Ready for a pawfectly delightful story? Dive into the magical world of Japanese cat picture books with our hand-picked selection of heartwarming tale.
Photos contained this page are edited by The Pawfectly Modern
All original photos are from 絵本ナビ
1. "なまえのないねこ" - Namae no nai neko
Author : Takeshita Fumiko
Picture : Machida Naoko
"Namae no nai neko" means "A cat without a name". Namae means Name, Nai means No, Neko means Cat in Japanese.
Photos contained this page are edited by The Pawfectly Modern
All original photos are from 絵本ナビ
Summary:
"The cat at the shoe store is named 'Leo', the cat at the bookstore is named 'Genta', and the cat at the greengrocer's is named 'Chibi'. All the cats in town have names, except for this Tabby cat.
While walking around town, the cat begins to search for a name that suits it. 'Kanban' (signboard), 'yajirushi' (arrow), 'kuruma' (car), 'noraneko' (stray cat), 'henna neko' (weird cat), 'acchi ike!' (go away!).
But the Tabby cat can't seem to find a suitable name. Under a bench, looking up at the sky and waiting for the rain to stop, the cat hears the sound of rain echoing in its heart. Then a kind voice asks, 'Hey, are you hungry?' Upon hearing that voice, the cat realizes what it truly wanted all along. And that is..."
Comment :
The tabby cat that appears in the picture book is said to be less likely to be adopted because it is the most common pattern in Japan. Watching the cat wandering around town looking for a name, the authors' wish is to give every cat a name and to be welcomed into a warm home, and that's exactly what I wish for as well.
Author & Picture : Yoko Sano
"100 man-kai ikita neko means "The Cat That Lived a Million Times"
Summary :
That cat died a million times and lived a million times. It was a ship's cat at times, a circus magician's cat at others, and also a thief's, an old lady's, and a little girl's cat. They all loved the cat and cried when it died.
But the cat never cried even once. The cat hated its owners and didn't mind dying. It loved itself so much that it was happy to become a stray cat that belonged to no one.
However, an event occurs that dramatically changes the way of life for that cat. It's an encounter with a beautiful white cat...
Comment :
The individual lives of the "cat that lived a million times," which are repeatedly told throughout the picture book has its own story and is filled with so much imagination. Nevertheless, the final story is completely different because he learns emotions he did not know before. He realizes a great truth. Was he happy?
As the story progresses and you see the cat's expression gradually become calmer, what did you feel? I hope you keep those feelings dear.
3. やくそく (Yakusoku)
Author & Picture : Masako Narita
Yakusoku means "Promise" in Japanese.
Summary :
The cat named Yomo lives in a small house with the owner Yuuji. Yomo loves Yuuji very much and spends his days fishing and singing with him on Yuuji's days off. However, Yuuji became very busy after starting a new job. He would come home and fall asleep without talking, and he no longer had any weekends off.
As a result, the house began to change. Yuuji's coat, which he no longer wore because he was too busy, disappeared. When he stopped playing the piano, the piano disappeared. When he stopped eating meals at home, the table and chairs disappeared. Yomo starts thinking to himself, "I wonder if I will disappear too".
However, he continued to wait for Yuuji, because he had made a promise with him to go fishing together.
Comment :
If you're too busy and feel like you're losing sight of what's important, I've got a recommendation for you! The book conveys a very important lesson that you will be reminded of. If you don't pay attention to it, it's as if there's nothing there at all.
Comments