticollis
,
a kind of Japanese cicada.