Photo/Illutration The house where Masanori Aoki holed up. (Takeshi Iwashita)

As one gets older, the Japanese word “furusato,” which translates as “hometown,” seems to start blending with one’s memory, permeating one’s inner self.

“Furusato” is the title of arguably Japan’ most beloved “doyo” children’s song. It portrays the quintessential Japanese countryside of yore where youngsters chased “rabbits in the hills” and fished for “small carp in the river.”

The lyrics were written by Tatsuyuki Takano (1876-1947), a scholar of Japanese literature.

His achievements are honored at Tatsuyuki Takano Memorial Hall, which stands in the Nagano Prefecture city of Nakano, his place of birth. I visited the institution on May 26.

The verse he spun for “Furusato” was said to have been inspired by his recollection of his childhood stomping ground, including the hill behind the home where he was born.

Skylarks sang as I took in the serene landscape that spread around me.

But the peacefulness of this place made me feel all the sadder for the victims of a fatal shooting and stabbing rampage that occurred the day before in this very city.

A junior high school, where local residents had sought shelter overnight, reopened for classes later in the morning on May 26 after the murder suspect, Masanori Aoki, 31, was taken into police custody.

But a parent who drove their child to the school still looked very upset.

According to police reports of the rampage, Aoki was fitted out in camouflage when he chased a woman and stabbed her fatally in a field, and then fired shots at police officers before he left the scene on foot. And he reportedly remained expressionless while the officers kept telling him to drop his gun.

Did Aoki not feel even a shred of hesitation at taking a human life? He has left me feeling deeply disturbed.

While Aoki was holed up at his home, his mother, who happened to be there, reportedly escaped and told the police, “That’s my son.” My heart breaks when I imagine what the poor woman must gone through.

Aoki’s father, who was the chairman of the Nakano city assembly at the time of the crime, has since resigned.

The lyrics of “Furusato” go, “I wonder how Father and Mother are doing/ I hope my friends are well.”

I should think there must have been days when Aoki felt the love of his parents and the encouragement of fellow community members. What could have happened to him?

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 27

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.