2011 h23 Kyoto public universities into question a test of English Sui comfortable squirrel English

Hannah is an American high school student, and she is now staying with my family, but she is going to leave Japan next month. My family and I wanted to give her something, because we wanted her to remember us and Japan. When she was not at home, my family and I thinking what to give her. I thought of a Japanese pop music CD, because Hannah really likes that music. My brother thought of manga. My mother liked these ideas, but my father had a different idea. It was a Kyo-ningyo doll, like my grandmother's one. I remembered it. I like its pretty face and its beautiful kimono. But I didn't know why my father thought of a Kyo-ningyo doll. When I asked him that question, he answered, "Kyo-ningyo; dolls are traditional crafts. Traditional crafts are great, because there are many important things in them. For example, . . . Well, I know a skilled worker who makes Kyo-ningyo dolls. He is Mr.Matsumoto, my friend's father. Let's meet and ask him. He will tell us many important things." Next Saturday, my father and I visited Mr.Matsumoto. Although he was working with other people, he said he was happy to meet us. He told us about the history, the types, the materials, and many other things about Kyo-ningyo dolls. Next, we learned how to make a Kyo-ningyo doll. Then, I was very surprised, because there are so many different processes to make one Kyo-ningyo doll, and there are different skilled workers in the processes. I said to my father, "All the skilled workers work hard to make a Kyo-ningyo doll. This is great!" My father said, "Yes, Miyako. Maybe, that is one of the good things about Japanese people. We can work hard in a team, so the team can make great crafts and products." Then I said to Mr. Matsumoto, "Kyo-ningyo dolls are traditional. What is the good thing about traditional crafts?" He answered, "We can learn many things through them — many things like ideas, skills, history, and many other things." He was right. In fact, I learned many things that day. Then I asked, "Mr.Matsumoto, why do you make Kyo-ningyo dolls?" And he said, "Please come with me. I want to show you something." We went into a room. There were many Kyo-ningyo dolls there. He showed us one of them, and said, "Please look at this. This was made about two hundred years ago. But this is still beautiful, and the skills used to make this are really great. I think, about two hundred years ago, people also thought this was beautiful and great. It is really wonderful for people in different times to feel the same thing through a Kyo-ningyo doll. I want people to feel it two hundred years from now, too. This is one of my important jobs." Mr.Matsumoto also said, "It's important to keep our job to make good Kyo-ningyo dolls. But, that's not enough. We, skilled workers, must try to make something new or something better with Kyo-ningyo dolls," The ideas, the history, the work of a team, the good materials, and the skills and the passion of the skilled workers — these are all needed to make good Kyo-ningyo dolls. Maybe, Japanese people have these things, so we can make good products. I learned many things about Kyo-ningyo dolls and traditional crafts. I think I also understand the attitude that Japanese people have when we make things. Now I know why my father thought a Kyo-ningyo doll was good. My father and I bought a beautiful Kyo-ningyo doll for Hannah. I hope she'll like it. I'm gong to tell her everything I learned through Kyo-ningyo dolls. If she wants to know more about it, I'll visit Mr.Matsumoto again with her.