Welcome to the most isolated school in all Japan: Asahigaoka Branch School. With only five students enrolled and cows roaming through the town, the term “boonies” doesn’t even begin to describe it. But this doesn’t mean Asahigaoka is void of adventure. Whether it’s outfoxing a crafty rabbit, surviving an ever-escalating sibling battle, or impressing the cool new transfer student, the endearing kids at Asahigaoka Branch School prove you don’t need the big city to have a big-hearted story. Join the precocious first-grader Miyauchi Renge, squabbling sisters Koshigaya Natsumi and Komari, and ultra-sophisticated transfer student Ichijo Hotaru as they explore the funny, strange, and adorable world of Non Non Biyori.
SUMMERTIME HIJINKSAh, summer in the country…School is out and there’s nothing to do but have fun. Well, except for summer homework. Or tests of courage gone horribly wrong. Or having to explain your terrible grades to your mother. Maybe summer isn’t so great after all! Still, there are plenty of delightful summer adventures for the few students and one teacher of Asahigaoka Branch School. Join Natsumi, Komari, Renge, Hotaru, and the rest of the gang as they take a trip to the beach, hunt cicadas, make new friends, and try to figure out what else to do on their long, hot summer days. It’s (almost) all fun and games…
BACK TO SCHOOL!Summer break is over, and that means it’s back to school! Unfortunately that also means coming back to the rural Asahigaoka Branch School with its leaky roof, single grade-combined classroom, and a teacher who just wants to sleep all the time. School isn’t forever though and no one knows that better than those who’ve graduated, like Kaede who runs the local sweet shop. But before the girls of Asahigoaka Branch can learn this life lesson, they have their own discoveries to make: Natsumi finds out what happens when you put off studying for exams, Hotaru gets lost in the woods, and everyone takes a turn participating in the school festival. Learn the true meaning of autumn in volume 3 of Non Non Biyori!
Ichijo Hotaru Fifth Grader, transferred from Tokyo. People often tell her she’d be good with an orange and slightly bitter tea sitting by the stove on snow days. Koshigaya Komori Natsumi’s older sister, eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She heard that snow made everything beautiful, so she painted her face with snow and gave herself frostbite. Koshigaya Natsumi Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She dove into a pile of freshly fallen snow and couldn’t get her feet out. Miyauchi Renge First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. It’s pretty stylish to fill your mouth up with strawberry syrup on snow days and gaze up at the sky.
Ichijo Hotaru Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo at Asahigoaoka Branch School. She was asked if she would be starting university this year, even though she’s still an elementary school student, just like last year. Koshigaya Komori Natsumi’s older sister, eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She tries to wear the latest styles for spring, but she doesn’t really get the difference between spring and fall clothes. Koshigaya Natsumi Seventh grader at Asashigaoka Branch School. She was keeping watch outside the house, trying to see the frontline of the cherry blossoms passing by, and she caught a cold. Miyauchi Renge First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. She thought that when summer came, the horsetails would evolve into horseflies…
Seventh grader at Ashigaoka Branch School. She’ll plan a bike trip for three hours one way, but she’ll never consider the time it will take to get back home. Natsumi’s older sister, eighth grader. She was about to pay “child’s fare” on the train, but she chickened out last minute. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. She hates being stopped by the station attendant, so she started paying the adult fare about a year ago. First grader, the youngest of the five students at Ashigaoka Branch School. She wants to enjoy the scenery when she travels, but it’s all rice fields, so she gets bored.
Seventh grader at Ashigaoka Branch School. The lies in her journal are constantly exposed, since she sees a certain someone every day. She laments the small world of the countryside. First grader, the youngest of the five students at Ashigaoka Branch School. “When I asked Nee-nee what ‘dressed up’ is, she got all hung up on the question.” Natsumi’s older sister, grade eight student. She decided on “the creatures around me” as her research subject, but there are just too many of them, so she shed some tears over it. Fifth grader, transfer student from Tokyo. The summer version of the Koma shuffle… well, turns out it’s not school-safe.
Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. Uses a green/red memorization ruler (which blocks the red answers in the textbook). Never once has she used it as originally intended. First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. Uses an orthodox plastic ruler Also uses it for arithmetic. Natsumi’s older sister, eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. Uses a bamboo ruler. A gem that she inherited from her mother, it’s been passed down through the generations of the Koshigaya family. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. Uses an isosceles triangle ruler from a ruler set. It was selected with balance in mind.
Seventh grader attending Asahigaoka Branch School. She tends not to get enough sleep at New Year’s because she sits in front of the TV from morning until night watching the special New Year’s shows. First grader, the youngest student at Asahigaoka Branch School. For her first calligraphy of the year, she wrote “Search for Truth.” Eighth grader attending Asahigaoka Branch School. She wants to buy an “eye phone” with her otoshidama, but she’s not sure she has enough… Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. When it snows, familiar landscapes are turned completely white. It’s like an illusion!
Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. The Hina dolls are dressed up all stuffy. Must be hot and hard to breathe. She totally couldn’t stand it. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. Someday, she wants to make a Hina doll set with Senpai as the Empress! First grader, the youngest student at Asahigaoka Branch School. “Are all the Hina dolls musicians? They look like they’re having so much fun playing their music!” Natsumi’s older sister. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She adores the Empress doll, because she’s royalty and definitely the most stylish.
Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. With the daily log, she can remember the events of the day pretty quickly, so she likes writing and reading it a fair bit. Natsumi’s older sister. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. If only you didn’t have to erase the blackboard on day duty, it wouldn’t be so bad… First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. She tried disposable chopsticks and bamboo strips, but toothpicks really hold it together the best. Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. Kinda weird that the logbook goes around once every three days, huh?
First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. She only wears the shirt she wore camping on sunny days. Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. When she goes camping, she gets worried that she’ll be bitten by too many mosquitos and run out of blood. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. Of everyone who went camping, she’s the one who is least bothered by bugs. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. Even while camping, she makes sure to steel herself to be a responsible older sister.
Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. If she found the last ice cream treat, then it’s hers. That’s a Natsumi-ism. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She really wants some ice cream, but she’s the oneesan so she’s being strong. But she does want some…but she’s strong… First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. The question of how she can make Natsun’s ice cream her own is the puzzle of the century for Ren-chon now. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. She seems like she’s cool as can be, but she wants to eat that ice cream more than anyone else. But she can’t say that. She really can’t say that.
Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. If she found the last ice cream treat, then it’s hers. That’s a Natsumi-ism. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She really wants some ice cream, but she’s the oneesan so she’s being strong. But she does want some…but she’s strong… First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. The question of how she can make Natsun’s ice cream her own is the puzzle of the century for Ren-chon now. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. She seems like she’s cool as can be, but she wants to eat that ice cream more than anyone else. But she can’t say that. She really can’t say that.
First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. “With a dozen pencils as a prize, the Asahigaoka sports festival’s a big deal…” Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. She’s been waiting for this—the chance to get revenge on the graduates! She has no idea how and no tricks up her sleeve, but she’s definitely going to win!! Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. There aren’t enough people, so she has to be in all the events. The sports festival at Asahigaoka is super hard!! Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. Of all the events where everyone works together, she likes the tug-of-war best. “My strength’s not useless, right? Right…?”
First grader, the youngest of the five students at Asahigaoka Branch School. “If Koma-chan keeps lying to herself, she’ll never really grow up.” Seventh grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. The key to building a snowman is a strong foundation! She’ll take on this task and give it her all this winter. Eighth grader at Asahigaoka Branch School. This year, she finally graduates from the carefree world of childhood. Kamakura snow forts, snowmen, snowball fights…goodbye to them all. Fifth grade transfer student from Tokyo. She’s never seen this kind of snow in the city, so it makes her very happy! It’s so pretty and soft that she wants to stuff a bunch of it away and keep it forever!