Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

Crossing into the New YearAuthor: Okamoto Kanoko

Original Title	越年
Author	岡本かの子
Genre	War & Social Literature
Author Type	Female Author
Summary	In the bustling heart of wartime Tokyo, Kaneko’s life fractures when a coworker, Dojima, abruptly slaps her in a corporate hallway before vanishing. Humiliated and enraged, she vows retribution, joined by colleagues Akiko and Isoko, who share her indignation. Their pursuit plunges them into Ginza’s chaotic year-end crowds, where neon-lit alleys and wartime austerity amplify their exhaustion. As days blur into nights, Kaneko’s resolve wavers between societal expectations of femininity and her thirst for justice. The hunt strains friendships and family ties, yet she persists, driven by a need to reclaim agency in a world where men dictate terms. When a fleeting encounter finally allows her to confront Dojima, the act of retaliation leaves her hollow, questioning the cost of vengeance. Lingering questions about motive and closure haunt her, while postwar Tokyo’s brittle energy mirrors her unraveling certainty. A cryptic letter later forces Kaneko to grapple with truths that blur victim and aggressor, leaving her adrift in a city where honor and desire collide.