An Elementary School Student Raised with 'Daiji', the Form of Kindness in Otawara

In December of my last year of kindergarten, I moved from Saitama to Otawara City in Tochigi Prefecture.

It is a town with sprawling fields, located a little to the southeast of the Nasu Highlands.

There, I was confused because I didn't understand the meaning of the word 'daiji' that the children around me kept saying.
'Daiji?' 'Take-py, are you daiji?'

'Daiji' (important/precious)? What could be important?

The meaning of 'daiji'

It happened shortly after I moved, when I was playing outside and fell down.

More than the pain, I felt embarrassed and tried to stand up in a hurry.Then, one child looked into my face and said,

'Daiji?'

I didn't understand what it meant.

What was important? Why would they suddenly ask me something like that?

As I stood there unable to answer, another child came over and said,

'Take-py, are you daiji?'

I didn't know the meaning of the words, but I could somehow tell that they were worried about me.

Eventually, I learned that 'daiji?' meant 'Are you okay?'

The form of kindness

What is strange is that, in my memory, the people of Otawara used 'daiji?' quite frequently.

When someone bumped into me a little.When I was hesitant and couldn't join the circle of play.When I caused trouble and felt unbearable.

Someone would always call out, 'Daiji?'

It didn't feel like they were directly asking if I was truly okay.
It was more of a gentle, vague atmosphere, as if they were concerned about whether I was 'daiji' as a whole.

I was a kindergartner in December, moving from Saitama to Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture.

It is a town with fields spreading out, located slightly southeast of the Nasu Highlands.

'Daiji?'

I feel that this short phrase perfectly captures the kindness of the people in Ohtawara.

They don't pry too deeply.
Yet, they don't just leave you to fend for yourself, either.

They simply care, in their own gentle way.

I moved out of the prefecture again right after graduating from elementary school.

But my heart was raised with that 'daiji' care.