Home: The House Imp (HOME 愛しの座敷わらし)

Tomoya, take this.

This is it.

Didn't you say 'log house'?

'Japanese-style log house,' I said.

The rent's a third of a condo in the city.

I'll bet.

we're living here?

That's right.

THE HOUSE IMP

wow! This is great!

Really something, huh?

It's got a strength born of years standing up to blizzards.

They say it's all of one or two hundred years old.

It's been fixed up.

By the foreigner who lived here.

It looks like he put lots of money into it.

Didn't you say you'd always wanted a kitchen like this, Fumiko?

That's a real hearth!

That's right!

What's this?

You can catch fish and fry them here on a spit.

Come this way.

Isn't it huge?

You slide the doors closed, 'schwoop'!

That's your room, Grandma.

And this is our room.

Now follow me.

I thought we could use this as the living room.

And my room?

The kids are upstairs.

'The kids'?

You said there was a loft.

Japanese-style.

A loft? This is a loft?

wow!

Why's this shrine here?

I think it belonged to the original owners.

But look.

It's empty.

I'll take this.

Azumi!

Isn't this like a dream compared to how jammed in we were in Tokyo?

Look at this.

Great view, huh?

Tomoya! Don't run on the stairs!

What?

Did you bring that?

No, it was here.

Leave it where you found it.

Is someone living here?

Don't be silly! we're going to live here.

The Takahashi family.

Hey! What's this?!

What's wrong?

I could fall in!

What would a flush toilet cost?

5 or 6 hundred thousand.

Go away!

Fumiko, you always said you wanted a garden.

Look here.

You can plant all you want.

I want to garden, not farm.

What's wrong with farming?

Mom used to do farm work back home in Nagano.

Doesn't this take you back?

I guess so.

Natural gardening should be good for Tomoya's asthma.

I don't have that any more.

It came back last winter.

That's right.

There's the truck.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Thank you for coming.

I'm all unpacked.

Huh?

Cold noodles.

I'll cook starting tomorrow.

This is dinner today.

Bon appetit.

Hi.

Just pass noon.

It's a lot bigger. Everyone loves it.

Mom has her own room.

Sure.

It's my sister.

Hello, Haruko. It's been a while.

Yes... six months after she came to us, and Mother's had to move again.

No, no, it's no trouble at all.

Just a minute...

She wants to talk to you.

Hello? Mother's just gone into the bath...

All right, then. Goodbye.

That's smoky!

All that smoke!

That's too much wood!

Grandma, that's great!

Now you put the wood in.

'Dad'...

Why didn't you use your camera when you first came to see this place?

It wasn't working.

If we'd seen pictures, we'd have said no.

I just wanted to surprise you!

You cheated us.

Don't say that!

This was the only place big enough for the rent we can afford.

I like it.

Who asked you?

Azumi, stop it!

There's something outside!

A raccoon dog?

Something weird!

A place like this is bound to have ghosts.

That's right.

Thanks for leaving.

Fake tears!

Shinoda Station

Nichiei Foods, Morioka Branch

Don't let this get you down.

It's not a demotion.

Morioka's nice.

'Morning.

Takahashi's come from head office to be Sales Manager.

'Takahashi'.

The Sales Director...

I'm Marugame. Hello.

I'm glad to meet you all.

To Azumi from everyone in Grade 9C.

Shinoda Middle School

OK, everyone! Take your seats!

This is Azumi Takahashi. She's just transferred here.

From where?

From Tokyo!

From Tokyo?!

You're going to be classmates, so make her welcome.

So let's hear from her.

Yes, sir.

I'm Azumi Takahashi.

I'm not very fast, but I'm not bad at swimming.

I like listening to music.

Uh... nice to be here.

Hey! What's so funny?

A house imp!

wow! A horse!

Look, Tomoya!

Hello.

we've just moved into the house with the thatched roof.

You're our closest neighbor. My name's Takahashi.

This is for you.

Thank you.

You're in school?

Grade 5.

So is my daughter.

He's not going to be starting till second term.

How's the house?

well...

There was a foreigner in it before. How long did he live there?

A year or less, they say. He left quite suddenly.

When he'd fixed the place up? Why?

I don't know. He was a nice man.

Ow!

What's wrong?

I got a splinter.

What are you looking at?

Nothing.

There! I got it.

How was school?

Do you want to come shopping?

No.

Come on, Mr. Takahashi! Relax.

You want to tum that.

It'll bum on you.

So you were in Product Development?

Yes.

What products?

'Another Splash of Goodness' and 'wasabi Tofu Pudding".

The pudding?

That one was a flop!

Sorry about that.

So now I'm in Sales. I hope you'll all show me the ropes.

well, I guess you start with cold calls.

Places like JOIS.

we used to deal with them, but suddenly they cut us off.

It'd be big for the company to get them back.

I'd love to try.

The main store's manager is the key.

They've got 11 outlets in the city and dozens through the region.

They'll all follow him.

Here...

Excuse me. Where's the washroom?

To your left.

He's into it now! Look out!

But starting him with JOIS?

Why not? Give him a high wall to get over.

He asked to learn the ropes.

But why is someone from Product Development out here?

That weird curry took them more than two years to finish.

The oysters?

No, the persimmon curry.

And then the wasabi tofu pudding flopped.

So they shipped him out?