Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
| Original Title | 四国遍路日記 |
|---|---|
| Author | 種田 山頭火 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A solitary traveler embarks on a transformative pilgrimage across Shikoku’s rugged landscapes, where each step is a meditation on endurance and impermanence. Through sunlit forests and storm-lashed coasts, he navigates fleeting kindnesses from strangers and the sting of rejection, finding solace in whispered haiku and the relentless rhythm of the road. Nights bring cramped lodgings or open skies, his body weary but spirit attuned to autumn’s fading beauty—crimson leaves, moonlit waves, and mountains that both beckon and defy. Between begging bowls and blistered feet, moments of grace emerge: a shared meal, a child’s coin, the quiet camaraderie of fellow wanderers. Yet loneliness lingers like morning mist, a companion as constant as the path itself. This is a journey where every stone and star holds a story, and the act of moving forward becomes its own fragile prayer. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP