Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

The New HouseholdAuthor: Tokuda Shūsei

Original Title	新世帯
Author	徳田秋声
Genre	Modern Short Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a snow-dusted district of Tokyo, Shinji—a merchant of relentless ambition—builds his livelihood through grit and calculation. Four years into his marriage to Osaku, a timid woman chosen for her modest demeanor, cracks emerge in their fragile union. Shinji’s dreams of prosperity clash with Osaku’s domestic ineptitude, her vacant smiles fueling his frustration. When Okuni, the enigmatic wife of a disgraced acquaintance, drifts into their lives, her resourcefulness illuminates the household’s shadows, unsettling the tenuous balance. Set against the backdrop of Meiji-era commerce, this tale weaves quiet desperation with simmering tensions, exploring the cost of ambition and the fragile threads binding husband and wife. As seasons shift and loyalties blur, Shinji’s meticulous plans confront the chaos of human frailty—a dance of duty and disillusionment where every choice risks unraveling the life he’s fought to build.