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047438

KagurazakaAuthor: Yada Tsuseko

Original Title神楽坂
Author矢田 津世子
GenreModern Short Fiction
Author TypeFemale Author
SummaryIn the winding alleys of Kagurazaka, elderly moneylender Umanuma navigates a life divided between duty and desire. His evenings drift between a frail, devoted wife confined to their austere home and Ohatsu, his spirited mistress in Fukuro-machi’s vibrant teahouses. Haunted by frugality and lingering guilt over his wife’s declining health, Umanuma’s routines mask deeper tensions—greedy relatives circle like vultures, scheming to claim his wealth, while Ohatsu’s mother plots to secure her daughter’s future as his heir. Yet shadows of regret loom: memories of sacrifices made by his wife clash with Ohatsu’s restless yearning for freedom beyond her gilded cage. As autumn chills tighten their grip, Umanuma’s world teeters between loyalty to the past and the allure of reinvention. Whispers of inheritance disputes, unspoken resentments, and fragile alliances weave through Kagurazaka’s lantern-lit streets, where every glance carries hidden motives. Will clinging to tradition preserve his legacy, or will buried secrets unravel it all? A poignant tale of sacrifice, ambition, and the quiet battles waged behind paper screens.