No.7 "What I Learned from Shuntaro Tanikawa"

( Education of Inagi City 'Yale' December 15, Issue 3 published )

What I Learned from Shuntaro Tanikawa

　"When the youth of Kamchatka dreams of a giraffe, a girl in Mexico waits for the bus in the morning mist" - This is the opening line of the poem "Morning Relay" by Shuntaro Tanikawa. My classes about this poem during my teaching days are one of my fond memories. The rhythmic sound of "Kamchatka" and the warp to a foreign city... From this opening, the reader opens the door to an unknown world. We read aloud with excitement, overviewing the Earth from the outside, and reflecting on the other side of the Earth in this very moment. Furthermore, from the phrases, "We relay the morning" and "From longitude to longitude, thus we take turns protecting the Earth," I shared with my middle school students the vision of wanting to protect the beauty and peace of the Earth together with friends from unseen worlds.
　"Kappa kappa rapped, kappa rapped" (from 'Kotoba Asobiyuta' (Fukui-kan Shoten), poem 'Kappa') - While experiencing the charm and mystery of the Japanese language, everyone in the classroom enjoyed 'word play' together with loud voices.
　"To be alive, to be living now" begins the poem "Living" - in this work, Mr. Tanikawa writes about various phenomena and sensations encountered in daily life, such as "being thirsty," "the sunlight filtering through the trees is dazzling," and "suddenly recalling a certain melody," while also expressing the important things to cherish in life as a human, such as "holding your hand," "carefully warding off hidden evils," and "people loving one another."
　Across Japan and indeed the world, many people have been drawn to and have become familiar with the poetry and words of Shuntaro Tanikawa. As one of those people, and as an educator, I have been captivated by Tanikawa's world of works.
　Several of Mr. Tanigawa's poems have been set to melody and are widely enjoyed as choral pieces.
　"What is this feeling? An invisible flow of energy travels from the earth through the soles of my feet..." (from the poem "In Spring") - In the season of "spring," the young people standing on the earth experience a clash of various emotions such as "joy," "irritation," "longing," and "frustration." Along with the instability and fluctuations that everyone feels during this season, it sings of a belief in possibilities and expresses the harshness and joy of living.
　In addition, the poem "Believe" has become a standard number for choral music. About ten years ago, when I took office as the principal of Inagi Dai 4 Junior High School, "Believe" was sung as the "required song" for the 3rd grade in the school event "Choral Competition." "I cannot lie to myself; I believe in myself as I am. There is no need for a reason to believe." "On a morning when the dew on the leaves sparkles, what does the fawn gaze at? Everything is new every day; I believe in such a world." - This work is filled with warm and powerful encouragement for young people, urging them to first believe in themselves, embodying a sincere attitude of being close to the small things, facing the realities of the world, and being moved by beauty. The students shared the message from Mr. Tanigawa, firmly grasped the heart of the poem, and earnestly worked on their singing to convey those feelings to the listeners. And during the performance, they bathed in dazzling, intense lights, faced the dark audience, believed in their own strength, encouraged themselves, and relied on the bonds of the heart with their peers, magnificently singing "Believe." I, too, was deeply moved by the significance of "believing in oneself" from the sight of those students.
　Through the use of simple and familiar words, Mr. Tanikawa's works make us aware of the depths of humanity and the state of the world, prompting us to reflect on the attitude needed to live as a person. Many people surely have various memories associated with his numerous works. Additionally, due to my background in education, I have been fortunate to experience and share the emotions evoked by Mr. Tanikawa's works with middle school students. From Mr. Tanikawa's works, I have come to realize the fundamental significance of learning together, where each individual can freely imagine scenes and emotions through words and share their reflections with peers.
　Currently, the textbooks used in the city's Elementary and Junior High Schools include "Living" (6th grade, elementary school, Japanese language) and "In Spring" (3rd grade, junior high school, Japanese language) (junior high school, music), and the children of this city are learning from Mr. Tanigawa's works. People all over Japan come into contact with his works daily, and the thoughts they inspire have also provided valuable learning experiences for the children and students of Inagi City, as well as for everyone who has learned and grown in Inagi.
　Recently, in November of the 5th year of Reiwa, a book titled 'That World and This World' was published by Iwanami Shoten in the form of correspondence between Mr. Tanikawa and Ms. Mikako Brady. In my opening remarks at the regular principal's meeting in January of the 6th year of Reiwa, I introduced a series of exchanges focusing on the continuity of life and death, along with my impressions after reading the book. I presented a section mentioned by Ms. Brady in the book, which discusses how 'humans are evolving to live as data by updating their brains,' and that this 'transhumanism' is being debated among the younger generation in the UK. I expressed the idea that 'we want to value direct interaction and confrontation between humans.' Furthermore, in the concluding section of the book, Mr. Tanikawa states, 'It is also true that we feel a vague anxiety along with our outlook for the future regarding the fact that humans, originally social animals, have awakened as individuals within the group and that this has begun to evolve even to AI.'
　Shuntaro Tanikawa passed away on November 13, 2024, at the age of 92.
　The remaining works will continue to question our views on humanity and the world for a long time to come. I, too, must keep an eye on a world that is further evolving in civilization, enjoying and utilizing its advancements, while at times returning to Mr. Tanigawa's message, and pursuing the necessary strengths and the ideal state of being as a human.

Director of Inagi City Board of Education, Makiko Sugimoto

[Citation/Reference]
Shuntaro Tanikawa "Morning Relay" "Kappa" "Living" "In Spring" "Believing"
Shuntaro Tanikawa Mikako Bureidi 'This World and That World' (Iwanami Shoten)