Pathway to Japanese Literature
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The Ship Doctor’s PositionAuthor: Kikuchi Kan
| Original Title | 船医の立場 |
|---|---|
| Author | 菊池 寛 |
| Genre | War & Social Literature |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In late spring 1854, two samurai traverse Japan’s Izu Peninsula, their gaunt faces belying a fierce resolve. Yoshida Torajirou, marked by scabies and intellect, and Kaneko Shigenosuke, broad-shouldered yet equally haggard, pursue a forbidden dream: boarding the American “Black Ships” anchored offshore to demand passage to the West. For weeks, they evade coastal guards, bribe boatmen, and brave stormy seas, only to watch their targets slip away—first to Edo, then Shimoda. Undeterred, they steal fishing boats under starless skies, battling waves and exhaustion, their hands blistered from futile rowing. When they finally reach Admiral Perry’s flagship, language barriers and suspicion thwart them. Worse, Torajirou’s worsening skin disease brands him a hygiene risk. Returned ashore, they are imprisoned as traitors, mocked by villagers yet unbroken. Their written plea—a blend of defiance and poetic despair—reaches Perry’s crew, stirring admiration and guilt. But as they await execution in a cramped cage, their laughter echoes louder than defeat, a testament to ambitions that outpace an era’s rigid borders. |
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