Only half a chair is there.

I hope that through this chair, parents and children can tell stories as they come up with them.

Using their imagination, their fantasy, and thinking of a story that would connect logically, 

why is this chair only half? And what happened to the other half? Like.

・"Maybe the furniture maker ran out of materials and could only make half of it."

・"Maybe the samurai cut it down and only half of it escaped with their lives."

・"Maybe half of it went to a child who didn't have a chair at home."

・"Maybe it's used as a tool to sit on, just like in our house."

・"Your father couldn't afford to buy only half of the chairs,

　 I hope you can buy the other half when you grow up."

・"Half of it is here, and the other half is in heaven with Grandpa."

・"The other half has gone on a trip and is probably on a south island right now."

　"In Antarctica, the chair might have frozen over and you'll never come back."

　"In the jungle, a gorilla might be sitting on it."

Why is this chair only half?   The question which has no answer exists forever.  The question creates a void, and the story fills a void.

There is someone to tell a story with,  there is someone to think about a story with,  and there is someone to tell you a story.

I think that having a child means having such a partner.

It is different from reading a picture book to a child, but a story weaved by a parent and a child is born.

I think it would be great if stories could be created as many times as possible until the child grows up.

I would like you to talk about this chair as many times as you like, saying, "This chair might be...." from time to time.

半分だけの椅子がそこにある。

この椅子を通して、親子が思いつくままお話をしてくれればと思う。

想像力を使い、空想を働かせ、論理的に繋がるような物語を考えつつ、

どうしてこの椅子は半分しか無いのか？そして、残りの半分はどうしたのか？と。

 ・"家具屋さんの材料が足りなくて、半分だけしか作れなかったのかな"

 ・"もしかしたら、武士に切られて半分だけは命からがら逃げてきたのかな"

 ・"半分は、お家に椅子が無いこどもの所に行っているのかもしれない"

　"うちと同じように 座る道具として使われているのかな"

 ・"お父さんは お金が無くて半分だけしか買えなかったから、

　  あなたが大きくなったら、もう半分も買って欲しいな"

 ・"半分はここに居て、残り半分は お爺ちゃんと一緒に天国に居るよ"

 ・"半分は旅に出てしまって、今は南の島にいるんじゃないか"

　"南極だと椅子は凍ってしまって、もう帰って来られないかも"

　"ジャングルだと、ゴリラが座って使っているかもね"

なぜ、このイスは半分無いのか？  

答えの無い疑問が、ずっと存在する。 

疑問が空白を生み、空白を物語が埋める。

物語を語る相手がいること、

物語を一緒に考える相手がいること、

物語を聞かせてくれる相手がいること。

こどもがいるという事は、そういう相手がいる という事だと思う。

絵本を読み聞かせるのとは違う、親子で紡がれた物語が生まれてくる。

それは、こどもが大きくなるまで何回でも作られていけば良いと思う。

ふとした時に、「この椅子って、もしかしたら…」と何度でも話してほしい。