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An Artist of the Floating World

were eager to move on from the devastation they had suffered.
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION They were extremely interested in the ideas of democracy and
capitalism preached by the Americans, who occupied the
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF KAZUO ISHIGURO country from the war’s end until 1952. In the periods during
Kazuo Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan in 1954. He moved which Ono is writing his narrative, the American occupiers
with his parents to Guildford in Southern England in 1960 focused intensively on building up the Japanese economy, a
when his father was recruited to work as a marine biologist for historical process reflected in the changing cityscape that Ono
the British National Institute of Oceanography. Ishiguro did not records.
visit Japan again until he was in his thirties. Ishiguro was
educated at a boys school in Surrey, and attended the RELATED LITERARY WORKS
University of Kent. As a teen, he hoped to become a rock
musician. Ishiguro received a masters at the University of East The Noriko trilogy is a set of three films made by the director
Anglia, where Angela Carter became an early mentor and he Yasujiro Ozu in 1949, 1951 and 1953. Ishiguro makes clear his
studied with Malcolm Bradbury. Ishigura enjoyed critical debt to the three films by naming his protagonists after actors
acclaim starting early in his career, and won the Whitbread and characters in the films. For instance, the films feature a
award for his second novel, An Artist of the Floating World. He character named Noriko, who is played by the actress Setsuko
has been nominated for Great Britain’s most prestigious Hara. The play also features a supporting actress named
literary prize, the Booker, four times, and won it in 1989 for The Haruko Sugimora, a name which recalls Ishiguro’s character
Remains of the Day
Day. In 2017, he was awarded the Nobel Prize Akira Sugimora. Each of the three films revolves around the
for Literature. The committee justified the decision to award question of whether its protagonist, Noriko, will marry, but in
the prize to Ishiguro by saying: “in novels of great emotional each film Noriko’s life and circumstances are radically different.
force, [Ishiguro] has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory In the realm of literary fiction, An Artist of the Floating World
sense of connection with the world.” Ishiguro is married and has shows deep similarities—in its themes, structure, and even
one daughter. characters—to his later novel, The Remains of the Day Day, which
centers on the reflections of a British butler living in the years
after World War II and attempting to come to terms with his
HISTORICAL CONTEXT employment by Nazi collaborators. Ishiguro’s work also shares
Although the destruction and defeat of Japan during World its thematic concern with memory and guilt with works by his
War II give the novel its immediate context, the novel is more contemporary, Ian McEwan.
broadly concerned with transformations in Japanese society
occurring throughout the first fifty years of the twentieth KEY FACTS
century. In the first two decades of the century, the economy
boomed as a result of modernization, industrialization, and the • Full Title: An Artist of the Floating World
1868 opening of the country’s economy to international trade. • When Written: 1980s
In the 1920s, the economy saw a crash, and poverty became a • Where Written: England
thorny problem, especially among peasants and industrial
• When Published: 1986
workers. Nationalist sentiment began to rise, with many in
Japan advocating for a Japanese empire in Asia that would rival • Literary Period: Post-Postmodern Literature; Realism; New
the empires of Europe. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria in a Sincerity. An Artist of the Floating World employs the clear,
dispassionate descriptions of middle-class life that
quest for greater resources. The war there was renewed again
characterize realist texts, but depicts a world in which any
in 1937. Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in
idea of truth is undermined by the shifting nature of memory
1941, Japan’s territorial possession expanded to encompass and popular understandings of history. In this way it
Hong Kong, the Phillipines, and other parts of Asia. Japan then combines the language of realism with the fractured picture
began to lose the war, but refused to surrender until long after of reality typical of postmodern texts. The novel does not
it had become clear that the war could not be won. Nationalist have the cynicism often associated with Postmodern novels
propaganda advocated that ordinary Japanese citizens and and for this reason, can be seen to combine elements of
soldiers make enormous sacrifices in the name of country and Postmodernism with an earnest desire to depict life as it
emperor. The war ended with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima really is, which is characteristic of realism. Texts that
and Nagasaki in August 1945, although these events are never combine these characteristics have sometimes been
referred to in the novel. After the surrender, many Japanese grouped together under the rubric the “New Sincerity.”

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• Genre: Realist Fiction Ono intersperses reflections about the past and present into
• Setting: An unnamed city in Japan in the years following the his account of Setsuko’s visit. He describes the time he spends
end of the Second World War. at Mrs. Kawakami’s place, the last bar standing in an area that
• Climax: At Noriko’s miai, Ono tells the Saitos that he admits had been a pleasure district with a number of bars and
making mistakes in his career. restaurants in the years before the war. There, he and his
former pupil Shintaro reminisce with Mrs. Kawakami about the
• Antagonist: Pride; Nationalism
old days. Ono also recounts his role in bringing the pleasure
• Point of View: First-person district into existence. As a prominent artist, he had written to
the authorities and gotten them to place their support behind a
EXTRA CREDIT bar. The bar, called the Migi-Hidari, became a place where Ono
Reluctant Representative. Because Ishiguro left Japan at the and his students often drank and talked about the role of their
age of five and did not live through the events he describes, he art in building a great new future for Japan. Ono also recalls an
has expressed discomfort with the use of his novels as source incident from his own childhood when his father told him he
texts for understanding post-war Japanese experience. Instead, would disgrace the family if he became an artist and then
he sees works like An Artist of the Floating World as works set in burned Ono’s paintings. Ono also recollects several run-ins
post-war Japan that tackle universal themes. with the younger generation. He remembers running into Jiro
Miyake and hearing from him that he is glad that the president
Dylan as Literature. Ishiguro has said he would not be a writer of his company committed suicide to atone for the company’s
if he hadn’t discovered the lyrics of folk singer Bob Dylan when behavior during the war. He also recalls a conversation with
he was a teenager. Despite being a musician, not a poet or Setsuko’s husband Suichi at the reception after his son Kenji’s
novelist, Dylan controversially won the Nobel Prize for funeral, where Suichi expresses anger over the many members
Literature in 2016, one year before Ishiguro. of his generation that were killed during the war and the many
leaders who have been too cowardly to take responsibility for
their role during the war. Finally, Ono describes his first visit to
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY an old colleague to make sure nothing from his past gets in the
way of Noriko’s marriage. He visits his old colleague Matsuda,
The novel begins in an unnamed city in Japan in October 1948. who has been ill, in the Arakawa district. Matsuda tells him that
The narrator is Masuji Ono, a retired artist who lost both his he will be sure to say only kind things about Ono, but advises
son and wife during the war which also caused serious damage that he seek out his former pupil Kuroda, if he is concerned
to his beautiful house. Ono recalls the previous month’s visit of about the investigation.
his older daughter Setsuko and her son Ichiro who live in a
The second set of recollections are recorded in April 1949 and
different town. The whole family is concerned about the
center around Noriko’s miai, a formal meeting between two
marriage prospects of Ono’s younger daughter Noriko,
families who are considering marrying their children. Ono first
because, a year before, Noriko had been in marriage talks with
describes how he has a falling-out with Shintaro, who asks him
a man named Jiro Miyake when his family withdrew from
to write to a potential employer and tell them that Shintaro
negotiations under mysterious circumstances. Noriko is
disagreed with Ono about work they did together during the
currently at the start of new marriage talks with a man named
war. Ono says that it may seem that he was harsh with Shintaro,
Taro Saito, but at nearly twenty-six, she is considered old to be
but explains that Shintaro’s visit occurred only a few days after
unmarried. Ono is annoyed because he feels his daughters
the miai.
believe he knows the real reason why the marriage
negotiations broke off and is hiding it from them. Ono describes Noriko’s bad mood and incivility to him in the
weeks leading up to the miai, and says that Noriko does not
Ichiro is fascinated by a poster for a monster movie that he saw
know all that he is doing to make sure her wedding goes ahead.
at the train station. Ono decides to take Ichiro to the movie the
For instance, Ono goes to visit Kuroda. He is let into Kuroda’s
next day, but his daughter Noriko says she has made plans.
apartment by Kuroda’s protégé, Enchi, who mistakes Ono for
Setsuko says that she will stay with her father the next day, and
someone else. When Enchi realizes Ono’s true identity, he asks
Ono and Ichiro can go see the monster movie the following day.
Ono to leave, saying that he is sure Kuroda would not want to
The next day, Setsuko says to her father that it may be wise to
see the man who is responsible for his having been beaten and
take precautions to prevent certain facts about his past from
injured in prison and labeled a traitor.
coming into the hands of the Saito family when they investigate
the Ono family background. The day after that, Ichiro and Ono At the miai, Ono drinks quickly and is made uncomfortable by
go to the monster movie. On the way there, they run into Taro the stilted conversation. Eventually, he interrupts the flow of
Saito’s father, who tells Ono that he has discovered they have a conversation to make a declaration that he can admit that he
mutual acquaintance: Mr. Kuroda. made mistakes with some of the work he did and may have

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been a bad influence in the country. He thinks that Taro’s father, and becomes Mori-san’s prize pupil. But in the early 1920s,
an art expert named Dr. Saito, approves of his statement. After Ono gets to know Matsuda, a nationalist art appreciator, who
that, the conversation loosens up and it seems clear that convinces him to take a different direction in his art. The
Noriko and Taro like one another. Tortoise is horrified at Ono’s disloyalty to Mori-san’s methods,
The third set of Ono’s recollections is recorded in November and Mori-san tells Ono that he must leave the villa. Ono
1949 and centers around another visit Setsuko and Ichiro pay reflects how gratifying it was that, in later years, his own career
to the family some months after Noriko is married to Taro Saito. took off, and Mori-san’s declined.
During a walk in Kawabe Park, Setsuko says to Ono that she The final set of recollections is set in June 1950. Ono reveals
was concerned to hear that he has compared himself to a that he has learned of Matsuda’s death and recounts the visit
composer who wrote highly influential nationalist songs during he paid to Matsuda the month before. On this visit, he tells
the war and recently committed suicide to atone for his role Matsuda that both Noriko and Setsuko are now pregnant and
encouraging the bloodshed. Ono tries to reassure his daughter that it will soon be five years since his wife Michiko’s death.
that he is not considering suicide, but she says other things that Matsuda says that they were two ordinary men who made a
he finds upsetting. Setsuko says that he did beautiful work, but marginal contribution, but Ono says that he believes Matsuda
it was not at all responsible for influencing anything during the actually feels proud of his life’s work. Ono compares himself
war. Ono points out that, the previous year, she had seemed to and Matsuda to the Tortoise to Shintaro, saying that he and
think his career a great liability in Noriko’s marriage Matsuda can be proud to have boldly tried to do something
negotiations. Setsuko says she does not remember any such ambitious that they believed in, while the Tortoise and Shintaro
conversation. Ono is shocked and points out that he made a have never tried to rise above mediocrity.
statement during the miai as a result of her comment. Setsuko Ono also describes how the area that used to be the pleasure
says that Noriko and the Saitos all found his declaration very district is now full of office buildings. He sits in a bench outside
puzzling. Ono defends his statement as appropriate, explaining one of these buildings and looks at the enthusiastic young
that Dr. Saito was familiar with his wartime work and seemed office workers, whom he wishes well.
to appreciate hearing that his position had changed. Setsuko
says that she believes that Dr. Saito was not even aware that
Ono was an artist. CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS
Later that day, Ono takes his grandson Ichiro on an outing and
promises that he will get Ichiro a taste of sake that night at MAJOR CHARACTERS
dinner. That night at the home of newlyweds Noriko and Taro, Masuji Ono – An aging artist who created propaganda for the
Ono tries to convince Setsuko to allow Ichiro to taste some Japanese during the Second World War and is now
sake, but Setsuko refuses. During the dinner, the younger preoccupied after the war with assessing his legacy. Ono grew
generation discusses how happy they are with the new up with a father who did not support his becoming an artist,
American-style leadership at the corporations where they then moved to the city in which the novel takes place as a young
work. After Ichiro goes to bed, Ono says to Taro that it is a man. He makes money by painting works for export to
shame that Dr. Saito and he were not better acquainted sooner, foreigners. His work catches the eye of an artist and patron of
since they both worked in the art world and knew one the arts named Mori-san, and he spends the next seven years
another’s reputations. Taro agrees with this and Ono looks to living in Mori-san’s villa. Then, under the influence of the
see how Setsuko is responding, but she does not seem to nationalist Matsuda, Ono decides to change his style of
register this at all. painting to promote Japanese imperialism. During the war and
Ono intersperses a variety of reflections about his past in his the years leading up to it, Ono’s propagandist paintings earn
account of this conversation with Setsuko and his reactions to him prestige in the city, but after the war’s end, nationalist ideas
it. He recalls the moment sixteen years before when he moved are discredited and Ono is forced into retirement. In the post-
into his home and, he says, Dr. Saito approached him and said war period, Ono feels that, even if his work pursued a mistaken
how glad he was to have an artist of his stature in the ideology of nationalism, his good faith effort to do what he
neighborhood. believes in and make an important contribution means that he
can be proud of his life’s work. Ono lost his wife Michiko and
He also looks back further into his past, recalling his son Kenji in the war, but he doesn’t discuss his grief. Ono also
relationship with a fellow artist nicknamed the Tortoise, who feels that the younger generation’s bitterness towards his
worked with him at Master Takeda’s firm in 1913 or 1914, generation and desire to sweep away all the old traditions is too
producing Japanese paintings for export to foreigners. When extreme a response to the devastation of the war. Instead, he
Ono gets an offer to go to live and study at the villa of the concerns himself with arranging the marriage of his youngest
prestigious artist Mori-san, the Tortoise comes with him. Over daughter Noriko, who resents her father because of what she
the next seven years, Ono adopts Mori-san’s style of painting

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sees as his sordid past and the shadow it casts on her marriage questions of his grandfather Ono, like whether he had to retire
prospects. Ono also cultivates a close relationship with his from painting because Japan lost the war. Ichiro is obsessed
grandson Ichiro. Near the end of the novel, doubt is cast on with icons of American pop culture, like the cowboy Lone
Ono’s account of his career’s importance and impact by his Ranger and the cartoon sailor Popeye. He likes to act macho
daughter Setsuko, who suggests he was “merely a painter” who and enjoys acting out male solidarity with his grandfather while
had little impact on the fate of Japan or even, as he had mocking the weakness of his mother and aunt.
thought, on his daughter’s failed first engagement. Dr
Dr.. Saito – An art professor with a good social status, Dr. Saito
Norik
Noriko o – The younger, prettier, and more outspoken of Ono’s is a confident, pleasant man. Ono believes he met Dr. Saito
two daughters, Noriko is unmarried for much of the novel and, before the war and that Dr. Saito knows his work, but Setsuko
at nearly twenty-six years old, is becoming worried that she will tells Ono that Taro does not think Dr. Saito was acquainted
not find a husband. The year before the action of the novel, the with Ono’s work or that the two older men had met. Ono’s
Ono family was in talks to marry Noriko to Jiro Miyake. After depiction of himself as a prominent artist is called into question
the Miyake family withdrew from marriage negotiations by Setsuko’s claim that Dr. Saito was not familiar with his work.
without providing a believable explanation, Noriko suspects Jiro Miyak
Miyake e – A potential husband for Noriko, who pulled out
that perhaps something her father said or did caused the of marriage negotiations a year before the beginning of the
rupture. At the novel’s start, Noriko is living alone with her novel’s action. Ono dwells on his memory of an interaction he
father in their home, but working in an office. She often and Jiro had while waiting for the tram one day, in which Jiro
complains to Ono about his laziness, meddling, and lack of said something to Ono that makes Ono think that his past is to
activity. Noriko is playful and good with children, getting along blame for the failure of Noriko’s marriage negotiations.
especially well with her nephew, Ichiro. Later, as marriage
Kuroda – Ono’s most promising student, Kuroda eventually
negotiations progress with a new match, Taro Saito, Noriko
strikes off in his own direction artistically. Disapproving of the
becomes stiff and nervous during the formal meeting of the
new direction of Kuroda’s work, Ono gives Kuroda’s name to
two families. It is only after Ono tells the assembled group that
the Committee of Unpatriotic Activities, which leads to
he regrets some of his work during the war that Noriko begins
Kuroda’s arrest, interrogation, and mistreatment in prison.
to show her personality during the all-important meeting. The
After the war, Ono goes to visit Kuroda, who has secured a
engagement goes through, the couple is eventually married,
good position as a teacher at the same school that Mitsuo Saito
and Noriko moves out of her father’s spacious home and into a
attends, but Kuroda’s student Enchi tells Ono that Kuroda will
small modern apartment with her husband Taro. At the novel’s
not want to see him. Kuroda affirms this to Ono in a letter,
end, she is expecting her first child.
which leaves Ono concerned that Kuroda’s dislike for him will
Setsuk
Setsuko o – Mannerly, self-deprecating, and indirect, Setsuko is have a negative influence on Noriko’s marriage prospects.
Ono’s older daughter. Ono thinks she is not as attractive as her
Shintaro – One of Ono’s less promising students, Shintaro is
sister, but gains in dignity and attractiveness as she ages. She
nonetheless someone whose company Ono seeks out. While
marries Suichi before the war and is a mother to the young
Ono’s most promising students gather at the Migi-Hidari for
Ichiro. Setsuko is the one who gently suggests to Ono that
high-minded discussions about art and patriotism, Shintaro
there may be something in the family past which is getting in
frequents the small bar owned by Mrs. Kawakabi. Shintaro is
the way of her sister Noriko’s marrying. Later in the novel,
extremely grateful to Ono for helping his brother Yoshio get a
when she sees that Ono believes she had been referring to his
job and often showers Ono with praise. After the war, Ono and
wartime career as a propaganda artist, Setsuko tells her father
Shintaro continue to spend time drinking together, until
that she never thought his art had enough of a reputation to
Shintaro asks Ono to write to a school where he is applying for
damage the prestige of the family. However, because Ono’s
a job saying that Shintaro had not liked the direction their work
narration is unreliable and Setsuko herself is so political in her
together took during the war. Ono refuses to help Shintaro, and
speech, it remains unclear whether this is true.
their friendship ends. After this, Ono compares Shintaro to his
Suichi – Formerly a polite and friendly man, Setsuko’s husband fellow pupil the Tortoise, saying both men lacked the courage to
Suichi has become angry and sullen, scarred by his experiences follow their convictions or admit their mistakes.
as a soldier in Manchuria. He is bitter toward the older
Mrs. Ka
Kawakami
wakami – A bar owner in the pleasure district, Mrs.
generation, holding them responsible for the many losses of the
Kawakami has been greatly aged by the war. Even after all the
war. He walks away from the funeral service for his brother-in-
other buildings in the area have been torn down, and Ono and
law Kenji, which Setsuko explains is a result of his anger at the
Shintaro are her only customers, Mrs. Kawakami keeps her bar
many lives lost during the war.
open in the hopes that the pleasure district will see a
Ichiro – A strong-willed boy of seven, Setsuko’s son Ichiro resurgence. Eventually she sells her bar.
grows up without any memory of the events of the war that so
Akir
Akiraa Sugimur
Sugimuraa – A prominent, wealthy, and eccentric man who
heavily affected his world. He frequently asks uncomfortable

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is very influential in the city where the novel takes place from Ono disapproves of this action, while Jiro says that many of the
1913 until 1920. Sugimura attempts to enrich the city by most responsible parties are too cowardly to take
establishing cultural institutions in Kawabe Park, but loses all responsibility as the president has. This comment leads Ono to
his wealth in the early 1920s and cannot carry out his plans. believe that Jiro broke off his engagement with Noriko because
Ono buys his house from the Sugimura family after Sugimura’s of Ono’s past.
death and respects Sugimura’s boldness and ambition, which
led him to rise above mediocrity, even if his plans ended in MINOR CHARACTERS
failure.
Taro Saito – A friendly young man who works in an office, Taro
Chishu Matsuda – A nationalist and art-appreciator, before the Saito becomes Noriko’s husband at the end of a stressful
war, Matsuda influences Ono to take a new direction in his art. courtship for the Ono family. He is a good conversationalist,
Matsuda believes that artists are failing to address the social who enjoys joking. At the same time, he has a reverent attitude
and political problems around them, and he mocks Ono’s naïve toward the corporation where he works.
attitude towards the world. Ono comes to work closely with
Mrs. Saito – Taro’s mother, Mrs. Saito, is a pleasant, confident,
Matsuda and to have great respect for him as an independent
well-coifed woman who is respected in her family. From the
thinker who tries to achieve something meaningful through his
Saitos treatment of Mrs. Saito, the Onos infer that the Saitos
work. After the war, Matsuda is in poor health and confined to
are looking for a more modern, less submissive wife for Taro.
his home. He seems regretful that he never married and has no
heirs and says that his life’s work amounted to little. Ono, Mitsuo Saito – The younger brother of Taro Saito, Mitsuo is
however, believes that Matsuda doesn’t truly believe this. studying at the school where Kuroda teaches. Because of his
troubled history with Kuroda, Ono worries that Mitsuo is
Seiji Moriyama, Mori-san – A rich and talented artist who
against his brother marrying Noriko.
takes on young pupils, including Ono and the Tortoise, inviting
them to live in his villa and study his aesthetic. Mori-san lives in Yoshio – Shintaro’s brother who receives a white-collar job
a large decrepit villa in the countryside. He believes that the with a good trajectory after receiving a recommendation from
most delicate beauty in the world exists in transient moments Ono.
at late-night bars among geishas in the pleasure district, and is Enchi – Kuroda’s protégé and a talented artist by Ono’s
dedicating his life to trying to capture this beauty in his art. He standards, Enchi welcomes Ono into Kuroda’s apartment
uses European techniques in his painting, eschewing the use of because he believes he is someone else, but upon learning
dark outlines in favor of shading. When students try to take a Ono’s identity, chastises Ono for having reported Kuroda to
different direction in their painting, Mori-san demands that the police, telling Ono that Kuroda was beaten in prison and
they leave the villa. denied medical care.
Yasunari Nakahar
Nakahara, a, the T
Tortoise
ortoise – The Tortoise is an artist who Master T Tak
akeda
eda – The owner of a firm producing art for import
paints very slowly and earns the mockery of Ono’s colleagues to foreigners, Master Takeda pressures his employees to work
at the Takeda Firm, until Ono defends him and takes him under around the clock to meet deadlines. Ono and the Tortoise leave
his wing. Ono convinces the Tortoise to move with him to Mori- his firm to move to Mori-san’s villa.
san’s villa, and the Tortoise often showers Ono in praise. This all
Yamagata – The owner of the Migi-Hidari, the bar that Ono
ends when Ono changes his art to match Matsuda’s ideas
frequents with his best pupils and where he has a table
instead of Mori-san’s and the Tortoise dissociates himself from
reserved for him.
Ono, whom he says is a traitor.
Sasaki – Mori-san’s favorite pupil when Ono first starts his
Miss Sugimor
Sugimoraa – A middle-aged woman who cares deeply
residence at the villa, Sasaki later changes his technique and is
about her father’s legacy, Akira Sugimora’s younger daughter
branded a traitor. He is forced to leave the villa without any of
comes to visit Ono to sell him her house. She and her older
his paintings, which seem likely to have been destroyed.
sister propose an “auction of prestige,” in which they will sell the
house for a fixed price to the buyer whom they feel deserves Ono
Ono’s
’s Father – Business-minded and strict, Ono’s father
the house. She comes to visit the house after the war. Ono is at disapproves of his son’s aspiration to become an artist, at one
first offended that she doesn’t seem to care about all that he point making a threat (on which he perhaps follows through) to
has lost but grows to pity her after realizing that she has lost a burn all of teenaged Ono’s drawings.
great deal in the war too. Sachik
Sachiko
o Ono – Sympathetic to the values of both her son and
President of Kimur
Kimuraa Compan
Companyy – The President of the parent husband, Ono’s mother tries to prevent a confrontation
company of Kimura Company, where Jiro Miyake works. Jiro between them over Ono’s future.
tells Ono that the President killed himself as a way to atone for Plain-clothes Officer – The commanding officer overseeing the
the things the company did during the war, thereby allowing burning of Kuroda’s paintings.
the company and all its workers to feel they have a fresh start.

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Uniformed Officer – The policeman guarding the door to admitting that he feels a great deal of ambivalence about his
Kuroda’s house while his paintings are burned and his mother is past. Second, Ono avoids describing certain pivotal events in
interrogated. his life which he cannot force himself to face. By refusing to
Kenji Ono – Ono’s son, who was killed in Manchuria as he describe these incidents, he gives away that these are the
charged across a mine field. moments in his life about which he feels most guilty. Finally,
Ono often casts doubt on the accuracy of his account, reporting
Michik
Michikoo Ono – Ono’s wife, who is killed at the very end of the that others do not see events the way he does. This final
war in June 1945 by a bomb. strategy opens up the possibility that Ono is not only hiding
Hir
Hiraayama Bo
Boyy – A developmentally disabled man of fifty, the from feelings of guilt, but is either mistaken or lying about his
“Hirayama boy” learned that he would get praise and money life.
from strangers by singing patriotic songs during the war. After Ono addresses his recollections to an unspecified other person
the war, he gets beaten up for singing these songs. – a “you” to whom he tells his story and whom he imagines will
Miss Suzuki – Matsuda’s nurse. be sympathetic. The “you” is someone who may, or may not, be
Botchan – A young boy who looks over a wall at Matsuda as he new to the city and to whom Ono explains the history and
feeds his carp. geography of the city, like a friendly guide. The tone Ono uses
to address this listener suggests how he wants to be seen, or
Mr
Mr.. K
Kyyo – The go-between for the meeting of the families of
how he wants to see himself as a knowledgeable, even-keeled,
Taro Saito and Noriko.
friendly, and wise teacher. But because there is no indication of
Yukio Naguchi – A famous composer of patriotic songs during who the “you” might really be, the listener comes to seem like
the war, Naguchi was one of many prestigious men who an imaginary construct created by Ono as a coping mechanism.
committed suicide as an act of atonement for his role in Instead of stating directly that he has mixed feelings about an
encouraging Japan to persist in its war effort. incident he has related, Ono speaks instead about what he
Gisaburo – An unhappy actor past his prime who comes to visit imagines will be his listener’s reaction. In each instance, Ono
Mori-san’s villa. says that, while a situation may seem one way to the listener,
there is actually another way of looking at it. For instance, in
describing his final break with his teacher, Mori-San, Ono tries
THEMES to address what he assumes the listener may be thinking. He
says that, while Mori-san’s actions may seem harsh, they are
In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color- also understandable given Mori-san’s long investment in him
coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes and disappointment at his decision to go in another direction
occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have with his art. But Ono immediately follows this defense with its
a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in rebuttal, saying that Mori-san’s treatment of him was
black and white. regrettably harsh. By addressing his recollections to this “you,”
Ono disguises what he is actually doing: agonizingly rehashing
MEMORY, SELF-PERCEPTION, AND SELF- the events of his life and trying to formulate sound judgments
DECEPTION about his own conduct and the conduct of others.
Masuji Ono, the protagonist of An Artist of the While Ono describes most of his interactions in meticulous
Floating World, is an older man looking back on his detail, there are also large gaps in his story. These gaps
life and setting down his recollections. But Ono vacillates represent pivotal events in Ono’s life, about which he feels real
between a desire to honestly assess his past and a desire to grief, guilt, or anger. Ono entirely avoids describing the decision
avoid any feelings regret. Because these motives are to leave his parents’ home to become a painter, presumably
incompatible with one another, Ono’s narrative itself becomes having cut off all contact with his family afterwards. He also
distorted by self-deception as he attempts to hide from his avoids discussing the deaths of his wife and son, mentioning
conflicted feelings, knowledge of his own culpability, and their deaths only in passing, or while recounting what someone
ultimately—what would be most terrifying of all to him—the else said to him in confrontation. But the most important
conclusion that his life’s work has not mattered. Ono’s account omissions in the novel are those that relate to Ono’s
gives away his unreliability as a narrator in several ways. First, relationship with his pupil Kuroda. Through a series of hints,
his use of an unspecified second-person “you,” as though he is readers learn that Ono had a break with his student Kuroda,
addressing someone who is listening, suggests that he does not likely because Kuroda had decided to employ an artistic
want to acknowledge the doubt he feels about his own past. By technique that Ono did not approve. After parting ways with
addressing himself to another person, he acts as though he is his protégé, Ono gave Kuroda’s name to the Committee of
explaining events that he understands well and avoids Unpatriotic Activities, which led to Kuroda’s being jailed and

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tortured. But Instead of revealing how this came to pass, Ono In the end, the unreliability of Ono’s narration leaves open
focuses his description and analysis on his relationship with his many possible interpretations of Ono’s legacy. On the one
teacher Mori-san, with whom he had a similar break. Ono hand, Ono may have been nothing but a small-time painter
hopes to alleviate his own guilt by suggesting that his treatment whose life made little impact on the lives of those around him.
of Kuroda is similar to Mori-san’s treatment of himself. But, of This raises the possibility that Ono may be preoccupied with
course, this entirely fails to address the very different debating his own guilt or innocence so as to avoid
consequences the two teachers’ treatments of their pupils had acknowledging what would be even more frightening to him
for those pupils. Ono avoids recounting—or atoning for—the than guilt: irrelevance. On the other hand, Ono’s art may have
actual harm he has done others, which reveals the lie in his been significant to the war effort, and Setsuko may only have
frequent pronouncements about his willingness to own up to been trying to give him a clear conscience when she asserted
his wartime mistakes. Instead, he seems only to be feigning that his art had little impact—perhaps because she worries that
honesty, while actually hiding from the most difficult truths. his guilt will drive him to suicide. The novel leaves both
Finally, there are frequent suggestions that Ono may be possibilities on the table, suggesting not only that memories
misremembering events, mistaking who said what, or even are often inflected and transformed by later events, but that
making things up. This creates total uncertainty as to the where honest self-perception ends and dishonest self-
accuracy of Ono’s account. Throughout the novel, Ono often deception begins is ultimately unknowable.
reports what someone has said, only to immediately say that
this may have been something said by a different person. For THE RELEVANCE OF THE ARTIST
instance, Ono recounts a conversation he had with Jiro Miyake The deepest desire of Masuji Ono, protagonist of
a week before his daughter’s engagement to Jiro fell through. An Artist of the Floating World, is to be an acclaimed,
He says that he recalls Jiro saying that those who pushed the significant artist. But while Ono is technically adept
nation to continue in a senseless war should be held as a painter, his understanding of the world—and art’s role in
responsible. Then, after recounting this story, he says that it—is unsophisticated. Lacking a strong personal vision for his
those words sound more like something his son-in-law Suichi art and its message, Ono switches from one artistic movement
would have said. If Jiro really said this, it may have been to the next in pursuit of a style that will earn him
because he had already decided not to marry into the Ono acknowledgement as a great artist. In tracing Ono’s trajectory
family, wanting to avoid an association with a propagandist. If from commercial artist to high-brow Yōga ga artist to nationalist
he did not say it, then perhaps there was some other artist and propagandist, the novel shows a man who spends his
explanation for his decision not to marry Noriko. Ono’s account life congratulating himself for his bold breaks from his teachers
is all that is given, and there is no knowing whether, in giving it, and for his much-needed artistic contributions. At his life’s end,
he is remembering events as they occurred. The reliability of however, it is clear that Ono has only followed in others’
Ono’s memories is also questioned by other characters. Early in footsteps, making uninspired and unimportant art, or art which
the novel, Ono records a conversation with Setsuko in which reflects and amplifies his society’s worst impulses. In his quest
she seems worried that his fame as a painter of propaganda for relevance and significance, Ono produced work that could
during the war has turned into infamy because of the postwar not stand the test of time, but became irrelevant along with
backlash against nationalist ideas. She suggests that this each passing fad, after the world which he painted had “floated
reputation could hurt Noriko’s marriage prospects. At the end away.” The novel suggests that the “relevant” artist, who reacts
of the novel, concerned because Ono has been discussing a to the commercial and political currents of the time, may be
famous nationalist composer who committed suicide out of acclaimed for a moment but ultimately prove insignificant
guilt for encouraging the war, Setsuko tells her father that he outside of the time in which he or she works.
should not feel guilty for his nationalist paintings, because they
Ono has ambitions to become a great artist, but no idea what
had little influence on the war effort. When Ono asks her about
kind of art he should produce towards achieving this end.
their earlier conversation during Noriko’s courtship, Setsuko
Despite Ono’s description of himself as someone who
protests that she has no recollection of such a conversation and
courageously follows his convictions and talent, the actual
never would have suggested that her father’s career could
events of his life suggest a man who follows others
harm Noriko’s marriage prospects. When Setsuko denies that
opportunistically instead of thinking for himself. Ono’s early
she and her father discussed how his reputation might impact
works as a teen are paintings of landscapes. He has an
Noriko’s marriage prospects, she throws the reliability of Ono’s
incredible facility for capturing the way a specific place looks.
entire narrative into doubt. After all, this conversation with
Throughout his later career, however, Ono’s work focuses on
Setsuko and Ono’s subsequent efforts to make sure his past
other subjects, suggesting that he may have abandoned his true
would not harm Noriko’s marriage prospects form the crux of
talent, simple and familiar as it may have been in the eyes of
the novel’s plot.
others. Ono’s first paid work as an artist is producing

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stereotypically Japanese paintings that are exported to Ono sees other artists deciding to strike out on their own, he is
foreigners who exoticize the Japanese tradition. Ono is initially far from supportive of their pursuit of originality. Sasaki, Mori’s
pleased that he is earning a living as an artist, defying his favorite student early on in Ono’s time living at the villa,
father’s predictions that he would live in squalor if he pursued develops his own style and is treated as a traitor by the other
art as a career. He is also glad to be one of his firm’s leading students living at the villa. Ono records no effort on his own
artists. Gradually, however, Ono comes to feel that this part to defend Sasaki. At the same time, while Ono leaves the
commercial work at Master Takeda’s firm is beneath him, and villa with the support of Matsuda and his Okada-Shingen
he leaves the firm. Ono spends the next six years at the villa of society, it seems that Sasaki leaves with no such support or
Seiji Moriyama, or Mori-san. There, Ono paints in the style guidance, truly as a result of his convictions. In dealing with his
Mori-san advocates: paintings of geishas from the “floating own student Kuroda, Ono is so offended by his student’s
world”—or pleasure districts—depicted in a more Western style innovations that he gives his name to the Committee of
called Yōgaga. Mori-san urges his students to live among geishas, Unpatriotic Activities, leading all of Kuroda’s work to be burned
drinking late into the night and painting scenes from nightlife, and Kuroda himself to be jailed and beaten.
but Ono struggles with doubts about whether this lifestyle is In the end, other characters’ statements suggest that Ono’s
really the path to greatness. His father, after all, predicted that presentation of himself is skewed; his belief that the courage of
he would spend his life living in squalor if he pursued a career his convictions led him to paint original, ground-breaking works
as an artist. Once again, however, Ono earns acclaim. He that have since been discredited seems nothing more than self-
becomes Mori-san’s favorite student and is allowed to exhibit aggrandizement. In his final conversation with Matsuda,
his paintings alongside his teacher’s. After conversations with Matsuda says that they “turned out to be ordinary men with no
the nationalist art-appreciator Matsuda, who teases Ono for special gifts of insight” and that their “contribution turned out
being naïve and having a “narrow artist’s perspective,” Ono to be marginal.” Ono rejects taking Matsuda’s words at face
leaves Mori-san’s villa and begins to create paintings with value, saying that there was something in the Matsuda’s
political messages. While Ono portrays this, in hindsight, as manner that suggested he believed otherwise. In Ono’s last
another moment in which he took a courageous risk to follow conversation with his daughter Setsuko, she reassures her
his artistic convictions, he is once again merely exchanging one father that he does not need to feel guilty for encouraging the
person’s doctrine for another. He eventually rises to militarism of the war years because it was not really culturally
prominence as a nationalist painter in his city. A cohort of significant.
younger artists consider him their teacher, and he wins
The novel’s presentation of a vain and self-deluding artist
prestigious awards. However, after Japan’s defeat in the war,
whose contributions lose their importance with the passage of
the culture of militant nationalism is reviled, and prominent
time gives the title its meaning. Ono feels encouraged by a
nationalist artists commit suicide. Ono is forced into
lifetime of acclaim for his work to believe that his contributions
retirement, which he takes as a sign that his work had an
were important and will be remembered. But, in fact, he was
important—albeit now-discredited—impact on his society.
only one of the many artists of his time who painted derivative
As he relates this story of moving from artistic movement to works in styles invented by others. Although Ono leaves Mori-
artistic movement, Ono repeatedly claims to be proud for san’s villa and ceases to paint the geishas of the “floating world”
having struck out on his own, following his convictions, even if of pleasure districts, the ultimate unimportance of his career
they proved wrong in the end. He says that this is a quality an makes him an “artist of the floating world” in a different sense.
artist can be proud of, even if his work does not stand the test Ono finds a transitory success by shaping his work to fit the
of time. But, in fact, the story of Ono’s career shows that he demands of specific times and places, and by copying others
opportunistically sought relevance and recognition by who have gained acclaim. But this world is neither timeless nor
following other’s ideas, and cannot point to any unique permanent; it is transitory, “floating.” The novel shows how the
contributions of his own. When describing his time painting at world in which Ono was an important artist is already floating
the Takeda firm to his proteges, Ono says that what he took away, superseded by new currents, ideas, events, and artists.
from his experience at the firm is the need to “rise above the
sway of things.” But Ono left the Takeda firm to go to another
FAMILY REPUTATION, FAMILY SECRETS,
place where he was expected to closely adhere to another
person’s ideas, and when he ultimately left Mori’s, it was to AND FAMILIAL LOSS
create art that would adhere to Matsuda’s ideas. Based on his Although much of An Artist of the Floating World is
descriptions of his wartime work, Ono seems to have created dedicated to exploring the reputation and prestige
derivative, unexceptional propaganda posters. It is work that of the artist and narrator Masuji Ono, another, equally
does not seem likely to have sprung from his own original ideas, important kind of reputation is conspicuously unexplored in
but rather from copying and adapting other people’s ideas at Ono’s narrative. Family reputation and prestige—and, on the
the moment those ideas were rising to the cultural fore. When negative side, shameful family secrets—may be much more

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important than Ono’s individual reputation to the events that incident, and it seems likely that Ono cut off all contact with his
play out in the novel. Ono’s failure to address the issue of his family once he made the decision to go to work as an artist. This
family’s reputation is mysterious. Is it a reflection of his self- rupture seems to have been similar in its finality to the loss of
obsessed nature that he does not talk about those he has lost Kenji and Michiko in the war, and similarly is never given any
and their lives? Or, by focusing on his professional legacy is Ono attention by Ono. At the time when Ono’s father burns his
avoiding addressing his grief at losing some of the most paintings, the fifteen-year-old Ono says that his father has “only
important people in his life. kindled his ambition” as an artist. At this young age, Ono seems
Throughout the novel, Ono portrays his own reputation as to have decided that by focusing attention on his career, he can
being of central concern to his family as a whole. Only at the protect himself from the painful disappointments inherent to
end of the narrative does it become clear how limited this close relationships with family.
perspective may be. The novel revolves around a formal At first glance, Ono’s avoidance of discussing his family’s past in
process of matchmaking, in which each side of the “match” favor of discussing his career makes him seem narcissistic,
investigates the reputation of the other side’s family to career-obsessed, and coldblooded. While this is possible, it
determine whether the two children should marry. A year seems equally possible that Ono avoids this topic because it is
before the action of the novel, a prospective match for Ono’s simply too painful. But just as Ono shows an aversion to
younger daughter Noriko inexplicably withdraws from describing the painful break between himself and his pupil
marriage negotiations. After this, the Ono family is concerned Kuroda, he shows an even stronger aversion to describing the
that Noriko’s new suitor, Taro Saito, might also withdraw from losses of his family members. To open the topic of family
the process because of something about the Ono family’s secrets would be to open the topic of the family as a whole,
reputation. Setsuko talks to her father about this possibility, even though Ono’s family has always been been painfully
suggesting that he make sure that certain things from the past fragmented. The gaps in the narrative where Ono’s feelings
do not harm Noriko’s prospects. Ono believes that Setsuko is about his family’s past can be seen equally to suggest
concerned that Ono’s wartime work as a propagandist will coldblooded neglect, or a sensitive avoidance of truly painful
cause the Saitos to shun the family, and the rest of the novel topics.
explores his efforts to prevent his artistic career from
becoming a stain the family reputation. But, at the novel’s end, INTERGENERATIONAL CONFLICT
when Setsuko claims she has no recollection of starting a
An Artist of the Floating World portrays a society that
conversation with Ono about his reputation, this opens the
instills the importance of respect and obedience
possibility that she was concerned about some other secret
towards elders in the young, but is, nevertheless,
from the family past which is never revealed in the novel. A
defined by intergenerational conflict and distrust. This conflict
remark that Setsuko makes later in the novel is
becomes particularly fierce after the war, as the younger
incomprehensible based on the information Ono has provided
generation heaps blame on the older generation for leading the
about the family but suggests that the incident from the past
country down a disastrous path. Although Ono’s generation
(which she worried could mar Noriko’s chances of marrying)
seems to have definitively lost in the intergenerational struggle
had nothing to do with Ono’s career, but instead has to do with
over the country’s values, this can hardly be said to be the end
her brother Kenji. Setsuko says, “There is no doubt Father
of intergenerational conflict. Instead, the book suggests that
devoted the most careful thought to my brother’s upbringing.
the issues at stake will arise over and over again, as a new
Nevertheless, in the light of what came to pass, we can perhaps
generation will always come along to challenge the beliefs of
see that on one or two points at least, Mother may in fact have
those who used to make up the younger generation.
had the more correct ideas.” Ono is surprised that Setsuko
would say something so unpleasant but offers no insight into The novel shows intergenerational conflict in a variety of
what Setsuko might be referring to. This mysterious event in different contexts: between parents and children, teachers and
the Ono family’s past may never be disclosed because it would students, and political elites and the young men who are sent to
open up the topic of Ono’s relationships with those he has lost: fight when those elites decide to declare war. Ono experiences
his wife and son, topics which may be too painful to consider. many of these intergenerational conflicts from both sides. As a
young boy, Ono dreams of becoming a painter, while his father
Ono’s intense focus on his individual reputation as an artist, and
looks down on artists’ lifestyles. While Ono never tells his
his aversion to discussing the reputation of his family as a
father directly that he despises his values, he becomes ever
whole, makes sense when looked at in the context of his own
more determined to become an artist after his father burns his
upbringing. Ono’s father tells a fifteen-year-old Ono that he will
paintings. Ono also comes into conflict with his own children.
damage the family’s reputation if he becomes an artist.
His daughter Noriko is often critical of her father, criticizing his
Although the novel never explicitly describes Ono’s break from
idleness, his meddling, and his pride. Ono finds these criticisms
his family, his father and mother are never mentioned after this
utterly inexplicable, except as a symptom of Noriko’s anxiety

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about her marriage prospects. In his interactions with his older bond with his grandson, Ichiro, who seems to share his
daughter Setsuko, Ono feels a sense of hostility or mistrust grandfather’s sense that they are both at odds with the
that is concealed by her polite manner. generation that separates them. Often, Ono tries to defy his
Intergenerational conflict also defines Ono’s experiences in the daughter, Ichiro’s mother, to cultivate this sense of solidarity
art world, both as a pupil and a teacher. While Ono treats his with Ichiro. Ichiro seems to respond in kind: when Setsuko and
teachers with courtesy, never criticizing them outright, he still Noriko refuse to let Ono give Ichiro a taste of sake, Ono
lauds himself for boldly breaking with his teachers’ styles of believes Ichiro will be upset, but Ichiro instead consoles his
painting. At the same time, Ono is unable to apply this grandfather for having failed to prevail over Setsuko.
perspective to his dealings with his own students, like Kuroda. The novel shows that the cataclysm of war has precipitated an
Instead, Ono is critical of his own students when they break unusual break in the constant cycle of low-level conflict and
from his teachings. tension between generations. The nationalist views and beliefs
The most acute intergenerational conflict in the novel springs of Ono’s generation have been completely discredited by the
from the outcome of the war, as an entire generation is course of the war, and his children’s generation hopes to create
embittered with the elders who decided to continue the war a new world on the rubble of the old one. But the novel
long after it was clear that Japan would be defeated. The suggests that similar conflicts will arise anew as soon as
terrible destruction Japan suffered during the war is blamed on another generation that does not remember the war comes
the older generation who helmed the government, military, and along to mount even fresher challenges to this newly
centers of culture. By blaming the elder generation for losing established order.
the war, the younger generation experiences an unusually
definitive “win,” as far as intergenerational conflicts go. To atone CITY, NATION, HISTORY
for what they have done and display their repentance, many An Artist of the Floating World is set in Japan
members of the older generation kill themselves. This between 1948 and 1950, a time of great upheaval
discredited generation is also forced to give way in most after the country’s defeat in World War II. But the
matters in the cultural battles between the younger and older novel’s protagonist and narrator, Masuji Ono, focuses almost
generation. Ono, for instance, seems to defer to his daughters entirely on the relatively narrow world of a single city. Detailed
in almost everything. Noriko says in a conversation early in the descriptions of the building, renovation, destruction, and
novel that Ono used to be a “tyrant” who ordered them around, erasure of the various physical landmarks in his city that are
but that he has become quite gentle. Indeed, Ono now knows important to him suggest a narrator much more interested in
that he should not try to force his point of view on others. his own legacy than in the larger historical changes gripping his
When his grandson idolizes American heroes instead of country. The irony of this is that Ono rose to prominence as a
Japanese ones, Ono stifles his urge to encourage his grandson nationalist painter, painting pictures whose purpose was to
to have more patriotic idols, knowing that this is a point of view urge Japanese patriots to fight foreign wars and create a
his generation held which has been discredited by the defeat in dominant imperial power. In the end, the contrast between
the war. Ono’s narrow focus on his city and the nationalist and
The victory of the generation who came of age during the war imperialist themes of the work that brought him acclaim proves
over their parents’ generation is not the end to that Ono was an opportunist who painted propaganda. This
intergenerational conflict. Instead, the novel hints that the runs contrary to his self-portrayal as an independent thinker. At
issues that cause intergenerational conflict will surface the same time, Ono’s careful descriptions of the city suggest
continually between future generations. The novel shows the that his true talent lies in capturing accurate depictions of the
cyclical nature of these issues by drawing parallels between the physical world.
beliefs held in alternating generations. For instance, Ono looks The city Ono describes, which is never named, is where Ono
down on his father for being interested in nothing but money has lived since 1913, and where he rose from obscurity to
and commercial success, preferring to pursue a career in art, prominence during the lead-up to the war and during the war
even though that career would not be very lucrative. Years itself. Ono’s treatment of the local pleasure district east of
later, Ono’s children’s generation have little sympathy for his Furukawa exemplifies his narrow focus on the world of his own
values, prioritizing prosperity and a good career above all else, city, instead of the fate of the nation. Ono describes the
in much the way his father once did. Similarly, in the artistic creation, growth, damage, destruction, and erasure of the local
realm, Ono finds the early works that his teacher Mori-san pleasure district where his favorite two bars, the Migi-Hidari
considers “fatally flawed” to be evidence of “how an artist's and Mrs. Kawakami’s place, are located. This evolution mirrors
talent can transcend the limitations of a particular style.” This developments going on in Japan at the time between 1931 and
earlier generation’s style of painting that Mori rejected has 1950, but Ono ignores the ways in which the region’s
growing appeal to the next generation, Ono’s. Ono has a strong development may have been connected to the larger events

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catalyzing change. The pleasure district first comes into being in Japan. Because Ono seems mostly unaware of and
with the expansion of the city’s tramlines in 1931. The new indifferent toward the world beyond his city, when he claims
tramline goes to the suburb of Arakawa, relieving the that strong feeling motivated him to turn towards a
congestion and crowding in the city. Although Ono does not propagandistic style in his art, this rings hollow.
draw the connection, 1931 was also the year that Japan In the end, the intense focus on physical spaces and how they
invaded Manchuria, in an attempt to relieve economic pressure look at different moments in time that characterizes Ono’s
by gaining land and resources. Ono is concerned only with the narrative also suggests what might have been a truer path for
tramlines and how they open up his city to the suburbs, not him as an artist. Instead of work that focuses on human
with this watershed moment in Japan’s move towards subjects or political messages, Ono’s true talent lies in
imperialism. Later, as a nationalist painter, and while nationalist capturing a place at a particular time. His first paintings, which
sentiment is taking hold throughout Japan, Ono’s prestige his father burns, are notable for their striking verisimilitude, or
allows him to bring official support to the expansion of a resemblance to reality. If Ono had not been embarrassed of his
patriotic bar, the Migi-Hidari. There, he holds court with his “narrow artist’s perspective” and sought to expand it to take in
pupils. This is the period for which he is most nostalgic later the wider world of political and historical changes, he might
on—when his work was praised as visionary and important, and have created paintings that would have captured a moment in
when he was able to exert influence. During the war, some, but time and been looked at as a valuable record and significant
not all, of the pleasure district is damaged by bombs. While the artistic contribution for many years to come.
Migi-Hidari closes, Mrs. Kawakami’s place continues to
operate. In the first few years after the war, Ono hopes that the
district can be reconstructed and restored to its wartime SYMBOLS
splendor. But one day the local authorities tear down all the
surrounding buildings, leaving nothing but ruins for several Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
years afterwards. While Ono expresses confusion at this, the Analysis sections of this LitChart.
destruction of his pleasure district corresponds to the post-war
period in Japan when the country sought to purge itself of
nationalist symbols. Ono seems unaware, or unwilling to
THE SMELL OF BURNING
acknowledge that, in this new climate, the old nationalist Although the novel’s narrator, Masuji Ono, never
pleasure district has no role. In the final chapter, the pleasure describes the grief and pain he has suffered over a
district has been completely rebuilt as a commercial district. lifetime punctuated by trauma, the way these traumas impact
Young Japanese office workers, enthralled by hopes of him is suggested by the melancholy feeling that comes over him
American-style prosperity, now work in the area. Ono sits on a when he smells burning. The smell of burning brings two kinds
bench in the district and considers the younger generation’s of associations for Ono, both having to do with the loss of what
enthusiasm. At the novel’s end, Ono seems to have come to is most precious to him. Burning’s first association is with the
terms with the fact that his legacy has been erased, but he smoke produced by paintings being destroyed, and its second
credits himself with having acted in good faith, even if his ideas association is with the smoke produced by bombs. The smell of
turned out to have been mistaken. Other landmarks, like burning evokes both the trauma of having his own paintings
Kawabe Park, the Nishizuru District, and the suburb of destroyed by his father when he was fifteen years old, and the
Arakawa all receive similar treatment. The ways these parts of trauma of having accidentally caused the paintings of his
the city have changed with the times are meticulously protégé Kuroda to be burnt by the authorities. It also evokes
recorded, but Ono himself never draws any connection the smell after a bomb killed Ono’s wife. Importantly, Ono’s
between historical events and the changes he witnesses on the father’s decision to burn Ono’s paintings only makes Ono more
local level. determined to become an artist against his father’s wishes,
which ultimately leads to a split between Ono and his parents.
Ono’s narrow focus on his city stands in marked contrast with
While Ono never discusses the circumstances surrounding his
his work as a nationalist painter. At the same time as he trains a
rupture with his parents, the smell of burning is a symbolic link
narrow focus on his immediate surroundings, he paints work
that associates his loss of his parents with the loss of his wife
with nationalist, militarist, and imperialist themes and global
Michiko in a bomb attack. The smell reminds Ono vividly of
implications. While Ono’s talent seems to be for accurately
both events. At the end of the novel, when Matsuda says the
capturing the look of specific places around him, he chooses to
smell of burning these days usually suggests nothing more than
work in whatever artistic style seems most promising at a given
a garden being cleared, the suggestion is that the post-war
time. This opportunistic attitude leads Ono to paint the geishas
future will not be as marred by traumatic losses as the years of
of pleasure districts using Western style painting techniques
Ono’s life.
when that style of work is in fashion, and then to make a
definitive break with this style when nationalism begins to rise

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LANTERNS October 1948 Quotes

Lanterns in the novel are associated with Ono’s It is now already a thing of some fifteen years ago. In those
teacher Mori-san, who includes a lantern in each of days, when my circumstances seemed to improve with each
his paintings and dedicates himself to trying to capture the look month, my wife had begun to press me to find a new house.
of lantern light. For Mori-san, the flickering, easily extinguished With her usual foresight, she had argued the importance of our
quality of lantern light symbolizes the transience of beauty and having a house in keeping with our status — not out of vanity,
the importance of giving careful attention to small moments but for the sake of our children's marriage prospects. I saw the
and details in the physical world. Lanterns, then, symbolize an sense in this, but since Setsuko, our eldest, was still only
outlook on life which prizes small details and everyday fourteen or fifteen, I did not go about the matter with any
moments above the ideological concerns of nationalists or urgency. Nevertheless, for a year or so, whenever I heard of a
commercial concerns of businesspeople. It is an old-fashioned, suitable house for sale, I would remember to make enquiries.
aesthetically focused, and more traditional way of viewing the
world. Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Setsuko,
Michiko Ono
GARDENS Related Themes:
Gardens represent an uncomplicated, beautiful
collaboration between humans and nature that Page Number: 7-8
exists across historical moments and outside of ideology. Ono’s
true connection (which he seems to have ignored out of his Explanation and Analysis
ambition) is with the details of the natural world and with the At the beginning of the novel, Ono reflects on the way he
ways that humans shape that world, not with the subjects he came to own his impressive house. His words here
takes up under the influences of Master Takeda, Mori-san, or immediately establish the importance of status and
Matsuda. In his efforts to become a relevant artist, Ono does reputation in Japanese society and set the stage for the
not dedicate himself to exploring this subject in his art. Often, marital drama that will inform much of the text. This
during an upsetting conversation, Ono turns his attention away moment also reveals Ono’s personal preoccupation with
from the person with whom he is speaking and begins to status, as well as his tendency to gloss over—if not outright
observe what is happening in a garden in minute detail. At the lie about—potentially negative aspects of his personality.
end of the novel, Ono reports to Matsuda that he has begun Here, for example, he thrusts the desire for a grander house
painting again. He says he paints “plants and flowers mostly, solely onto his wife, insisting that he personally was
just for my own amusement.” From this, it is clear that Ono’s unconcerned with such markers of wealth and prestige.
interest in depicting gardens was his true passion all along, Throughout the book, however, it will become clear that
which, unbeknownst to him, might have provided him with the Ono is both a deeply unreliable narrator and extremely
material to make a truly valuable artistic contribution. concerned with issues of reputation, suggesting that he
likely felt just as much urgency as did his wife when it came
to obtaining a house “in keeping with” their social standing.
QUO
QUOTES
TES
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the
Vintage edition of An Artist of the Floating World published in Besides, there was surely much to admire in the idea of 'an
1986. auction of prestige', as the elder daughter called it. One
wonders why things are not settled more often by such means.
How so much more honourable is such a contest, in which one's
moral conduct and achievement are brought as witnesses
rather than the size of one's purse. I can still recall the deep
satisfaction I felt when I learnt the Sugimuras — after the most
thorough investigation — had deemed me the most worthy of
the house they so prized.

Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Miss Sugimora

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following the war.

Related Themes:

Page Number: 10
"We took him once to the cinema to see an American
Explanation and Analysis cowboy film. He's been very fond of cowboys ever since.
Ono has explained that his wife is annoyed that the We even had to buy him a ten-gallon hat. He’s convinced
Sugimuras are snobbishly looking for a buyer who cowboys make that funny sound he does. It must have seemed
“deserves” to live in their extravagant house. But to Ono, very strange.”
winning this “auction of prestige” by being selected to buy “So that’s what it was,” I said with a laugh. “My grandson’s
the Sugimura house becomes a tangible sign of the social become a cowboy.”
status he has achieved through his work as an artist. This is
Down in the garden, a breeze was making the foliage sway.
yet another early moment that evidences Ono’s obsession
with his reputation as an artist. Here, his (ultimately Noriko was crouching down by the old stone lantern near the
delusional) belief in the potency of his artistic legacy comes back wall, pointing something out to Ichiro.
wrapped in a veneer of disbelieving humility, as it will “Still,” I said, with a sigh, “only a few years ago, Ichiro wouldn't
continue to be presented throughout the novel. have been allowed to see such a thing as a cowboy film.”
Setsuko, without turning from the garden, said: “Suichi believes
it's better he likes cowboys than that he idolize people like
Coming out of Mrs Kawakami's now, you could stand at Miyamoto Musashi. Suichi thinks the American heroes are the
her doorway and believe you have just been drinking at better models for children now.”
some outpost of civilization. All around, there is nothing but a
desert of demolished rubble. Only the backs of several
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Noriko, Suichi ,
buildings far in the distance will remind you that you are not so
Ichiro
far from the city centre. 'War damage,' Mrs Kawakami calls it.
But I remember walking around the district shortly after the Related Themes:
surrender and many of those buildings were still standing. The
Migi-Hidari was still there, the windows all blown out, part of
Related Symbols:
the roof fallen in. And I remember wondering to myself as I
walked past those shattered buildings, if they would ever again Page Number: 35-36
come back to life. Then I came by one morning and the
bulldozers had pulled down everything. Explanation and Analysis
While reflecting on Setsuko’s recent visit, Ono remembers
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Mrs. Kawakami watching her son, his grandson, impersonating the Lone
Ranger and pretending to yell in English. Though Ono does
Related Themes: not know who the Lone Ranger is, he understands enough
to realize that Ichiro is not impersonating a Japanese
Page Number: 26 hero—something Setsuko soon confirms. Miyamoto
Musashi was a famous 16th-century samurai often
Explanation and Analysis
considered Japan’s greatest swordsman, and implied to be
For Ono, Mrs. Kawakami’s bar is a vestige of a time when he someone many children of Ono’s generation and earlier
was at the height of his artistic career This moment idolized. The fact that Setsuko took her son to see an
evidences his desire to return to the world as it was before American film reflects how drastically values have shifted
the war, as well as his preoccupation with the physical away from Ono’s professed Japanese nationalism since the
landscape of the world around him. His observations hint at war, and further emphasizes the vast generational gulf
the breadth of physical changes to the Japanese landscape between Ono and his children.
following the war, themselves reflective of colossal cultural
shifts that left men like Ono behind. Though he doesn’t
pinpoint the reason that the authorities tore down the
buildings in the district, it is probable that authorities razed
buildings that had been associated with nationalism

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My respect for reception rooms may well appear
exaggerated, but then you must realize that in the house I
Related Themes:
grew up in — in Tsuruoka Village, a half-day's train journey from
here — I was forbidden even to enter the reception room until Page Number: 61
the age of twelve. That room being in many senses the centre of
the house, curiosity compelled me to construct an image of its Explanation and Analysis
interior from the occasional glimpses I managed to catch of it. Ono believes that his son-in-law’s generation is full of anger
Later in my life I was often to surprise colleagues with my towards men of Ono’s generation for leading the country to
ability to realize a scene on canvas based only on the briefest of war, and that this discontent is to blame for the country’s
passing glances; it is possible I have my father to thank for this current climate of bitterness. Ono further associates this
skill, and the inadvertent training he gave my artist's eye during bitterness with Jiro Miyake’s relief at the suicide of the
those formative years. president of his company; earlier in the story, Ono reflected
upon a conversation with Jiro in which the young man called
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Ono’s Father the president brave for killing himself to repent for his role
in riling up Japanese nationalism. Here, however, Ono
Related Themes: wonders if he was confusing Jiro’s words with Suichi’s. This
further establishes Ono’s unreliability as a narrator and
Page Number: 41 makes clear how he alters his memories to fit into a
narrative with other memories. This moment also reflects
Explanation and Analysis
the distance and tension Ono perceives as existing between
Ono explains that, during her recent visit, Setsuko found her his generation and that of his children.
father lost in thought in his reception room, a habit he
insists only began following his retirement. Before that, he
did not enter such rooms except upon special occasions, in
I have still in my possession a painting by the Tortoise — a
large part due to the influence of his own father. Ono’s
self-portrait he painted not long after the Takeda days. It
explanation of his past experiences with reception rooms
shows a thin young man with spectacles, sitting in his
reflects the fact that they are places strictly controlled by
shirtsleeves in a cramped, shadowy room, surrounded by easels
adults and also reveals the way in which they have shaped
and rickety furniture, his face caught on one side by the light
his art. It was the secrecy around his father’s reception
coming from the window. The earnestness and timidity written
room that led him to become interested in capturing the
on the face are certainly true to the man I remember, and in this
essence of a physical space. His “artist’s eye” manifests
respect, the Tortoise has been remarkably honest; looking at
throughout the book as he latches onto the physicality of
the portrait, you would probably take him to be the sort you
the world around him. Ono’s father was vehemently
could confidently elbow aside for an empty tram seat. But then
opposed to his son’s chosen profession, further suggesting a
each of us, it seems, has his own special conceits. If the
subtle smugness in Ono’s pronouncement that his father
Tortoise's modesty forbade him to disguise his timid nature, it
accidentally helped shape his artwork.
did not prevent him attributing to himself a kind of lofty
intellectual air — which I for one have no recollection of. But
then to be fair, I cannot recall any colleague who could paint a
But as I say, there is a different mood in the country these self-portrait with absolute honesty; however accurately one
days, and Suichi's attitudes are probably by no means may fill in the surface details of one's mirror reflection, the
exceptional. Perhaps I am being unfair if I credit young Miyake, personality represented rarely comes near the truth as others
too, with such bitterness, but then the way things are at would see it.
present, if you examine anything anyone says to you, it seems
you will find a thread of this same bitter feeling running
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Master Takeda,
through it. For all I know, Miyake did speak those words;
Yasunari Nakahara, the Tortoise
perhaps all men of Miyake's and Suichi's generation have come
to think and speak like that.
Related Themes:

Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Suichi , Jiro Page Number: 67

Miyake, Hirayama Boy
Explanation and Analysis

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Ono remembers Yasunari Nakahara, an artist who joined employees cared only about speed, and as such that
the Takeda firm a year after Ono and whose lack of standing up for the Tortoise showed that he was able to
productivity earned him the nickname “the Tortoise.” think independently even if it meant going against those
Despite possessing a clear sense of disdain for the Tortoise, around him. Ono will repeatedly return to this notion that
Ono still owns a self-portrait by the man that he, in a he is an independent thinker, even as he proves to clearly
roundabout way, admires for what he perceives as its latch onto and follow in the footsteps of his various artistic
relative honesty. Ono’s words here about artists’ self- teachers throughout the book. Ono further undermines his
deluding nature could very easily be applied to himself, as he role as a maverick by highlighting the stereotypical work of
has been revealed by this point to be a deeply unreliable the firm for which he works. Ishiguro subtly mocks overly-
narrator who alters his memories to better suit his self- simplistic notions of Japanese culture in the wake of the
conception as a remarkable and influential artist. Ono has war, evidenced by foreign demand for stereotypical images
not proven particularly self-aware, and likely does not grasp with little regard for authenticity.
the irony of calling out his fellow colleagues for the inability
to see themselves as others would.
“I realize there are now those who would condemn the
likes of you and me for the very things we were once proud
You may perhaps think I am taking too much credit in to have achieved. And I suppose this is why you're worried,
relating this small episode; after all, the point I was making Ono. You think perhaps I will praise you for things perhaps best
in the Tortoise's defence seems a very obvious one — one you forgotten.”
may think would occur instantly to anyone with any respect for “No such thing,” I said hastily. “You and I both have a lot to be
serious art. But it is necessary to remember the climate of proud of. It's merely that where marriage talks are concerned,
those days at Master Takeda's – the feeling amongst us that we one has to appreciate the delicacy of the situation. But you've
were all battling together against time to preserve the hard- put my mind at rest. I know you'll exercise your judgement as
earned reputation of the firm. We were also quite aware that well as ever.”
the essential point about the sort of things we were
“I will do my best,” Matsuda said. “But, Ono, there are things we
commissioned to paint — geishas, cherry trees, swimming
should both be proud of. Never mind what people today are all
carps, temples — was that they look ‘Japanese’ to the
saying. Before long, a few more years, and the likes of us will be
foreigners to whom they were shipped out, and all finer points
able to hold our heads high about what we tried to do. I simply
of style were quite likely to go unnoticed. So I do not think I am
hope I live as long as that. It's my wish to see my life's efforts
claiming undue credit for my younger self if I suggest my
vindicated.”
actions that day were a manifestation of a quality I came to be
much respected for in later years — the ability to think and
judge for myself, even if it meant going against the sway of Related Characters: Chishu Matsuda, Masuji Ono
those around me. (speaker), Noriko

Related Themes:
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Master Takeda,
Yasunari Nakahara, the Tortoise Page Number: 94
Related Themes: Explanation and Analysis
Ono visits his former teacher for the first time in thirty
Page Number: 69
years because he thinks that Setsuko suggested that Ono’s
Explanation and Analysis work as a nationalist painter during the war will tarnish his
family’s reputation and prevent Noriko from marrying. Ono
Ono recalls at one point defending the Tortoise’s lack of
wants to ensure that Matsuda will give investigators a good
speed by declaring the artist was full of integrity, rather
impression of Ono’s family and, without saying so outright,
than laziness, and as such refused to rush his work. Here
that he will temper their dedication to nationalist art. Ono
Ono defends his role in what may be viewed as making a
speaks euphemistically, refusing to say aloud that he fears
minor, obvious point, revealing a tendency to bolster his
that his past work will be seen as a bad thing. Matsuda
own self-importance that will echo throughout the novel.
voices these thoughts for him, but also tells Ono his own
He defends his actions by pointing out how most of Takeda’s
position that he hopes to one day again be proud of what

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November 1949 Quotes

they tried to accomplish and to be reassured that they did
not waste their lives in pursuit of art unequivocally rejected Nevertheless, whenever I find myself wandering around
by society. Ono will go on to adopt Matsuda’s language to Kawabe Park these days, I start to think of Sugimura and his
describe how he feels about his wartime work, further schemes, and I confess I am beginning to feel a certain
complicating his conception of himself as a radically admiration for the man. For indeed, a man who aspires to rise
independent thinker. above the mediocre, to be something more than ordinary,
surely deserves admiration, even if in the end he fails and loses
a fortune on account of his ambitions. It is my belief,
April 1949 Quotes furthermore, that Sugimura did not die an unhappy man. For his
failure was quite unlike the undignified failures of most
Mrs Kawakami was quiet for a moment, as though ordinary lives, and a man like Sugimura would have known this.
listening for something amidst the sounds the workmen were If one has failed only where others have not had the courage or
making outside. Then a smile spread over her face and she said: will to try, there is a consolation — indeed, a deep satisfaction —
'This was such a splendid district once. You remember, Sensei?” to be gained from this observation when looking back over
I returned her smile, but did not say anything. Of course, the old one's life.
district had been fine. We had all enjoyed ourselves and the
spirit that had pervaded the bantering and those arguments
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Akira Sugimura
had never been less than sincere. But then perhaps that same
spirit had not always been for the best. Like many things now, it Related Themes:
is perhaps as well that that little world has passed away and will
not be returning. I was tempted to say as much to Mrs Page Number: 134
Kawakami that evening, but decided it would be tactless to do
so. For clearly, the old district was dear to her heart — much of Explanation and Analysis
her life and energy had been invested in it — and one can surely Ono reflects on the origins of Kawabe Park, which was
understand her reluctance to accept it has gone for ever. developed by the influential and wealthy Akira
Sugimura—the same man who built Ono’s house. Sugimura
Related Characters: Mrs. Kawakami, Masuji Ono (speaker) had initially planned to build a kabuki theater, European-
style concert hall, museum, and pet cemetery in the park,
Related Themes: but the plans were ended after Sugimura lost too much
money. Ono wants to envision himself as similar to
Page Number: 126-127 Sugimura, who tried to reshape the culture of the city by
funding the building of new institutions. In his mind, Ono,
Explanation and Analysis too, shaped Japan’s culture through his support in
Ono reflects on all the construction happening around the establishing of the Migi-Hidari in the pleasure district,
city as the rubble from the war is cleared away and new where he held court with his students. Ono’s assertion that
businesses are being built in its place. Mrs. Kawakami is Sugimura’s work was not in vain betrays his own desire to
considering an offer to sell her property, and the two recall see himself as someone who pursued his dreams and rose
the district as it once was. Ono again focuses on the above mediocrity, even if the ideas he once subscribed to
changing physicality of the world around him as a reflection are no longer relevant.
of societal shifts, which he has come closer to accepting as
inevitable. Ono reveals a subtle change in attitude in this
moment, as he expresses nostalgia for the past while also
acknowledging that the ideals of his generation may indeed
be best cleared away with the rubble of the war. His refusal
to speak these thoughts aloud solely due to concerns about
Mrs. Kawakami’s feelings, however, ring hollow; as someone
who similarly invested his life and energy in the district, he is
likely not ready to fully admit the truth to himself either.

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You may gather from such recollections that our devotion 'No. He wasn't a bad man. He was just someone who
to our teacher and to his principles was fierce and total. worked very hard doing what he thought was for the best.
And it is easy with hindsight — once the shortcomings of an But you see, Ichiro, when the war ended, things were very
influence have become obvious — to be critical of a teacher different. … after the war, Mr. Naguchi thought his songs had
who fosters such a climate. But then again, anyone who has been — well — a sort of mistake. He thought of all the people
held ambitions on a grand scale, anyone who has been in a who had been killed, all the little boys your age, Ichiro, who no
position to achieve something large and has felt the need to longer had parents, he thought of all these things and he
impart his ideas as thoroughly as possible, will have some thought perhaps his songs were a mistake. And he felt he
sympathy for the way Mori-san conducted things. For though it should apologize. To everyone who was left. To little boys who
may seem a little foolish now in the light of what became of his no longer had parents. And to parents who had lost little boys
career, it was Mori-san's wish at that time to do nothing less like you. To all these people, he wanted to say sorry. I think
than change fundamentally the identity of painting as practised that's why he killed himself. Mr Naguchi wasn't a bad man at all,
in our city. It was with no less a goal in mind that he devoted so Ichiro. He was brave to admit the mistakes he'd made. He was
much of his time and wealth to the nurturing of pupils, and it is very brave and honourable.'
perhaps important to remember this when making judgements
concerning my former teacher.
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Yukio Naguchi,
Ichiro
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Sasaki, Seiji
Moriyama, Mori-san Related Themes:

Related Themes: Page Number: 155

Page Number: 144 Explanation and Analysis

While having lunch together in a department store, Ichiro
Explanation and Analysis asks his grandfather who Yukio Naguchi was and whether
While Ono is working at Mori-san’s firm, the star pupil, Ono is similar to him. Ono explains that Naguchi was an
Sasaki, is banished from the villa after straying from Mori- influential composer whose songs were sung all over Japan
san’s teachings. This is a consequence of the fact that Mori- during the war. Believing himself partly to blame for the
san demands complete loyalty from his students, fostering nationalist sentiment that led to the fighting, following the
an intense atmosphere in which pupils even come to blows surrender Naguchi felt he should apologize to all those who
over accusations of being traitors. In hindsight, Ono urges lost loved ones and killed himself. Ono clearly sees parallels
the reader not to judge their devotion to their teacher, between himself and Naguchi, one of the most famous
insisting that Mori-san was laudably dedicated to his pupils wartime figures, in his belief that his influence as an artist
and changing the city’s artistic culture. As Ono seeks to promoted destructive ideas throughout the country. The
justify the atmosphere of total loyalty that Mori-san story of Naguchi further echoes Jiro Miyake’s words earlier
fostered, he also indirectly defends his decision to create a in the novel, when he tells Ono that the president of his
similarly stringent environment among his own students company killed himself to atone for leading the company in
later in life. Sasaki’s fate is echoed by Kuroda’s, who is called a bad direction during the war. While Ono had said back
a traitor while being beaten in prison much like Mori-san’s then that this seemed like a waste of life, he now suggests
students are driven to violence at the suggestion that they that suicide is a laudable means to atone for exerting a
have betrayed Mori-san’s ideas. powerful, negative influence on society. This kind of talk
betrays Ono’s inflated sense of self-importance, and also
makes Ono’s family worry that he is considering suicide.

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I have learnt many things over these past years. I have
learnt much in contemplating the world of pleasure, and (speaker), Kuroda
recognizing its fragile beauty. But I now feel it is time for me to
progress to other things. Sensei, it is my belief that in such Related Themes:
troubled times as these, artists must learn to value something
more tangible than those pleasurable things that disappear Related Symbols:
with the morning light. It is not necessary that artists always
occupy a decadent and enclosed world. My conscience, Sensei, Page Number: 183
tells me I cannot remain forever an artist of the floating world.
Explanation and Analysis
Ono recalls arriving at Kuroda’s house one winter years
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Kuroda, Seiji before only to be confronted by the smell of burning and
Moriyama, Mori-san two police officers. This recollection of Kuroda’s fate shows
what Ono really has to be ashamed of: he has tried to
Related Themes: convince himself that his great sin was that his influence as
an artist caused his countrymen to follow nationalist ideas
Page Number: 179-180
that led to war, but in reality his betrayal was petty and
Explanation and Analysis vindictive. Here it is revealed that Ono used what little
stature he had to settle personal grievances by reporting a
At this point in the novel, Ono has begun to imitate the
student who had rejected his teachings to the authorities.
artistic style of Matsuda, creating more politically-focused
Although he may have naively expected that Kuroda and his
work with specifically nationalist overtones. Mori-san, who
paintings would not be harmed, this is another sign of how
demands total loyalty from his students, has confiscated as
little he truly understood the nationalist ideas his art
many of the offending works as he could find, and here Ono
propagandized. This moment further reflects Ono’s father
attempts to explain to his teacher why he has shifted his
burning his own work when Ono was young. It is clear from
creative endeavors. He declares that he is beyond focusing
Ono’s desire to save some of the paintings that he feels
on the “floating world”—that is, “the night-time world of
immense guilt for what he has done, regardless of the fact
pleasure, entertainment and drink” that serves as the
that he does not admit this aloud.
backdrop for Mori-san’s students’ paintings. Ono grants his
declaration a sense of noble importance in his
remembrance, presenting it as yet another moment in
which he revealed his independence and conviction. Shortly 'I've no doubt your new leaders are the most capable of
after this moment, Ono will describe how he learned of men. But tell me, Taro, don't you worry at times we might
Kuroda being jailed—implicitly drawing a parallel between be a little too hasty in following the Americans? I would be the
himself and the rebellion of his student, despite the fact the first to agree many of the old ways must now be erased for
he is responsible for Kuroda’s arrest. ever, but don't you think sometimes some good things are being
thrown out with the bad? Indeed, sometimes Japan has come to
look like a small child learning from a strange adult.'
'Did you have authorization to bum those paintings?’ I ‘Father is very right. At times, I'm sure, we have been a little
asked. hasty. But by and large, the Americans have an immense
amount to teach us. Just in these few years, for instance, we
'It's our policy to destroy any offensive material which won't be
Japanese have already come a long way in understanding such
needed as evidence. We've selected a good enough sample. The
things as democracy and individual rights.
rest of this trash we're just burning.'
'I had no idea', I said, 'something like this would happen. I merely
suggested to the committee someone come round and give Mr Related Characters: Taro Saito, Masuji Ono (speaker)
Kuroda a talking-to for his own good.' I stared again at the
smouldering pile in the middle of the yard. ‘It was quite Related Themes:
unnecessary to bum those. There were many fine works
Page Number: 185
amongst them.'
Explanation and Analysis
Related Characters: Plain-clothes Officer, Masuji Ono While having dinner with his family, Ono asks his son-in-law

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if he thinks all the sweeping changes in Japan are entirely a nothing Ono has described throughout the novel should be
good thing, suggesting there may be too much hastiness to taken at face value. Another possibility is that, in her vague
copy an American way of life that is not entirely suited to warning to her father, Setsuko may not have been referring
Japan. Taro admits that the changes have happened quickly to Ono’s role as a cultural influencer during the war at all,
but adds that he thinks Japan is finally on a good path. This but rather to his role in having Kuroda jailed. Ono may have
conversation further establishes the gap between Ono’s misunderstood Setsuko’s meaning, or, in fact, known exactly
generation and his daughters’. It also reveals Ono’s difficulty what she was referring to and only later came up with a
in understanding why his daughters seem devoted to different interpretation that did not cause him so much
building Japan by imitating American practices. The anguish.
younger generation’s embrace of America here echoes
Setsuko’s comments earlier in the novel about preferring
that her son idolize American cowboys over Japanese
'Let me assure you, Setsuko, I wouldn't for a moment
warriors, again suggesting a complete rejection of
consider the sort of action Naguchi took. But then I am not
nationalism as a response to the devastation of the war. too proud to see that I too was a man of some influence, who
Ono is quick, however, to concede to Taro that the younger used that influence towards a disastrous end.'
generation must know better. While he used to proudly
spout nationalist rhetoric, Japan’s defeat in the war has My daughter seemed to consider this for a moment. Then she
made ideas about the importance of Japanese traditions said: 'Forgive me, but it is perhaps important to see things in a
suspect. proper perspective. Father painted some splendid pictures, and
was no doubt most influential amongst other such painters. But
Father's work had hardly to do with these larger matters of
which we are speaking. Father was simply a painter. He must
'Noriko hasn't told you about the miai? Well, I made sure stop believing he has done some great wrong.'
that evening there'd be no obstacles to her happiness on
account of my career. I dare say I would have done so in any
case, but I was nevertheless grateful for your advice last year.' Related Characters: Setsuko, Masuji Ono (speaker), Yukio
Naguchi
'Forgive me, Father, but I don't recall offering any advice last
year. As for the matter of the miai, however, Noriko has indeed Related Themes:
mentioned it to me a number of times. Indeed, she wrote to me
soon after the miai expressing surprise at Father’s . . . at Page Number: 192-193
Father’s words about himself.’
Explanation and Analysis

Related Characters: Setsuko, Masuji Ono (speaker), Noriko As Ono and his daughter continue walking in Kawabe Park,
Setsuko reveals her concern that Ono had drawn a
Related Themes: comparison between himself and Naguchi, the famed
composer who committed suicide to atone for his role in
Page Number: 190-191 leading Japan to war. Ono reassures her that he is not
considering suicide, but Sestuko remains concerned. She
Explanation and Analysis says that, from her perspective, Ono’s role in the war was
Towards the end of the novel Ono finally reveals the not significant enough for any such action to be warranted.
contents of his conversation with Setsuko in Kawabe Park. Though she means to be supportive of her father and insist
While walking along, Ono says that it was good that he he has nothing to feel guilty about, she is implicitly
heeded Setsuko’s advice to take precautionary steps to ease threatening Ono’s belief that he achieved relevance as an
Noriko’s marriage negotiations, but Setsuko repeatedly artist. Setsuko’s words in this moment make all of Ono’s
responds that she doesn’t know what her father is referring prior apologies for his wartime mistakes seem disingenuous.
to. She does not recall ever telling Ono to take such steps, Rather than feel shame for his role in agitating the national
and further reveals that his behavior at the miai was deeply consciousness, it becomes clear now that Ono inflated his
confusing to seemingly everyone apart from Ono himself. own importance to show that he left an artistic mark—even
Setsuko’s insistence that she does not remember her a negative one—on the country.
conversation with Ono raises the possibility that he made
the entire conversation up. If this is the case, it follows that

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June 1950 Quotes

'But there's no need to blame ourselves unduly,' he said. Related Themes:
'We at least acted on what we believed and did our utmost. It's
just that in the end we turned out to be ordinary men. Ordinary Page Number: 203
men with no special gifts of insight. It was simply our Explanation and Analysis
misfortune to have been ordinary men during such times.'
Ono recalls a moment at the peak of his career, when he
won a prestigious award for his art in 1938. Proud of his
Related Characters: Chishu Matsuda, Masuji Ono success, he decides to visit Mori-san and wonders how his
(speaker) former teacher will greet him. Here Ono’s feelings toward
Mori-san mirror his feelings towards his father, who
Related Themes: similarly rejected Ono’s artistic ambitions. In this moment it
is clear Ono believes he has proven both men wrong, and
Page Number: 198-199
that his artistic prowess has been vindicated in a way
Explanation and Analysis neither foresaw. This scene further evidences Ono’s
preoccupation with his artistic legacy, yet also makes Ono
Ono recalls visiting Matsuda for the last time before
appear somewhat pathetic; even as an old man, he
Matsuda’s death. Matsuda remarks on Ono’s desire to to
continues to reflect upon feelings of inadequacy and pride
make a grand contribution to the art world, before
from decades before.
reflecting that neither of them saw the world broadly
enough. He says they should not blame themselves; they
merely turned out to be ordinary men without any special
insight. Matsuda’s words here seem to confirm Setsuko’s It is hard to describe the feeling, for it was quite different
earlier pronouncement that her father’s art was of no great from the sort of elation one feels from smaller triumphs –
political importance. This moment also sees Matsuda admit and, as I say, quite different from anything I had experienced
that he was misguided in convincing Ono to insert during the celebrations at the Migi-Hidari. It was a profound
nationalist messages into his art. In stark contrast to what sense of happiness deriving from the conviction that one's
Ono has been trying to convince himself about his own past, efforts have been justified; that the hard work undertaken, the
his former teacher sees both of their contributions as doubts overcome, have all been worthwhile; that one has
ultimately insignificant to the country and its history. achieved something of real value and distinction. I did not go
any further towards the villa that day — it seemed quite
pointless. I simply continued to sit there for an hour or so, in
deep contentment, eating my oranges.
And all the while I turned over in my mind what might
occur when I came face to face with Mori-san once more.
Perhaps he would receive me as an honoured guest; or perhaps Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Seiji Moriyama,
he would be as cold and distant as during my final days at the Mori-san
villa; then again, he might behave towards me in much the way
he had always done while I had been his favourite pupil — that Related Themes:
is, as though the great changes in our respective status had not
occurred. The last of these possibilities struck me as the most Page Number: 204
likely and I remember considering how I would respond. I Explanation and Analysis
would not, I resolved, revert to old habits and address him as
'Sensei'; instead, I would simply address him as though he were Despite his excited musings about how Mori-san will react
a colleague. And if he persisted in failing to acknowledge the to the news that Ono has won a prestigious accolade for his
position I now occupied, I would say, with a friendly laugh, art, he ultimately decides not to visit his former teacher.
something to the effect of: 'As you see, Mori-san, I have not Instead, when he gets to a place on the mountain looking
been obliged to spend my time illustrating comic books as you over Mori-san’s villa, he simply sits down and eats an
once feared.' orange. So pleased is Ono with his own interpretation of his
success that he decides not to threaten it by confronting his
former teacher. However equal Ono may feel he and Mori-
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker), Seiji Moriyama, san now are, he clearly still holds his teacher’s opinion in
Mori-san high regard and fears that dismissal by Mori-san would

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puncture his tenuous feelings of triumph and satisfaction.

Related Themes:
Thus, rather than attempt to reconnect with a person whom
he saw as a father figure, he sits looking at his old home and
Page Number: 205
contemplating his own perception of his place in the world.
Explanation and Analysis
In the final moments of the novel, Ono sits on a bench in
I smiled to myself as I watched these young office workers front of a newly-constructed office complex where the Migi-
from my bench. Of course, at times, when I remember Hidari once stood. Ono thinks the bench is in approximately
those brightly-lit bars and all those people gathered beneath the same place where his old table in the bar was positioned
the lamps, laughing a little more boisterously perhaps than and watches the world pass by from this perch. Here Ono
those young men yesterday, but with much the same god- seems to realize that the time of his generation has passed,
heartedness, I feel a certain nostalgia for the past and the and that the city will never be as he knew it again. His hope
district as it used to be. But to see how our city has been that the young office workers—who are of the same
rebuilt, how things have recovered so rapidly over these years, generation as his children—will succeed where Ono failed
fills me with genuine gladness. Our nation, it seems, whatever suggests his acceptance of the changing world. Of course,
mistakes it may have made in the past, has now another chance the younger generation’s optimism resembles that of Ono’s
to make a better go of things. One can only wish these young own generation. This suggests that they, too, may one day
people well. grow disappointed about their contributions to the world
and, like Ono, delude themselves about their pasts.
Related Characters: Masuji Ono (speaker)

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.

OCTOBER 1948
The narrator, Masuji Ono, describes his home and how he Ono sees the manner in which he acquired his home as the most
acquired it. Ono is not, nor has he ever been, rich, and he significant and lasting proof of his having been a respected artist. He
acquires his large and elegant house in an unusual way. Akira cherishes the thought that an influential man like Sugimura knew
Sugimura, a respected and influential man in the city, built it. his work, as well as the fact that his talent can buy him something
After his death, his family decides to sell his home to a buyer that money cannot. As becomes clear later, this is a sore point for
whom they feel will do the home justice. Ono is approached by Ono because his father predicted that he would be impoverished if
Sugimura’s two middle-aged daughters, who present him with a he pursued life as an artist.
low price for the house and tell him they will investigate his
background to see if he is worthy of it. The sisters add that
their father was an art appreciator and knew Ono’s work as an
artist.

Ono’s wife Michiko is offended by the Sugimuras’ “high- While Ono feels flattered by the Sugimura family’s attention, his
handedness,” but Ono reminds her that they will be wife finds the Sugimuras’ investigation into the Ono families’
investigated in a similar way in the coming years when their reputation to be intrusive and somewhat insulting. Still, realizing
children start the process of finding spouses. Part of the reason that owning such a house will raise the family’s stature, she is
the family wants to buy the Sugimura house is bolster the convinced that this investigation by the Sugimuras will ease later
family reputation and improve the children’s marriage investigations into the family when her children are preparing to
prospects. Ono himself finds the idea of an “auction of prestige” marry.
appealing. He thinks that more things should be awarded to
people this way, instead of to the highest bidder. Still, he feels
that the Sugimuras are rather rude to him: when they
encounter him they often ask only about the state of the house,
instead of making polite inquiries about his family.

Years later, Ono reflects that after the “surrender” the younger Ono is referring to the surrender of Japan at the end of World War
of the two Sugimura sisters came to visit the house. Miss II. For Miss Sugimura, the damaged house is a reminder of all that
Sugimura hardly paid attention to Ono’s news that Michiko and she has lost during the war. Ono can understand is expressing her
their son Kenji had been killed. She only seemed to care about grief by focusing intensely on the house, which she sees as a physical
the state of the house. Ono was annoyed at this, but, upon legacy of her family’s prominence.
learning that she had lost most of her family during the war and
was overcome by emotion, forgave her rudeness and showed
her around.

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The house was damaged during the war, especially the very The damage to his home–like the damage to other areas in the
beautiful corridor running alongside the garden to the eastern city—is a palpable sign for Ono of what he has lost. For Ono, the
wing. Miss Sugimura was near tears at the sight, but Ono beauty of his house and the unusual way in which he acquired it
reassured her that he would repair it. However, supplies pointed to his prominence and stature in the city. In the first years
remained scarce for a long time after the surrender, and Ono after the war, Ono hopes that he will soon return to that stature. His
had to dedicate all available supplies to repairing damage to the promise to Miss Sugimura is one of the first signs that he has not yet
main house. With only himself and his daughter Noriko living realized that his life and the lives of those around him will not return
there, he felt less urgency to open the eastern wing. Today, Ono to the normal state of affairs that existed before the war.
reports, the corridor is covered by sheets of tarpaulin and full
of dust and cobwebs. Ono has, however, repaired the damage
to the veranda, where his family had often spent time chatting
before the war.

Ono recalls his married daughter Setsuko’s visit the previous Because Ono gives very little insight into his family life before the
month. On the morning after Setsuko’s arrival, Ono and his two war, Noriko’s comment that Ono used to act like a tyrant gives a
daughters sit on the veranda, chatting as they used to before rare glimpse into how Ono is viewed by his family. It suggests that,
the war. Noriko tells her sister that their father has become since the war, Ono sees himself as having lost in an
much gentler and less tyrannical but needs a lot of looking intergenerational conflict and no longer tries to strictly control his
after, because he spends his days moping around the house. children. It also suggests that Ono is an unreliable narrator, because
Ono contradicts Noriko but does so with a laugh to he never describes aggressive aspects of his personality like this
communicate that he knows the jabs are in good humor. Noriko “tyrannical” attitude Noriko refers to.
adds that she won’t come back to look after him after she
marries. Setsuko appears to grow uneasy during her sister’s
remarks and shoots Ono an inquiring glance. Eager to change
the subject, she scolds her son Ichiro, who is rowdily running
back and forth on the veranda. Setsuko calls to Ichiro to come
sit down, but he ignores her.

Ono calls to Ichiro to come sit with him so that they can discuss Seven-year-old Ichiro is impatient with anyone who treats him like
“men’s things.” Ichiro obeys and asks his grandfather whether the child that he is. He is endeared to anyone who treats him like a
“the monster is prehistoric.” Ono has no idea what Ichiro is strong, powerful man, and instantly enraged at being treated like a
talking about, but Setsuko explains that Ichiro saw a movie little boy. By taking Ichiro’s interest in the monster movie seriously,
poster with a monster on it that sparked his curiosity. Ono tells Ono can bond with his grandson. Ono’s suggestion that Ichiro will
Ichiro they would need to see the movie to find out if the be scared by the movie, however, outrages his grandson.
monster is prehistoric, but that he isn’t sure the movie will be
appropriate for a young child like Ichiro. Ichiro becomes
insulted at this remark and shouts, “how dare you!” Noriko
diverts Ichiro’s attention, saying she will not be able to lift the
heavy table without his help.

Left alone with her father, Setsuko asks if Noriko’s marriage is Marriage is a drawn-out process during which the families of the
imminent. Ono tells her it is not and recounts how Noriko has bride and groom assess one another’s reputations and pedigrees
spoken indiscreetly in the same way about her marriage in before deciding whether they want to tie their families together.
front of strangers. Setsuko falls into thought, and Ono looks at Noriko shows a great deal of indiscretion, then, in talking to
her face. He thinks that she has gotten better looking as she strangers about her marriage before it has been finalized.
has gotten older, just as her mother predicted she would. When
Setsuko was young, Noriko had teased her and called her “boy.”

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Setsuko says that she imagines it was a terrible blow for Noriko Setsuko suggests that Noriko is acting indiscreetly because
when, the year before, the Miyake family had cut off marriage desperation has led her to recklessness. Setsuko, Noriko, and Suichi
talks at the last minute. Setsuko asks her father if he ever heard all seem to believe there is some reason, that Ono is aware of and
anything about why the proposal fell through, explaining that they are not, as to why the marriage talks ended. This may explain
her husband Suichi believes there must be some secret reason some of Noriko’s negativity towards her father.
behind it. Coldly, Ono tells her he would have told her the
reason if he knew it.

In the present, Ono explains that it may seem like he was short Ono addresses himself to his narrative’s unspecified listener, which
with Setsuko, but this was not the first time she had questioned signals that he feels less certain than he is pretending to feel about
him about the Miyakes’ withdrawal and he was frustrated by the conclusions he is about to offer.
the suspicion that he was keeping something from her.

Ono provides his own analysis of the Miyakes’ withdrawal from The logical explanation for the Miyakes’ decision is that they
marriage talks, saying that the Miyakes likely pulled out at the discovered something they didn’t like about the Ono family. Ono
last minute because they felt that their social status was refuses to acknowledge the possibility that his family has
inferior to the Ono family’s. Perhaps they waited until the last unpleasant secrets and skips over any exploration of his family
minute because they were confused about the right thing to do. history.
Jiro and Noriko claimed that it was a love match, but in the end,
they decided it wouldn’t be right to marry above their station.

Digressing further, Ono says he gives little thought to status Even this early in the novel, Ono’s claim that he does not notice his
and is often surprised at how highly he is esteemed. For own status seems suspicious in light of his desire to describe
instance, on a recent evening, he was drinking in Mrs. winning the “auction of prestige” for his house. Instead, Ono seems
Kawakami’s place (a bar), when Shintaro advised Mrs. to be deceiving himself into believing that he often underestimates
Kawakami that Ono could help her relative get a job. Ono his own status, because he hopes that he is actually mistaken about
realizes that Shintaro is remembering a time in 1935 or 1936 how much his status has been diminished in the years since the war.
when he had given Shintaro’s younger brother Yoshio a In the mid-1930s, Ono believes his work as an artist had earned
recommendation. The two brothers had come to his home to him influence among decisionmakers and gratitude from those who
thank him, promising him their eternal gratitude. Ono says this looked to him for help.
visit showed him how far his status had been elevated through
all his hard work, something he never would have noticed
otherwise because he is unconscious of status. Ono tells
Shintaro and Mrs. Kawakami that he now has fewer
connections, but he wonders if perhaps he does in fact still have
influence that he himself is unaware of.

Ono says that, even if Shintaro seems naïve, it is nice to spend It seems unlikely that Ono really does have influence that he doesn’t
time with someone who is not bitter like most people these know about. Instead, he is spending his time with Shintaro, a
days. It is pleasant to visit Mrs. Kawakami’s and find Shintaro at flatterer who helps him to pretend that his status has not
the same bar he has been visiting for the last seventeen years. diminished. While Ono doesn’t really believe Shintaro’s version of
Shintaro, who was once Ono’s pupil, still treats him with great reality, he prefers it to the harsher truth around him.
respect and asks him questions about technique, even though
he no longer works as a real artist.

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Mrs. Kawakami often teases the gullible Shintaro, tricking him Shintaro seems not to recognize the great changes happening
into thinking she is serious when she is kidding. Shintaro also around him since the end of the war. While generals were widely
sometimes believes people are joking when they are serious. celebrated throughout society during the war, they are now blamed
For instance, once Shintaro wondered aloud what had become for both war crimes and for leading the country in the wrong
of a general who had recently been executed as a war criminal. direction. Spending time with Shintaro, Ono is able to block out
Other customers in the bar disapproved of Shintaro’s admiring some of the ways the world has changed.
attitude towards the general, but when Mrs. Kawakami told
him the general’s fate, Shintaro thought that she was joking
around.

Mrs. Kawakami has been aged by the war, and she has very Along with society’s values, the look of the city has changed since
little business at her bar. The pleasure district where her bar is the war’s end. Mrs. Kawakami’s place is the last vestige of an old
located used to be full of many bars and people strolling, but neighborhood that has been destroyed. Spending time there, Ono is
now all the other businesses are gone. In the old days, many again able to block out how the world has changed.
artists and writers spent their time talking and drinking late
into the night.

Ono’s favorite haunt in the area was called Migi-Hidari. He Because Ono helped bring Migi-Hidari to prominence he sees it as
helped the bar become the most prominent one in the another reflection of his stature. He saw the bar’s success as a way
neighborhood and had been provided with his own table, he made his mark on the city, but this mark turned out to be
where his best students would sit and talk to him. impermanent.

Ono recounts how he once told his students assembled at the Once again, while assuming a posture of modesty, Ono actually
Migi-Hidari about the incident with Shintaro and his brother fixates on his stature and the proofs of it he has received. This
Yoshio. Shintaro had not been one of the top students. Ono’s incident shows how sensitive Ono is to validation from the rest of
protégé Kuroda had mocked Shintaro for his extreme gratitude society—even those who know nothing about art—that his work is
at Ono’s intercession to help his brother get a “mere white- respected and relevant. Kuroda, on the other hand, seems to think
collar job.” Ono said he was surprised to see, based on his that what Ono was able to do for Yoshio was not all that important
ability to get Yoshio a job, how far his stature had grown. or impressive. Still, once he sees that the incident matters to Ono,
Kuroda replied that Ono was extremely modest and had no he affirms that Ono is very widely admired.
idea how respected he was by the public and his students. This
kind of praise was common when his students became drunk,
and Kuroda was often the one to give these speeches. Ono says
he usually ignored these outpourings but found Kuroda’s praise
very gratifying on this occasion.

In the present day, the atmosphere in Mrs. Kawakami’s place Ono is still holding onto some hope that the city will be restored to
feels to Ono like it has never changed, but the rest of the the way it wasbefore the war. He doesn’t pinpoint the reason that
pleasure district is unrecognizable. Right after the war, many of the authorities tore down the buildings in the district, though this
the buildings were still standing, and Ono hoped there would was likely tied to the historic changes happening throughout Japan
be repairs and activity would return to the district. Instead, as a whole. It seems probable that, after the war, authorities wished
bulldozers came and tore down the buildings. There has been to raze buildings that had been associated with nationalism.
nothing but rubble in the area surrounding Mrs. Kawakami’s
place for the last three years. Ono recalls recently looking back
at the pleasure district from the Bridge of Hesitation, which
leads from it to his house, seeing smoke rising from the rubble,
and feeling melancholy.

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Ono returns to his account of Setsuko’s visit of the month Although Ono doesn’t know who the Lone Ranger is, he realizes that
before. Leaving his daughters talking on the veranda, Ono goes his grandson is not impersonating a Japanese hero. He suggests a
to find Ichiro, who is impersonating a man on horseback, more patriotic game but seems to recollect how much society’s
yelling, “hi yo silver!” and other words Ono cannot understand. attitudes have changed since the war’s end. While his generation
Ono asks Ichiro if he is pretending to be a samurai or a ninja, believed in Japanese nationalism and looked up to Japanese heroes,
but Ichiro replies that he is pretending to be Lone Ranger. Ono his children’s generation has turned away from them.
tries to explain to Ichiro why it would be more interesting to
pretend to be a Japanese hero, but Ichiro ignores his
grandfather. Ono becomes frustrated, but then gives up on
trying to explain to Ichiro and instead apologizesto him.

Ono picks up a sketchpad that he gave to Ichiro as a gift the This moment when Ono holds the sketchpad away from Ichiro is
night before. Ichiro does not want his grandfather to see his echoed later in the novel when Ono’s father and Mori-san
sketches, but Ono holds the sketchpad out of Ichiro’s reach. He confiscate Ono’s paintings.
sees that Ichiro has made several unfinished sketches of trams.

Ono offers to help Ichiro make his drawings better, which Even though Ono refuses to tell his grandson anything about his
interests Ichiro. He asks his grandfather if he used to be a past or show him any of his work, it seems that Ichiro has learned
famous artist, and if it’s true that he had to retire because the truth from listening to his parents—that Ono had to stop
Japan lost the war. Ono tells Ichiro that everyone retires once painting after Japan’s loss because his work had a nationalist
they get old like him and want a rest. Ichiro says that he wants character. While Ono’s work used to command respect and enjoy
to see one of his grandfather’s paintings, but Ono diverts his relevance, it has no place in the present social and political climate.
grandson’s attention. He tells Ichiro to draw something he saw
the day before. Ichiro begins to draw the skyline of a city with a
large reptile standing on top of a building and tiny people
fleeing in fear on the streets below. Ono says the drawing is
good and asks Ichiro questions about it.

Ono tells Ichiro that, as a reward for his good work on the Ono and Ichiro bond by setting themselves in opposition to Ichiro’s
drawing, he will take him to see the monster movie. Ichiro says mother and aunt, but Ichiro’s imitation of Lone Ranger reminds Ono
his grandfather may be scared, but Ono says that Ichiro’s aunt of the cultural gulf that separates him from his grandson. When Ono
and mother are more likely to be scared. Ichiro laughs says that he is thinking about nothing in particular, this seems likely
uproariously at this. Ono encourages Ichiro to continue with to be his way of concealing that he is actually having distressing
his drawing, but Ichiro excitedly scribbles on the drawing thoughts regarding the conversation with his grandson about his
before running off to find Noriko, yelling “hi yo Silver!” Ono sits career.
for some minutes, thinking about nothing in particular, as he
often does.

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Eventually Ono goes out to the veranda and finds Setusko Ono reflects aloud on how much values have changed since the war
sitting there. Noriko and Ichiro are in the garden below. Ono while looking out on the garden, which is notably not vulnerable to
sits with Setsuko and tells her about Ichiro’s game. Setsuko such change. Hearing that Suichi encourages Ichiro to watch
explains that Ichiro was playing cowboy and pretending to cowboy movies, Ono tries to claim an opportunity to have his own
speak English. Ono reflects that Ichiro would never have been chance to influence and bond with his grandson by taking him to
allowed to see a cowboy movie only a few years before, and the monster film. Noriko’s plans for the next day are set in
Setsuko replies that her husband, Suichi, thinks that American opposition to Ono’s plan to take Ichiro to the movies, reflecting the
heroes are a good influence on their son. Ono tells Setsuko that competition between these two generations to influence the next.
he promised Ichiro to take him to the movies and hopes they
can all go together the next day. Setsuko says that this is kind of
him, but she thinks Noriko may have other plans for the next
day. Ono says that he knows nothing of Noriko’s plans and he is
sure Ichiro will have his heart set on seeing the movie.

After supper that evening, Ono tells Noriko about his plan to Noriko and Ono face off, vying for authority and the chance to
take Ichiro to the monster movie. Noriko says they already influence Ichiro. Noriko, unlike her father, is working and interacting
have plans to go to the deer park the next day. Ono counters with people outside of her family. She is in the position of authority
that the deer park can wait, but Noriko says they also plan to now, although it seems this was not always the case. Setsuko treats
visit Mrs. Watanabe. Setsuko thanks her father for his her father with deference but ultimately backs up Noriko. Ono
generosity towards Ichiro and suggests that they go to the projects his own feelings of disappointment about having little
cinema the following day. Ono asks Ichiro if he wants to go to authority in his family onto Ichiro, who never actually says that he is
the deer park or to the movies, but Ichiro won’t reply. Ono upset about not going to the movie the next day.
persists in asking him what he wants, and Ichiro runs from the
room. Ono tells Noriko that she has upset Ichiro. Noriko says
that Ono is being ridiculous: they already have plans and,
besides, Ichiro won’t enjoy such a scary movie. Ono goes
looking for Ichiro, but when he finds him, Ichiro does not
respond to Ono’s words of consolation.

Ono rejoins his daughters. Setsuko asks him gently if he will Ono refuses to come to the deer park the next day with the
accompany them the next day, but Ono replies that he has unconvincing excuse that he has something to do. Even though he
things he must do. Annoyed, Noriko says to her sister that their has not been able to win the fight with Noriko over what they will do
father has nothing to do but mope around the house. Setsuko the next day, he refuses to fully concede to Noriko’s plans. Noriko is
says that she will stay at home the next day with her father to angry at the idea that Setsuko is letting her father influence her, but
catch up. Noriko says that Setsuko should not let Ono spoil her Setsuko has an agenda of her own.
trip, but Setsuko says that it will be very pleasant for her to
spend time with her father, and Ichiro will enjoy spending time
alone with Noriko. Ono is glad about this outcome, because he
looks forward to speaking to Setsuko. It does not occur to him
that she has something in particular she wishes to discuss with
him.

The next day, Setsuko enters the reception room to find Ono The reception room is a place controlled by adults, where a family
standing there lost in thought. Ono explains that this would puts its best foot forward, important conversations are held, and
have been unusual for him before his retirement, because he visitors are hosted. It is a testament to Ono’s distressed and
had made a practice of only entering the reception room on distracted state of mind that he has aimlessly wandered into a room
special occasions. In his own father’s home, he had not been defined by appearances. In addition, he notes that it was the secrecy
allowed to enter the reception room until he was twelve. He around his own family’s reception room that led him to become
believes that some of his talent for capturing a scene after only interested in capturing the essence of a physical space.
a brief glimpse of it comes from the days of his childhood when
he would try to reconstruct what the reception room looked
like based on only a brief glance.

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The narrative jumps back to Ono’s childhood, in Tsuruoka Ono feels afraid of disappointing his father by revealing that he
Village. Ono is twelve when his father begins to summon him to doesn’t understand his talk about business. He feels that this will
the reception room once a week to discuss business. Ono’s prove he is not worthy of being let into the family secrets that center
father shows him his ledgers and talks to him for a long time around the reception room. Although Ono’s father is trying to hand
about his profession. Ono does not understand the things his down his business to and influence his son, Ono experiences this as
father tells him but is afraid to let on about his ignorance. a stressful faceoff between the two of them.
Looking back on these “business meetings,” Ono is still unsure
why his father put him through this experience. Perhaps it was
to show him that he was expected to take over the family
business, or perhaps it was to make a show of involving him, so
that Ono could not later complain that his father had
mishandled the business without his knowledge.

The narrative skips ahead to a moment in Ono’s adolescence. There is a distinct sense of mutual mistrust between Ono and his
One night when Ono is fifteen, his father calls him into the father. Even though Ono and his father seem never to have
reception room. Ono is struck by the presence of a large discussed Ono’s hopes to become an artist before, Ono assumes
ashpot, usually reserved for use by guests, which sits in front of that his father means to destroy his paintings by burning them in
his father. Ono’s father had asked him to bring all his paintings the ashpot. Ono’s father, who clearly does not approve of pursuing
to the room, but now he questions whether Ono really brought the life of an artist, correctly assumes that Ono has disobeyed him
every one. Ono admits that there may have been a few by bringing only some of his paintings to the reception room.
paintings he left out, and Ono’s father says he imagines these
are Ono’s favorites of his paintings. Ono’s father tells him that
his mother is under the impression that Ono would like to
become a painter. Ono’s father says that Ono’s mother must
have been mistaken about this, and, when prompted to reply,
Ono concurs that his mother must be mistaken.

Ono’s father says he hears his wife in the hallway, but Ono Although Ono’s father has not burned his paintings yet, Ono sees
hears nothing. Ono’s father commands Ono to ask her to step that he means to. He also senses that his father is not being
into the room, and to fetch his remaining paintings. Ono goes straightforward with him, as evidenced by his pretending to hear his
out into the hallway, which is empty, as he expected it would be. mother in the hall.
When Ono returns to the room with his mother, he thinks he
smells burning, although the ashpot looks untouched.

Ono’s father tells Ono that when he was only a baby, the family By telling Ono the story of the wandering priest’s negative
was visited by a wandering priest who claimed to have insight predictions about Ono’s character, Ono’s father suggests that he
into Ono’s character. Ono’s mother says in a whisper that it is knows Ono better than Ono knows himself and that Ono should not
best not to take to heart what such men say. But Ono’s father try to oppose him. While Ono clearly sees his father’s predictions as
continues, recounting how this wandering priest told them that having been wrong, it is left for the reader to decide whether to trust
Ono would tend toward slothfulness and deceit. Ono’s mother Ono’s own characterization of himself or the characterization given
counters that the priest also said many good things about Ono. by his father and the priest.
Ono’s father concedes this point but says that he has also
observed Ono’s laziness and weak will as he has grown up.

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Ono’s father picks up his paintings and again asks his son if his Ono’s father believes that artists rarely contribute anything positive
mother is wrong in her belief that he wants to be an artist. Ono to society and bring shame to their families. Not only does Ono’s
is silent. His mother tells his father that Ono is young and will father think that artists in general lead depraved lives, he
outgrow the idea of becoming an artist. Ignoring this, Ono’s specifically has no faith in Ono’s success or reputation. Ono’s
father tells Ono that artists live in a depraved, impoverished mother tries to protect her son from his father’s unkind predictions,
world. Ono’s mother says that some artists surely rise above but she also does not fully support her son’s desire to become an
this fate, and Ono’s father admits that some artists do. But, he artist, saying that he may grow out of his desire to paint.
says, Ono is unlikely to be the exception to the rule. He says
that his duty as a parent is to protect Ono from growing up into
someone who will shame the family. Ono’s father says he wants
to speak to Ono’s mother and tells Ono to leave.

Later that night, Ono is walking through the darkened hallway Ono’s mother denies smelling his paintings burning, but Ono,
when he runs into his mother. He says that he smells burning, understanding exactly what is going on, boldly tells her that he will
but she says he must be imagining this. He asks his mother not be intimidated into giving up his dreams. Ono says that by
what his father is doing, and she says he is working on kindling a fire to burn his paintings in, his father has only made him
something in the reception room. Then Ono tells his mother more sure that he wants to be an artist—suggesting a certain
that he does not care what his father is doing and that “the only strength of character and contrarian streak within Ono. Ono also
thing Father’s succeeded in kindling is my ambition.” Ono’s asserts a different, nobler view of the artist than the one his father
mother expresses her approval, but Ono says she has presented. He thinks of the artist as concerned with more elevated
misunderstood him. His ambition is not to be a businessman topics than money and the family’s reputation.
like his father, but to rise above a petty interest in money. Ono’s
mother tells him that when he is older his priorities will change.
Ono tells his mother that his business meetings with his father
disgust him. His mother says nothing, and Ono repeats that his
father has kindled his ambition.

In the present, Ono says that he sees he has digressed. He The previous day, Ono thought Setsuko was suggesting that he
returns the narrative to the second day of Setsuko’s visit, when knew the secret reason why the Miyake family withdrew from
she found him in the reception room. Setsuko is arranging marriage negotiations at the last minute. Now Setsuko suggests that
flowers in front of a Buddhist altar. Speaking very indirectly, there is some secret in the family’s past that might impact Noriko’s
Setsuko says Ono may want to take certain precautionary steps marriage prospects, but she does not reveal what this is. Setsuko’s
to ensure Noriko’s marriage negotiations progress as planned. hints suggest that she thinks her father should be able to guess what
Ono says he doesn’t know what she means. She says that she is secret she is referring to, so Ono’s attitude that they don’t have
concerned about the families’ investigations into one another’s anything to hide appears to be a stance of willful ignorance.
pasts. Ono says that they will hire the same detective they
hired last time. Setsuko replies that she is concerned about the
other side’s investigation of their family. Ono says he doesn’t
think they have anything to hide.

Setsuko laughs nervously and apologizes for being so bad at Setsuko refuses to be explicit with her father about the family secret
expressing herself. She says Suichi would be much better at she fears will derail Noriko’s marriage prospects again. She only
expressing her meaning and that they do not want any suggests that there is something in the past that might get in the
misunderstandings to arise about the past, since Noriko is way. By saying that her husband Suichi could express himself better
almost twenty-six and they cannot afford another failed than she can, Setsuko may be hinting at what the secret is, or she
marriage negotiation. She says that she is sure that her concern may not be. The issue at hand is left ambiguous. Ono’s comment
is unwarranted and that her father has already taken all the about the beauty of the flowers—something Setsuko does not
necessary steps to ensure Noriko’s marriage goes through. see—could be fatherly pride, or yet another means in which he
Looking at her floral arrangement, she says that she has little denies the reality of the world around him.
skill at these things. Ono says the flowers look splendid.
Setsuko laughs self-consciously.

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The narrative shifts to the present, and Ono describes how, Ono feels that the intergenerational conflict between himself and
reflecting on this conversation he had with Setsuko, he feels his daughters is the result of his son-in-law’s bitterness towards
irritated. He realizes that his irritation is not directed at members of the older generation for their leadership during the war.
Setsuko so much as it is at Suichi, her husband. Ono knows how Even though he was just recalling the conflict that existed between
much Suichi suffered in Manchuria and tries to show tolerance himself and his own father, he seems to think that it is Suichi, and
when Suichi shows signs of bitterness towards members of the destruction of the war, rather than anything Ono has done, that
Ono’s generation. But Ono feels resentful all the same that has created hostility between him and his daughters.
Setsuko seems to share Suichi’s perspective and that this
perspective has spread to Noriko. During Setsuko’s visit, he
noticed that the two sisters would sometimes break off their
conversation when he approached.

Ono recalls how, a few days before, Noriko told him about Noriko seems to blame her father for the marriage falling through
running into Jiro Miyake. She told Ono that she had asked Jiro and hopes to elicit an explanation from him. But as shocked as Ono
if he was going to be married. Ono was shocked at Noriko’s is by Noriko’s careless way of talking to Jiro, he sticks to the story
indiscretion. She reported that Jiro had been embarrassed but that the Miyakes felt they were inferior to the Onos, even though it
had admitted that he was going to be married soon. Noriko said is clear that both Setsuko and Noriko find this theory preposterous.
she almost asked Jiro why he and his family pulled out of the Noriko is described as quite pretty, so she is also saying she wasn’t
marriage negotiations the year before, and Ono replied that it pretty enough to try to elicit a response from her father.
is good she did not ask, saying that the Miyakes had explained
at the time that they felt Jiro was too inferior in status to marry
Noriko. Noriko said that that was just a formality, and she never
learned the true reason that the courtship had ended. When
Noriko said that perhaps she wasn’t pretty enough, Ono replied
that it had nothing to do with her. Pointedly, Noriko said that
she wonders why the Miyakes pulled out if not for any reason
having to do with her.

Ono says that this exchange with Noriko reminded him of the Ono wants to believe that the Miyakes did not find something
time he ran into Jiro outside of his workplace. Jiro had looked objectionable about the Ono family reputation, but rather found
shabby in his work clothes and had acted awkwardly as he and that reputation impressive and intimidating. He sees Jiro’s
Ono walked to the tram and then waited for their respective unimpressive appearance as a sign that his theory is right. At the
trams. A week later, the Miyakes had withdrawn from marriage same time, Ono says that he can hardly remember what passed
talks. Ono tries to analyze his encounter with Jiro for signs that during the interaction. This may suggest that there is something
it had something to do with the Miyakes’ decision to withdraw about the interaction that Ono is refusing to acknowledge, because
from talks. He wonders aloud to Setsuko, who is visiting again, it threatens how he perceives himself and his stature.
if Jiro seemed awkward because he already knew that his
family would be ending the marriage negotiations. Setsuko asks
if Jiro said anything that hinted at this, but Ono cannot
remember.

Ono says even a week after the conversation, he could hardly By saying he was trying to set Jiro at ease and hardly paying
remember it. He explains that he had been preoccupied with attention to their conversation, Ono continues to suggest that he is
trying to put Jiro at ease and had not paid much attention to Jiro’s superior and that it was up to him to treat this inferior with
what was said. Ono suggests to Setsuko that perhaps Jiro was benevolence. Notably, his own daughter is not entirely convinced.
self-conscious about his workplace in front of Ono and this was
why he ultimately decided his status was too low to marry
Noriko. Setsuko treats this theory skeptically.

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Setsuko seems to have new theories, instilled in her by Suichi, In the light of his conversation with Setsuko about taking
for why Noriko’s marriage fell through. Since her recent visit, precautionary measures to make sure nothing from the family past
Ono has been thinking over his encounter with Jiro again, even gets in the way of Noriko’s marriage, Ono rethinks his interaction
though he could hardly remember it as little as a week after it with Jiro.
occurred.

Ono recalls part of his conversation with Jiro that he hadn’t Ono has said he cannot remember his conversation with Jiro, but
previously seen as significant. While waiting for their now proceeds to recall what was said in great detail. This suggests
respective trams, Jiro told Ono that the president of his that he was either deceiving himself about forgetting the
company had died. After Ono expressed his condolences, Jiro conversation, or that he is now inventing or embellishing upon his
explained that the President had killed himself as an apology memories. His new recollection suggests that Jiro feels a great deal
for the company’s activities during the war. Ono argued that of anger with wartime leaders, like the president of his company,
such a suicide is a shame and a waste of life, and that people who is a member of Ono’s generation. Ono says that people like the
shouldn’t be blamed for supporting their country during a war. President were doing what they believed was right at the time, but
Jiro said that there was relief in the company and a feeling that he thinks Jiro thinks that they should be blamed for the damage
the President’s suicide would allow the company to move on. done to the country nevertheless.
He said many men who were responsible for the mistakes of
the war were cowards compared to the President. He
continued that some of the men who made the most
consequential mistakes had failed to admit to their mistakes,
and that this was “the greatest cowardice of all.”

As Ono reflects on that conversation now, he wonders whether Ono sheds even more doubt on his recollection of his conversation
Jiro really said those words. They sound much more to him like with Jiro with his suggestion that he might be putting his son-in-law
something Suichi would say and, indeed, he reflects, since he Suichi’s words into his potential son-in-law’s mouth. This phrase is
considered Jiro to be his future son-in-law at that time, he one that he now thinks might come from the night of the ceremony
might have confused his words with something his actual son- to bury his son, a traumatic moment that may have seared itself on
in-law, Suichi, had said. As he reconsiders this, he becomes sure his memory.
that it was Suichi who used the phrase “the greatest cowardice
of all” on the evening after the ceremony for the burial of
Kenji’s ashes.

The narrative turns to the day of the ceremony for the burial of Ono does not discuss how his son’s death makes him feel, and he
Ono’s son Kenji’s ashes. The ashes do not arrive until a year says he cannot understand why Suichi would be angry. But it seems
after Kenji’s death and are mixed together with the ashes of very clear why such a death would provoke anger: Kenji died a death
other soldiers who were killed charging across a minefield in that could have been predicted, or potentially prevented, if the
Manchuria. During the ceremony at the cemetery, Ono sees commanders of the army had not sent him and his comrades on a
Suichi walk away looking angry. After the ceremony, Setsuko useless mission charging a minefield.
explains to Ono that Suichi has been to many similar
ceremonies, and they make him angry. Ono is puzzled about
why the ceremonies would do so.

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Later, with the guests gathered in the reception room, Ono Suichi also fought in Manchuria, and as such has no illusions about
approaches Suichi, who is standing alone, to ask him why the this fight’s bravery. He clearly resents not only the way the war was
ceremony made him angry. Suichi says that he is angry at the fought, but what his country fought for in the first place . Ono, on
waste of life. Ono counters that Kenji died bravely. Suichi stares the other hand, is still attached to the frame of mind that prevailed
at him in silence, which unnerves Ono. Then Suichi says that during the war. He is surprised by Suichi’s bitterness towards those
half of his high school class died a similarly courageous death who were in charge of the war effort.
for a stupid cause. He says the people responsible for all those
deaths are still alive now, enjoying great success and getting
along with the American occupiers.

Looking back, Ono thinks that it was at this moment that Suichi Ono now specifically remembers when Suichi said the words that he
used the phrase, saying that those who have not admitted earlier recalled Jiro Miyake using. It is possible that both Jiro and
responsibility show “the greatest cowardice of all.” Ono thinks Suichi said these words or that Ono is misremembering one, or both,
that it was because he was drained by the ceremony that he did of the interactions. Either way, it is clear that Ono’s memory is not
not try to challenge Suichi. Instead, he talks to him about his foolproof. When Ono says that he is too tired to challenge Suichi’s
work and Ichiro. He only came to realize later that Suichi’s assumptions, it seems like an excuse for why he did not confront or
mood that evening was typical of him and that he no longer explore a hard truth that he fears might threaten his view of the
behaved as he had when he married Setsuko, two years before world, himself, and his generation.
the war. Ono agrees with Suichi that too many members of his
generation died in the war and understands that his
experiences in Manchuria were terrible. Still, he finds it
worrying that he feels such bitterness and even maliciousness
towards members of the older generation.

Ono sees something of the same bitterness in the fact that the Ono associates the beating of Hirayama boy with Suichi’s bitterness
Hirayama boy has recently been beaten up for singing old about his experience in Manchuria and with Jiro’s relief at the
military songs and chanting slogans. The Hirayama boy is suicide of the president of his company. This makes clear that Ono’s
actually a fifty-year-old man with developmental disabilities. He account of what happened during his conversation with Jiro is
used to wander the old pleasure district during its heyday, influenced not only by his memory of that conversation, but also by
singing patriotic songs and receiving food or money as a his understanding of the political climate in the country at the time.
reward. The Hirayama boy doesn’t understand that these songs It seems clear that Ono alters how he remembers things to fit into a
are no longer popular in the post-war period and still sings narrative with other memories.
them. Ono thinks that the current climate of bitterness in the
country lead people to beat the Hirayama boy. Reflecting on
this, he thinks that perhaps Jiro really did make the comment
about “the greatest cowardice of all.” Perhaps, he thinks, Jiro
was and is just as embittered as everyone else in his generation.

Ono turns his narrative to the trip he took the day before on Ono associates the Arakawa district with a way of life that has been
the tram to the Arakawa district. With its residential preserved since before the war. He may think about Arakawa in
atmosphere Arakawa hardly felt like part of the city, and was order to put aside the unpleasant thought of the embittered mood
only connected to the city in 1931, when the current tramlines in the country since the war.
were laid down.

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Digressing again, Ono explains that the introduction of these Although Ono doesn’t draw the connection, the laying of tramlines
tramlines stretching all the way to Arakawa gave those living in in Arakawa in 1931 coincided with Japan’s invasion of Manchuria.
the crowded city center a way to get some space and fresh air. Just as the city felt cramped before the tramlines expanded, Japan
The expansion of the tram also led to the blossoming of the as a whole felt that it needed to conquer new territories and gain
area he calls “our old pleasure district.” new resources.

Ono had been coming to the bars in the Furukawa area for In the 1930s, just as the authorities are building up the country’s
twenty years before the expansion of the tramlines brought infrastructure, they are also taking a more active role in deciding
many more people to the neighborhood. In 1933 or 1934, what kind of culture should flourish. Patriotic establishments are
when the authorities were in the process of shutting down encouraged, while less ideological activities are frowned upon. Ono
decadent establishments, Ono wrote to them advocating for doesn’t explicitly describe the way Japan is changing and the way
the transformation of a bar owned by an old veteran named his life changed to match it, but it is clear that, by being in
Yamagata into a patriotic bar where artists and writers who agreement with the official, nationalist line that reigned at the time,
supported the government could gather. The authorities his stature as an artist became elevated.
responded to Ono’s idea enthusiastically, and Yamagata
renovated and expanded his bar. Soon after opening the bar,
which he called the Migi-Hidari, Yamagata told Ono to pick a
table to be reserved for his sole use.

Ono explains that, in 1933, he had been coming to Yamagata’s Ono describes how the city was different in the days before the
place for twenty years already, starting in 1913 when he nationalist push to build up the country’s infrastructure and to
arrived in the city. In 1913, the Furukawa district was ugly, full make its culture more patriotic, but he does not connect the
of abandoned warehouses and shabby homes. Ono lived in an alterations to the physical landscape to the ideological changes
attic room where he hardly had enough space to stand up as he happening throughout Japan. Instead, as an artist, the way the city
painted at night, causing him to splash the walls and tatami. looked at a specific time has personal associations for him. Notably,
Still, Ono was so thrilled to be making a living as an artist that Ono doesn’t give any account of leaving his father and mother to
he didn’t mind the squalor. During the days he worked with move to the city to become an artist.
fifteen others in a long room above a restaurant. Master
Takeda, the owner of the art firm Ono was accepted by, pressed
his employees to quickly produce large numbers of paintings on
a deadline. Often, they worked on two or three hours of sleep.

A year after Ono started working for Master Takeda, an artist Ono clearly has disdain for the Tortoise, who, unlike him, did not
named Yasunari Nakahara joined the firm. Nakahara never have to leave his job after the war. This suggests that, while Ono
gained any reputation but went on to teach at a high school. It took a strong nationalist position in his pre-war and wartime art, the
is a position he still holds today, because the authorities did not Tortoise never staked much of an ideological claim with his art and
see any reason to replace him. Ono remembers Yasunari by his has, for this reason, been able to keep working through all of
nickname, “the Tortoise.” He still has a self-portrait the Tortoise society’s changes in attitude. Ono feels that the Tortoise’s failure to
painted. The painting honestly depicts the Tortoise’s timidity take an ideological stand in his art is a sign of his timidity.
and earnestness, but also gives an inflated sense of his intellect.
Ono says that he has never had a colleague who could paint an
absolutely honest self-portrait, since it is impossible to see
oneself as others do.

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The Tortoise got his nickname because he painted very slowly. Ono saw his father’s obsession with commercial concerns as petty
In the rushed climate of the Takeda firm, the other workers and beneath him, and he sees the Tortoise’s low productivity as a
became frustrated with the Tortoise’s low productivity. One sign that the Tortoise cares more for quality than quantity. Notably,
day, two men began to accuse him of laziness. The Tortoise however, Ono never mentions says the Tortoise truly possesses the
asked for their patience, but they continued to insult him. At great talent as an artist that would justify such care.
this point, Ono stepped in and defended the Tortoise, saying he
had more artistic integrity than the others because he did not
rush in his work.

Looking back, Ono cannot be sure that he defended the Once again, Ono casts doubt on his own account of something. He
Tortoise exactly as he has said he did. He says it may seem like seems to be recalling this memory as a means to justify the way he
he is giving himself too much credit for making an obvious wants to perceive himself: as an independent thinker and a true
point. He explains that the work produced at the Takeda Firm artist. While he was happy working at the Takeda firm initially, he
was meant for foreigners who wanted things that looked now disdains this commercial production of stereotypically
Japanese but who would be unlikely to notice lapses in style. Japanese works.
Most of the employees cared only about speed, so he thinks he
is not taking too much credit when he says that standing up for
the Tortoise showed that he was able to think independently
even if it meant going against those around him.

The narrative jumps to a couple of months after Ono While Ono said that his defense of the Tortoise showed his ability to
intervened on the Tortoise’s behalf. Ono and the Tortoise run think independently, it seems equally likely that he had already been
into one another on the grounds of the Tamagawa temple, and approached by Moriyama when he defended the Tortoise. If this is
the Tortoise tells Ono how grateful he is for his support. Ono the case, then Ono was not thinking for himself, but being
tells the Tortoise that he has been thinking of leaving Master influenced by Moriyama’s thoughts on what kind of art is valuable
Takeda’s for some time. He tells the Tortoise that he has been and the best conditions for producing such art.
invited to become a pupil of the painter and printer Seiji
Moriyama, who is a true artist. Ono tells the Tortoise to show
his own work to Moriyama in the hopes of being accepted as a
pupil.

The Tortoise is uncomfortable at Ono’s suggestion that he Although Ono never mentions it, it seems that he has cut off
leave Master Takeda’s firm. He says that he got the job because contact with his family in becoming an artist. Just as Ono rejected
of the influence of a friend of his father’s, and he could not be his father in the name of artistic ambition, he is now rejecting
so disloyal. Then, realizing he has implied that Ono is being Takeda. For the Tortoise, on the other hand, his work as an artist is
disloyal, the Tortoise becomes embarrassed. Ono says Takeda not in opposition to his family’s wishes and he feels he should show
has not earned their loyalty, and he does not want to live his life loyalty to Takeda as a sign of respect for his father and his father’s
blindly following others in the name of loyalty. friend.

Reflecting on this in the present moment, Ono says he is not Ono admits that his memories of events shift to fit how he perceives
sure that he expressed his thoughts on loyalty to the Tortoise himself over the years. While he portrays this as something that
exactly as he says he did. He has often repeated the story of his naturally happens over time, it is also evidence of a pattern of self-
decision to leave Takeda’s firm and his memory of the occasion deception.
may have changed over the years.

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Ono says he often told the story of leaving the Takeda firm to Ono tries to explain his decision to leave Master Takeda in the
his pupils gathered at his table at the Migi-Hidari. Ono’s ideological terms popular during the 1930s. But, in fact, leaving
brilliant pupils would get drunk around the table but always Master Takeda actually marked a change towards living a decadent
turn towards him when they thought he might impart some lifestyle, with much of his time spent drinking and sleeping. Ono
wisdom. On one occasion, Kuroda asked what Ono had learned reshapes his memories to suit his current beliefs, and, in this
from the experience at the Takeda firm, and Ono replied that he instance, those are nationalist beliefs. This shifting point of view
had learned the importance of questioning authority. He said suggests that Ono is not really the independent thinker that he
he has encouraged his students to “rise above the sway of portrays himself to be.
things” and evade the “undesirable and decadent influences”
that have weakened the country in recent years. He said that
those around the table have a right to be proud of
spearheading a new “more manly” national spirit.

Ono reflects that the Migi-Hidari became a patriotic hub, While Ono interpreted Kuroda’s painting of their group drinking as a
where people got drunk and were merry, but with dignity. He depiction of true patriotism, the painting may have been meant to
still has a painting of Kuroda’s entitled “The Patriotic Spirit” satirize those drinking at the Migi-Hidari for congratulating
that depicts a night of drinking at the Migi-Hidari. The painting themselves on their patriotism when all they were doing was
challenges the expectation that the patriotic spirit is reveling and drinking. Either way, Ono hints that he later disagreed
represented by soldiers, suggesting that there is patriotism in with Kuroda’s beliefs.
the way people live their daily lives. Back then, Ono reflects,
Kuroda believed in such things.

These days, Ono and Shintaro often reminisce about old times It is important to Ono to believe that his influence gives him the
as they sit drinking at Mrs. Kawakami’s place. One night, Mrs. power to shape the city. Mrs. Kawakami encourages him to believe
Kawakami tells Ono he should encourage people to bring the that, even after the war, he still has this influence and Ono seems
old pleasure district back to its former glory. Ono ready to accept this flattery and to deceive himself into believing
enthusiastically supports the idea, hopeful that he can bring such a restoration of the neighborhood is possible in the current
people back to start drinking in the area again. He hopes that atmosphere.
perhaps Mrs. Kawakami’s place can expand and begin to serve
the same function that the Migi-Hidari once served. He says
that he will give this serious thought once Noriko’s future is
settled.

Ono says that he has only seen his former protégé Kuroda once While Ono has not given detail about his falling out with Kuroda,
since the end of the war. It was in the first year of the this recollection makes clear that it was a bitter fight and that
occupation, before the pleasure district had been torn down. Kuroda no longer wants to show Ono the respect that a student
Ono was walking through the remains of the district in the rain, gives a teacher, or that a younger man gives to an older one.
when he saw Kuroda. Kuroda’s face looked aged. He did not
bow to Ono, but turned and walked away.

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Ono says he would not be giving Kuroda any thought if his Ono and Ichiro do not understand each other very well but they
name had not come up when he ran into Dr. Saito last month bond through their mutual opposition to the generation in between
when he took Ichiro to the monster movie. On that day, Noriko them. While Ono doesn’t know anything about the American
and Setsuko do not accompany them to the movie, and Ichiro culture that interests Ichiro, Ichiro knows nothing about the pre-war
says that it is because they are too scared. Ono is puzzled when Japanese world that shaped Ono’s art. They both remain in the dark
Ichiro insists on bringing a rain coat with him to the theater, about one another’s worlds, especially because Ono’s has been
even though it is unlikely to rain, but he concludes that it is discredited and he knows that he should not pass on its value to his
another of Ichiro’s ways of pretending to be an American pop grandson.
culture hero. On the walk to the tram, Ichiro says to his
grandfather that he has asked Noriko to show him Ono’s art,
but she has refused. Ono says that the paintings are tidied
away. Ichiro says that Aunt Noriko is disobedient.

On the tram, Ono and Ichiro run into Dr. Saito, the father of Only the day before Ono’s meeting with Dr. Saito, he and Setsuko
Taro, the man with whom Noriko is in marriage negotiations. discussed how he might need to take precautions to keep
Ono gives a little information about the Saitos: unlike the revelations about the past from harming the marriage negotiations.
Miyakes, the Saitos are a family of stature. Ono says that he Ono respects Dr. Saito and sees himself as his equal, since they both
and Dr. Saito have been slightly acquainted for many years, have reputations in the art world, but his surprised response to
because they both knew one another’s reputations in the art Setsuko’s worry shows he may have misjudged his own family’s
world. When they run into each other on the train, both Dr. reputation.
Saito and Ono praise Mr. Kyo, who is serving as the go-between
for the two families. Dr. Saito asks Ichiro questions in a friendly
manner and praises him to Ono.

A little before his tram stop, Dr. Saito tells Ono that they have a Dr. Saito seems not to know that Kuroda and Ono broke off ties. He
mutual acquaintance: a Mr. Kuroda. Dr. Saito says that Kuroda happily tells Ono about Kuroda’s current professional success.
mentioned Ono’s name. Ono says he has not seen Kuroda since While Ono needed to retire from his work as an artist after the war
before the war and asks how he is. Dr. Saito reports that because of the nationalist quality of his work, Kuroda’s war-era
Kuroda has been appointed to teach art at the new Uemachi work has not ruined his opportunities to succeed in postwar Japan.
College. He says that he himself advised the college on the
appointment. He has not talked to Kuroda at length but says he
will tell him that he saw Ono when they next meet. After
exchanging a few more pleasantries, Dr. Saito exits the tram.

At the theater, Ono and Ichiro see the poster Ichiro copied in Even though Ichiro finds the movie terrifying, he wants to seem
his drawing. Ichiro laughs and says that it is clear the monster is tough to his aunt and mother. Noriko and Setsuko, meanwhile, are
made up and it isn’t scary. During the film, however, Ichiro preoccupied with Noriko’s future. It is unclear what Noriko and
buries his head beneath his raincoat, telling Ono that the film is Setsuko were discussing, because the account is limited to what
boring and to alert him if anything interesting happens. Ono Ono wishes to reveal. Ono’s daughters may be worried that Dr.
now understands that Ichiro brought the raincoat to hide Saito knows Kuroda, as Ono assumes they are, about the
under it. But at dinner with Noriko and Setsuko that night, impression Ono made on Dr. Saito, or about some other issue
Ichiro says it was the best movie he has ever seen. He says that altogether.
his Aunt Noriko would have been terrified. Ono mentions that
they ran into Dr. Saito and that Dr. Saito had met Kuroda. He
notices his daughters exchange a glance and has the sense that
they have been discussing him behind his back.

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After dinner, Ichiro is having trouble going to sleep. Noriko Ono is experiencing conflict with his daughter and, at the same
blames her father’s poor judgment in taking Ichiro to the time, fears that his conflict with his student will harm her marriage
monster movie, then goes to sit with her nephew, leaving prospects. Intergenerational conflict marks both his family life and
Setsuko and Ono alone together. Setsuko says how good the legacy of his career. Notably, later in the novel, Setsuko seems
Noriko is with children and how sad it is that she is still not to recall this conversation with Ono and her suggestion that he
unmarried. Ono agrees that the war has interrupted the visit Kuroda. This suggests either that Setsuko shares her father’s
normal course of Noriko’s life. Setsuko brings up Dr. Saito, and manner of misremembering what has happened, or that Ono not
then Dr. Saito’s acquaintance with Kuroda. She says she only distorts memories of long-ago events, but also of recent
remembers when Kuroda used to visit them and spend long occurrences.
hours in the reception room with her father. Then she suggests
that Ono may want to visit Kuroda and certain other
acquaintances from his past before the Saito’s detective does,
to prevent any misunderstandings. After this, Ono and Setsuko
do not discuss the matter for the rest of her visit.

The narrative again shifts to Ono’s recent tram ride to Ono’s attention again shifts away from emotional topics relating to
Arakawa. Ono noticed many changes to the neighborhoods he his family to his interest in recording changes to the city’s physical
passed on the way, where new apartment blocks were being appearance. He does not, however, give any context for what this
built and old factories are being abandoned. The suburb of architecture means about Japanese society at this historic juncture.
Arakawa, however, looked the same as before the war. When
he arrived at Chishu Matsuda’s house, a woman of forty
answered the bell and showed him into the reception room.

Ono tells the story of the first time he met Matsuda. At the Ono’s lifestyle at Mori-san’s villa resembles the one that his father
time, he had been living at Seiji Moriyama’s villa for six years. warned he would fall into if he became an artist. It is also the
On the morning that Matsuda came to the villa and asked for “decadent” lifestyle that Ono would go on to criticize during his days
him, Ono and some of the others who lived at Mori-san’s villa at the Migi-Hidari, once he had adopted a nationalist orientation.
were drinking and playing cards. Even though they would have
defended their lifestyle if they had been questioned on it, the
sudden arrival of a stranger made them feel guilty about their
drinking, sleeping late, and general lack of routine.

That day, Matsuda arrived at the villa and asked to speak to Matsuda wants to impart his ideas for the artist’s role in society to
Ono. He told Ono that he represented the Okada-Shingen Ono. Once again, Ono is being exposed to a new influence. Because
Society, which Ono explains was an organization that put on Ono is so ambitious to succeed as an artist, refusing an offer to
exhibitions for artists in the city. (After the war, the Society was exhibit his work was probably hard for him; Mori-san likely foresaw
shut down by the Americans.) Matsuda had written to Ono to that his ideas and Matsuda’s are were conflict and that Matsuda
invite him to participate in an exhibition, and, after consulting could try to change the direction of Ono’s art, in a repetition of what
with his teacher, Ono had written back to decline. When he seems to have happened when Mori-san himself recruited Ono
arrived at the villa, Matsuda said that they should forget the away from Takeda.
exhibition. He had not come to represent the Okada-Shingen
Society, but as a true lover of art. He told Ono that he wished to
discuss ideas that may benefit Ono’s development as an artist
and then left Ono his card.

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The narrative shifts back to the present, thirty years since that Neither man explains what occurred the last time they saw each
first meeting. Matsuda is helped into the reception room by the other, but they fell out sometime around the end of the war, when
woman who answered the door. He is very ill and weak. He many old assumptions and allegiances shifted in the wake of
expresses his surprise to see Ono, saying they didn’t part on the Japan’s defeat. Matsuda forthrightly admits some awkwardness,
easiest terms. Ono says he didn’t think they had quarreled. while Ono pretends that there is no reason to feel strange after such
Matsuda says of course they had not quarreled, but it has been a lapse in their relationship.
three years since they last saw one another. Ono says he has
been meaning to come to visit for some time.

Matsuda apologizes for having missed Michiko’s funeral and This exchange reveals how very close Matsuda and Ono’s
begins to reminisce about when Michiko and Ono first came relationship used to be by suggesting Matsuda’s role in helping Ono
together. Ono says that Matsuda facilitated their match, since marry. Given the formal demands of the matchmaking process,
his uncle was too awkward to do it, and that Michiko was Matsuda and his family served as a surrogate family to Ono and
always grateful to him for it. Matsuda says how cruel it was for helped him to build a new family after he broke off ties with his own
Michiko to be killed right at the war’s end, then says he must be father and mother to pursue a career as an artist.
making Ono sad with these reflections. Ono says it is nice to
remember her with Matsuda, because it brings him back to the
old days.

The woman who answered the door comes in with tea, and Ono finds it uncomfortable to talk about the changes to the country
Matsuda introduces her as Miss Suzuki. He tells her that he and and its ideological direction that have happened since he last saw
Ono were close colleagues once and tells Ono that Miss Suzuki Matsuda. As is characteristic of Ono, he wants to look at the garden
is his nurse and housekeeper. She exits the room, and for a few to escape distressing topics by putting all his focus on a minute
moments after she leaves, Ono and Matsuda sit in silence. Ono consideration of the physical world.
has an urge to go look at Matsuda’s garden, which he
remembers as beautiful, but realizes that Matsuda is too ill to
accompany him and stays seated. Matsuda breaks the silence,
saying he truly owes Miss Suzuki his life.

Matsuda says he has been lucky not to have lost his savings and Matsuda rightly assumes that there is some reason that Ono has
assets in the war, although he has lost his health. He says he come to see him that Ono is too shy to talk about. He imagines that
would share with an old colleague in need, especially since he Ono has lost all his savings and suggests that he would be willing to
has no heirs. Ono laughs and says this is not why he has come. give Ono some money if he is in need.
Matsuda tells the story of a colleague of his who is now
reduced to begging from old friends.

Ono tells Matsuda the reason he has come: his daughter Ono has come to see Matsuda because he thinks that Setsuko
Noriko is in marriage talks and someone may approach suggested that his work as a nationalist painter during the war will
Matsuda to ask about the family. He asks Matsuda if anyone tarnish his family’s reputation and prevent Noriko from marrying,
approached him last year, and Matsuda says he was very ill and but he is unable or unwilling to say this outright. It may be too
wasn’t seeing anyone, but he would only have had nice things to painful for him to admit that his career has blighted his family’s
say then, and only has nice things to say about Ono now. Still, reputation instead of burnishing it because that is what his father
he says, he is glad that this concern of Ono’s brought them back predicted would happen.
together. Matsuda says that Ono still looks uneasy.

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Matsuda tells Ono that he has already assured him that he will Ono speaks euphemistically, refusing to say aloud that he fears that
only say good things. Ono repeats how delicate the marriage the nationalist art he created in the past will be seen as a bad thing.
talks may be. After a pause, Matsuda sighs and says that he Matsuda voices these thoughts for him, but also tells Ono his own
understands that there are some people these days who would position. After this talk with Matsuda, Ono will adopt Matsuda’s
condemn what they had tried to do, but he believes that they language to describe how he feels about his wartime work.
have much to be proud of. Still, he says, he will exercise delicacy
in discussing the past.

Matsuda asks who else Ono has visited. Ono tells him he is the While Matsuda clearly believes that Kuroda is a person who would
first person he has come to see, because he doesn’t know say negative things to a detective about Ono, Ono doesn’t want to
where the rest of their old colleagues are. Matsuda says that, if consider the idea that his actions regarding Kuroda (which still have
Ono is concerned about the past, he should probably seek out not been revealed) are the problem that Setsuko was referring to.
Kuroda, even if it will be painful for them to meet again. Ono Ono refuses to speak forthrightly about the stress he is under,
says he has no idea where Kuroda is. Matsuda replies that he instead saying that it is merely the normal stress of being a father
hopes the detective is equally unable to find him. Then he says who wants the best for his children that makes him grow pale.
that Ono looks quite pale. Ono says that he is just worried
about his daughter’s marriage. Matsuda says that he wonders if
he made a mistake in never marrying and having children, but
children seem to bring mostly stress. Ono agrees. Soon after,
Miss Suzuki comes in to tell Matsuda it is time to rest.

Waiting for the tram from Arakawa after this visit, Ono is Talking to Matsuda has made Ono feel better. He now has a better
comforted that Matsuda will speak positively about him. He framework for how to think about his wartime work, adopted from
feels it was worthwhile to reestablish contact with his old Matsuda’s remarks.
colleague.

APRIL 1949
Often Ono walks from his house to the Bridge of Hesitation Ono still calls the bridge near his house by a name it received during
that leads to the pleasure district to survey the construction the period when his career was at its zenith and the pleasure district
going on all around him. The Bridge of Hesitation is so named thrived. This name no longer makes sense given the new buildings
because men would sometimes stand there deciding whether that are going up to replace the old drinking establishments. It does,
to go home to their wives or go out for a night of drinking. Now, however, make literal the novel’s title. Ono is floating above the
Ono stands there looking at how new apartment blocks are world on a bridge, while the old world of the pleasure district floats
going up in the place where the pleasure district used to be. All away and a new world, defined by the post-war focus on economic
over the city, ruins from the bombing are being cleared away rebuilding, floats into view. The Bridge of Hesitation now reflects his
and new buildings are being constructed. Outside Mrs. own hesitation to let go of the world that is passing away.
Kawakami’s, a concrete road and the foundations for large
office buildings are being built. Mrs. Kawakami has received an
offer to sell her property, and she is considering it, especially
since Shintaro no longer comes to her bar, making Ono her only
customer.

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Over the winter, Shintaro told Ono that he was applying for Ono expects Shintaro to look up to him and consult him as if he
jobs teaching art at high schools. Although Ono has not been were still his teacher. Although Ono no longer has the respect of his
Shintaro’s teacher for many years, he was surprised that more distinguished pupils like Kuroda, Shintaro’s fawning praise
Shintaro had not consulted him about his job applications. boosts Ono’s self-esteem. Now, however, Shintaro is asking Ono to
Then, a little after New Year, Shintaro comes to Ono’s house. say that Shintaro was not a committed nationalist during the war.
Ono shows him into the reception room, where Shintaro In effect, this is the same thing that Ono himself asked of Matsuda
thanks Ono for all he has done for him over the years. He tells when he visited his old colleague. Ono feels his role as a respected
Ono that his application at the high school is progressing well, teacher is being taken away from him.
but the committee is not satisfied about a couple points in
Shintaro’s past. Shintaro says that he would like Ono to write to
the committee to confirm something he told them: that the two
had had a disagreement while producing the posters for the
China crisis.

Ono says he does not recall this disagreement. Shintaro says he The hiring committee does not want to hire a teacher who took a
was drunk at an engagement party and rudely told Ono that he leading role in creating nationalist propaganda during the war, and
disagreed with him about the China crisis posters. Ono stands Shintaro is asking Ono to tell them what they want to hear. This is a
up and goes to look out onto his garden. He asks Shintaro if he similar request to the one Ono made of Matsuda, but in the
is trying to disassociate himself from Ono’s influence. Shintaro interceding six months, Ono’s ideas have shifted. Ono sees Shintaro
denies this. Ono says that Shintaro should face the past: as having joined the ranks of the younger generation who sees Ono
Shintaro got credit for the poster campaign at the time and and his generation’s ideas as discredited, and he rejects this point of
should not lie about it now. Shintaro says that he respects Ono, view. As often occurs, Ono immerses himself in observation of the
but he is in the middle of his career and has different physical world—in this case, the garden—rather than deal with an
considerations than a retiree like Ono. Without replying, Ono interpersonal or ideological conflict.
silently watches snow falling in the garden. Shintaro tells Ono
that he will leave the name and address of the committee, and
he hopes Ono will write. Ono does not reply, and Shintaro
eventually excuse himself and leaves.

Looking back on this conversation from the present moment, From what the reader knows now, it is unclear why Ono would treat
Ono says that it may seem that he treated Shintaro harshly, but Shintaro’s request that he lie for him harshly, since he asked
what had been going on in his own life sheds light on why he something similar of Matsuda. As it turns out from his subsequent
felt no sympathy for those trying to evade responsibility. In description of the miai, Ono has reshaped the narrative he believes
fact, Shintaro’s visit was only a few days after Noriko’s miai, the about his past and career.
formal meeting between two families arranging their children’s
marriages.

Mr. Kyo arranges the miai for a day in November at the Kasuga Instead of describing the pain of not having Noriko’s mother
Park Hotel. Ono is unhappy with the choice of location but Michiko present at this important moment in their daughter’s life,
gives his agreement when he hears the Saitos like the food Ono focuses on the question of whether the hotel is an ideal spot.
there. Mr. Kyo tells Ono that he should feel free to invite a Ono escapes considering painful family loss by focusing on the
relative or close friend, because the miai will be weighted physical surroundings of the miai.
towards the groom’s side with Taro Saito’s mother, father, and
brother all there. Setsuko is far away, and there is no one else to
invite, so only Noriko and Ono plan to go to the miai.

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The weeks leading up to the miai are tense ones for Ono and As usual, Ono does not speak directly to those around him about
Noriko. Ono does not tell Noriko about all his efforts to make what he is doing. It is unclear what Noriko would like to see her
sure things go smoothly, and she criticizes him for laziness and father doing to prepare for the miai, but she seems certain that he
moping around doing nothing. Later, Ono wonders whether will somehow ruin her chances of marrying.
Noriko would have had her more confidence if he had shared
what he was doing with her.

One afternoon, Ono sits on the veranda looking at shrubs he It is unclear from Ono’s account (the only one that the reader gets)
has pruned. Noriko has just gotten home from work, and she what Noriko is referring to when she says he meddles too much. It
tells Ono that he has ruined the bamboo, just like he ruined the may be a reference to an undisclosed family secret. The references
azaleas. She says that he meddles because he has too much to Kenji and Michiko suggest that there are family stories that are
time on his hands. Ono says that the pruning looks fine, and being referred to but not revealed. At the same time, the instance
Noriko says that he must be going blind or suffering from poor has some resonance with Ono’s troubles as an artist. While Ono
taste. Ono says that Noriko never did have much taste; she and looks at the world of the city or garden, he is able to accurately
her sister took after their mother, while Kenji took after him. depict it. But when he tries to change the garden by pruning it, or to
He says that Michiko would sometimes even criticize his change the culture of the city by encouraging the development of
paintings, but then she would laugh and say she was mistaken. patriotic bars, he is less successful.
Noriko asks if Ono believes he was always right about his
paintings. Ono says Noriko can re-prune the shrubs if she
wants to change how they look. Noriko says she is much too
busy to do that because she doesn’t sit around all day like he
does.

Looking back on this conversation from the present moment, While Ono seeks to explain how wrong Noriko is to treat him with
Ono reflects that, if he were to tell Noriko how much he had scorn, he actually shows why she could be right in her critique of his
been doing on her behalf, she would likely be ashamed of her gardening. Perhaps after an upsetting conversation with Kuroda,
behavior towards him. In fact, earlier that day, he had gone to Ono came home and did a terrible job pruning plants.
visit Kuroda.

Ono reports that he had easily found where Kuroda lives. A While Ono worked as a nationalist painter during the war and had
professor at Uemachi College had told Ono the address and to retire afterwards because his ideology had become discredited,
updated him on Kuroda’s career. His years in prison were Kuroda seems to have taken the opposite stance during the war and
strong credentials, so Kuroda was given a post as an art to be succeeding in the postwar workforce as a result.
teacher. Ono says that, although it may seem perverse, he is
glad to see that Kuroda’s career is progressing well, even
though they became estranged.

Ono goes to Kuroda’s apartment and rings the bell twice. A Ono himself struggled with a landlord who got angry that he
young man answers the door and asks if Ono is a work splashed paint on the tatami (a straw mat used as a flooring
associate. Hearing that he is, the young man, named Enchi, asks material), so he instantly relates to Enchi. He also went through
Ono to come into the apartment to wait for Kuroda. The young cycles of imitating other people’s styles and then breaking away
man is Kuroda’s protégé and lives with Kuroda, because he has from those styles. Although he says that Enchi will find his own style
been thrown out of his own apartment for splashing paint on in time, and Ono tells himself that this occurred during his own
the tatami. Ono praises a painting on the wall which he believes career, the question of whether Ono really ever discovered his own
to be Kuroda’s, but Enchi says it is his own. He says that Kuroda style, or whether he merely adopted the styles of his various
often tells him he must discover his own style. Ono tells him he teachers, hangs over the novel.
has much talent and a style of his own will develop with time.
Enchi thanks him for the encouragement and urges him to wait
for Kuroda to come. Enchi praises Kuroda’s generosity to him.

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Enchi tells Ono not to hurry away, because Kuroda will want to Enchi mistook Ono for someone who is currently influential in the
thank him. Ono is surprised at this. Enchi says he had assumed art world, but his demeanor changes when he realizes who the
that Ono represents the Cordon Society. Ono says that this is visitor really is. The Cordon Society may be a reference to the honor
not the case. Enchi asks Ono’s name and, hearing it, walks away Japan bestows on its most respected citizens, the Order of the
to look out the window. After a silence, Ono asks if Kuroda will Rising Sun. The most prestigious recipients of this award are called
be coming soon. Enchi says that Ono should not trouble himself “Grand Cordons.”
by waiting any longer. Ono says he will wait, but Enchi says that
he doesn’t need to—he will tell Kuroda that Ono visited, and
Kuroda may write to Ono.

Ono tells Enchi that he must have been a very young man back From what Enchi says, it is clear that Ono is to blame for Kuroda’s
when Ono and Kuroda knew one another, and he shouldn’t being jailed and treated as a traitor after Kuroda turned away from
jump to conclusions about the relationship without knowing art that Ono saw as patriotic. While Ono seems to hope that he
the full details. Enchi says Ono should leave and that he is and Kuroda can come to an understanding now that time has
shocked that Ono would dare to present himself as a friendly passed, Enchi suggests that the rift between them is permanent
visitor. With a kind of strange composure, Enchi says that Ono because of how much Kuroda suffered. Ono seems to be deceiving
must be the one who doesn’t know the details: Kuroda was himself when he says there are things Enchi doesn’t understand that
beaten in prison and accused of being a traitor. His shoulder would change how he views what happened to Kuroda.
was injured, and he was denied medical treatment. Ono
gathers himself to leave, repeating to Enchi that he does not
yet understand how complicated the world is. Enchi says to him
that everyone knows now who the real traitors are.

Looking back on this scene from the present moment, Ono says While Ono claims that he did not let Enchi’s words bother him, the
he did not allow Enchi’s words to upset him but was disturbed poor job he did pruning the plants in the garden suggests that he
that Kuroda might be so hostile to him, given how this could may have been very distraught that day. Kuroda’s refusal to see him
impact Noriko’s marriage. He writes Kuroda a friendly letter is yet another upsetting reminder to him that even if he can change
saying he would like to see him, but he is disappointed to his own view of his past to fit a new narrative, he cannot change the
receive a cold refusal from Kuroda. Although Ono does not tell way others view it and this could have consequences for Noriko.
Noriko about his attempts to reach Kuroda, he imagines that
his bad mood after receiving Kuroda’s letter transmitted itself
to her and made her anxious.

On the day of the miai, Noriko seems especially anxious. Ono Once again, the conflict between Ono and his daughter provides a
tries to lighten her mood by joking about how long she is taking hint into what Noriko and Setsuko truly worry will derail her
to get ready. Noriko snaps back that he has not even started to marriage that differs from Ono’s account of the situation. Perhaps,
get ready and she can see that he is too proud to try to make a because Ono felt that Jiro Miyake and the Miyake family were his
good impression even though it will determine her future. He social inferiors, he acted proud and snobbish around them. While
asks her what she means by “too proud,” but she says no more. Ono believes an artist like himself has an elevated social status, this
Ono reflects on the contrast between Noriko’s anxiety leading may not be the way he is now perceived.
up to this miai and her casual approach to the miai with the
Miyake family the previous year. He thinks she must have been
quite confident that she would marry Jiro Miyake and been
shocked when it fell through, but this does not excuse her
rudeness towards him.

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Ono describes the Kasuga Park Hotel. It used to be one of the Ono finds the Kasuga Park Hotel’s décor tacky and a bit offensive to
city’s best Western-style hotels, but it is now decorated to fit Japanese pride. Although he looks down on this now, his first job as
the American occupiers’ idea of a charmingly “Japanese” hotel. an artist was working to paint Japanese-looking paintings for
foreigners.

The evening is not completely clear in Ono’s memory, because Ono begins his account of the miai by casting some doubt on the
the tension makes him drink more quickly than he usually does. accuracy of his memory. It seems possible that he is experiencing
He has a favorable impression of Taro Saito, his father, and Mitsuo as being hostile to him merely because Mitsuo looks a bit
mother. Taro’s younger brother Mitsuo, however, seems to Ono like Kuroda’s student Enchi, but in his anxiety and drunkenness,
to be looking at him with a hint of hostility. Mitsuo resembles Ono reads actual hostility in Mitsuo’s features and decides that
Enchi somewhat. Ono begins to feel that perhaps the rest of Mitsuo’s attitude reflects that of the entire Saito family.
the family also feels hostility towards him, but Mitsuo is the
only one young enough to not know how to conceal it. Ono
begins to look to Mitsuo as a barometer of how the evening is
going.

For the first part of the evening, Noriko is very stiff and Ono feels that Noriko may be spoiling her own chances to get
reserved. Although Noriko is quite bold when around people married by acting awkwardly during the miai. He wonders if the
she knows, she often has difficulty striking the right tone with Saitos will be able to imagine a place for her in their family.
strangers. But Ono can see from the way the family treats Mrs.
Saito that they are not looking for a demure, old-fashioned wife
for Taro.

Dr. Saito is very good at creating a relaxed atmosphere. At one Ono feels that the family is scrutinizing him to see if he has
point, he raises the question of the large demonstrations authoritarian impulses and believes that protesters should be
happening in the city. He says he saw a young man who had stopped by police in the name of law and order. While Ono believes
been injured but intended to return immediately to the that this is a test of his ideological inclinations, the Saitos show that
demonstrations and asks Ono’s opinion of this. Ono thinks the personal beliefs are not always dictated by the generation one grew
whole table fixes their attention on him, waiting for his up in. While Dr. Saito says that he approves of the demonstrations
response. He says it is a shame so many have been injured. Mrs. as an outlet for public feeling, his son Taro believes in a more
Saito says that her husband believes the demonstrations are controlled society. It seems that no member of the Saito family
good for society, but she doesn’t understand why. Saito says it fought in the war, and the family’s dynamics do not seem defined by
is good that people are expressing their views openly. Taro says intergenerational struggle or a desire to assign blame for what
he thinks democracy is a good thing, but the Japanese are still happened during the war.
learning how to handle the responsibility and should not be
allowed to run riot. Dr. Saito laughs that it seems he is an odd
man, more liberal than his son.

Dr. Saito asks Ono whether he sides with Mrs. Saito and Taro in Ono refuses to address the topic of whom he agrees with , perhaps
believing his attitude towards the demonstrations is too liberal. because he is afraid of being judged for having outdated,
Ono is drinking faster than he means to, so he cannot be sure if authoritarian attitudes, or perhaps because he doesn’t actually
his impressions are right, but he thinks that the Saitos do not know what he thinks.
really seem to disagree. He repeats his earlier answer, that it is
a shame people are getting hurt.

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Ono is once again struck by how badly Noriko seems to be Ono himself has just given a stiff and formal answer, but he focuses
handling the tension. Taro’s attempts to draw her out of her on Noriko’s formality instead of his own.
shell end in awkward silence.

Dr. Saito brings up Kuroda, explaining that his younger son For Ono this is a pivotal moment in which the issue of his behavior
Mitsuo studies at the Uemachi College. Ono asks Mitsuo if he during the war is being examined, but the way Dr. Saito treats the
know Kuroda well, and Mitsuo says he has no artistic talent and topic of Kuroda suggests that he is merely making small talk about a
so he only knows Kuroda by reputation. Taro changes the slight acquaintance.
subject, trying to engage Noriko on the topic of music. Then Mr.
Kyo begins to tell a story.

Ono interrupts Mr. Kyo, asking Mitsuo if Kuroda has spoken to Ono has convinced himself that it is the strong ideological influence
him about Ono. Mitsuo is confused, saying that he is not well- that he exerted that could be a stain on the family reputation in the
acquainted with Kuroda. Ono says that Kuroda likely does not eyes of the Saito family. Ono has a new perspective on his artistic
have a high opinion of him. He continues that he is aware that past: he asserts that he may have been wrong to paint influential
some people think his career was a negative influence, and works that supported an ideology that has since been debunked, but
Kuroda is likely one of these people. Ono thinks Dr. Saito is that he did so in good faith. This stance both flatters his sense of his
watching him carefully, as a teacher watches a pupil. Ono own artistic importance and sidesteps the fact that he was involved
continues, saying that he admits he made many mistakes and in Kuroda’s being imprisoned.
that his influence was partially responsible for the nation’s
suffering. Dr. Saito asks if Ono means that he is unhappy with
his work. Ono says that he is ready to admit that he made
mistakes, because at the time he acted in good faith.

Taro tells Ono that he is sure he is being too harsh with himself. Ono thinks that his remarks have cleared the air and allowed for the
Turning to Noriko, he asks if Ono is always so hard on himself. two families to finally put aside the issue of his past and come
Noriko, who has been staring at her father in astonishment, together. It also seems possible that his interruption to the small
replies without thinking. She says that he father is usually not talk to make a statement about his artistic career has shocked
hard on himself at all and sleeps through breakfast. Taro is Noriko out of her shyness.
happy to have gotten more of a response from Noriko, and,
from then on, the tone changes. The miai goes from a stilted
affair to a successful gathering. By the end of the evening, it
seems clear that the two families get along and Taro and Noriko
like one another.

Reflecting on the evening from the present moment, Ono says While Ono says his declaration about his past was a difficult
that it was not easy for him to make the declaration he did admission for him to make, his attitude is also a self-aggrandizing
about his past, but he decided it was prudent. He cannot one. While saying that he may have been a negative influence, he is
understand the impulse to lie about the past, because there is granting himself a great deal of importance. He sees himself as
dignity in admitting to mistakes made in good faith. He says superior to Shintaro because he has acted with more honesty and
that Shintaro would be a happier man if he had the courage to integrity in confronting his past, but it is uncertain that this is the
honestly admit to his mistakes. Shintaro got the job at the case.
school, and perhaps it was because he took Ono’s advice and
spoke to the committee about his past. Ono thinks it more
likely, however, that Shintaro continued to lie.

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Ono now believes that Shintaro has a cunning side to his nature Just six months before this moment Ono spent his time
that he had not noticed before. Ono raises the issue of nostalgically reminiscing about the good old days with Shintaro and
Shintaro’s cunning with Mrs. Kawakami, but she disagrees. She Mrs. Kawakami. Nevertheless, he now sees himself as someone who
sighs sadly and says that it seems Shintaro will not return to enjoyed the climate in the pleasure district in the past and cannot
her bar. The construction is continuing outside, and Ono is be blamed for any of the mistakes the nation made as a result of
struck by how out of place the bar will soon be. He encourages that patriotic spirit; he understands that it is better to move on and
her to accept the offer to buy her property. She says she has leave the past behind him. He looks with pity at Mrs. Kawakami’s
been in her bar for so long and becomes nostalgic. Ono thinks failure to realize this truth that he himself only recently decided
that it is true that they had all enjoyed the spirit of that time, upon.
but perhaps it is better that that world has passed away. He is
tempted to say this to Mrs. Kawakami but decides it will hurt
her feelings to hear that a place in which she invested so much
of her life and energy is gone forever, and rightly so.

NOVEMBER 1949
Ono remembers the first time he met Dr. Saito clearly. It was Ono is recalling his first meeting with Dr. Saito because Setsuko
sixteen year ago, the day after he moved into his house. Ono suggested to him that Dr. Saito did not know Ono before the
was placing a sign with his name on his gatepost when Dr. Saito marriage negotiations began. Although Ono does not say it directly,
approached, introduced himself, and told Ono that it is an Setsuko’s suggestion that the professor of art Dr. Saito did not know
honor to have an artist of his stature in the neighborhood. In Ono by reputation in the art world has shaken him. This fact
the years after that first meeting, Dr. Saito and Ono always contradicts the narrative he now uses to explain his career to
greeted each other politely when they would run into one himself: that he was a very influential nationalist artist who must
another. He remembers this first meeting clearly enough that apologize for having had a negative influence on his society. Instead,
he is sure Setsuko was mistaken in some of the things she said this suggests that he was not so influential after all.
the previous month during their walk through Kawabe Park.
Ono is confident that Dr. Saito knew who Ono was before the
marriage negotiations started.

Setsuko’s visit this year was brief, and she stayed with Taro and Ono seems to feel the need to defend and explain why he is still
Noriko at their new home, so their walk together in the park thinking about his conversation with Setsuko, which suggests that
was one of the only times they had to speak. It makes sense, he doesn’t want to admit to himself how much her suggestion that
then, that Ono is still turning over some of the things she said in Dr. Saito didn’t know of his reputation as an artist upset him.
his mind a month later. At the time, he enjoyed the walk
through the park with Setsuko on their way to meet Noriko and
Ichiro.

Ono says that Kawabe Park is one of the city’s nicest parks and Ono wants to see himself as a man who is similar to Akira Sugimura,
holds a special interest for him because it was the site of Akira the influential and wealthy man who built Ono’s house. Just as
Sugimura’s plans to leave his mark on the city. In 1920 or 1921, Sugimura tried to reshape the culture of the city by funding the
Sugimura (the builder of Ono’s house) planned to build a kabuki building of new institutions in Kawabe Park, Ono supported the
theater, a European-style concert hall, a museum, and a pet establishment of the Migi-Hidari in his pleasure district. Ono wishes
cemetery in the park. Sugimura lost a great deal of his money, to see himself as someone who pursued his dreams and rose above
and his plans were ended, so now there are only oddly empty mediocrity, even if the ideas he subscribed to are now seen as out of
patches of grass where the buildings Sugimura hoped to build date.
were supposed to stand. Ono feels that Sugimura deserves
admiration for aspiring to rise above the mediocre, even
though his plans ultimately failed.

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That day, Setsuko and Ono met Noriko and Ichiro by a statue, Instead of confronting his grief for his son, Ono describes the joy
and then Ono took Ichiro to lunch at a department store. Ichiro, and comfort he feels in seeing his grandson’s resemblance to Kenji.
then eight years old, told Ono that his favorite food was
spinach and that Ono should eat as much spinach as he can,
because it would give him strength. Looking at Ichiro, Ono
noted the traits he inherited from his father and mother, as well
as his resemblance to Kenji as a boy. He took a strange comfort
in seeing this resemblance.

Ono explains that people not only take on traits as children, but Although Ono doesn’t make the connection explicit, Setsuko’s
also in early adulthood in imitation of teachers and mentors. suggestion that Dr. Saito did not know him by reputation seems to
Even after a student rejects much of a teacher’s influence, be forcing him to reexamine how much influence he really had on
mannerisms and gestures will be left as a trace of that his students and the country. He hopes that there will be an
influence. Ono still retains these traces of his teacher Seiji unconscious trace of his work, even in those students who, like
Moriyama (whom he always called “Mori-san”) and he imagines Kuroda, have rejected his teachings.
some of his students still have some of his mannerisms. He
hopes that even if they have reassessed some of his teachings,
they are still grateful for much of them.

Ono reflects on his seven years living at Mori-san’s villa, saying In discussing Mori-san’s influence on his students, Ono is also trying
they were some of the happiest years of his life. Back then, the to weigh what his own influence on his students was without
villa had already lost much of its splendor. There were admitting that he feels any uncertainty about it. At the same time,
collapsing roofs and holes in the floor. Only two or three rooms Ono’s exhaustive description of how the physical place he used to
were in good condition. In one of these rooms, Mori-san’s inhabit looked reflects his strong interest in the way the world
students looked at their teacher’s new works, praising their appears.
mastery and debating Mori-san’s intentions. Even though Mori-
san was in the room, he did not respond to their praise or
opinions. Although this may seem arrogant, Ono feels that
allowing students to debate was a better way for a very
influential teacher to give instruction.

Mori-san’s leading pupil was named Sasaki. If Sasaki suggested Although Ono defended the Tortoise at Master Takeda’s firm on the
that someone’s work was disloyal to Mori-san’s teachings, the grounds that the he was taking a long time with his paintings
offender often gave up on the painting entirely. When Ono and because he had artistic integrity, his inability to adjust to a new
the Tortoise first arrived at the villa, the Tortoise often had to atmosphere shows that he may merely have little artistic skill. For
destroy his work because it was “disloyal.” The Tortoise had Mori-san, there is one kind of art that he is interested in creating
great difficulty grasping the principles of Mori-san’s style. This and that he wants his students to create. This art is concerned with
style was defined by taking the world of the pleasure district as capturing very transitory moments that occur between people.
its topic, similar to the traditional work of Utamaro, but turning Since Ono seems to be naturally fascinated by physical spaces as
to European techniques like using blocks of color instead of they are in a moment, Mori-san’s emphasis seems suited to Ono’s
bold outlines and using subdued tones. Mori-san sought to talents. Still, Mori-san is more interested in human moments, while
capture a melancholy, nocturnal atmosphere and often Ono seems to have skill for capturing the feeling of a place.
included lanterns in his paintings. The Tortoise thought that
merely by including a lantern in his painting he was showing
loyalty to Mori-san’s teachings.

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Ono reflects that every group of students will have a leader. Ono focuses on Sasaki’s banishment from the villa after he decides
The leader sets an example for other students because he has to change his artistic focus, but he is also clearly weighing the
the greatest mastery of the teacher’s teachings. At the same parallels between Sasaki’s experience breaking off ties with his
time, this pupil is the most likely to see shortcomings in a teachers, and Ono’s experience of Kuroda breaking off ties with him.
teacher’s teachings and want to move in a different direction. The consequences of taking a different direction are much more
In theory, a teacher should be ready to accept this, but, in severe for Sasaki and Kuroda than for Ono. It would seem that Ono
practice, a teacher who has invested a great deal in a student breaks off ties only once he has found a new mentor’s support, while
may see treachery in the fact that the student takes a new Sasaki leaves with nowhere to go, and Kuroda goes to prison.
direction. This is what happened to Sasaki. His fellow students
refused to tell him where his paintings were or to speak to him,
and he was forced to leave the villa without anywhere to go.

After Sasaki left Mori-san’s villa, he was referred to as “the The parallel between Sasaki and Kuroda is strong here. Just as
traitor.” Often the pupils exchanged insults in a joking matter Kuroda is called a traitor while being beaten in prison, Mori-san’s
but comparing another pupil to “the traitor” eventually led the remaining students are driven to violence at the suggestion that
pupils to come to blows. The atmosphere Mori-san fostered they are traitors to Mori-san’s ideas. As Ono seeks to justify the
was very intense, and he demanded total loyalty. Although it is atmosphere of total loyalty that Mori-san fostered, he is also
easy to be critical of this in hindsight, Ono says, it should be indirectly defending his own decision to create a similarly stringent
recognized that Mori-san had ambitions to change the culture environment.
of painting in the city and dedicated a great deal of time and
money to his pupils with this goal in mind.

Mori-san not only influenced his students’ painting, but also Mori-san encourages his students to live a life of drunken
their lifestyles. Because they were painting the “floating world” debauchery, which is exactly the shameful existence that Ono’s
of the city’s pleasure districts, they spent many nights out late father predicted he would lead if he became an artist.
drinking, or having parties at the villa with actors, dancers and
musicians. Sometimes the parties went all night, and people
would be passed out around the villa the next day.

One night Ono walks away from the revelry and sits in a Although Ono doesn’t say this directly, he seems disturbed at the
storeroom where no one goes. He sits there for a long time, idea that his lifestyle reflects a fulfillment of his father’s fears.
until Mori-san comes in and asks what is worrying him. Mori- Sensing this, Mori-san goes to talk to Ono and looks at work that he
san asks if there is something about his actor friend Gisaburo himself did when he was Ono’s age. These wood-block prints were
that offends him. Ono admits that he feels they have spent a likely made before Mori-san adopted his current technique. Ono
great deal of time with entertainers in the last few months. likes this older style of work, however, showing that styles and ideas
Mori-san does not reply but walks to the back wall of the that seem outdated can still be appealing to the following
storeroom and pulls out some of his old wood-block prints. He generation.
says of them that he feels affection for his old works but sees
now that they are fatally flawed. Ono disagrees, saying that
they seem to him to be an example of how Mori-san’s talent
transcends the limitations of that style of art. Mori-san does
not reply.

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After a moment, Mori-san says that Gisaburo has had an In Ono’s retelling, Mori-san feels satisfied that his life’s work is
unhappy life and is only happy in the moments late at night worthwhile and that his art serves an important function, even if it
when a woman tells him the things he wants to hear. He seems from the outside that he is wasting much of his time with
continues that the finest beauty in the world is to be found in drinking and debauchery. Mori-san feels that capturing the mood of
pleasure houses late at night. Then he explains that the a single moment is the important work he is meant to do an artist.
problem with his old work is that, as a young man, he did not Ono likely brings up Mori-san’s statement that he will feel happy
value the beauty of the “floating world,” fearing that it was when he looks back at his life because Ono is wrestling with doubts
decadent and a waste of time. Ono says that perhaps he is about his own career and whether he should feel proud or regretful.
struggling with something similar, and he will try to rectify the
problem. Mori-san does not respond but says that he no longer
doubts what he does. He feels he will look back at the end of his
life and see his attempts to capture the beauty of the floating
world as worthwhile.

Reflecting on this exchange from the present, Ono says that he Once again, Ono suggests that he cannot be relied upon to give an
cannot be sure that this was what Mori-san said. Indeed, it accurate depiction of events. Instead, later events color the way he
sounds like something he himself might have said while describes earlier ones.
drinking at the Migi-Hidari with his students.

Ono returns to his account of his lunch with Ichiro at the Ichiro is once again captivated by figures from American popular
department store. Ichiro pours spinach into his mouth as if it is culture that are totally alien to Ono. Still, he looks up to his
a liquid and then sticks out his chest and punches the air. Ono grandfather and they find ways to bond, especially out of a shared
asks if he is pretending to drink sake and then fight. Ichiro sense of being at odds with members of the interceding generation
explains that he is being Popeye Sailorman. Then he asks Ono if that now dominates them both. For this reason, Ichiro takes
sake makes you strong. Ono says it only makes you believe you pleasure in the idea of his aunt’s getting drunk and being unable to
are strong. Ichiro says that he drinks ten bottles of sake a night. dictate to him and his grandfather.
He reports that Aunt Noriko has bought some sake for dinner
that night and laughs that she might get completely drunk.

Ono tells Ichiro that he since he is eight years old now, he will Ono wants to cement his bond with Ichiro by giving his grandson his
see that he gets a taste of sake that night. Ichiro says nothing. first taste of sake. Ichiro seems wary, realizing that his mother may
Ono says that Ichiro’s Uncle Kenji tried sake for the first time oppose this idea. Perhaps he is also scared of trying sake, in the
when he was around his age. Ichiro says that his mother might same way he was actually scared to see the monster movie that
give them trouble. Ono says he will handle Setsuko. Ichiro says Ono took him to.
women don’t understand men drinking, then laughs again at
the idea that Noriko might get drunk.

Ichiro asks Ono if he knew Yukio Naguchi, and Ono says that he Ono’s belief that he was an influential artist who promoted
didn’t personally. Ono thinks that the adults must have been destructive ideas has led him to compare himself to some of the
talking about Naguchi around Ichiro the night before. Ichiro most prominent wartime cultural figures, including the composer
asks if Naguchi was like Ono. Ono says that Setsuko, for one, Yukio Naguchi. Earlier in the novel, when Jiro Miyake said that the
said that there was no similarity, though Ono one compared president of his company had killed himself to atone for leading the
himself to him. He explains that Naguchi composed songs that company in a bad direction during the war, Ono said that this
were sung all over Japan during the war, and after the war he seemed to him like a waste of life. But now, he suggests that suicide
felt he should apologize to all those who lost loved ones, so he is a brave way of atoning for exerting a powerful, negative influence
killed himself. Ono adds that he was brave and honorable to on society. This kind of talk has clearly made Ono’s family worry
admit to his mistakes. Ichiro is silent. Ono says that he was only that he is considering suicide.
making a joke when he compared himself to Naguchi, and Ichiro
should tell his mother that she misinterpreted him. Ichiro stays
silent.

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That evening, Ono and Ichiro go to the Izumimachi area, where It is clear that Noriko and Taro’s marriage must have worked out by
Noriko and Taro’s apartment is. The area is full of small, modern this point. Ono records the way the city is being altered by the
apartments, which seem cramped to Ono, but which Noriko construction of high-rise apartment buildings. Used to living in a
finds practical and convenient. large home, Ono finds the new style of building unappealing.

Ono tells Setsuko and Noriko that he wants to give Ichiro a Ono wants to cement his bond with Ichiro by giving him a taste of
taste of diluted sake, but his daughters say that is a bad idea. sake, but his daughters refuse to let him.
Ono says he has promised Ichiro, and it will hurt Ichiro’s pride if
they say he is too young.

Ono says he remembers how his wife objected when he gave This heated exchange between Ono and Setsuko (who is normally
Kenji his first taste of sake at around Ichiro’s age, adding that it polite and unaggressive) reveals that there are things about the Ono
did Kenji no harm. He regrets bringing Kenji up in such a trivial family that Ono has not revealed in the course of his
disagreement and hardly pays attention to what Setsuko says narrative—including exactly what Setsuko said in the park. It is
next. He cannot be sure that he remembers it correctly, but he unclear what Setsuko is referring to when she says that her brother’s
thinks she says that Ono surely gave a great deal of thought to upbringing caused problems later. No answers are provided. Once
Kenji’s upbringing, but given what came to pass, their mother again, in the face of a harsh and unpleasant statement that Ono
might have had better ideas about raising children. Ono cannot does not want to think about, he says he may be misremembering
be sure that Setsuko really said something so unpleasant, what was said.
although the things she said in Kawabe Park earlier in the day
suggest she is capable of saying something like that.

At dinner, Taro describes a colleague who never meets the Ono is in the process of reevaluating his artistic legacy once again. It
deadline, saying he has been given the nickname “the Tortoise.” is important to him to see himself as having made brave choices,
Ono excitedly tells them that he also once had a colleague even if those choices did not lead to his earning great influence like
nicknamed the Tortoise, but Taro says that most groups have he has been telling himself he possessed. As he continues to come
both a leader and a “Tortoise.” Ono thinks about this. He up with a narrative for his life that he can look at without regret, he
believes that Shintaro was the Tortoise of his own pupils, even lumps his two former friends Shintaro and the Tortoise together as a
though he wasn’t called that. Ono reflects that the Tortoises of negative example with which he can contrast himself, and at the
the world never rise above mediocrity because they are same time draws parallels between himself and Sugimura.
unwilling to take chances for the sake of a principle. They will
never try something so grand as to transform Kawabe Park, as
Sugimura attempted to do.

Ono recalls his relationship with the Tortoise, of whom he was Ono views the fawning attention and interest the Tortoise showed
fond, but whom he never considered an equal. Ono and him with a mixture of pride and disdain. It has taken the Tortoise a
Tortoise often painted together in an old kitchen in the villa. long time to master Mori-san’s techniques, but he feels he is
One afternoon, the Tortoise said that he could tell that what succeeding. It does not occur to him that Ono may has asked for
Ono was working on was very special because he was bringing privacy because he is painting something that goes against Mori-
an intensity to the work and had requested that no one look at san’s teachings. The Tortoise’s ambitions are limited to a desire to
it until he finished. The Tortoise said he was lucky to have rise to his colleagues’ level, and the more ambitious Ono sees this
worked side by side with someone of Ono’s talent for almost ambition as paltry and uninspired.
eight years. Ono asked the Tortoise if he was happy with his
work, and the Tortoise said he was. He said he was always
striving to improve, because he hoped someday to exhibit
alongside Ono and Mori-san. Ono let the matter drop.

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A few days later when he entered the kitchen, the Tortoise Even though Ono does not respect the Tortoise’s work, Ono likes to
looked at Ono in alarm. Gesturing towards Ono’s painting, he have him around because he praises and looks up to him. The
asked if it was a joke. Ono recalls that the Tortoise had trusted Tortoise trusted Ono and left Master Takeda’s, and it seems that
him and took a risk in his career with him by leaving Takeda’s, Ono has similar thoughts of leaving in mind now. But, whether out
and he had hoped the same thing would happen again in this of a lack of bravery or for some other reason, the Tortoise is not
instance. However, in a whisper, the Tortoise called Ono a interested.
traitor and walked away.

The painting that the Tortoise was shocked by is called While Ono portrays himself as bravely pursuing his own ideas even
“Complacency,” and it was inspired by a walk Ono took with when they contradict others’, the new direction in his artwork was
Matsuda. Ono and Matsuda were walking along a bridge not independently arrived at but in fact inspired by Matsuda’s ideas.
overlooking the Nishizuru district, where many shanties were Japan experienced an economic slowdown in the early 1920s, but
wedged in between two factories. Matsuda said this was Ono has been living cut off from the currents of Japanese society at
typical; people all over the country had been forced to leave Mori-san’s villa. Matsuda is keen to bring Ono’s attention to the
their homes in the countryside and work in factories. Matsuda situation of real people because he believes that artists should pay
said you can smell the sewage even from up on the bridge, attention to social and political problems and use their art to inspire
adding that politicians and businessmen, and perhaps also others to improve society.
artists, rarely see this kind of poverty. Ono sensed a challenge
in Matsuda’s voice, so he suggested that they go down and
look. The shantytown was hot, crowded, and smelly. While
walking through, Ono and Matsuda saw three small boys bent
over something that they prodded with sticks. They turned
around and scowled at Ono and Matsuda, who both concluded
that they were torturing an animal.

Ono didn’t think about the boys much at the time, but later he Although Ono is inspired by the image of the three boys from the
made them the central image in his painting “Complacency.” In shantytown, he portrays them in quite a different, more ideological
the painting, two images appear set in an image of the Japanese light. Instead of showing the three boys’ cruel perversity in torturing
coastline. The bottom image depicts the three boys in the an animal, Ono adopts Matsuda’s idea that few politicians are
shantytown, wearing rags but holding their sticks like brave paying attention to poverty and then depicts the boys as brave and
samurai warriors ready to fight. Above that is an image of three pure-hearted—a depiction in keeping with the nationalist views
fat, well-dressed, decadent-looking men. The left-hand margin Matsuda expounds.
says “Complacency” in bold letters, while the right-hand margin
says, “but the young are ready to fight for their dignity.”

Ono adapted this work in the 1930s for his painting “Eyes to Later on, the nationalist tone of Ono’s work became even more
the Horizon,” which became famous in the city. This painting pronounced as he began to call for Japanese invasion of other
shows two contrasting images bound together by Japanese countries. Far from seeming like a painting inspired by Ono’s
coastline. The top image shows three well-dressed men, talking independent convictions, both the message and the style of “Eyes to
anxiously, while the lower image shows soldiers ready to go the Horizon” would have resembled many works of propaganda
west towards Asia. The right-hand margin of the painting says, created at the time.
“Eyes to the Horizon!” and the left-hand side says, “no time for
cowardly talking. Japan must go forward.”

Reflecting from the present, Ono says that he recognizes that Ono describes himself as creating art that matches his principles,
the sentiments in the painting are outdated, but he brings it up but he actually adopts the ideas of others without having a deep
to show how meeting Matsuda impacted his career. Although understanding of the politics himself.
he didn’t initially like Matsuda, he found his ideas appealing.

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One evening not long after their visit to the slum, Ono and Before Matsuda shares his ideas about art being used to change
Matsuda sit in a bar having a dispute. Ono proposes raising society, Ono sees art’s power as being limited to its value when sold
money for the people in the slum by selling paintings, and for charity. Matsuda proves Ono’s naivete when Ono shows he
Matsuda scoffs at this idea. He says Ono has a child’s doesn’t know who Karl Marx (a German philosopher who theorized
understanding of the world and probably doesn’t even know how Communism would develop) is.
who Karl Marx is. Ono says Marx led the Russian Revolution.

Matsuda tells Ono that weak politicians and greedy Matsuda introduces Ono to nationalist and imperialist ideas that
businessmen are leading Japan into a crisis. He says the Okada- are gaining prevalence throughout Japanese society. He changes
Shingen society hopes to awaken artists to the country’s Ono’s understanding of the artist’s role in society with his
political situation so that they can produce works of genuine suggestion that the artist can actively make society better. This idea
value. Ono says that Matsuda is mistaken about what art can is flattering to Ono’s ambition to become a great and influential
and cannot do. Matsuda says that not only artists, but people of man through his art.
all walks of life need to unite to fight for the country. He
explains that he wants the Emperor’s power to be restored and
that Japan should forge an empire in Asia just as the British and
French have done.

Turning away from his recollections of Matsuda’s remarks, Ono Even though Ono subscribed to Mori-san’s ideas about how to
looks back on the moment when the Tortoise discovered create art until he met Matsuda and learned his ideology, Ono
“Complacency.” He thinks that the Tortoise was probably not mocks the Tortoise out of an assumption that he naively only
disturbed by the political message of “Complacency” but recognized that Ono had changed his technique and did not
instead noticed Ono’s use of bold calligraphy and hard outlines, recognize his new work’s political message.
techniques Mori-san taught his students to reject.

Ono shifts his narrative to a conversation he has with Mori-san The Takami Gardens are the place where Ono experiences both the
a week after the confrontation with the Tortoise. Ono and influence of and conflict with his teacher Mori-san. Ono’s memories
Mori-san go to the pavilion at Takami Gardens, which is quickly shift between memories of Mori-san and of Kuroda
elegantly decorated with hanging lanterns. In later years that throughout this scene, reflecting their similarities in Ono’s mind.
pavilion remains a favorite spot of Ono’s, until it is destroyed in
the war. It is also, he says, the place where he had his last
conversation with Kuroda.

On the night he visits the pavilion with Mori-san, the lanterns Like Sasaki, Ono’s art has gone missing after he tries to go against
are unlit when they arrive, so Mori-san asks Ono to light them. Mori-san’s teachings. It seems that Mori-san has confiscated the
Mori-san asks Ono what is troubling him. Ono says it is a small art, like Ono’s father once did, and he will not promise to return it to
thing: he cannot find certain paintings and the other pupils will Ono. Throughout this scene, Ono seems to be struggling to
not tell him where they are. Mori-san tells Ono that he has his remember things in a way that will suit his own perception of
paintings. Ono says that he is very glad to hear that his himself. He may focus on his conversation with Mori-san as a way to
paintings are safe, but Mori-san does not reply to this. He avoid thinking through what happened in his own interactions with
apologizes if it alarmed Ono that they were missing and says Kuroda, which ultimately led to Kuroda’s jailing.
that Ono seems to “exploring curious avenues.” (Looking back,
Ono is not sure if Mori-san used that phrase, or if this is what
he himself said to Kuroda years later during their last
conversation.)

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Mori-san continues that it is not a bad thing for a young artist Mori-san’s words echo Ono’s father’s on the night he told his son he
to experiment, as long as he returns to serious work. Ono says could not become a painter. Although Ono never explicitly states
that he feels his recent work is the best work he has done. what became of his relationship with his parents, it seems that he
Mori-san says that perhaps there are other paintings, the ones was forced into a break with them similar to the one that Mori-san
that Ono is most proud of, that were not stored with the is threatening. Mori-san also suggests that while Ono will not starve,
others. Ono says there may be. Mori-san asks him to bring he will be reduced to doing commercial art once again, which he
them to him, but Ono says he is not certain where he left them. believes to be a lowly occupation.
Mori-san asks Ono if he has plans for what he will do when he
leaves the villa. Ono replies that he hopes to explain his
intentions to Mori-san and continue to live at the villa. Mori-
san says it will be painful for him to part with Ono. He adds that
Ono is clever, so he is sure Ono will be fine. He predicts that
Ono will either join a firm like Takeda’s or perhaps illustrate
magazines.

Looking back years later, Ono reflects that Mori-san’s Immediately after these reflections, Ono plunges into a description
treatment of him may seem harsh, but it should be of how he learned about Kuroda’s being jailed. Although Ono never
remembered how much Mori-san had invested in Ono. He says he is reflecting on his own role in Kuroda’s fate, it is clear that
thinks it understandable that a teacher may overreact in such a these justifications he provides for Mori-san’s treatment of him are
circumstance, but of course arrogance and possessiveness on a also meant to justify his own treatment of Kuroda.
teacher’s part should be regretted.

Ono reflects on visiting Kuroda’s house the winter before the This recollection about Kuroda’s fate shows what Ono really has to
start of the war. Upon arriving at the house, he smells burning be ashamed of. It is not that he was so influential that he caused his
and knocks on the door. A uniformed police officer answers and countrymen to follow nationalist ideas that have since been
tells him that Kuroda has been taken to headquarters for disproven. Instead, he used what stature he had to settle personal
questioning. Ono can hear Kuroda’s mother crying inside the grievances by reporting his student who had rejected his teachings
house. He asks to speak to the policeman’s commanding officer. to the authorities. Although he may have naively expected that
The policeman brusquely tells him to leave or he will be Kuroda and his paintings would not be harmed, this is another sign
brought in for questioning too. Ono explains that he is an artist of how little he truly understood the nationalist ideas his art
and member of the Cultural Committee of the Interior propagandized.
Department and advisor to the Committee of Unpatriotic
Activities, adding that he is the one on whose information the
police were brought to the house. He says there must be some
mistake.

The uniformed officer leads Ono through the house to the back Just as Ono’s father burned his paintings, the authorities now burn
yard, where a plain clothes officer is standing by a bonfire, Kuroda’s. Ono has tried to force Kuroda to follow his artistic beliefs
burning Kuroda’s paintings. Ono says he thought the officers (which he himself learned from Matsuda), but instead has caused
would simply give Kuroda a “talking-to” rather than arrest him. Kuroda’s art to be destroyed and Kuroda himself to be endangered.
He asks if they were authorized to burn the paintings and says Although Ono does not say so, it is clear from his attempt to save
there were many fine works among them. The plain clothes Kuroda and his paintings that he feels guilty.
officer says they destroy all offensive material that isn’t needed
as evidence. He says that the matter no longer concerns Ono
and asks the uniformed policeman to show him out.

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In the present, Ono says that this story is of limited relevance, Almost despite himself, Ono has finally revealed the real source of
because he means to recount what happened during Setsuko’s his guilt during the war—his role in Kuroda’s arrest—but he quickly
visit last month: that night, Taro tells amusing stories about his shifts his attention back to the present because he is afraid to face
work. Ono is uncomfortable to see how Ichiro watches each these uncomfortable memories. He also feels guilty that he cannot
time the sake is poured out. Setsuko says to Taro that even keep his promise to Ichiro, whom he wants to cement a bond with
though he jokes about his work, she understands from Noriko by giving his first taste of sake.
that it is a stimulating work environment. Taro earnestly says
how optimistic everyone at KNC is and how inspiring his
branch director is. Setsuko says that Suichi is also very inspired
by his work at Nippon Electrics.

Ono asks Taro if he thinks all the sweeping changes in Japan Ono also finds it hard to understand the way members of his
are entirely a good thing, suggesting there may be too much daughters’ generation pledge their lives to building Japan by
hastiness to follow the American way. Taro admits that the imitating American corporate practices. He is quick, however, to
changes have happened quickly but says that he thinks Japan is concede to Taro that the younger generation must know better.
finally on a good path. Setsuko says that Suichi feels the same While he used to proudly spout nationalist rhetoric, Japan’s defeat
way. Taro says that he went to a high school reunion the week in the war has made ideas about the importance of Japanese
before and all his classmates had the same sense of optimism. traditions suspect.
But, he says, perhaps they should be corrected. Ono says that
he is sure the younger generation is right to believe in its
splendid future.

Ichiro reaches over, taps the sake flask, and looks at Ono. To Ono believes that Ichiro feels let down because he failed to give him
distract him, Taro asks what Ichiro would like to be when he sake and he blames the interceding generation for stopping him
grows up. Ichiro says he wants to be the president of Nippon from bonding with his grandson. When Ichiro says he wants to be a
Electrics, which is the best company. At the meal’s end, he asks president of Nippon Electrics, Ono likely feels this distance between
if all the sake is gone. When he hears that it is, he accepts this himself and Ichiro grow larger.
quietly, but Ono empathizes with Ichiro’s disappointment,
feeling that Setsuko should not have been so stubborn.

After dinner, Ono goes into the spare room where Ichiro is Ono believes Ichiro is disappointed that Ono was unable to
going to sleep. Ichiro asks Ono if Noriko is drunk and giggles at convince Setsuko to allow Ichiro to try sake, but Ichiro himself
the idea. Ono tells Ichiro that he will soon grow up and be seems relatively unconcerned with this. Despite his youth, Ichiro
allowed to drink sake. Ichiro is silent for some time, then says sees that not being able to provide him with sake made his
that Ono should not worry. He explains that sometimes his grandfather feel powerless and disrespected. Ono has not said that
father wants to do something, and his mother forbids it, so Ono he feels this way, so Ichiro’s insight shows the reader something
shouldn’t feel bad that she kept Ichiro from drinking sake. He about Ono that Ono himself is not sharing. Meanwhile, the incident
repeats that Ono shouldn’t worry and asks if he is spending the with the sake is only exacerbating a sense of grievance springing
night. Ono tells him he is going back to his house, but he will from whatever Setsuko told ono in Kawabe Park.
come to say goodbye at the station the next day. Ono sits with
Ichiro until his grandson falls asleep. Sitting there, he begins to
turn over what Setsuko said to him that morning in Kawabe
Park and to grow annoyed by it.

Ono goes to rejoin the adults in the main room. He says to Taro Ono has still not revealed to the reader what Setsuko said to upset
that it is a shame that he and Dr. Saito didn’t get to know each him, but what she said obviously challenged his sense of his
other well until the marriage negotiations, since they were both reputation in the art world.
connected by the art world and knew one another by
reputation. Taro agrees, and Ono looks pointedly at Setsuko,
but she gives no sign that she understands the significance of
Taro’s agreement.

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Ono describes the events that passed earlier that day in Setsuko’s failure to remember her conversation with Ono raises the
Kawabe Park: walking along, Ono and Setsuko say how glad possibility that he made the entire conversation up. If this is the
they are that Noriko’s marriage worked out. Ono says that it case, however, nothing Ono has described throughout the entire
was good that he heeded Setsuko’s advice to take novel should be believed. Alternatively, Setsuko may not have been
precautionary steps, but Setsuko responds that she doesn’t referring to Ono’s role as a cultural influencer during the war, but
know what her father is referring to. Ono says that he had instead referring to his role in having Kuroda jailed. It seems most
made sure that his career didn’t create obstacles for Noriko by likely that Ono understood Setsuko’s meaning at the time, but then,
speaking out during the miai about the mistakes he had made. sometime after his visit with Matsuda, came up with a different
Setsuko says that Noriko told her about the miai, but only to say interpretation that did not cause him so much anguish to reflect
she was puzzled by her father’s behavior—as were the Saitos. upon.
She adds that she and Suichi were also puzzled by Noriko’s
account of what he had said. Ono tries to remind Setsuko about
their conversation the year before, but she says again that she
does not remember it.

Ono and Setsuko continue walking. Setsuko says that Taro told Setsuko fears that her father may be considering suicide, which
her that Ono brought up Yukio Naguchi, a composer who had many prominent people did to atone for their role in leading Japan
committed suicide. She says Taro was concerned by their astray during the war. But from her perspective, Ono’s role was not
conversation because it seemed to him that Ono was drawing a significant enough for this to be at all warranted. This means that all
comparison between himself and Naguchi. Ono reassures her of Ono’s apologies for his wartime mistakes were disingenuous.
that he is not considering suicide. Setsuko says that she Instead of feeling sorry for his role, he was trying to inflate his own
understands that Naguchi’s songs were very influential, so it importance to show that he had a large, albeit negative, impact.
makes some sense that he wanted to share responsibility for Even though Setsuko is telling Ono that he did nothing terrible that
the direction the war went. But, she adds, although her father he should feel guilty about, Ono feels that she is saying his career
painted some splendid paintings that were appreciated by did not make any significant mark. She is threatening his belief that
other painters, he should not worry that he did any harm he achieved relevance as an artist.
because his work had nothing to do with larger matters. Ono
says that this is very different from what Setsuko said to him
last year. Setsuko says she has no idea why her father’s career
would have any relevance to the marriage negotiations.

Setsuko continues, saying the Saitos were puzzled by Ono’s Now it becomes clear why Ono said to Taro that it was a shame he
behavior at the miai. Ono says he was under the impression and Dr. Saito did not become better acquainted before their
that Dr. Saito appreciated what he said during the miai. He says children brought them together: he wants to prove to Setsuko that
that Dr. Saito had followed his career over the years and would he is a well-known and prominent nationalist artist, one whose
have been familiar with the mistakes he made, so it was wartime career was so significant that it could actually have had
appropriate for him to tell Dr. Saito his current view. Setsuko negative consequences for the whole family’s reputation in the light
says that Taro told her that Dr. Saito was not aware that Ono of Japan’s post-war orientation. Setsuko seems to have revealed
was an artist, but only knew him as a neighbor. Ono says this is that this was a delusion. Whether Dr. Saito and Ono really did meet
not true. Setsuko accepts this but insists that her father should before the war is left a mystery.
not feel guilty for anything he did in the past. Ono stops arguing
with Setsuko, but in retrospect he feels sure she is mistaken. He
clearly remembers meeting Dr. Saito when he moved to the
neighborhood and how Dr. Saito said that it was “a great
honour to have an artist of your stature in our neighborhood.”

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JUNE 1950
Ono reflects on a walk he took yesterday over the Bridge of Ono feels some regret that he had not spent more time with his old
Hesitation. He has just heard of Matsuda’s death and thinks colleague, but the rest of the chapter will show that his last visit
that he had meant to visit Matsuda more often but had only with Matsuda has shaped his thoughts about himself and his career
visited once more since Noriko’s marriage talks. just as much as earlier conversations with Matsuda did.

On that visit, Miss Suzuki answers the door and tells Ono that Ono gives no further explanation of his recent illness, leaving open
Matsuda is much stronger than he was eighteen months before the possibility that he was so disturbed by Setsuko’s insinuation
when he last visited. Ono thanks Matsuda for writing to him about the insignificance of his career that he fell ill as a result. Most
during his recent illness. Matsuda says that Ono seems to have likely someone in Ono’s family wrote to Matsuda to tell him of Ono’s
recovered. Ono says he is fine now, he just must carry a cane. illness in the hopes that his influence could be helpful.

Matsuda asks after Noriko, and Ono tells him that Noriko is Although Ono has experienced the stress of conflict with both his
pregnant with her first child, and Setsuko is also expecting parents and children, the childless Matsuda reminds him that
another child. Matsuda congratulates Ono. having children and grandchildren is a lucky thing.

Matsuda asks if Ono is painting. Ono says he has started Matsuda is glad that Ono has not entirely given up painting,
painting flowers in watercolor to pass the time. Matsuda says because he knows that working as an artist brings Ono pleasure.
he is glad to hear it and adds that Ono seemed very Ono has returned to simpler depictions of naturalistic scenes,
disillusioned the last time he visited. Ono says that may be true. instead of trying to bring ideological meaning to his work.
Matsuda says Ono always wanted to make a grand
contribution. Ono says that Matsuda had been the same way
and they both had great energy and courage.

Matsuda recalls how angry Ono used to get when Matsuda Matsuda now admits that the nationalist message that he
teased him for his narrow artist’s perspective. He says it seems convinced Ono to put into his art was a mistake. He sees both of
neither of them saw things broadly enough. He says they their contributions as insignificant to the country and its history.
should not blame themselves, they merely turned out to be This perspective clashes with what Ono has been trying to convince
ordinary men without any special insight. himself about his own past.

Ono looks out at the garden. He can smell something burning For the only time in the novel, Ono brings up his wife’s death. While
faintly and tells Matsuda that the smell makes him uneasy and Matsuda sees the smell as a sign of rebirth and new life, Ono has
reminds him of bombings. He adds that it will be five years next long convinced himself that his career was the most important thing
month since Michiko’s death. Matsuda says the smoke is likely to him and he is only just beginning to face his grief for losing his
just from a neighbor clearing his garden. family during the war.

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A clock chimes and Matsuda says it is time to go feed the carps Even though Matsuda has no children of his own, he still
in his pond. They go outside, and Ono sees a boy of four or five experiences connection with younger generations through his
peering over a fence. Matsuda greets the boy, Botchan, who contact with Botchan. Something undefined but meaningful passes
then dips out of sight. Matsuda says to Ono that the boy comes between those who are at the end of their lives and those who are at
to watch him every day. He says he wonders what the boy finds the beginning of theirs.
fascinating about an old man feeding fish.

Matsuda says that people blame the military, politicians, and Matsuda was the one who convinced Ono to turn to nationalist art.
businessmen for what happened to the country, but people like Ono tried to subscribe to Matsuda’s beliefs, convinced that through
himself and Ono made only a marginal contribution. Despite political art he could achieve his ambition to make a mark as an
what Matsuda says, Ono thinks that he is not disillusioned, but artist. Matsuda sees that their work failed to do this, but Ono is still
realizes how much he has to be proud of. He says that they took unable to fully admit to himself that he wasted his talent doing
bold steps and followed their convictions, and he is sure something that will be forgotten.
Matsuda felt satisfied as he looked back on his life.

Ono shifts the narrative to recall a proud moment in his life: in At the peak of Ono’s career, he is celebrated for his nationalist work.
1938, he has just finished the New Japan campaign, which is a Notably, Ono does not mention the larger political context: Japan’s
great success and wins the Shigeta Foundation Award. He sits large-scale invasion of China. Instead, Ono is gratified because he
in the Migi-Hidari being toasted by his pupils, but it is not until a feels like he has proven Mori-san wrong. This feeling of satisfaction
few days later that he has a feeling of deep fulfillment and after a conflict with a teacher mirrors Ono’s other conflict with his
pride. He takes a train to Wakaba, intending to visit Mori-san. father. Ono is pleased with his own interpretation of his success and
He is sure that Mori-san knows how much better his career decides not to threaten it with an actual encounter with his former
turned out than he predicted, while Mori-san’s prestige has teacher. Instead of trying to reconnect with a person whom he saw
declined and he is forced to illustrate popular magazines to as a father figure, he sits looking at his old home and contemplating
make ends meet. Ono wonders how Mori-san will greet him his own perception of his place in the world.
and prepares himself for either a cold or warm reception. He
decides he will not address Mori-san as sensei. But, when he
gets to a place on the mountain looking over the villa, he sits
down and eats an orange. Looking out at the villa, he has a
feeling of triumph and satisfaction. He does not go further to
the villa but sits in contemplation looking at it.

Most people, Ono thinks, never feel this kind of contentment. Although Ono followed Matsuda’s lead, he has convinced himself to
Certainly, the Tortoise or Shintaro would be incapable of it, believe that this was a brave and independent act. He also refuses
because they never risk anything to rise above mediocrity. Ono to accept what Matsuda told him about how he now views their
feels that Matsuda likely experienced moments of deep pride past careers, instead holding onto the self-deception that he and
like he did, because he acted on what he believed in. Matsuda were independent thinkers who should be proud.

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After hearing of Matsuda’s death, Ono walks across the Bridge Ono continues to closely observe how the city is changing, but he
of Hesitation to the area that used to be the pleasure district. realizes that his time has passed and the city will never be as he
Where Mrs. Kawakami’s stood is a large office building, and knew it again. He shows signs of accepting this, as he expresses his
where the Migi-Hidari once was, there is a front yard in front of hope that the young office workers—who live a life similar to his
another office building. In that yard is a bench, which Ono children’s—will succeed where he failed. Their optimism resembles
thinks is in approximately the same place where his old table in the optimism of his generation, however, suggesting that they may
the bar was positioned. He sometimes sits on this bench, as he also eventually live to be disappointed about their contributions
does in this moment. He watches several young office workers and to delude themselves about their pasts.
greet one another and notes their happy, optimistic demeanor.
He recognizes the same good-hearted spirit that used to hold
sway in the pleasure district among the young office workers.
He thinks that, despite the nation’s mistakes, the new
generation is starting afresh. He wishes them well.

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To cite any of the quotes from An Artist of the Floating World

HOW T
TO
O CITE covered in the Quotes section of this LitChart:
To cite this LitChart: MLA
MLA Ishiguro, Kazuo. An Artist of the Floating World. Vintage. 1986.
Levine, Yael. "An Artist of the Floating World." LitCharts. LitCharts CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
LLC, 30 Jul 2018. Web. 21 Apr 2020.
Ishiguro, Kazuo. An Artist of the Floating World. New York:
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL Vintage. 1986.
Levine, Yael. "An Artist of the Floating World." LitCharts LLC, July
30, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2020. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/
an-artist-of-the-floating-world.

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