Kamishibai: Taa-chan's Oshogatsu (New Year)
This kamishibai looks at how the New Year, or Oshogatsu, is celebrated in Japan. It is the most important holiday of the year and in the run-up to the day, people spend time cleaning their homes, putting up decorations, and writing cards to friends and family. The New Year signifies new beginnings and bidding farewell to the previous year and it is also a time to spend with family and loved ones. On New Year’s Day itself, people eat traditional dishes called osechi ryori which each have a symbolic meaning and many will also pay a visit to a shrine or temple.
In the story, a little girl known as Taa-chan is getting ready to celebrate the New Year with her family. Usually she enjoys helping with the preparation of her favourite dish, but this year she is too worried about her beloved pet hamster who isn’t very well. As Taa-chan comes to terms with her loss, she finds comfort in thinking that her pet’s spirit may have found an unexpected new home…
This original story was written by Kazuko Hohki and illustrated by Aya Burbanks.
Suitable for Year 2 to Year 6.
Resources
The PowerPoint presentation (PPT), with some animated effects and music, is created to look like a live kamishibai show. The story text is in the notes section of each slide and is designed to be shown as a slide show in 'presenter view', where the text is visible on the presenter's screen only while the audience views the main illustrated slide.
If you only have one screen (cannot use the 'presenter view'), or simply prefer to read from a piece of paper, but still want to show the kamishibai in PointPoint, the story text can be printed from the PDF version.
Please note the PPT file is password protected but can be opened and played in 'read only' format.
Taa-chan's Oshogatsu - PPSX (5.8 MB)
PowerPoint Show: opens automatically and only in PowerPoint presentation view. You will need PowerPoint on your device in order to open and view properly.
Taa-chan's Oshogatsu - PPTX (5.8 MB)
PowerPoint Document: Use this file if your computer does not support pps or ppsx format.
The PDF is designed to be used as printed kamishibai cards (up to A3 size). The file comes with instructions on how to read kamishibai. If you only have one screen (cannot use the 'presenter view'), or simply prefer to read from a piece of paper, but still want to show the kamishibai in PowerPoint, the story text can be printed from the PDF version.
Taa-chan's Oshogatsu - PDF (36.6 MB)
Additional Resources
Visit the Japanese New Year Celebration page for more teaching resources.
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