Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

War and a WomanAuthor: Sakaguchi Ango

Original Title	戦争と一人の女
Author	坂口安吾
Genre	Popular Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	Amidst the chaos of wartime Japan, Nomura and a woman form an unconventional bond, united by the shared belief that defeat is inevitable. She—a former bar owner with a history of fleeting affairs—moves in with him not out of love, but a pragmatic acceptance of life’s impermanence. Their relationship thrives on detachment: he expects her infidelity; she craves connection yet remains emotionally hollow. Together, they navigate air raids and scarcity, finding fleeting joy in bicycle rides and black-market feasts. Yet beneath their playful coexistence simmers unresolved tension—her inability to experience genuine intimacy clashes with his growing, conflicted attachment. When firestorms engulf their neighborhood, they fight side by side to save their home, revealing unexpected vulnerability. But as the war nears its end, questions linger: Can a bond forged in chaos survive peace? What becomes of two souls who embraced destruction as their only certainty? A haunting exploration of desire, survival, and the fragile masks we wear when tomorrow may never come.