Pathway to Japanese Literature

Main Characters

Kasahara Heizou, 46 years old

Takeko, his wife, 42 years old
Seiichi, their eldest son, 23 years old
Tomiko, their daughter, 20 years old

Keiji, their second son, 8 years old

Kitano Ryousaku, 45 years old

Yasuda 26 years old

As for this "story," except where specially designated, regardless of which portions are depicted on screen, conveyed through subtitles, or supplemented with "explanations," that remains entirely at the director’s prerogative.
Just ensure that the impression of each scene is brought to cinematic life.

Volume 1

1

A weather-beaten grandfather clock filled the screen.
The hands pointed to 12:15.

A man’s right hand holding a winding key appeared.
He began winding the clock.
He adjusted the hands to nine o'clock.

He tried swinging the pendulum, but it immediately stopped.

2

The clock's interior was shown.
The spring detached.

The spring filled the entire screen.
And then, this time, it began rotating at high speed.
Then, from its center appeared a white woman’s right hand shaped like an ornate wheel.
It extended an index finger, pointing at something.

This screen gradually faded out as the next scene came into view.

3

Kasahara Heizou sat cross-legged on the sunlit engawa, working intently with a small knife.
A toy boat was taking shape.
Beside him, Keiji quietly watched.
All that remained was to set the sail.

Takeko, his wife, was doing laundry in a corner of the garden.

When the boat was completed, Heizou filled a basin with water and floated it to test.
Seeing Keiji playing intently, Heizou approached the chicken coop.
He repaired the torn part of the wire mesh.

Tomiko appeared to be pleading with her mother about something.

“Father, Tomiko says she wants to go to her friend’s place.”

Heizou’s expression—an awkward blend of paternal affection and dignity.

“Not today.”
“Because we’re expecting guests later…”

Tomiko’s displeased look.

The mother appeared to be reprimanding Tomiko.

Heizou, in a manner meant to catch his daughter’s attention,

“Yasuda said he’s coming again to play cards.”

Tomiko remained sullen as ever.
However, when she realized it was hopeless, she suddenly put on a face as if nothing had happened and disappeared into the back.

After leaving the chicken coop, Heizou now made his way toward the flower bed.
The new sprouts were stretching out.
And then, lightly touching them with his finger, he muttered to no one in particular,

"This year, the peonies sprouted well."

4

A government office’s administrative room.—Six or seven men were handling official business.
Heizou was busily organizing the account books.

A man who appeared to be a superior emerged.
He came to Heizou’s side and looked through the documents Heizou presented.
The superior nodded deeply.
Abruptly noticing something resembling a photo stand propped up on the desk, he picked it up to examine.
It was a calendar; when opened to the right, its reverse side became a train timetable.
And then, on a separate sheet folded in from the left, an address book was attached.
When flipped through again, on the back were written necessary phone numbers, and in the central partition was pasted a single photograph.

“Hmm, I see. This is quite convenient.”
“Your invention?”
Heizou shrank back slightly.

“This photo is of your son at Dairen Steamship Company, right?”

“Yes.”

The superior continued examining its assembly while remarking,
“But you’re really quite skilled.
How about getting a new patent for this...
It’s a splendid invention, this... you.”
Then addressing another: “Hey, Mr. Yasuda.”

The man in the adjacent seat called Mr. Yasuda laughed ambiguously.
The superior, in high spirits, added:
“If you have time, could you make me one of these too?”

Heizou, greatly honored, bowed deeply to his superior.

The young man in the adjacent seat once again picked up the calendar.

“If you say so, that’s right,” Yasuda replied. “Things like new patents seem easy enough to obtain.”

The man across reached out and took the calendar from his adjacent colleague’s hands. Staring intently at it, he mused:

“Kasahara-style… What should we call it?”

5

Heizou exited the government office gate alongside Yasuda from the adjacent seat.
The young man kept talking to him, but Heizou listened distractedly—he seemed to occasionally smile at his own daydreams.

Visions that flitted through Heizou’s mind—
Steam boiler cars—automobiles—airplanes—electric wires—telephones—radio antennas—trains—the rotation of gears in factories—chemistry laboratories—scholars shaking test tubes—library bookshelves—Western-language books—the pages turning one after another.

6

Heizou had found himself alone before he knew it.
When he came to his senses, he had no idea where he was now.
For a moment, he glanced around restlessly, surveying his surroundings.
He seemed to finally grasp his bearings and began walking hurriedly.
A street sprinkler operator passed by.
He panicked and jumped back.

"Damn it!
That thing is nothing.
It’s just using water pressure!"

7

It was the entrance to the house.
Heizou vigorously opened the entrance lattice door.

He changed clothes in the tea room.
The meal was ready.
He sat down at the dining table.

Takeko’s conversation

“The young lady across the way is finally having her ceremony on the tenth, they say…”
“Today, the wife came over and asked if you could take a look at the preparations once.”
“I went to look.”
“That’s really something…”
“Two paulownia wood chests... and then...”

Heizou listened silently to this conversation.
He might have been pretending to listen.
His eyes, however, were subtly fixed on his daughter.

The figure of his daughter modestly moving her chopsticks transformed into a splendid bridal image that floated before his eyes.
And there beside her sat the figure of a groom—none other than Yasuda, his colleague from the government office.

Then before he knew it, there rose vividly before Heizou's eyes that afternoon's scene—the moment his superior had examined the calendar and praised his inventive genius.

Heizou snapped back to his senses.
He looked around at the group proudly.

“You just wait—I’ll do something truly great!”

The wife and daughter, stunned, looked at Heizou’s face.

8

After dinner—
Heizou was reading the evening newspaper.
The wife and daughter were doing needlework.

Keiji was lying on his stomach, drawing a picture.

Heizou fixed his eyes on the next newspaper article—
Tōyama Heizō’s World-Class Invention
——Success of Vertical Takeoff Experiment——
▲A Monumental Milestone in Aviation History▼
Heizou put the newspaper down and closed his eyes.
Then, the following printed text appears—

Mr. Kasahara Heizou’s World-Class Invention

Heizou stood up as if suddenly remembering something and went to the sitting room.
He took out thin boards, cardboard, and other materials.

9

The screen filled with spring-driven mechanisms.
Then, a white, delicate hand appeared and wound the spring's coil.

Volume 2

1

Heizou's face, deep in thought—

At the government office.

He walked through town.

While eating.

In the bath.

In bed.

At the tram stop.

2

Heizou began to read various reading materials.

Popular Science Lectures

Mechanical Engineering

World Inventors’ Biographies

3

Heizou toured a printing factory.
He was truly what one might call an "admirer."

4

At the bicycle shop’s storefront, Heizou listened to an explanation about a motorcycle.
He has a stubborn streak, yet he is timid.

5

Heizou listened to an acquaintance of a military police sergeant explain the structure and functions of a pistol.
He wasn’t particularly quick to understand.
Yet he had a habit of jumping to conclusions.

6

When dinner ends, Heizou immediately retreats to the sitting room.
The lonely faces of those watching his retreating figure.

7

Heizou was in the sitting room drafting diagrams when Takeko entered and tried speaking to him. He gave no reply until finally snapping:

“Shut up!”
“Don’t you understand what I’m doing?”

Takeko gave up and left the room.

8

The tea room.
The electric light was on.
The clock remained stopped, pointing to nine o'clock.
Keiji was sleeping with a damp hand towel on his forehead.
Takeko and Tomiko were lined up at the bedside with anxious faces.
Heizou opened the sliding door.
Seeing this situation, he was slightly startled.

"What's wrong?"

"He seems to have a slight fever."

Takeko answered.

Heizou peered into the patient’s face.

“Where does it hurt?”

The patient seemed to be saying something, but it didn’t reach Heizou’s ears.

“Tomiko, go call the doctor.”

“Wait—I’ll go…”

Takeko stood up, having said this.

At this moment, the eyes of the three converged on the stopped grandfather clock as if by mutual agreement.

9

Heizou was deep in thought before his desk at the government office.

The office attendant said something.
Heizou flusteredly searched for the documents.
While looking through the found documents, he wrote something down on another sheet of paper.
In his haste, things wouldn't progress as intended—such restless impatience showed through.

The office attendant came to call again.
Heizou nodded repeatedly.
After a while, he seemed to have finally organized his work and left with the documents in hand.

10

The superior’s room.—Heizou entered in a cowering manner.
The superior's face looked displeased.

“You’ve been rather off lately.”

Heizou made a slightly strained smile.
But he gradually began displaying a rebellious attitude.

11

A small café.—Heizou and Yasuda sat facing each other across a table.

“Did the new patent not work out?”

“Yeah, that thing—doesn’t matter how it turned out. But this time, I’ve got it right.”

“What’s this one?”

“What do you think it is?”

“Well…?”
“Is it a pencil sharpener?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Then Heizou began explaining his new invention with animated gestures and pantomime.

It was, in essence, a sunshade meant to be attached to box carts.
Starting from the wretchedness of young boys hauling heavy carts under blazing skies, he elaborated on how tremendously valuable this invention was even from a humanitarian standpoint.

“Now then, Mr. Yasuda—don’t you agree?”

“That certainly is good.”

First and foremost, I needed to secure capital.

“I once heard—what about that person, the one who’s a lawyer and company president…”
“Aren’t you childhood friends?”
“He’d probably provide the capital for you.”

“No.”
“I don’t want that guy’s help.”

If it’s physical work you need—use me.

Ah—I do plan to consult you on various matters.
Since you’re good with words, maybe I’ll have you write the ad copy.

“I’ll even handle flyer distribution!”

Hahahaha.

The two of them laughed with apparent delight.

12

Keiji’s sickbed.—

The doctor checked the pulse.
There, Heizou returned.

13

Tatami room.
Heizou and the doctor were sitting facing each other.

“I’m afraid I’m somewhat uncertain in my own abilities, so would you consider having him seen by a specialist?”

Was his condition truly that critical?

“I believe his condition is rather critical. What do you say—perhaps you should consider admitting him to the hospital…”

Heizou fell silent and sank into thought.

14

The family room.

—

Takeko sat alone by Keiji’s bedside.
Through the sliding door, she tried to make out what the doctor was saying.

15

Heizou and Takeko saw the doctor out and returned to the tatami room.
The two of them were trying their utmost not to speak.
However, they had to say what needed to be said.

“Should I consult Kitano?”

“Please… Not that.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Shall I try telling Seiichi?”

“…To him…”

“But this differs from other situations…”

16

Under the blazing sun, a stretcher cart passed through the road.
After that, Heizou walked along, using a folding fan.
He occasionally peered inside through gaps in the canopy.
Heizou called out to the man pulling the cart.

"So—about how much does this cart run me?"
"If I were to have one made…"

17

Heizou sat before the desk in the tatami room, both hands cradling his head.
His left hand was bandaged.
Suddenly, he pulled out a single certificate from the desk drawer and stared at it.
That certificate was the new patent certificate for the "Kasahara-style Sunshade for Box Carts."
With an expression that suggested he had reached some decision, he stood up.
He began to change clothes.

Heizou paced back and forth in front of the building bearing a sign that read “Kitano Law Office,” a motion he had been repeating for some time now.

In front of the building bearing a sign that read “Kitano Law Office,” Heizou had been pacing back and forth for some time now.

19

Reception room.

Heizou and Kitano Ryousaku sat facing each other.
He unwrapped the furoshiki bundle and took out the patent certificate.
Then he extended it toward Ryousaku.
Ryousaku looked back and forth between the certificate and Heizou’s face.
A vivid expression of triumph appeared on Heizou’s face.

“Actually, I’ve come to consult you about this matter.”

Ryousaku’s face showed puzzlement.

“Well now, I had no idea you possessed such talents.”
“Though I must say—I’m a complete amateur in this sort of field…”

Heizou seized his chance.

"Well now, with just a bit of capital, I'm certain it would succeed."

Ryousaku twisted his face into a wry smile.

"I myself could stand to have more capital for my own ventures..."

Heizou stared mutely at the man's face.
Clear disappointment surfaced.

As if soothing a wounded animal,

"But I'll keep it in mind," Ryousaku offered.
"Entrepreneurs can't be said to lack interest in any sort of opportunity."
"If circumstances permit, I might broach the subject with relevant parties."

Heizou bowed his head.
And then, he exited outside as if fleeing.

20

Heizou was walking through the busy town.
At a crossroads, an old man was run over by an automobile.
A crowd gathered.
A police officer. A stretcher.

At that moment, Heizou thought of devising a protective device that would prevent injury even if one were hit by an automobile.
He pondered whether it must be something like steel armor or perhaps akin to a wire mesh used for grilling fish.
Already, the image of a person equipped with such a protective device floated before his eyes.
And the sight of that person actually being struck by an automobile yet calmly rising and walking away became visible before his eyes.
However, when he imagined such a peculiarly attired person on a main street swarming with people rushing about, he felt a strange sensation; this idea would need to be reconsidered a bit more.

21

A large white hand winding the spring's key.

Volume 3

1

The gangway of a steamship anchored at the port.

Third Engineer Kasahara Seiichi had just finished reading a long letter.
Lips trembled slightly.

The edge of the letter fluttered.

To Seiichi From Mother

The characters reading "To Seiichi From Mother" could be clearly made out.

Seiichi’s face gradually took on a look of anguish.
He was now conjuring a scene before his eyes.

There lay Keiji.
Of course, it was clear he was a patient.
Beside him, his mother lay prostrate, weeping.

Next, Father was vigorously carving wood with a small knife. Soon he stopped his hands and sank into thought. He clutched at his hair. He flew into a tantrum and stood up. Tomiko and Takeko clung to his hands from both sides. He pushed them away and laughed like a madman.

Seiichi let out a sigh.
After quietly putting away the letter, as if remembering something, he hurriedly left that place.

2

Seiichi's cabin.—On the desk, a photograph of the entire family immediately caught the eye.
Seiichi entered the cabin and abruptly began writing a letter.

3

Heizou’s government office administrative room.

Heizou's seat alone remained empty.
At the neighboring desk, Yasuda was talking while laughing with his usual colleague across from him.

"Have you seen Kasahara-kun lately?"
"How about going after his daughter instead of Sensei?"

Yasuda was unexpectedly serious.

"Yeah."

"So the sunshade for carts was a bust after all?"

"He said there was nothing he could do without the employer's understanding.
But if this newly devised one were to succeed, it would be something remarkable."

"What's this new one?"

"Take a guess."

"It's probably a mousetrap."

“Oh, how did you know that?”

“That much should be obvious. I ran into that guy in Shinjuku a couple days back.”
“Who’d buy a damn mousetrap nowadays?”
“Anyway, if Sensei up and quits his job, he’ll be in real trouble, eh?”

“He said it’s more carefree in the end, you know.”

“But for all that... he’s still too stubborn to admit defeat...”

4

Hospital.
Keiji’s hospital room.

Nurses bustled in and out, looking busy.
Takeko peered into Keiji’s face.
The doctor came and gave an injection.

5

Heizou’s house.

A janitor-like man opened the front entrance.

Someone from Satake Hospital came.
“Please come to the hospital immediately, everyone—the young master’s condition seems to have worsened slightly...”

Tomiko came rushing out.
She immediately entered the inner rooms.

Tomiko paced between the sitting room and dining area.
And in a trembling voice,

"What should we do about Father?"

6

Hospital.

At Keiji’s bedside, Takeko, a nurse, and a doctor were gathered.
At that moment, Tomiko came rushing in, out of breath.

“I don’t know where Father has gone.”

The doctor was taking his pulse while,

“He’s still stable.”

The group, visibly on edge, kept glancing toward the doorway.
Tomiko alone was pressing a handkerchief to her eyes.

7

At the front of a hardware store was Heizou's figure, holding the newly-invented fly catcher and examining it closely.

8

Evening came.
A bustling main street.
A street vendor selling animal toys.
A straw mat was spread out, and atop it were arranged various animals.
Particularly noticeable were the rabbits, frogs, turtles, and snakes.
A considerable crowd.
It was not merely that the toys were novel.
More than anything, it seemed to be the vendor’s mocking spiel that halted the feet of leisurely strollers.

“How about it? Aren’t they made better than the real thing?”
“Well of course! These things have human souls breathed into them, heh heh heh...”

The man demonstrated this by making the animals move as he spoke.

“This is a rabbit.”
“Yes, this one’s Mr. Turtle...”
“There you go—shambling along just like that.”
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re no different from this turtle yourself, eh? (laughs) Next up—a frog!”
“There—it leaps!”
“Oh ho! The real humans are laughing! At the toy humans...”
“Now what’s this, young ladies?” he said, thrusting the snake toy toward the noses of two women in the crowd.
(They turned their faces away with a shriek) “Hahaha!”
“Nothing to fear here.”
“That’s how simple your heads are made, see? What you think brings joy—that’s no real joy.”
“What you think brings sorrow—that’s no real sorrow either.”
“It’s just that you all decide to think that way.”
“Understood?”
“Those who get it—raise your hands!”
“Come now, come now—what’re you pondering with those clockwork heads?”
“Buy now before night falls!”
“Rabbits twenty sen! Turtles and frogs fifteen! Snakes special at fifty...”
“Come on now—buy! Buy!”

Saying this, he briskly rewound the toy’s spring.

The many faces watching it with various feelings.
Some were innocently impressed, while others wore deliberately foolish grins even as their hearts remained quite captivated.
Others had listless expressions that seemed to say they were watching only because everyone else was.
The various unhealthy faces produced by an unhealthy civilization—stimulated and excited to varying degrees through this fleeting imitation of life—presented an eerie and somewhat comical spectacle.

And then, among those faces, a new one joined without anyone noticing.
That was Heizou’s face, like the very picture of guileless honesty.
That face gradually moved forward past the others.
In other words, he pushed through the others to approach the moving turtle.

“How about it, sir? What do you say to taking home one turtle as a souvenir?”

Addressed thus, Heizou awkwardly drew back his face slightly.

From around this time, buyers began appearing in droves.
Hands clutching silver and nickel coins emerged from here and there.

“Please give me a rabbit.”

“Hey, turtle!”

“Two snakes. Two.”

“Mix me some snakes and frogs.”

Everyone’s smiling faces.

Before long, a mountain of nickel and silver coins was piled before the merchant’s knees.

Heizou now literally planted himself there.
And though he did not take it in hand, he strained to scrutinize the toy’s moving mechanism from every angle—front, back, left, and right.
To do so, he had to press his cheek nearly against the ground.
He seemed to forget that he was in the midst of a surrounding crowd.
The moment he casually brought his face closer, a frog suddenly leapt onto the tip of his nose.
The laughable figure wasn’t him.
But the others didn’t notice such a thing.
Yet everyone felt interest in this fervor.
Of course, as was usual in such situations, among them were affected gentlemen sneering through their noses at this pitiable research-obsessed man.

Heizou finally couldn’t resist and picked up a frog. He did so to turn it over and examine it. At that moment, the merchant—whether unconsciously or deliberately—extended his hand toward him to receive payment. Then, like a child caught in some mischief, he flustered and set the frog down. He glanced left and right. Many eyes were focused on him. At this very moment, he became acutely aware of his own absurd predicament. He left the spot as if fleeing.

9

Heizou's right hand.
—On the palm, two copper coins.

10

Hospital.

Beside Keiji, Takeko and the nurse were talking quietly.
Takeko still retained a shadow lingering around her forehead, while the nurse faced her with a smile so bright it nearly erased this morning’s tense scene.
Keiji kept both eyes wide open and seemed to be murmuring something.
Takeko fed him milk from a spoon.

The door opened.
Heizou appeared dejectedly, his form utterly exhausted.
Takeko’s stern gaze.
Heizou approached Keiji's bedside.
He took Keiji’s hand.
Throughout this, Takeko—who had not uttered a word—finally rose from her seat as though unable to endure it.
Staggering, she approached the doorway.
She opened the door.
At the same moment, she pressed her sleeve to her eyes.
Her figure vanished.

11

The hospital’s long corridor.—The dim light of electric lamps.

Takeko was looking out the window.
She seemed to be trying hard to compose herself.
She kept glancing toward the sickroom door.
Nurses, lightly injured patients, and visitors came and went through the corridor.

Heizou came out.
He immediately approached Takeko’s side.
Takeko did not turn toward him.

“I had no idea at all.”

“Don’t you still understand what you yourself are doing?”

“I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“The outcome remains unchanged.”
“I have made my decision.”

“—What kind of decision—?”

There, Heizou peered into Takeko’s face.
Takeko turned her face away as if avoiding something foul.

“You need to understand my work better—this can’t continue!”
“Won’t you let my talent develop without restraint?”

“Rather than that, please focus solely on your own endeavors.”
“That would benefit everyone.”

“Do you comprehend what I’m capable of? Hmm? Isn’t that so?”
“Just keep watching a little longer.”

“Before you understand that, we will have already been abandoned by society.”

At that moment, the door to the sickroom opened, and the nurse beckoned.
Takeko hurriedly entered the sickroom.
Heizou followed after her.
However, the nurse’s demeanor was never of a degree that would make them anticipate danger.

12

Inside the sickroom.—Keiji said something to his father.
Heizou nodded deeply.

“Alright, I’ll bring it when I come tomorrow.”

Heizou appeared to be thinking something for a moment.
But he immediately left Keiji’s side， faced Takeko， and in a low voice—
“Just bear with me a little longer—this time I’ll make something of it.”

13

Heizou’s lonely, shadow-like figure exited the hospital gate.

14

A motionless spring.
—A large white hand appeared.
It began winding the spring.

Volume 4

1

Heizou’s house.

First was the living room.
There was no long hibachi either.
In their place were a cheap-looking Seto hibachi and a chabudai with dishes still laid out, tidied away into a corner.

2

In the garden flowerbed, weeds grew thick and wild.
In a corner of the garden, a boxcar fitted with a sunshade sat forlornly abandoned.
The chicken coop had not a single chicken.
Tomiko was hanging laundry.

3

Heizou was still deep in thought in the sitting room.
Around him lay three or four spring-wound toys scattered about.
Occasionally, he moved those toys.
First, a boxing toy.
Next was Nonki na Tōsan.
Whenever Tōsan walked, itself would also shake its head.
Finally came an airplane that traced circles through the air.
This appeared to satisfy Heizou's intentions most thoroughly.
He was amusing himself like a child.

4

Toy shop storefront.

Heizou was frantically tinkering with the toys.

5

Another toy shop.
—Heizou's face was reflected in the display window.

6

Finally, the back of a certain toy shop.—The toy shop owner showed Heizou various unusual toys.
New customers came in an endless stream, making purchases and leaving.
Heizou had apparently been there for quite some time already.
The shop owner found this peculiar customer increasingly annoying.
He stopped paying attention to him.
But he remained vigilant, monitoring his every move.
Even when Heizou asked to briefly see the expensive-looking boxed toy placed high up, the owner,

"That one? That wouldn't suit your needs."

Having said this, he paid him no mind.

Heizou, noticing the shop owner’s displeasure, felt he ought to buy something, but unfortunately, his pockets were empty and there was nothing suitable he wanted.
Reluctantly, he bought one cheap whistle.
And he exited the store.

7

It was a park.
A great number of children were playing.
Those jumping rope, those swinging on swings, those sliding down slides, then those spinning tops, those driving small automobiles—that automobile caught Heizou’s eye.
Heizou approached its side.
Paying no heed to the child riding it, he began inspecting the machinery.
A child on skates came.
He took the skates from the child and tried riding them himself.
Of course, he did not forget to study their structure.
The child whose skates had been taken watched Heizou’s retreating back with a face on the verge of tears.
The girl who had been playing on the swaying log—likely his older sister—came to her brother’s side and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The younger brother pointed resentfully in Heizou’s direction, voicing some complaint.
The look in the eyes of the girl voicing, “What a terrible man.”

For a while, the skates continued gliding smoothly, but suddenly, the wheels stopped turning.
Heizou lurched forward.
He hurriedly set about making repairs.
The child approached.
Heizou, dripping with sweat, was desperately trying to maintain his dignity as an adult.

8

Hospital.

At Keiji’s bedside, Takeko was dozing.—The quiet morning sunlight in the hospital room.

The doctor came to make rounds.

—Just one more push.
This is the most critical moment now.

“Thanks to your help, he has narrowly escaped death.”

9

Kitano Law Office reception room.

Ryousaku and Heizou faced each other.

“How about working at my company?”

“Was it not my wife who made this request of you?”

“No, this is my own decision. As an old friend, I can’t let your family perish. Yet I absolutely want to avoid binding you through petty obligations under the guise of rescuing you from hardship.”

“To be blunt—though I mean no offense—we simply can’t comprehend what you’re doing.”

“Ah... I see.”
“If you say you can’t trust me, then that’s all there is to it.”

“Mr. Kasahara…”

Heizou silently stood up.
He was clearly suppressing feelings of resentment.

Ryousaku looked up at Heizou with a pained expression.

10

Park.—Dusk.

In the playground, there was not a single child.
It had a vaguely hollow feeling about it.
Heizou silently sat down on the bench.
There, a laborer-like man who likewise seemed to be out of work approached.
The man, too, sat down on the bench.
Entirely separate, yet equally lonely, two souls seemed to have been left behind there since some unknown time.
A wind rose.
Fallen leaves danced.
A long silence fell.

Heizou stood up and started walking, but then—as if reconsidering something—sat back down in the same spot.

A stray dog passed by with its tail drooping.

11

Inside the train.

——

Heizou hung from a strap, peeking at the newspaper someone was reading.
The man put away the newspaper.
He made an idle face.
He especially didn't know where to look.
Next to him sat a woman holding a child—his eyes suddenly caught on the toy in her hands.
The toy was one of a monkey climbing a tree.
The mother moved the monkey up and down while soothing the child.
Heizou peered into the child's face and playfully went "Baa!"
It was the kind of polite nod that many young mothers made in such situations.
Heizou grew shameless and laid hands on the child's toy.
The child started crying.
The mother, seemingly taking some offense at the strange man's awkward friendliness, abruptly stood up from her seat.
Then Heizou, grinning, occupied the vacant seat.

In the train car, several expressionless faces lined up.

12

Night market.

A man selling dancing dolls.
The doll pressed both bare arms against its slender waist, beating time with its feet as it danced a brilliant toe dance.
The acetylene gas light illuminated the dancing girl’s cold white shoulders.

Heizou’s face broke into a broad grin.

What a clever thing someone had come up with!
But what in the world was I supposed to devise, and how?

13

Heizou sat before a perfunctory evening meal served by Tomiko.

“I thought I might stay at the hospital tonight.”
“Mother hasn’t slept a wink since then.”
“But if Kei-chan comes home, I’d be so happy—I told Mother she should go home and rest since I’d stay with him, but she insists she doesn’t want to leave Kei-chan alone.”

After finishing the meal, Heizou flopped down flat on his back.
Tomiko brought a pillow.
And then she cleaned up after the meal.

In Heizou’s mind, various toys now appeared and disappeared one after another, appeared and disappeared.

In Heizou’s mind, various toys now appeared and disappeared one after another, appeared and disappeared.
Especially, the dancing doll, while mocking Heizou’s meager imagination, repeated its charmingly lively movements time and again.

There, Nonkina Tousan came plodding along.

Then, before he knew it, the dancing doll began to look exactly like his daughter Tomiko.
She turned this way and smiled.
Nonkina Tousan's face had, without him realizing, changed into Heizou's own.

There, this time, a similar dancer emerged alone.
The two began spinning while holding hands.
Round and round they spun ceaselessly.
It looked like a large spinning top.

Then, this time, the dancers each began to spin on their tiptoes.
That, when observed, appeared as two spinning tops rotating side by side.

That again became a single spinning top.
The spinning top became a dancer.
That dancer became the daughter Tomiko.

Nonkina Tousan suddenly tried to grab the dancer's hand.

The dancer startled and shook off his grip.
She ran away.
He chased after her.

The dancer was cornered at a wharf.
But Nonkina Tousan's legs had already stopped moving.
At that moment, it was Heizou.
He stretched out both hands and called his daughter's name.

The dancer jumped into the boat floating by the shore.
On the boat, a young man wearing white clothes was riding.
The boat left the shore.
The young man and the dancer exchanged glances in surprise.
The young man was Seiichi.
The two embraced each other in delight.

Heizou bolted upright.
He must have been asleep.
But his eyes seemed to be searching for something he had lost.

Tomiko uneasily followed her father’s gaze.
Abruptly, their gazes met.
Heizou scrutinized his daughter’s face.
Suddenly, Heizou's face began to glow.

——That's it!

With this, he slapped his knee.
Tomiko didn’t understand what this was about, but drawn in by the tone of his words, she unconsciously took a deep breath.

——Got it!

Heizou shouted again and took Tomiko’s hands.

15

A large white hand had just finished winding the spring’s key.

Volume Five

1

A steamship about to depart.
Cargo was being loaded vigorously.

Third Engineer Kasahara Seiichi, overseeing the operations—he had just received a few letters from a bellboy.
He quickly opened one of them.

The following text was read.

"As autumn's chill grows keener by the day, I take comfort in hearing you remain hale and steadfast in your duties there.
Now then, while the essence of your previous correspondence and your concerns are not without merit, rest assured my conduct has not deviated from proper bounds. Though I may stumble once, I shall never lose the fortitude to rise anew. Any temporary hardships borne by our family shall be duly recompensed when success dawns.
I cannot say what missives you may have received from Mother, but consider them mere groundless anxieties or tales blown out of proportion.
True it is that until now, I could not escape those trials which all whom the world deems inventors must face. Yet through three months of painstaking labor finally bearing fruit, I have brought forth an unprecedented creation whose triumph cannot be doubted. Preparations for patent application now draw near.
At present I work in secrecy crafting prototypes. Unlike that ill-fated cart sunshade, this device serves common households - a contrivance to sweeten familial bonds through shared delight. Should foreign markets open to us in time, its commercial prospects know no bounds.
When you return next spring, you shall find my station not wholly unimproved.
Moreover, Keiji's condition progresses favorably toward discharge within days.
Though much remains unsaid, pressing research demands conclude this missive.
In these unseasonable days, guard your health above all.
Waste no worry on household matters.

October 21st
Father

To Seiichi"

Furthermore, Keiji’s illness continues to improve gradually and his discharge from hospital is scheduled within two or three days.

Though there are many matters I would wish to discuss with you, being presently consumed by my research I shall herewith lay down my pen.

In this season of unseasonable weathers, I pray you will devote yourself entirely to self-care.
I earnestly entreat you to refrain from any concern regarding household matters.

October 21 Father

Mr. Seiichi

Seiichi stared fixedly at the letter.
At that moment, the crane swung too far, and the large crate was about to strike Seiichi’s head.

“Look out!”

And someone shouted.
Seiichi instinctively leaped back.
He tried to calm the foreboding in his chest.

The forlorn smiles of his mother and sister appeared before Seiichi's eyes in that instant.

A Chinese woman in white clothes was clapping her hands and laughing.

Seiichi gave a wry smile.

2

The family room of Heizou’s house.
——It was night.
Keiji was sitting on bedding, his back leaning against a piled-up quilt.
Tomiko was reading a book aloud to him.

A long time.

The sliding door opened, and Heizou stuck his head out.
“Where’s Mother?”

Tomiko answered.

“Not yet.”

Heizou pulled his head back.

A long time.

Heizou appeared again.
This time, he immediately pulled back.

3

A dark, deserted street.
There was a police box on the corner.
An empty car passed by.
A pause.

Before long, a woman carrying a cloth-wrapped bundle passed by.
She walked with her head down.
But she glanced back slightly.
That was Takeko.
Her figure vanished.—A long time.

A man came from the opposite direction.
That was Heizou.
The two of them passed each other somewhere—without noticing.

4

The family room of Heizou’s house.

Takeko untied the cloth bundle and took out a kimono.
Tomiko was inspecting it.

“It really is too plain for you after all.”

At that moment, Heizou abruptly returned.
He cast a glance toward the two of them and silently retreated into the back rooms.

Tomiko and Takeko exchanged glances without a word.
Takeko, flustered, averted her eyes.
And then, under her breath,

“It’s a bit plain after all.”

5

Two small wooden spinning tops were spinning on a plate.
They would collide and separate, then collide and separate again.
One suddenly lost its momentum and began to wobble unsteadily.
Another one gave it a light tap.
With a thud, it collapsed.

Then a human hand reached out and spun both tops again.

This time, the entire body of that person appeared.
Needless to say, it was Kasahara Heizou.
He was gazing contentedly at these spinning tops.
It was exactly like watching a sumo fanatic utterly absorbed in a decisive match.
Or rather, his appearance was closer to that of a sumo referee.

"Hakkeyoi! Keep it going!"

Each time a match concluded, he vigorously boosted the atmosphere with laughter befitting the contest.

6

In the family room, Tomiko and Takeko would occasionally exchange looks of dismay.
The air here seemed to grow heavier with melancholy each time.
Takeko finally could bear it no longer—she furrowed her brows deeply and covered her ears with both hands.

Tomiko whispered something worriedly into Takeko’s ear.
And then peered stealthily into the sitting room through the gap in the sliding door.
However, she couldn’t understand what on earth Heizou was doing.
She looked back at her mother and then shook her head.

7

Heizou left home early in the morning, carrying a bundle.
He was in an unusually cheerful and leisurely mood.

8

In the family room, Takeko was lighting the fire in the hibachi.
Tomiko entered.
A long time.

"You’re always quick to take Father’s side, but he never gives a single thought to us."

"That’s not true. Even now, as he was leaving—he said it again—‘Finally, I’ll make things easier for you all…’"

"That ‘finally’… How many times have I heard that…"

"More importantly—shouldn’t you be going to get that answer?"

“Yes, I’ll go.”
“But Father is pitiable too.”
“When I see him like that—rejoicing and despairing all alone—even if it’s a lie, I want to believe in him.”
“But this time, it seems like it’ll be alright… I don’t know why, but…”

9

A certain toy store.
The shop owner was cleaning the store.
Heizou entered.

“About that toy I mentioned before—I’ve finally completed it. Would you take a look?”

Heizou untied the bundle.
He took out a spinning top and spun it to demonstrate.

“It’s a game anyone can play.”

“——I see.”

“It’s currently under patent application, but of course, I believe it will be granted…”

“That’s quite something.”

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?”

“However, you’d really need to advertise an awful lot for it to sell.”

“Ah, but I do intend to advertise.”

“How about consulting a toy manufacturing company…”

“Hmm, yes, that’s right.”
“But I don’t want to relinquish the rights.”
“That’s also true.”
“For mere pocket change—a thousand or two yen.”
“Then perhaps you should build your own factory?”

“For that... well, there’s still the matter of funds.”

“Indeed.”

The shop owner began cleaning the store with apparent disinterest.
Heizou, appearing at a loss, began to put away the toys.

"How about it—would you consider giving it a try together?"

"By 'joint,' you mean…"

“No—if you could just provide a bit of capital, I’ll handle all the work myself…”
“Capital, you say…”

The shop owner formed an ironic smile.

10

Heizou’s retreating figure entering another toy store.

11

The figure of Heizou dejectedly exiting yet another toy store.—Still clutching his bundle.

12

The entrance to Kitano Law Office.

Heizou paced back and forth in front of it.

13

This was Heizou’s house.

Keiji was sitting on the bed.
Beside him, Yasuda was reading the newspaper boredly.
Keiji snatched the newspaper.
Yasuda pretended to be angry and snatched it back.
Keiji, finding it amusing, grabbed it again.
The newspaper tore.

“I’ll try standing up.”

“Don’t do that—you mustn’t…”

"I can stand now... I'm sure of it..."

"No, no..."
"I'll tell your mom."

At that moment, Takeko appeared.

“Thank you for looking after him…”
“What about Tomi?”

“I don’t know.”
“She went out somewhere.”
“When I come, she goes out somewhere, so…”
“Surely not…”

Yasuda had said this, but when no response came from the other party, he tried to cover his embarrassment by—
“He’s late, Boss…”

“In any case, there’s no way of knowing when he’ll be back.”

14

The reception room of Kitano Law Office.

Heizou mechanically spun the familiar spinning top while making an effort not to look at his counterpart’s face.

Kitano Ryousaku maintained an ice-cold attitude toward this display.
It wasn’t the sort of demeanor that might provoke third-party resentment, but it became clear he was a man who could leave an impression of stone-like impassivity when circumstances demanded.

“No—regardless of what name you give it, I cannot provide any further material assistance.”
“Please understand.”
“Now then, I’m pressed for time today—this concludes our discussion.”

He pressed the call bell.
The clerk appeared.

“Ah, please show this gentleman out...”
“Then have the car ready—I’ll be leaving shortly...”

Heizou reluctantly put away the spinning top.

15

Heizou’s house once more.
Yasuda was leaving.

“Well then, I’ll come tomorrow morning to hear today’s results.”
“Please handle things properly.”

As Yasuda departed, Tomiko appeared from somewhere in his place.

“Where did you go?”

She didn’t respond.

Takeko made a face that seemed to say this was all too absurd and went to the kitchen.

Tomiko sat down beside Keiji.
Maybe I should go ask another place... A café might work...

There’s no response.

Kei-chan, you should lie down now.
“If you keep that up too much, you'll wear yourself out.”

Hmm, I already slept earlier.
“Sis, hey….”

Even as he spoke, Keiji carefully raised himself.
He had braced his posture—and indeed stood up properly.
He stood for the first time in six months.
Tomiko, at this unexpected sight, forgot even to hold herself back, her heart leaping with pure joy.
She reached toward her brother and steadied herself should he fall.
But Keiji didn't fall.
Even he himself hadn't truly believed he could stand.
Overcome with joy, he involuntarily raised his voice,

“Mom.”

Tomiko chimed in,

“Mom, come quick and see!”
“Kei-chan can stand!”

At this voice, Mother emerged from the kitchen.

“Oh…”

With that, she froze in place.
But suddenly her knees gave way.

"...Kei-boy..."

She extended both hands forward from afar, tears glistening in her eyes.

16

The gate bearing a nameplate that read "Nitto Toy Manufacturing Company."

Heizou came out through the gate with a dejected air.
Bicycles brushed closely past.
Caught by the wind, he staggered two or three steps.
The hat fell.
He picked it up as if drained of strength.
He stood still for a while and pondered.

Inside Heizou’s head floated an abrupt vision—first came railway tracks stretching white into the distance;
a black current of unfathomable depth;
then a thick pine branch starkly outlined against storm-wracked skies, drawn horizontal.

17

Heizou peered into a toy store’s display window.
Inside were boxed toys labeled “New Patent Sumo Spinning Top” on display.

“Could you let me see that?”

The toy shop owner came out and brought another box from the back.

“Where are these manufactured?”

“Let me see—it should be written on the back.”

“When did you begin selling these?”

“Well, it’s been fairly recent...”

“They’re not selling much elsewhere, are they?”

“Is that so?”

“We haven’t sold any ourselves.”
“To tell the truth, I’d been developing a toy exactly like this myself.”
“Right here—just as I described.”

Having said that, Heizou unwrapped the package.
The shop owner watched Heizou's actions suspiciously.

“Look here—just like this.”
“Since I made it myself, the finish isn’t pretty—but watch! They wrestle like real sumo wrestlers! Face off! Hold steady!”
“There! This one’s winning!”
“What do you think?”

“I see.”

“Well now, this is certainly something I came up with myself.
There really are some terrible people out there.
Well, once it’s brought before the proper authorities, they’ll understand.
Is it hopeless?
They’ve even secured a patent…
Even so, how did they find out about this thing...”

“Hmm, I suppose so.”

18

Heizou hesitated for an instant at how to pass through the entrance to his house.
No—he must have agonized over it all the way here.

A large white hand was desperately winding the spring’s screw.

A large white hand was desperately winding the spring screw.

20

In the living/dining area, Tomiko and Takeko were preparing the evening meal.
They silently looked up at the grandfather clock.
The clock remained stopped as ever.

The lattice door of the entrance opened.
The two of them pricked up their ears at the same time.

In the entranceway, Heizou was bustling about in a manner never seen before,

“Hurray! Hurray!”

He was shouting them over and over.
What could be happening?
The women, losing themselves, stood up.
Tomiko ran out.

Heizou sat down heavily in the middle of the living/dining area.
And then, as though he were someone bearing momentous tidings, he slowly began to speak.

Tomiko seemed to have already perceived what her father was about to say. She nodded emphatically. Takeko deliberately feigned composure, yet betrayed that inwardly she clung to a glimmer of hope.

Heizou slowly opened his mouth.

“Well now, at long last, I’ve achieved my lifelong ambition.”

He made a show of addressing this to Tomiko beside him, but in truth seemed to intend for his wife Takeko—who was wiping the chabudai with excessive diligence—to overhear it indirectly.

“This time, it’s a huge success!”

“What? What kind of thing?”
“Right, Dad?”

“Now, wait.
First, I’ll build a factory.
To start with, about fifty workers should suffice.”

“What are you going to make, Dad?”

“It will become clear in time.
After all, he had secured an agreement to export overseas.
With profits of four or five hundred yen a month soon to follow, it must be something impressive.”

When he said this, there would materialize the scene of factory workers laboring.
Heizou, assuming a president-like dignity, patrolled the premises.
Outside, horse-drawn wagons loaded with boxes departed one after another.

Then again, Takeko and Tomiko, resplendently attired, boarded a splendid automobile.
The automobile came to a stop among the theater’s carriages.
The two of them calmly and deliberately alighted from the car.

Heizou was now attempting to unwrap the package.
Tomiko leaned forward.
Takeko watched that direction with a sidelong glance.
Such caution!
Yet Heizou paid no heed to this, spreading out that contraption before them as showily as possible.
And while stoking the full fervor of his being,

“This is it. See? It’s called the latest model boxing spinning top.”

The two spinning tops spun on a dish-like platform.

“There, see? Not sumo—boxing. Hakkeyoi!
“It’s holding on!
“Isn’t this fun?”

Keiji, of course, and the women as well—there was no way they wouldn’t find this fascinating.
It was a sure thing.
The women were amused.
Heizou spun the spinning top with single-minded focus.

“There! This one’s won.”
“That’s what they call a knockout!”
“Once more. Come on, steady now!”
“Watch out! Brace yourself!”
“Isn’t this something? What do you think?”

Repeating "Isn't this fun?" while spinning tops one after another without pause, he himself found—to his dismay—that it was gradually becoming less interesting.
His lips ceased to move freely.
His eyes grew clouded.
His breath grew labored.
His fingers grew stiff.
How could he possibly lift his face?

Keiji was still watching with apparent interest.
However, as the women watched Heizou’s increasingly strained demeanor, they found themselves growing uncertain whether this was actually entertaining.
It had to be entertaining.
That’s right—if it wasn’t entertaining, things would go badly—he thought this while desperately striving to make it entertaining.

Heizou was now only afraid of the spinning top stopping.
The moment the spinning top stopped spinning was, for him, the moment everything ended.
But he no longer had the strength to say, "Isn’t this fun?"
He simply continued mindlessly spinning the top.

Keiji was still staring blankly at the spinning top.

Tomiko's eyes were the first to begin clouding.

Takeko had moved beyond disappointment and was foreseeing a new crisis.
Yet before Heizou’s utterly dejected appearance, that foreboding transformed into an emotion resembling profound joy.
For the first time, she seemed to feel something warm deep within her chest.

22

As this scene gradually faded, there emerged upon the curtain—growing steadily clearer—a large, completely motionless spring.

(The End)