Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
| Original Title | 夜の靴 |
|---|---|
| Author | 横光 利一 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the twilight of World War II, a Tokyo writer escapes the bombed-out city, bringing his family to a remote mountain village. But peace brings no respite. Instead, he finds himself a bewildered "foreigner," his intellectual detachment clashing with the primal struggle for survival in a world where rice is currency and ancient customs govern all. As the nation reels from defeat, he observes the villagers' quiet resilience, their desperate deceptions, and the stark beauty of their lives, while battling internal demons—his own "inhuman observer's impulses" and the gnawing question of purpose. Will he find a way to bridge the chasm between contemplation and raw existence, or is he destined to remain an alienated spirit, forever a stranger in the heart of a broken Japan? |
← Return to List
← Return to TOP