Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

The Persimmon-Colored Paper BalloonAuthor: Unno Juza

Original Title	柿色の紙風船
Author	海野十三
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a bustling hospital, panic erupts when a hemorrhoid patient vanishes mid-treatment with a priceless radium implant. Nurses scramble, fearing financial ruin if the radioactive material—smaller than a pencil lead—is lost. Unbeknownst to them, the patient, Maruta Marushirō, orchestrates his escape, smuggling the radium out in a daring scheme. To evade suspicion, he deliberately gets arrested for shoplifting, trading freedom for police protection. Five years in prison pass monotonously: days spent assembling paper balloons, nights guarding his secret. Weeks before release, detectives circle, forcing Maruta to hide the radium within a persimmon-colored balloon destined for sale. Upon freedom, he hunts down the toy wholesaler—only to find the radium gone. A chilling realization dawns: his pickpocket cellmate, Igarashi, outsmarted him. Desperation drives Maruta to brutal extremes, but victory crumbles into hollow regret. Shadows of greed and betrayal linger as the radioactive treasure’s fate—and Maruta’s soul—remain entangled in darkness.