Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.

| Original Title | 春の潮 |
|---|---|
| Author | 伊藤 左千夫 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a rural Japanese village bound by tradition, a young man returns home after a fleeting marriage, burdened by unspoken guilt and societal scorn. His mother’s quiet worry and his family’s muted disapproval weigh heavily as whispers of his unresolved ties to a former love, Otoyo, ripple through the community. Amid spring’s renewal—blooming plums and distant ocean tides—their clandestine bond defies rigid expectations, clashing with familial honor and village gossip. As seasons shift, so do loyalties: Shōsaku’s restless heart strains against duty, while Otoyo, trapped between devotion and filial obligation, faces her own suffocating choices. Layers of pride, sacrifice, and whispered rebellions unfold against a backdrop of verdant fields and stifling norms, where love and legacy collide. Will their fragile resolve withstand the relentless pull of tradition, or will the tides of spring carry them toward an uncharted fate? |