Dekasegi Story
In 1988, I read a news article about dekasegi and had an idea: "This might be a good subject for a novel." But I never imagined that I would end up becoming the author of this novel...
In 1990, I finished my first novel, and in the final scene, the protagonist Kimiko goes to Japan to work as a dekasegi worker. 11 years later, when I was asked to write a short story, I again chose the theme of dekasegi. Then, in 2008, I had my own dekasegi experience, and it left me with a lot of questions. "What is dekasegi?" "Where do dekasegi workers belong?"
I realized that the world of dekasegi is very complicated.
Through this series, I hope to think about these questions together.
Stories from this series
Episode 27 (Part 2) A Gift from Heaven
Dec. 26, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
Read the first part >> To Hirari-chan Hello. I'm Ryoko Tokunaga. I'm a grandmother. I'm sure you were surprised by this sudden message. I'm really sorry for not replying at all. I have read all of Hirari-chan's letters (22 in total). I have carefully stored the photos and Christmas cards. They are my grandmother's treasures. You may be wondering why he never responded to you until now. I'm sorry. A lot has happened. Firstly, after your father Leo died in …
Episode 27 (Part 1) A Gift from Heaven
Nov. 17, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
My name is Hirari. Is it a nice and unusual name? Everyone says so. Why Hirari? My mother chose it for me. My Japanese-Brazilian mother went to Japan to work right after graduating from high school. She really wanted to go to college, so she planned to work in Japan for about two years to earn money for college and then go to college in Brazil. For Mom, who was born and raised in a rural town in Brazil, life …
Episode 26 (Part 2) "Don't come back! Do your best in Japan!"
Oct. 27, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
Read the first part >> After finishing overtime work, Kei returned home. When he opened his mailbox, it was full of flyers. "I wish I could read Japanese," he thought as he looked through them one by one, and then he found a letter. I hurried into the house, turned on the light, and saw the sender - it was from my mother! "What?! A letter from my mother? That's unusual!" I thought, and immediately opened it. There was only …
Episode 26 (Part 1) "Don't come back! Do your best in Japan!"
Sept. 22, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
When the alarm clock rang, Yurika woke up immediately. Every morning, she was already awake before the alarm went off. And for the past month, whenever she woke up, she thought, "Today is the day I'm going to write a letter." However, she still hasn't been able to write a letter. Looking at the bed next to me, I saw my granddaughter Eliza sleeping soundly. "I'm so glad I didn't have a seizure today!" When I opened the curtains, it …
Episode 25 (Part 2) Toshiaki's First CARNAVAL
March 23, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
Read the first part >> "I've decided to go to Japan!" Toshiaki announced as he returned from running some errands in a nearby town. Everyone was surprised by the sudden news. "If you were so keen, why didn't you come with me? That was the time when things were going at their best!" said his younger brother Satoshi in an exasperated tone. My sister-in-law was the first to offer support, saying, "It's okay. You're still in your 40s and you're …
Episode 25 (Part 1) Toshiaki's First CARNAVAL
Feb. 3, 2016 • Laura Honda-Hasegawa
Toshiaki was a shy child. He would not join in with the kids in the neighborhood who were flying kites or playing with balls in the fields. Instead, he would stay at home and help his grandfather make bamboo crafts. When he was in the third year of junior high school, his father died of illness, and Toshiaki, the eldest son, decided to help out at the greengrocer's, a family business that had been passed down since his grandfather's generation. …
