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ChiisakobeAuthor: Yamamoto Shūgorō
| Original Title | ちいさこべ |
|---|---|
| Author | 山本 周五郎 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the wake of a devastating fire that consumes Edo, young master carpenter Shigetsugu returns to find his parents perished and his family workshop, Daidome, reduced to ashes. Driven by stubborn resolve, he vows to rebuild alone, rejecting offers of aid to preserve his father’s legacy through sheer skill. Amid the charred ruins, he confronts not only financial strain but emotional turmoil—refusing funeral rites for his parents, unable to accept their deaths as he labors to restore Daidome’s name. \nComplicating his mission is Oritsu, a fiery former teahouse worker turned caretaker, who shelters a dozen orphaned children in Daidome’s makeshift shelter. Her fierce compassion clashes with Shigetsugu’s pragmatism, yet an uneasy alliance forms. When Oyū, the refined daughter of a wealthy merchant, joins their efforts, tensions simmer between the women’s contrasting worlds—Oritsu’s gritty resilience and Oyū’s polished grace. \nAs Shigetsugu battles setbacks—a burned construction site, mounting debts, and societal scorn—the orphans’ fragile hope and his own unspoken grief test his resolve. Can pride and craftsmanship alone resurrect Daidome, or will the weight of loss and unexpected bonds force him to redefine strength? A tale of rebirth emerges from embers, where loyalty and legacy collide in the shadow of Edo’s ashes. |
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