Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
| Original Title | 石ころ路 |
|---|---|
| Author | 田畑 修一郎 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A newcomer arrives on a windswept volcanic island where nature’s ferocity mirrors the enigmatic lives of its inhabitants. After enduring days of relentless gales, they explore villages nestled between stone walls, encountering locals like a cryptic drunkard who demands purpose, a neurasthenic craftsman spinning tales of lost love, and a weary official hinting at buried discontent. Drawn to solitude, the narrator retreats to a remote farmstead, where the rhythms of rural life—milking cows, weathered laborers, and a girl bonded to a feral bull—blur with haunting introspection. Vivid landscapes of cliffs, hazel groves, and sea vistas amplify a growing detachment from their past. Strange encounters with outcasts—a tormented herder, a silent man lost in private anguish—hint at unspoken tensions beneath the island’s surface. As storms of both weather and psyche collide, the narrator’s fragile grasp on reality wavers, leaving them adrift between the island’s harsh beauty and the shadows within. What truths lie buried in this stony path? |
← Return to List← Return to TOP