You can listen to the interview by tapping the image. (Japanese only)
A short version for on-site distribution will be played. You can listen to the long version here.
KOKUBO Teruko, ISHIBASHI Ayako, NAITO Hiroko
A trio of close friends born and raised in the Irago area. Ms. Kokubo lived through the war during her school days. Having witnessed the transformations in life in Irago before and after the construction of the Toyogawa Canal, they are living encyclopedias of the area's history.
I worked in the Teishintai (Women's Volunteer Labor Corps) at the Toyogawa Naval Arsenal. Studying? That was out of the question. But still, there’s no place as good as here. Whether the sun shines or the rain falls, this place is wonderful.
During World War II, I worked in the Teishintai (Women's Volunteer Labor Corps) at the Toyogawa Naval Arsenal. We worked eight-hour shifts in a three-shift rotation. Studying? That was out of the question. Even elementary school kids were busy helping with land reclamation. There was no way we could beat America, what fools we were.
It wasn’t until the Toyogawa canal was built that we could finally do proper farming work. We even did land readjustment projects. Farming is tough too, you know. There are pit vipers in the fields. But still, there’s no place as good as here. The Ise Bay Typhoon was terrible, but we haven’t had any major disasters since. Whether the sun shines or the rain falls, this place is wonderful.
It wasn’t until the Toyogawa canal was built that we could finally do proper farming work. We even did land readjustment projects. Farming is tough too, you know. There are pit vipers in the fields. But still, there’s no place as good as here. The Ise Bay Typhoon was terrible, but we haven’t had any major disasters since. Whether the sun shines or the rain falls, this place is wonderful.
