Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | それができたら |
|---|---|
| Author | 岸田 国士 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the aftermath of World War II, Azuma Fox Farm—once a thriving enterprise renowned for its prized silver foxes—stands diminished, its cages nearly empty and its future uncertain. Hoshizumi Shogo, the aging owner, grapples with the collapse of the luxury fur trade and the burden of sustaining his remaining animals amid scarce resources. A man of enigmatic past, Shogo’s resilience is tested as he navigates postwar hardships, haunted by memories of his nomadic youth across Siberia and Kamchatka, and a marriage forged in Karafuto’s harsh frontier. \nEnter Tameki Otoya, a hapless caretaker whose earnest yet inept efforts to manage the farm’s dwindling livestock strain Shogo’s patience. Their uneasy dynamic unfolds against a backdrop of financial desperation, as Shogo contemplates severing ties with Tameki to salvage what remains of his legacy. Yet beneath pragmatic decisions lies a web of unspoken tensions—Shogo’s lingering idealism clashes with Tameki’s stubborn pride, each man tethered to fading dreams in a world reshaped by war. \nAs autumn leaves scatter, choices loom: Can a bond forged in hardship endure, or will survival demand sacrifice? The farm’s quiet decay mirrors the fragile hopes of those clinging to fragments of a vanishing era. |
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