Yasunari Kawabata's novels hark back to a lost period of decorum and suppressing culture. The short novel contrasts the fleeting with what remains, the shortness of a lifetime with the longevity of objects, culture and ceremony. This is brought to the forefront in the tea ceremony and the use of age-old teaware, tea cups and other ceramics which have had a long history and were used by different people in the family. The stark contrast between the cherished heritage also highlights the pettiness of strive between people.

Kawabata is one of Japan's Nobel Prize winners, and the high quality of his writing, while transcending the specific Japanese cultural background to embrace universal life experience is proved by this short novel. ( )

Absolutely perfect. The psychological landscape was captivating. I would have read it in one sitting, but I unfortunately fell asleep. ( )

Now that I've decided to try to 'review' each book that I have cataloged, there will be books( like this one) where I may recall reading it some years ago, may or may not remember how or why I liked it, but still can recall only a few or maybe no details about the experience. ( )

Tsuru, 鶴
In Giappone la gru è il simbolo della longevità e della buona salute ed è convinzione comune che chi realizza nella vita mille gru con gli origami, potrà realizzare i propri desideri di cuore e vivere più a lungo.

Delle vecchie diapositive si scombinarono tra loro - sovrapponendosi - i vari volti divennero un unico volto che li racchiudeva, riassumeva e confondeva…
ma ogni cuore soggiace solo per un istante all’ebbrezza dell’unione
e dal mucchio raccoglie solo una diapositiva
per poi dimenticarla tra i mille fogli di un libro mai scritto.

Piu’ che a lei, Kikuji si era rivolto al proprio cuore inquieto: si era lasciato condurre con naturalezza in un altro mondo, nel quale pareva che non esistesse alcuna differenza tra lui e suo padre. (72)

La Ota era morta per non aver potuto sottrarsi al sentimento di vergogna che la tormentava? Oppure si era tolta la vita, travolta da una passione incontenibile? Per una settimana Kikuji aveva inutilmente tentato di risolvere il dilemma. (79-80)



Fumiko non conosceva la madre sotto quell’aspetto.
Il fatto che i figli ignorino il corpo della madre, da cui pure sono nati, reca in se’ qualcosa di stranamente bello, come stranamente bello e’ il rivivere di quel corpo in quelle delle figlie. (89)

Un oggetto che era stato della Ota veniva ora maneggiato dalla Kurimoto, e alla morte della Ota era passato nelle mani di Fumiko, e da queste in quelle di Kikuji.
Che strane vicende! Ma forse questa era la sorte che spettava a tutte le porcellane destinate alla cerimonia del te’. (122)

( )

Top three "classic" Japanese novelists:

1. Yukio Mishima
2. Natsume Soseki
3. Yasunari Kawabata

The novel is a relatively new literary form in Japan: Soseki was the pioneer, having lived in Europe and digested much of the Western canon. However, when writing novels from the Japanese perspective, these three authors' works are so weighted down with cultural and linguistic significance that it is difficult for the non-Japanese reader to find a toehold.

Before the development of the Japanese novel, poetry was the primary form of literary expression, and Japanese poetry is known for its austerity, precision, economy of language, etc. The Japanese novel carries over much of this tradition. I would say that Mishima is the exception, but his work is really a reflection of his larger-than-life personality.

"Thousand Cranes" epitomizes the economy we find in traditional Japanese literature. The story is a snapshot of an emotionally charged moment in a young man's life. The formal tea ceremony is the central symbol: its graceful elements hide the underlying illicit passion.

"Chikako poked at the embers in the hearth. 'Miss Inamura, suppose you make tea for Mr. Mitani. I don't believe you've had your turn yet.

The girl of the thousand cranes stood up.

Kikuji had noticed her besides Mrs. Ota.

He had avoided looking at her, however, once he had seen Mrs. Ota and the daughter.

Chikako was of course showing the girl of for his inspection." (18)

Chikako is one of Kikuji's father's former lovers who, through the tea ceremony, tries to manipulate the young man's love life. She especially wants to keep him away from the magnetic and tragically romantic Mrs. Ota, also his father's mistress. There is a lot of discussion of his father's collection of tea bowls and their significance to his son and mistresses. There is also some ambiguity as to Chikako's motives; is she trying to preserve Kikuji's honor by saving him from an affair with his father's lover and her daughter, possibly his sister?

Kawabata's intense focus on the relationships between Kikuji and these women leaves the reader missing out on some cultural context. Was it normal for an affluent men to take multiple mistresses? Why is there no discussion of Kikuji's mother?

Chikako is seen, superficially, as an object of derision, mainly for the birthmark on her breast. But Kikuji also hates her meddling - maybe because she acts as his conscience in this story. The reader, seeing her through Kikuji's eyes, also instinctively dislikes her. In the end, it is the ambiguity surrounding Kikuji and Chikako's morality and intentions that make this novel an evocative read. ( )