Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
Holy FamilyAuthor: Hori Tatsuo
| Original Title | 聖家族 |
|---|---|
| Author | 堀 辰雄 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a world shadowed by grief, a widow and a young man collide amid the chaos of a funeral procession. Madame Saiki, veiled in aristocratic detachment, drifts through life like a specter until an impulsive act strands her outside her chauffeured car. Henri Kouno—a disheveled youth haunted by his mentor’s death—emerges from the crowd to rescue her, his timid smile masking unresolved ties to her past. Their chance meeting unravels a web of unspoken histories: Kuki, the enigmatic figure binding them, lingers in every glance, every half-remembered encounter. As they retreat to a dusty café, Madame’s fragility mirrors Henri’s own fractured psyche, both tethered to a man whose absence looms larger than life. \nMeanwhile, Kinuko—Madame’s daughter—watches from the periphery, her innocence curdling into restless curiosity. Whispers of artbooks, phantom letters, and dreams of sacred families blur reality, while Henri’s chaotic existence spirals between reverence and rebellion. In this delicate dance of memory and longing, death becomes both mediator and intruder, weaving their fates into a tapestry where love and loss are indistinguishable. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP