Handwritten Japanese characters - translation needed

[cycle]

Hi folks,

Some years ago my sister repaired quite an old piece of needlework and out of the backing she pulled a long piece of paper, covered in handwritten characters.

She renewed the paper and so gave the old piece to me. I just wondered if anyone could translate from the small fragment I have scanned (below), what the nature of the writing is about?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kind Regards,

Cycle.

 

[mdchachi]

My spouse and I think it looks like somebody was practicing their writing. We could recognize three words -- tansan, takenoko and ame. Many of them written multiple times as if in practice. Also the bottom two rows are oriented opposite of the top row. Since practicing calligraphy is common, especially years ago, that's our best guess...

 

[cycle]

Hi mdchachi,

Thanks for your reply. This is a tiny fragment, so I will post up another scan, if I may ask for your opinion on a larger piece, to shed more light on my quest to discover what this is (I was hoping it was a Buddhist Sutra)

 

[Keiichi]

I see what looks like tansan and ame also. I don't see takenoko though. I can't make out any of the ones on the bottom.

 

[beluga]

takenoko is at the top left corner. 竹の子

I think the 2nd row is upside down. It also display 竹の子, かう、飲

 

[Elizabeth]

If takenoko is the top left quadrant I can get a vague outline in reverse. The bottom row just looks like character practice to me as well, though.

 

[CherryMelody]

'Journalism is FoR Truth & Righteousness'
How do say that in Japanese???
Thanks!!

 

[KickAss_Danieru]

dude.. my japanese mate cant even read that thing man. lol .. says its too old for him to read..