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

| Original Title | 別れの辞 |
|---|---|
| Author | 豊島 与志雄 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a haze of alcohol and veiled tensions, a group of habitual drinkers orbit the enigmatic Shimamura, whose erratic behavior and mounting debts hint at a life unraveling. Among them, Miyazaki—a brooding writer—grapples with his ambiguous fixation on Kiyoko, a young woman tied to their favored tavern, Sasamoto. His daily ritual of gifting her dolls during her illness masks a performative detachment, sparking speculation and drunken tests of loyalty within the group. Meanwhile, Shimamura’s shadowy entanglement with the geisha Shizuba fuels whispers of self-destruction, his contemptuous demeanor alienating even longtime companions like Nagao and Onishi. As financial ruin looms and relationships fracture beneath the weight of unspoken truths, the line between camaraderie and manipulation blurs. Secrets simmer beneath raucous nights of sake and performative embraces, building toward an unsettling rupture. The air thickens with unresolved questions: What compels Shimamura’s defiance? Is Miyazaki’s “pure act” of devotion genuine or delusion? And in this world of borrowed time and borrowed money, who will burn their ships first? |