Japanese folk tales

When I was leaving Japan, I tried to pack as much as I could. I guess I was hoping that in doing so, I would be packing the memories along with me too. Every little thing that had an anecdote attached to it, I wanted to take along. But I soon realized that it was unrealistic and unnecessary to do so (aside from the obvious fact that I’ve already paid too much for shipping and there is a limit to my luggage weight). Unlike the objects I was taking with me, memories cannot be tied up into neat little packages. They can still slip away and fade with time. There is only so much physical objects can do to help jolt recollection. Hence, what’s important is that I’ve had the privilege of all these wonderful experience and encounters with beautiful people. These, I will always own, even when I don’t recall them anymore. Because they’ve become a part of me, they’ve contributed to the person I am.

That said, I did manage to pack into my bags a tiny collection of children’s books on Japanese folk tales! I just had to have them. They not only feed my love for children’s books but also narrate a piece of the Japanese culture. It’s like killing two birds with one stone! Hence, it necessitates my transporting them home. That was very convincing self-rationale.

Here are a few photos on them and a peek into the inside pages of one of them— ももたろう (Momotaro)
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[click on images to enlarge]

There are 30 books in this collection. I must work towards completing my collection the next time I visit Japan!

[images: Cookie Cutter]