Pathway to Japanese Literature

1

A single page from an old Catholic calendar; on it could be seen the following text.
——

Anno Domini 1634.
San Sebastian humbly recorded.

February.
Minor [month].

26th.
Feast of Santa Maria's Annunciation.

27th.
Domine.

March.
Major [month].

5th.
Domine, Francisco.

12th.
……………

2

A mountain path in southern Japan.
Beyond the large camphor tree spreading its branches, a single cave entrance could be seen.
After some time, two woodcutters appeared.
They came down this mountain path.
One of the woodcutters pointed at the cave and said something to the other.
Then both made the sign of the cross and worshiped the distant cave.

3

The top of this large camphor tree.
A single long-tailed monkey sat perched on a branch, keeping watch over the distant sea.
On the sea was a single sailing ship.
The sailing ship seemed to be approaching this way.

4

On the sea was a single sailing ship.

5

The interior of this sailing ship.
Two Western sailors were rolling dice under the mast.
Before long, a dispute over the game arose, and no sooner had one sailor leaped up than he plunged a knife deep into the other sailor’s flank.
A large number of sailors began gathering around the two from all directions.

6

The dead sailor’s supine face.
Suddenly from that nostril crawled out a single long-tailed monkey onto the chin.
But no sooner had it looked around than it darted back into the nostril.

7

The sea surface viewed diagonally from above.
Suddenly, a sailor’s corpse came falling down from somewhere in the air.
The corpse instantly vanished amid the rising mist.
All that remained was a single monkey struggling on the waves.

8

A peninsula visible across the sea.

9

The treetop of the camphor tree on the mountain path ahead.
The monkey was still intently watching the sailing ship on the sea.
But before long, it raised both hands, its face brimming with joy.
Then, before one knew it, another monkey settled onto the same branch, swaying slightly.
The two monkeys continued talking about something for a while, making hand gestures.
The monkey that had arrived later wrapped its long tail around the branch, dangling loosely in mid-air as it began peering beyond the camphor tree's obstructing branches and leaves by shading its eyes with a hand.

10

The exterior of the aforementioned cave.
Outside where plantains and bamboo grew thickly, nothing moved.
Gradually the day grew dark.
Then from inside the cave, a single bat fluttered up into the sky.

11

The interior of this cave.
San Sebastian was praying alone before a cross hung on the rock wall.
San Sebastian was a Japanese man nearing forty, clad in a black priest’s robe.
A single lit candle illuminated desks and water jugs and such.

12

The rock wall cast in the candlelight.
There, of course, San Sebastian's profile was clearly reflected.
A single shadow of a long-tailed monkey began quietly climbing from the nape of that profile toward the head.
Then another shadow of the same monkey followed.

13

San Sebastian’s clasped hands.
His hands were now gripping a Westerner’s pipe.
At first, the pipe was unlit.
But in the blink of an eye, it began emitting tobacco smoke into the air………

14

The interior of the aforementioned cave.
San Sebastian suddenly stood up and hurled the pipe onto the rock.
Yet the pipe continued emitting tobacco smoke.
He remained frozen in shock, never approaching the pipe again.

15

The pipe that had fallen on the rock.
The pipe slowly changed into a *frasco* bottle filled with wine.
Not only that, but the *frasco* bottle also transformed into a slice of flower-patterned castella.
Finally, even that "flower-patterned castella" was no longer food.
There, a single young courtesan sat with her splendid knees languidly arranged, gazing obliquely up at someone's face.………

16

San Sebastian's upper body.
He suddenly made the sign of the cross.
Then he showed a relieved expression.

Two long-tailed monkeys crouched beneath a single candle, both grimacing.

Two long-tailed monkeys crouched beneath a single candle.
Both were grimacing.

18

The interior of the aforementioned cave.
San Sebastian was praying once more before the Cross.
Just then, a large owl swiftly swooped down from somewhere and with a single flap of its wings extinguished the candle's flame.
However, a single beam of moonlight faintly illuminated the Cross.

19

The cross hung on the rock wall.
The cross began to transform into a rectangular window fitted with a cross-shaped lattice.
Outside the rectangular window was a scene containing a single thatched-roof house.
There was no one around the house.
Gradually, the house began to approach the window on its own.
Simultaneously, the interior of the house also began to come into view.
There, an old woman resembling San Sebastian sat alone, spinning a spinning wheel with one hand while holding a cherry branch bearing fruit in the other, letting a two- or three-year-old child play.
The child must also be his.
However, not only the interior of the house but they too passed through the rectangular window like mist.

What came into view this time was the field behind the house.
In the field, a woman nearing forty worked alone, diligently cutting and drying ears of wheat.………

20

San Sebastian's upper body peered into the rectangular window, though he stood angled away to show his back. Only the window's exterior held brightness now—the view beyond had ceased to be a field. A multitude of heads swarmed there, old and young alike, men and women both. Above this crowd's heads rose three crucified figures—two men and a woman—their arms outstretched high upon crosses. The central cross bore a man indistinguishable from San Sebastian himself. He attempted retreat from the window's frame but faltered unsteadily, nearly collapsing—

21

The interior of the aforementioned cave.
San Sebastian had collapsed onto the rock beneath the cross.
But finally lifting his face, he looked up at the cross bathed in moonlight.
The cross had transformed into the fresh and vibrant newborn Shakyamuni.
San Sebastian watched this Shakyamuni with a look of surprise, then suddenly stood up again and made the sign of the cross.
The shadow of a large owl grazing through the moonlight.
The newborn Shakyamuni transformed once more back into its original cross.………

22

The aforementioned mountain path.
The mountain path bathed in moonlight transformed into a black table.
On the table was a deck of playing cards.
Then two male hands appeared, quietly shuffled the deck, and began dealing cards to both sides.

23

The interior of the aforementioned cave.
San Sebastian walked through the cave with his head lowered.
Then a halo began to shine above his head.
At the same time, the cave interior gradually began to brighten.
He suddenly noticed this miracle and stopped in the center of the cave.
First an expression of surprise.
Then gradually an expression of joy.
He prostrated himself before the cross and once more offered a fervent prayer.

24

San Sebastian's right ear.
Inside the earlobe, a single tree bore abundant round fruits.
Inside the ear canal was a flower-filled grassland.
All the grass was swaying in the gentle breeze.

25

The interior of the aforementioned cave.
However, this time it faced outward.
San Sebastian, crowned with a halo, rose from before the cross and walked quietly out of the cave.
After his figure disappeared from view, the cross fell onto the rock of its own accord.
At the same time, a monkey leaped out from the water jug and timidly attempted to approach the Cross.
Then immediately another one.

26

The exterior of this cave.
San Sebastian gradually walked this way through the moonlight.
His shadow fell to the left, of course, and another also fell to the right.
Moreover, the right shadow wore a wide-brimmed hat and was draped in a long cloak.
When he almost blocked the cave’s exterior with his upper body, he paused for a moment and looked up at the sky.

A sky dotted only with shining stars.

A sky dotted only with shining stars.
Suddenly, a large protractor came striding down from above.
As it gradually descended, its stride likewise gradually shortened until finally its legs came together, and it slowly faded into haze and vanished.

Several suns hung in the vast darkness.

Several suns hung in the vast darkness.
Around those suns, many Earths were also orbiting.

29

The aforementioned mountain path.
San Sebastian, crowned with a halo, descended the mountain path quietly while casting two shadows.
Then he stood at the base of the camphor tree, staring fixedly at his feet.

30

A mountain path viewed diagonally from above.
On the mountain path, a single pebble lay rolling in the moonlight.
The pebble gradually transformed into a stone axe, then again into a dagger, and finally into a pistol.
However, that too was no longer a pistol.
Eventually, it changed back into just an ordinary pebble.

31

The aforementioned mountain path.
San Sebastian remained standing still, still staring at his feet.
The presence of two shadows remained unchanged.
Then, this time, he raised his head and began to gaze at the trunk of the camphor tree.………

32

The trunk of the camphor tree bathed in moonlight.
The trunk, clad in rough bark, revealed nothing at first.
But gradually, upon its surface, the faces of gods who once reigned over the world began to emerge vividly, one by one.
Finally, the face of the suffering Christ.
Finally?—No, not "finally."
It too changed in the blink of an eye into a Tokyo XX newspaper folded into four.

33

The side of the aforementioned mountain path.
The shadow wearing a wide-brimmed hat and mantle rose upright of its own accord.
Yet when it had fully risen, it was no longer merely a shadow.
It was the Western ship captain—a sharp-eyed man with a beard like a goat's.

34

This mountain path.
San Sebastian was talking with the Captain under the camphor tree.
His countenance was heavy.
But the Captain wore a constant sneer on his lips.
After talking for a while, they entered the side path together.

35

On the cape overlooking the sea.
They stood there, talking earnestly about something.
Before long, the Captain took out a telescope from his mantle and made a hand gesture to San Sebastian, saying "Look."
He hesitated for a moment, then peered through the telescope at the sea.
The plants around them were of course ceaselessly swaying in the sea breeze, as was San Sebastian’s priestly robe.
But the Captain’s mantle did not move.

36

The first scene reflected in the telescope.

In a room hung with many paintings, a Western man and woman were talking around a table.
On the table where candlelight fell were wine cups, a guitar, and roses.
Then another Western man suddenly pushed open the door of this room, drew his sword, and came in.
No sooner had the other Western man leapt away from the table than he drew his sword to confront his opponent.
However, by that time he had already taken his opponent's sword to his heart and fallen onto his back on the floor.
The Western woman leaped back to the corner of the room and, while pressing her hands to her cheeks, stared fixedly at this tragedy.

37

The second scene reflected in the telescope.
In a room lined with large bookshelves and the like, a Western man sat blankly facing his desk.
On the desk where electric light fell were documents, account books, magazines, and the like.
At that moment, a Western child burst through the door with great force and entered.
The Western man embraced the child, kissed the child's face repeatedly, then made a hand gesture meaning "Go over there."
The child obediently left.
Then, once again facing the desk, no sooner had the Western man taken something out from the drawer than smoke suddenly began to rise around his head.

38

The third scene reflected in the telescope.
In a room furnished with a Russian’s bust, a Western woman was diligently typing at a typewriter.
At that moment, a Western old woman quietly opened the door, approached her, and while presenting a letter, made a hand gesture saying, “Read this.”
The woman had no sooner read the letter in the electric light than she broke into violent hysteria.
The old woman, dumbfounded, backed away toward the doorway.

39

The fourth scene reflected in the telescope.
In a room resembling an Expressionist painting, a Western man and woman were conversing around a table.
On the table where a strange light fell were test tubes, funnels, and bladders.
Then, a Western male doll taller than them pushed open the door with eerie quietness and entered, holding an artificial bouquet.
But before handing over the bouquet, it apparently developed a mechanical malfunction, suddenly lunged at the man, and carelessly knocked him down onto the floor.
The Western woman leapt back to the corner of the room and, while pressing both hands to her cheeks, suddenly began laughing uncontrollably.

40

The fifth scene reflected in the telescope.
This time too, the room was no different from the previous one.
The only thing different from before was that no one was there.
Before long, the entire room suddenly exploded into a tremendous cloud of smoke.
All that remained was a vast expanse of scorched fields.
But after a while, it too began to transform into a long-grassed field where a single willow grew by the riverside.
From that field once more rose a flock of white egrets, their numbers beyond counting………

41

On the previous cape.
San Sebastian held the telescope and talked with the Captain about something.
The Captain slightly shook his head, then plucked a star from the sky and showed it.
San Sebastian recoiled and hurriedly attempted to make the sign of the cross.
But this time, he seemed unable to complete it.
The Captain placed the star on his palm and made a hand gesture saying, "Look," to him.

42

The Captain’s palm supporting the star.
The star gradually transformed into a pebble, the pebble then into a potato, the potato again into a butterfly, and finally the butterfly into an exceedingly small Napoleon clad in military uniform.
Napoleon stood at the center of the palm, glanced briefly about, then spun around to turn his back and urinated off the edge of the palm.

43

The previous mountain path.
San Sebastian dejectedly returned there after the Captain.
The Captain paused briefly and plucked San Sebastian’s halo as if removing a golden ring.
Then they began talking about something again beneath the camphor tree.
The halo that fell on the path gradually transformed into a large pocket watch.
The time was two thirty AM.

44

This winding stretch of mountain path.
However, this time—not only the trees and rocks but even they themselves standing on the mountain path—all were viewed from an oblique angle above.
The landscape bathed in moonlight had, at some point, transformed into a modern café filled with countless men and women.
Behind them was a forest of instruments.
Starting with them standing at the very center, everything—down to the last detail—was as fine as scales.

45

The interior of this café.
San Sebastian was surrounded by a crowd of dancers, looking around in bewilderment.
Bouquets occasionally came raining down there.
The dancers offered him alcohol or hung around his neck—
But he could only frown, seemingly unable to do anything.
The Western Ship Captain stood directly behind him like this, allowing exactly half of his face—still bearing that sneer—to show.

46

The floor of the previous café.
On the floor，many feet in shoes were constantly moving.
Those feet had transformed into horse legs，crane legs，and deer legs.

47

The corner of the previous café.
A black man in a gold-buttoned suit alone beats a large drum.
This black man too transforms into a camphor tree before one knows it.

48

The previous mountain path.
The Captain stood with arms crossed, looking down at San Sebastian, who lay unconscious at the base of the camphor tree.
Then he picked him up and began climbing toward the opposite cave, half-dragging him as he went.

49

The interior of the previous cave.
However this time too it faced outward.
The moonlight was no longer streaming in.
But when they returned, the surroundings had naturally grown dimly bright.
San Sebastian seized the Captain and earnestly spoke to him once more.
The Captain merely sneered as before, seemingly offering no response to his words.
But finally speaking two or three words, he pointed to the still dim shadow of the rock and gestured for him to look.

50

The inner corner of the cave.
One bearded corpse was leaning against the rock wall.

51

Their upper bodies.
San Sebastian showed surprise and fear and spoke something to the Captain.
The Captain replied briefly.
San Sebastian recoiled and frantically tried to make the sign of the cross.
But this time too, he could not complete it.

52 Judas……

Judas………

53

The previous corpse—Judas’s profile.
Someone’s hand seized this face and stroked it as though administering a massage.
Then the head turned transparent, laying bare the brain with perfect clarity—exactly like an anatomical diagram.
The brain first dimly reflected thirty pieces of silver.
But before long, the faces of apostles—each bearing mockery or pity—had also appeared superimposed upon them.
Moreover, beyond those seemed to float houses, lakes, crosses, hands in obscene shapes, olive branches, old men—all manner of things reflected there.………

54

The inner corner of the previous cave.
The corpse leaning against the rock wall slowly began growing younger until it finally transformed into an infant.
Yet on this infant's chin, only the beard remained properly intact.

The soles of the infant corpse’s feet.

The soles of the infant corpse’s feet.
Both soles bore a single rose at their centers.
However, they shed their petals onto the rock in the blink of an eye.

56

Their upper bodies.
San Sebastian grew more agitated and attempted to speak to the Captain once more.
The Captain gave no response.
But he was staring at San Sebastian’s face with near solemnity.

57

The sharp-eyed Captain’s face, half in the shadow of his hat.
The Captain slowly extended his tongue.
On the tongue rested a Sphinx.

58

The inner corner of the previous cave.
The infant corpse leaning against the rock wall gradually began to change again, until it finally became two monkeys properly giving a shoulder ride.

59

The interior of the previous cave.
The Captain was earnestly speaking something to San Sebastian.
But San Sebastian, keeping his head bowed, seemed not to be listening to the Captain’s words.
The Captain suddenly grabbed his arm and, pointing outside the cave, made a hand gesture that said, "Look," to him.

60

The mountain landscape bathed in moonlight.
This landscape spontaneously transformed into a rugged cluster of rocks brimming with “shore jellyfish.”
A swarm of shore jellyfish drifting through the air.
But that too vanished, leaving behind a small Earth revolving within a vast darkness.

61

Earth revolved within vast darkness.
As the Earth slowed its rotation, it transformed into an orange.
Then a knife appeared and cut the orange clean in two.
The cross-section of the white orange revealed a single magnetic needle.

62

Their upper bodies.
San Sebastian clung to the Captain, staring fixedly into empty space.
His expression verged on madness.
The Captain maintained his sneer without so much as twitching an eyelash.
Then he produced yet another skull from within his mantle.

63

The skull resting on the Captain’s hand.
From the skull’s eyes, a single firefly fluttered upward into the air.
Then three more, two more, five more.

64

The air inside the previous cave.
The air was filled with countless fireflies darting in every direction.

65

One of those fireflies.
The firefly transformed into an eagle as it flew through the air.

66

The interior of the previous cave.
San Sebastian still clung to the Captain and had closed his eyes.
Not only that, but when he let go of the Captain’s arm, he collapsed onto the rock.
But he raised his upper body once more and looked up at the Captain’s face again.

67

The lower body of San Sebastian, who had collapsed onto the rock.
While supporting his body, his hand accidentally caught hold of the cross on the rock.
Timidly at first, then suddenly tightening its grip.

68

San Sebastian's hand held up the cross.

69

The Captain’s upper body, turned away.
The Captain peered over his shoulder at something and formed a bitter smile filled with disappointment.
Then he quietly stroked his beard.

70

The interior of the previous cave.

The Captain briskly exited the cave and came down the dimly lit mountain path.
Accordingly, the scenery of the mountain path also gradually shifted downward.
Behind the Captain were two monkeys.
When the Captain came under the camphor tree, he stopped briefly, removed his hat, and bowed respectfully to something unseen.

71

The interior of the previous cave.
However, this time too, it faced outward.
San Sebastian, still firmly gripping the cross, lay collapsed on the rock.

The exterior of the cave began to faintly show the light of the morning sun.

72

The face of San Sebastian on the rock, viewed diagonally from above.
His face began to slowly shed tears down his cheeks in the faint light of the morning sun.

73

The same mountain path.
The mountain path bathed in morning sunlight naturally transformed back into the black table as before.
Lined up on the left side of the table were nothing but the ace of spades and picture cards.

74

A room flooded with morning sunlight.

The master had just opened the door and sent someone out.
On the table in the corner of this room were sake jars, sake cups, playing cards, and such.
The master sat down before the table and lit a cigarette.
Then he let out a great yawn.
The bearded master’s face was no different from that of the Western ship captain.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

Afterword.
San Sebastian is the sole Japanese Catholic imbued with legendary hues.
Mr. Urakawa Wasaburō’s *The Revival of the Catholic Church in Japan*
See Chapter 18.