作品Free Graded Reading
秋が きましたAutumn Has Come
Aki ga kimashita
by 小川 未明 · Ogawa Mimei
Kids search for a craftsman on a quiet autumn day.
About this story
A grandmother sends children to find a flute repairman on a quiet autumn day.
Read a sample in Japanese
Source
This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko
Base edition (底本): 「定本小川未明童話全集 16」講談社
1978(昭和53)年2月10日第1刷発行
1982(昭和57)年9月10日第5刷発行
Typed in by 特定非営利活動法人はるかぜ. Proofread by Juki.
Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 2 parts.
What you'll learn
A grandmother asks Kiyo to find a pipe repairman, but he cannot be found. Take-chan then goes out to play baseball with friends.
Key vocabulary
| コスモス | cosmos flower |
|---|---|
| ラオ | pipe (for smoking) |
| きせる | pipe (for smoking) |
| ユニホーム | uniform |
Grammar points you'll meet
- ~がします (sound) N5Used to describe sounds, smells, or sensations. 'ピイー、ピイーと いう 音が しました' means 'There was a sound of peep, peep.'
ピイー、ピイーと いう、ほそい ふえの 音が しました。
- ~ておくれ (casual request) N4A casual way to ask someone to do something, equivalent to '~てください' but more familiar.
この きせるを たのんで おくれ。
- ~かも しれない (maybe) N4Expresses possibility. '遠方の 音が、ちかく きこえるのかも しれないね' means 'Maybe the sound from far away sounds close.'
秋だから 遠方の 音が、ちかく きこえるのかも しれないね。
Cultural notes
- Kiseru (Smoking Pipe)A 'kiseru' is a traditional Japanese smoking pipe, often with a metal bowl and mouthpiece. 'Rao' likely refers to a type of pipe or a repairman for such pipes. In the past, people would take their pipes to a 'raoya' for repair when the mouthpiece needed replacement.
- Japanese Baseball (Yakyuu)Baseball is extremely popular in Japan. Children often play in open fields ('harappa') and wear uniforms. It's a common theme in children's literature.
Try a comprehension question
What did the grandmother ask Kiyo to do?
- Find the pipe repairman and ask him to fix the pipe.
- Go to the store and buy a new pipe.
- Play baseball with Take-chan.
- Clean the garden.
Sensei's reading tip
Use context to guess unfamiliar words like 'ラオ' and 'すげかえ'—they likely refer to a pipe and its repair.
Topics & grammar
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- Which kanji you need for N4Study guide · what to know
- JLPT reading comprehension strategiesStudy guide · reading strategy
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