Pathway to Japanese Literature

1

The large lantern hung inside the Niōmon Gate in Asakusa, its fire unlit. The lantern gradually rose upward, coming to overlook the bustling Nakamise shops. However, only the lower part of the large lantern remained unlit. In front of the gate swarmed countless pigeons.

2

A lengthwise view of the Nakamise shops stretched from Kaminarimon Gate. Far ahead in front, the Niōmon Gate stood visible. Every tree was a withered trunk.

3

One side of the Nakamise shops. A man in a coat was strolling through the Nakamise shops with a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy. The boy let go of his father’s hand and occasionally stopped in front of toy shops. Of course, the father would occasionally scold such a boy. But on rare occasions, he himself would gaze at hat shop display windows as if he had forgotten the boy was there.

4

The upper bodies of the parent and child. The father was a man who looked every bit the countryman, with unkempt stubble. The boy's face was not so much cute as it was delicate. Behind them were the bustling Nakamise shops. They were walking this way.

5

A toy shop seen at an angle. The boy stood still in front of this shop, watching a toy monkey climb up and down a rope. Inside the toy shop, no one was visible. The boy’s figure was visible only from the knees up.

6

A monkey was climbing up and down a rope. The monkey had let the tail of its tailcoat hang down and was wearing a silk hat tilted back. Behind this rope and monkey lay only deep darkness.

7

One side of the Nakamise shops where this toy shop stood. The boy, who had been watching the monkey, suddenly noticed the father was gone and began frantically looking around. Then, spotting something in the distance, he dashed off in that direction.

8 The back of a man who appeared to be his father. However, this too was only visible from the knees up. The boy chased after this man and firmly grasped the sleeve of his coat. The face of the man who turned around in surprise was not that of his countryman-like father. It belonged to a gentleman with a neatly trimmed mustache, clearly a man of the city. The boy's face filled with expressions of disappointment and bewilderment that flickered across it. The gentleman left him behind and headed off briskly in the other direction. The boy stood alone vacantly, the distant Kaminarimon Gate behind him.

9 Once again, a figure resembling his father from behind. However, this time it showed the upper body. The boy caught up to the man and timidly looked up at his face. Beyond them stood the Niōmon Gate.

10

The man’s forward-facing face. He had a face closer to an animal than a human, his mouth covered by a mask. A smile that exuded malice.

11

One side of the Nakamise shops. The boy stood watching this man leave, rooted in place like someone who had lost all hope. No matter where he looked, his father’s figure remained frustratingly absent from view. After a moment’s hesitation, the boy began wandering without direction. Two Western-clad girls turned to stare at him, but he walked on unaware.

12

The optician’s shop display window. Amidst the array of nearsighted glasses, farsighted glasses, binoculars, magnifying glasses, microscopes, and dust-proof goggles sat a single Western-style doll’s head wearing spectacles with a smile. The boy’s figure stood before that window, viewed from behind. However, only his upper body was visible, seen obliquely from behind. The doll’s head changed of its own accord into a human neck. Not only that—it addressed the boy thus: ——

13

“Buy yourself some spectacles and put them on.” “To find your father, wearing spectacles is essential, you see.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my eyes.”

14 The artificial flower shop’s display window viewed at an angle. The artificial flowers were all blooming in bamboo baskets and ceramic pots. Among them, the largest was the tiger lily on the left. The plate glass of the display window began to reflect the boy’s upper body. Dimly, like a ghost.

The upper body of the boy, separated from the artificial flowers by the plate glass of the display window.

The upper body of the boy, separated from the artificial flowers by the plate glass of the display window. The boy pressed his hand against the plate glass. Perhaps due to his breath hitting it, only his face became faintly clouded.

16

The tiger lily flower in the display window. However, the back was dark. The bud hanging beneath the tiger lily flower gradually began to open.

17 “Behold my beauty.” “But you’re just an artificial flower, aren’t you?”

The tobacco shop’s display window viewed from the corner.

The tobacco shop’s display window viewed from the corner. Amidst the array of cigarette tins, cigar boxes, pipes, and other items hung a single sign at a diagonal. What was written on this sign was: “Tobacco smoke is the gate to heaven.” Smoke slowly rose from a pipe.

19 The front of the smoke-filled display window. The boy stood to its right. However, he was only visible up to his knees. Within the smoke, three castles began floating dimly into view. The castles closely resembled three-dimensional versions of the Three Castles trademark.

20

One of those castles. At the gate of this castle stood a single soldier holding a gun. Beyond that iron lattice gate, several palm trees were swaying.

21

Above the gate of this castle. There, unnoticed along the side, such phrases began to appear. ——

“Those who enter this gate shall become heroes.”

The figure of the boy walking this way. The previous tobacco shop’s display window stood diagonally behind the boy. The boy glanced back briefly, then resumed walking briskly away.

23

The interior of the bell tower, where only the hanging bell was visible. The bell hammer, pulled by someone’s hand on a rope, slowly began to toll. Once, twice, three times—outside the bell tower stood nothing but pine trees.

24 The shooting gallery shop viewed at an angle. The target had cigarette boxes stacked behind and Hakata dolls arranged in front. A row of air rifles lined up in front. One of the dolls was a Western woman wearing a dress and holding a fan. The boy timidly entered this shop, took up an air rifle, and began aiming haphazardly at the targets. The shooting gallery shop was deserted. The boy’s figure was visible only up to his knees. 25 A Western female doll. The doll quietly spread its fan, completely hiding its face. Then the cork bullet that struck this doll. The doll, of course, fell backward. There was nothing but darkness behind the doll.

26

The previous shooting gallery shop. The boy picked up the air rifle again and this time took careful aim at the targets. Three shots, four shots, five shots—yet not a single target fell. The boy reluctantly took out a silver coin and left the shop.

At first, only a square object could be seen in the dim light.

At first, only a square object could be seen in the dim light. Within that dimness, this square object appeared to suddenly light up, and alongside it floated up these characters: above was “Park 6th District,” below was “Night Guard Station.” The upper one was white within black, the lower one red within black.

28

The upper rear of the theater. A single lit window could be seen. On the wall with a straight downspout were traces where various posters had been peeled off.

29

The lower rear of the theater. The boy stood there motionless, showing no intention to go anywhere for some time. Then he looked up at the high window. But no one was visible in the window. A sturdy bull terrier passed by the boy’s feet. It sniffed at his scent while doing so.

30

The upper rear of the same theater. In the lit window appeared a dancer alone, gazing coldly at passersby below. Of course due to backlighting, features like the face remained indistinct. But eventually she revealed a lovely countenance resembling the boy. The dancer quietly opened the window and threw down a small bouquet.

31

At the feet of the boy standing in the thoroughfare. A small bouquet fell down. The boy's hand picked it up. No sooner had the bouquet left the thoroughfare than it transformed into a bundle of thorns.

32

A single black noticeboard. The noticeboard clearly displayed the characters “North wind, clear.” However, it grew indistinct, and the characters changed to “The south wind will likely be strong. The characters changed to “Rain likely.”

The obliquely viewed signboard vendor's stall had samples lined up under an awning，displaying names like Tokugawa Ieyasu，Ninomiya Sontoku，Watanabe Kazan，Kondo Isami，and Chikamatsu Monzaemon． These names too，before one knew it，changed into ordinary names． Not only that，but beyond those signboards，a pumpkin field faintly emerged…

34

Several movie theaters lined up across the pond. In the pond, countless shadows of electric lights were reflected. The upper body of the boy stood to the left of the pond. The boy's hat was blown into the pond by a sudden gust of wind. After flailing about in panic, he turned this way and began walking. An expression verging on despair.

35

The café’s display window. Beyond a tower of sugar, fresh confections, and a glass of soda water holding a straw pipe, several human figures moved about. The boy happened to pass by this display window and came to a stop at its left side. The boy’s figure was visible up to the knees.

36

The exterior of this café. A middle-aged man and woman who appeared to be a couple entered through the glass door. The woman was holding a child wearing a mantle. Before long, the café rotated of its own accord, ending up revealing the rear of the kitchen area. Behind the cook room was a single chimney. There, two workers were diligently moving their shovels. They had lit a single lantern and continued working. ……

37

The child in front showed their upper body on the highchair before the table. The child was smiling cheerfully while shaking their head and raising their hands. There was nothing behind the child. There, eventually, roses began to fall one by one, quietly.

38

An obliquely visible automatic calculator. In front of the calculator, two hands were moving incessantly. They must have been a woman’s hands. And then the drawer was constantly being opened. The inside of the drawer was filled with nothing but coins.

39

The café's display window. The boy’s figure showed no change. After a moment, the boy slowly turned around and began walking briskly in this direction. But when only his face remained visible, he stopped briefly to look at something. An expression verging on surprise.

40

A rice merchant stood at the center of the crowd. He stood amidst spread-out fabrics, waving a single obi while earnestly calling out to the crowd. 41 A single obi held in his hand. The obi was being waved back and forth and side to side, revealing one end by two or three feet. The obi's pattern was enlarged snowflakes. The snowflakes gradually spun while also beginning to fall, swirling, from the obi.

42

A knitted goods street stall. Underneath the hung shirts and underpants, an old woman sat alone warming herself by a hibachi. In front of the old woman as well were knitted goods. It wasn’t as though woolen knitwear was entirely absent from the mix. At the base of the hibachi, a black cat was occasionally licking its front paws.

A black cat sat at the hem of the hibachi. To the left, part of the boy’s lower body was visible. At first, there was nothing unusual about the black cat. But before long, it wore a Turkish hat with long tassels on its head.

44

“Young master, won’t you buy a Sweetaa?”

“I can’t even buy a hat.”

The upper half of the boy, who appeared exhausted with the knitted goods stall behind him.

The upper body of the boy, who appeared exhausted with the knitted goods stall behind him. The boy began to shed tears. But finally regaining his composure, he began walking this way once more while looking up at the lofty sky.

46

An evening sky where stars faintly shone. There, a large face began floating vaguely into view of its own accord. The face resembled the boy’s father. Though filled with affection, it bore an expression of infinite sorrow. Yet after a moment, this face too vanished like mist somewhere.

47

A street stretched lengthwise. The boy walked along it with his back turned this way. The street held sparse pedestrian traffic. A man followed from behind the boy. This man glanced back slightly to reveal his masked face. The boy never once looked behind him.

48

The exterior of a lattice-doored house viewed diagonally. In front of the house, three rickshaws were parked facing backward. The pedestrian traffic remained sparse. A bride wearing a tsunokakushi exited through the lattice door with several people and quietly boarded the front rickshaws. When all three rickshaws had taken passengers, they departed with the bride's leading. Following them came the boy's retreating figure. The people who had stood before the lattice-doored house naturally spared no glance for the boy.

49 A rectangular board inscribed with “Specialty Product of XYZ Company, Lost Child, Literary Film.” This too transformed into a Sandwich Board Man carrying the board front and back. Though elderly, the Sandwich Board Man bore some resemblance to the urban gentleman who had been walking through the Nakamise shops. The rear had more foot traffic than the front—a street lined with various shops. As he passed by, the boy took one of the advertisements the Sandwich Board Man was distributing before moving on.

50

The street ahead stretched lengthwise. A disabled soldier with crutches walked slowly toward the far side. The soldier had at some point transformed into an ostrich. But after walking awhile longer, it reverted to being a disabled soldier. At the corner of the side street stood a postbox.

51

“Hurry! Hurry! You could die at any moment.”

52

At the corner of the street stood a postbox. The postbox became transparent at some point, revealing the cylindrical interior layered with countless letters. But in the blink of an eye, it reverted to an ordinary postbox. Behind the postbox lay only darkness.

53

A geisha district viewed diagonally. Two geishas heading to a banquet engagement emerged from a lattice door illuminated by a sacred lantern and walked quietly this way. Neither showed any expression.

The figure of the boy walking off into the distance after the two geishas passed by. The boy glanced back. An even lonelier expression than before. The boy grew smaller and smaller. A short ventriloquist who had been standing there now began walking this way as well. When seen up close around his eyes, there was nothing about him that didn’t resemble the boy.

54

Around a large wire ring hung numerous wigs, encircling it completely. Among the wigs hung a sign that read, "Thinned Hair Front Wig Stand." These wigs had transformed into a barbershop pole before anyone knew it. Behind the pole too there was only darkness.

55

The exterior of the barbershop. On the other side of the large window glass, several men and women moved about. The boy happened to pass by there and peered briefly inside.

56 The profile of a man cutting hair. After some time had passed, it transformed into several wigs suspended from a large wire ring. Among the wigs hung a single sign. The sign now read "Hair Extensions."

57 A hospital constructed in Secessionist style. The boy approached from this side, climbed the stone steps, but no sooner had he entered through the door than he immediately came back down. After the boy went to the left, the hospital quietly approached this way until finally only its entrance remained. A single nurse pushed open the glass door and came outside. The nurse stood at the entrance, gazing at something distant.

58

The nurse’s folded hands on her lap. On the left hand now in front sat a single engagement ring. But the ring abruptly fell of its own accord.

A concrete wall leaving only a sliver of sky.

A concrete wall leaving only a sliver of sky. This too became transparent of its own accord, revealing several monkeys clustered behind iron bars. Then, the entire wall transformed into a marionette theater stage. The stage was, at any rate, a Western-style room. There, a single Western-style doll timidly peered around its surroundings. When seeing that it wore a mask, it appeared to be a thief who had sneaked into this room. In the corner of the room was a safe.

60 A Western-style doll was prying open a safe. However, several of the thin threads attached to this doll’s limbs were clearly visible…… 61 The concrete wall ahead was seen at an angle. The wall no longer showed anything. The shadow of the boy passed through there. Then, this time, a hunchback’s shadow followed.

62

The street ahead viewed diagonally from above. On the street, a single fallen leaf swirled in circles, blown by the wind. There, another leaf—smaller than before—came dancing down. Finally, a sheet of paper resembling a magazine advertisement fluttered into view. The paper appeared unfortunately torn. Yet clearly visible remained headline-sized characters reading “Life, New Year’s Issue.”

63

A bench beneath a large evergreen tree. Beyond the trees lay what appeared to be part of the earlier pond. The boy approached and sank onto it dejectedly. He began wiping away tears. Then came the same hunchback from before, settling onto the bench. The evergreen behind them swayed fitfully in the wind. The boy abruptly fixed his gaze on the hunchback. But the hunchback never turned. Instead he pulled a roasted sweet potato from his coat and began devouring it ravenously.

64

The face of the hunchback devouring a roasted sweet potato.

65

The bench in the shade of the evergreen tree ahead. The hunchback was still eating the roasted sweet potato.

The boy finally stood up, hung his head, and walked off somewhere.

66 A bench viewed diagonally from above. On the slatted bench, a single gama-guchi remained. Then, a single hand gently took up that gama-guchi. 67

The bench in the shade of the evergreen tree ahead. However, this time it was slanted. On the bench, a single hunchback was examining the inside of a gama-guchi. Before long, several hunchbacks began appearing around the original hunchback’s sides, until finally the bench became filled with nothing but hunchbacks. Moreover, they all—each and every one—were earnestly examining the insides of gama-guchi in exactly the same manner. While discussing something amongst themselves.

68

The photography studio’s display window. Photographs of men and women, many in number, each in frames, hung there. But the faces of those men and women too would eventually change into those of old people. However, among them, only one—a bust portrait of an old man in a frock coat with a medal and a chin beard—remained unchanged. But that face had now become the previous hunchback’s.

69 Kannon Hall viewed from the side. The boy walked beneath it. Above Kannon Hall hung a crescent moon.

70

A section of Kannon Hall’s front facade. However, the door was closed. Several people were worshiping before it. The boy approached that spot, keeping his back turned this way, and glanced up at Kannon Hall. Then he suddenly turned this way and promptly walked off diagonally.

A large rectangular water basin viewed diagonally from above.

A large rectangular water basin viewed diagonally from above. In the water where several ladles floated, the flickering shadows of fire were also reflected. Reflected there again came the boy’s utterly haggard face. 72

The lower part of a large stone lantern. The boy sat down there and, hiding his face in both hands, began to cry.

73

Behind the lower part of the stone lantern in front. A man stood alone, listening intently to something.

74

The upper half of this man’s body. However, only the face was not turned this way. But when he turned around quietly, it was the previously masked man. Moreover, after a short while, that face too transformed into the boy’s father.

75

The upper part of the stone lantern in front. The stone lantern, leaving only its pillars behind, spontaneously burst into flames and burned upward. After the flames subsided, a single chrysanthemum flower began to bloom there. The chrysanthemum flower was larger than the stone lantern’s cap.

76

The lower part of the stone lantern in front. The boy remained unchanged from before. At that moment, a police officer with his cap pulled low over his eyes approached alone and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. The boy, startled, stood up and spoke with the police officer about something. Then, still holding the police officer’s hand, he walked quietly away.

Behind the lower part of the stone lantern in front. This time, there was no one there anymore.

Behind the lower part of the stone lantern in front. This time, there was no one there anymore.

78 The large lantern of the Niōmon Gate in front. The large lantern gradually rose upward and came to survey the Nakamise shops as before. However, only the lower part of the large lantern does not vanish. (March 14, 1927)