July 31, 2023
Kashiwaba (Temple Alley Summer) reimagines sometimes frighteningly depicted creatures from Japanese folklore as friendly allies to a magical grandmother in this fanciful tale. Three strangers arrive separately to Kitsunezaki, a small coastal village, hours before the 2011 To¯hoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. At a shelter following the events, Kiwa Yamana, an endearing 87-year-old whom everyone calls Oba¯chan, seemingly mistakes a young woman and an orphaned child as her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. The woman, having escaped from her physically abusive husband in Tokyo, and the silent youth are gratefully swept up by Oba¯chan’s care. The trio move into an old thatch-roofed house that has been fixed up by Oba¯chan’s mystical friends. When unexplained incidents result in injured animals throughout Kitsunezaki, Oba¯chan’s companions—which include kappa river spirits and Jizo¯ guardian statues—help the little family find the source: a Shinto shrine was destroyed by the tsunami, and the evil sea snake it had sealed away now threatens the village. Kashiwaba’s moody work teems with ambient wonder and grim portent, offering glimpses of darkness without overwhelming the narrative’s uplifting tone. All characters are Japanese. Ages 8–13.
