FULL Amejyo, Hiro and the Moon (Tomoko Iwakawa) Sapporo 2016 Yoshiaki Takezawa, Takuzo Hashimoto, Momoshima Ayako

Children’s songs were originally songs that gods would use to talk to children to hint at events. Since the Taisho period, they have been written by adults for children.

Nursery rhymes are songs that we hum as children, learn in elementary school, and fascinate many adults. Among these nursery rhymes that are still loved and sung to this day, many masterpieces such as “Rainy Moon,” “Bubbles,” “Seven Children” were left behind by Noguchi Ujo, a poet with ties to Sakura City. The opera “Ujo, Hiro and the Moon” is a creative opera that depicts Noguchi Ujo’s growth into a literary youth, his marriage to his wife Hiro, who was from Kitsuregawa and also loved literature, their happy family life, their separation after going through hardships, and Ujo’s resolve as a poet and Hiro’s resolve to raise their children from beneath the distant sky while quietly watching over Ujo.

Although the opera is based on real people, it is a fictional rendition by Iwakawa Tomoko.

Chapter 1: Upbringing –
Ujo was born and raised in Isohara, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean toward Tokyo. He spins poems like a singing skylark. Eventually, he aspires to be a writer and moves to Tokyo, where he is inspired by his dreams. He meets the likes of Kitahara Hakushu, but is forced to return to his hometown after his father’s sudden death.Chapter 2: Hiro’s Dreams
In spring, Hiro of Kiryugawa waits for his loved one to visit. Plum blossoms are in bloom at the temple. Through a strange coincidence, Hiro, who was called the nightingale, and Ujo, who was called the skylark, are blessed and united in marriage.

Chapter 3: A Scene from a Certain Day:
Ujo and Hiro’s New Life. The two are a loving couple who both devote themselves to writing poetry. A cute baby boy is born, and their home is filled with happiness. However, the long-awaited baby girl dies shortly after birth.

Chapter 4:
A life of separation and the pressure of writing, Ujo seeks freedom. A rift begins to form between him and Hiro. Eventually, they part ways. Hiro is separated from his children and sinks into the depths of sadness.

Chapter 5 Animal Medley
Meanwhile, Ujou works hard at writing poetry, and many works are published. His warm gaze as he looks at small lives brings out humorous images of frogs, gold bugs, raccoon dogs, and rabbits. Hiro is drawn to Ujou’s world once again.

Chapter 6 Rainy Moon
Hiro realizes that “Hibari (Ujou) can only sing when she is free in the sky.” Savoring the happiness of being able to read Ujou’s poetry even when they are apart, he decides to raise his two children himself, and rushes to be with them.