Fureijaa no Naku Koro ni
フレイジャーのなく頃に
Frasier When They Cry
Frasier in Hinamizawa
It was a cold sunny afternoon in June of Showa 58 in the mountain village of Hinamizawa. Frasier and Niles had only recently been dropped off by the bus, their luggage in tow and the dusty breeze brushing off their tailored suits, while the evening cicadas filled the air with their loud chirping.
"I must say Frasier," opined Niles with a sigh, "I would have much preferred if we spent your long-planned oriental vacation in a hotel in Tokyo. I found a perfect reservation only one block away from a world class Unagi restaurant."
"Oh please Niles," retorted Frasier, "you and your five class hotels. What better way for us to get in touch with the noble samurai spirit than to breathe the fresh mountain air of an authentic remote Japanese village and the experience the daily lives of its ordinary people."
Niles rolled his eyes bickeringly at his brother. "Yes well given I can still smell that garbage dump near the construction site we passed half an hour ago, I would say "ordinary" might be being a bit too gratuitous."
They continued arguing for a good while, when they were suddenly interrupted by a bright flashing light. They both turned sideways, stunned like a dear caught in headlights, to see a tall man holding up an antiquated flash camera. The man had a well-defined physique and was wearing a tank top, his head adorned with a baseball cap and glasses.
"Ahaha, sorry to startle you," said the man, "allow me to introduce myself. I am Tomitake-san. I could not help but admire the sight of the two you of, I had to take a picture."
"Well," said Niles slightly perturbed but having regained his composure, "it is common to ask for permission before taking a picture. Or maybe you don't know common courtesy out here in the "boonies"? Well what else can we expect from a village who's people only yesterday crawled out of a swamp."
"Now now Niles, there is no need to be rude. The man is clearly a photographer, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I'm Dr. Frasier Crane, PhD.," said Frasier straightening his suit jacket and extending his hand out for a courtesy handshake, "this here is my brother, Dr. Niles Crane."
Tomitake extended his hand out and shook Frasier's hand, "Nice to meet you Frasier-san. I am more used to photographing birds, they don't usually need me to ask them for permission."
"Are all your fellow village people also on the same conversational capacity as avian creatures," retorted Niles, clearly still bothered about the earlier photo-taking.
"Actually, I am not from Hinamizawa," replied Tomitake, "I came with my partner Miyo-san to photograph birds, she works as a nurse in a local clinic. We have both taken particular interest in this years Watanagashi festival."
"I'm sorry, Watanagashi?" asked Frasier with a confused expression in his phase, quickly glancing backwards at Niles who appeared just as perplexed.
"It means cotton-drifting, it is a festival the people of Hinamizawa hold every year in June. This year's festival is coming up."
"Well, weird voodoo practices aside, what does this Hinamizawa have in the way of accommodation? Any place we could stay the night?" asked Frasier.
"Yes, and preferably a place with a 24-hour oriental fine dining bar," interjected Niles.
"Perhaps you would be better off staying at a hotel in Okinomiya," replied Tomitake, "it is only a short distance away. I can drive you there."
Frasier and Niles proceeded to hop into Tomitake's nearby car. After a short car ride journey, they arrived in a city. By this time it was evening, they waved their goodbyes to Tomitake as they checked into the Okinomiya inn.
While Frasier and Niles were checking in at the reception to Okinomiya, they noticed a portly aged man approach them. He wore a black shirt with red suspenders, had wavy gray hair, and a large protruding belling.
The man let out a hearty laugh as he approached Frasier, producing a police officer's badge. "Doomo doomo Frasier-san," he said "Good evening, what brings two foreigners to Okinomiya."
Frasier and Niles turned around, surprised at this greeting from a police officer who obviously knew their names.
"You see my brother wanted to experience a traditional Japanese vacation, and what better place than a village who's people are descended from swamp demons," replied Niles coyly, to which Frasier glanced at him and shook his head.
"Ahahahaha," beamed the gray-haired police officer, "but that is merely a legend, no doubt spread by the Sonozaki clan. You see these myths they spread about Oyashiro-sama help maintain their control over the village of Hinamizawa."
"I'm sorry, Oyashiro-sama? I don't believe we've met him," said Frasier confused, placing his luggage on the reception floor momentarily.
"Ahahahaha," laughed the officer once again, "allow me to introduce myself. I am Detective Ooishi-san from Okinomiya police station. Perhaps we should talk more in my car, I have air conditioning."
"Given the way you stressed that last part, I can't expect such a luxury to be a feature of our hotel rooms, can I?" sarcastically replied Niles, his disappointment ever so increasing in the tone of his voice.
"Oh please Niles," replied Frasier, "if you wanted a luxury hotel experience maybe you should have just joined Maris in Antwerp. We came here to experience the remote country lifestyle. Now I think we should do as this kind officer says and talk to him in his car?"
"Very well, I suppose the backseat of a police officer's car in a remote backwater town is the closest to comfort living I'll get to experience today," said Niles.
"Ahahahahaha, doomo doomo Niles-san!" beamed Ooishi as he turned around and led them towards his police car parked outside the hotel.
"Do you know Oyashiro-sama?" asked Ooishi with a stern face as he glared at Frasier and Niles through the rear-view mirror. He unwound the window of his car to let out the smoke from the cigarette he was smoking, taking a few puffs every now and then.
"No, we already told you we don't," replied Niles, "is another bird watcher who likes taking photographs without asking?"
"Ignore my brother, we had a long bus trip today," said Frasier, "who is this Oyashiro-sama?"
Ooishi took a stern look at them in the mirror, then took another puff from his cigarette, blowing out the smoke in deep consternation before he continued talking. "Oyashiro-sama is the god of Hinamizawa, the people have long worshipped him and believe those who trespass him provoke his ire."
"Oh I see," replied Frasier slightly taken aback, "well then I guess we had best be careful we don't do anything to upset him."
"The Sonozaki clan rules Hinamizawa as their own turf," Ooishi continued talking, "they are one of the three ruling families of Hinamizawa, but the other two families, the Furude clan and the Kimiyoshi clan, have long since waned in power and influence, leaving the Sonozakis as the sole decision makers in Hinamizawa. Maintaining myths about Oyashiro-sama and Watanagashi festival helps keep their control and prevents people from leaving Hinamizawa." He paused for a while to take a few more puffs of his cigarette before continuing, "a few years ago there was some disturbance over a planned construction project. Someone was murdered, and the body has never been found. I am sure the Sonozaki family knows something."
"Oh dear," said Frasier, seemingly affected by the fact the conversation had taken a dark turn, "I hope we haven't stumbled on some sort of yakuza war here." He turned to look at Niles who was increasingly looking rigid and clearly disturbed.
"I told you we shouldn't have come here Frasier," said Niles.
"Well in any case, thank you for your warning, Mr. Ooishi," said Frasier as he motioned to exit the police car.
"One more thing," said Ooishi as he turned around to face Frasier and Niles directly, "be careful tomorrow. It is the Watanagashi festival, every year for the past four years there has been a murder and a disappearance on the night of the festival. If you see anything suspicious or find yourselves in any trouble, be sure to call me. Here is my number, I will be at the mahjong parlour." Ooishi handed them a small piece of paper with a phone number written on it.
"How wonderful," said Niles. "A murder AND a disappearance! And we have just the right number to accommodate both of those. Would you like a side of car theft as well? Wouldn't want anyone to get their hands on that palatial air-conditioning of yours!"