Boku no Natsuyasumi 3 - DAY 1

It’s Sunday, August 1st 1975*. It’s been several months since the Watergate scandal in America; the great Japanese soldier Teruo Nakamura finally surrendered to Indonesian forces, wrongly believing the war had continued for 30 years; and only two months ago our former Prime Minister, Eisaku Satō, passed away.


I’m 10 years old and I’m going to my aunt and uncle’s place in Hokkaido for my summer vacation. It was a long train ride and my dad assured me I’d have a good time there. I stuck my head out the train’s window to feel the fresh country breeze - this was going to be the best vacation ever!
The farm was bigger than I expected, and there’s a mountain in the background. Aunty said dinner would be ready at six o’clock - I didn’t have a watch so went outside and played in the cow barn (it smelled funny in there) until uncle called me to eat. We had curry rice and then fresh yoghurt.
I then went exploring and accidentally let all the chickens out - I hope uncle isn’t mad. I went to granpa’s room, where he keeps his Igo board, and borrowed the red clock on his table.

Now I can always tell the time. I also found my first bottle cap in his room! It was Norway. I explored so much I was almost too tired to write my diary entry. It turns out I’m sharing my room with my cousin, Midori. She has a younger sibling which aunty often carries on her back. Before bed uncle gave me a bug collecting kit - tomorrow I hunt!


END

* Checking the internet, it would appear that August started on a Friday in 1975, meaning the game makers intentionally invented a non-existent reality for the game.