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The Old Capital

by Yasunari Kawabata, J. Martin Holman (Translator)

3.82 · rating details · 364 ratings · 49 reviews

"The Old Capital is one of the three novels cited specifically by the Nobel Committee when they awarded Kawabata the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. With the ethereal tone and aesthetic styling characteristic of Kawabata's prose, "The Old Capital tells the story of Chieko, the adopted daughter of a Kyoto kimono designer, Takichiro, and his wife, Shige.
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Paperback, 160 pages

Published January 10th 2006 by Counterpoint (first published 1962)

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Mar 29, 2011

Mariel rated it

Recommends it for: you read

Recommended to Mariel by: I read

Shelves: turningjapanese, fashionisdanger, i-wish-i-had-an-evil-twin, happyhookers

Edit- I suck. I didn't say why I loved this book. I loved the sweetness before the sadness. It was like when you're in love before the shit flies. Sitting in groves and watching growth (any other nature nerds?), the trying to get to know someone whom you suspect is quite beautiful. The love ends and I was all alone. It's a heartbreaker it is. My broken heart tends to wallow and go into deny deny deny. And then it's the go back and over all the details to prove it ever really happened. I love you...more

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Sep 11, 2010

L.S. rated it

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Shelves: 2010

This is the best fiction book I read this year. The first Chapter is simply amazing. I saw myself there, really breathing spring's air. Each page has a scent of deep loneliness, a tourmenting sadness. If I had to give it a color, this book would be bluey-gray.

Vechiul oraş imperial este una dintre cele mai bune cărţi pe care le-am citit anul acesta. Este o poveste despre iubire, aşa cum o poartă un suflet japonez: blândeţea şi duioşia dragostei de mamă pentru fiica ei, dragostea ren'...more

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Jul 29, 2011

Liviu rated it

Shelves: mainstream, read_2010, all_time_favorites

Beautiful novel; Chieko is the young daughter of a Kyoto kimono designer/seller Takichiro and his wife Shige; losing his "inspiration" and believing his business in some trouble, Takechiro (who is grooming Chieko to follow him in the business) 'retires" to a monastery for a little quiet, while Chieko is troubled by the recent revelation that she has been adopted and not only that but her parents 'stole" her as a newborn baby on the steps of a temple; courted by two and soon t...more

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Jun 08, 2008

Scott rated it

Recommended to Scott by: Patricia

Shelves: 1960s, japan

At the end of The Old Capital, Kawabata leaves his readers savoring that uniquely Japanese sentiment of wabisabi, a feeling of pleasant melancholy brought on by an unobtainable desire for the past, completion, and resolution. Set in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, Kawabata's novella introduces Chieko, a young woman who must come to terms with her mysterious birth. But Chieko's story is only part of a narrative that takes the reader on a nostalgic tour of a city steeped in artistic tradition...more

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Oct 09, 2011

Van Nguyen rated it

After I had read the novella of Yasunari Kawabata "The Old Capital", I thought this book was really interesting. He wrote beautifully about twins sisters' story Naeko and Chieko with the context of Kyoto city in Japan. Ancient beauty in "The Old Capital" penetrated into the hearts of readers little by little as flavour of sake even though this kind of beauty was not showy or flashy.

Kyoto landscape appeared with many temples, pagodas, cherry blossom trees, camphor tr...moreAfter I had read the novella of Yasunari Kawabata "The Old Capital", I thought this book was really interesting. He wrote beautifully about twins sisters' story Naeko and Chieko with the context of Kyoto city in Japan. Ancient beauty in "The Old Capital" penetrated into the hearts of readers little by little as flavour of sake even though this kind of beauty was not showy or flashy.

Kyoto landscape appeared with many temples, pagodas, cherry blossom trees, camphor trees and pine trees. By gentle and delicate expressing of Kawabata, people in that lovely city were portrayed vividly through their daily lives or many festivals in ancient Kyoto. The characters' sentiment was not only gently, polite but also profound, especially females'.

Chieko at first was so confused about her situation after she had recollected of her past as abandoned child, but in the end of the story, she found her twin sister Naeko. She had an express reason to take care of Naeko rather than worry about their real parents. I thought that Chieko felt her life was luckier than her twin hard life. Naeko was also an emotional girl. She had a question about Chieko but she did not know who Chieko was. Naeko always had a sincere heart when she worshipped to meet Chieko. I could see that the desire to meet the twin sister was not only Naeko's pain but also her greatest hope through many years. Naeko and Chieko did not meet each other for a long time but their sister love was so deep and pure. Chieko did not want to let Naeko work in a harsh environment while Naeko wanted to keep reputation for her sister. In the end of the novel, Naeko chose to leave. Although the characters did not determine the happiness in their lives yet but Kawabata placed the open ending very reasonably. Two girls were like two purple flower clusters on the maple tree of Chieko's house, they had the same appearance and their locations were very close to each other but they had to separate so far as well.

Besides two sisters who were main characters, readers could realise a artist father who always to reseach his work with traditional and innovative as Mr Takechiro, the subtle fingers of a young weaver Hideo with the features of the belt, an enthusiastic friend as Shinichi, a researcher who had an intense love as Riuxuke. All made a peaceful picture which was subtle and rememberable about twins sisters.

When I found works of Kawabata to read, I knew that he had won Nobel prize in 1968 so my feeling to start reading "The Old Capital" was trembling with excitement. Actually, I could not found the book and I read online for this novella. I had read some Kawabata's short stories before, the "Palm of the Hand Stories" and indeed "The Old Capital" made me sympathize fully. Kawabata wrote a story about the old capital with a bold outline Japan which imprinted in readers' heart an unforgettable impression.(less)

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Aug 29, 2010

Sara rated it

The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata
4.5 stars, rounded to 5
182 Pages

Chieko is the much loved daughter of a traditional shopkeeper in the old Japanese capital Kyoto. A foundling discovered on the steps of the shop, Chieko is raised in the old style, eschewing the modern changes brought with the Americans during post-war rebuilding. The story takes place over the course of a single year in which many changes from love to family threaten to overturn her neat and orderly life...more

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Feb 17, 2011

Anne rated it

Kawabata won the 1968 Nobel Prize for Literature - and this was one of three of his novels cited by the Nobel committee. It tells the story of Chieko, the only child of a kimono designed in Kyoto. According to her parents, they kidnapped her when she was a small child and raised her as their own. As their stories never quite match-up, Chieko knows there is more to it. As the story unfolds, Chieko slowly learns more about the reality of her past. Simultaneously, she is faced with her role in her ...more

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Dec 01, 2011

Andrew added it

Shelves: japanese-fiction

I have a way of comparing Japanese novels to the films of Yasujiro Ozu, who is probably my favorite filmmaker. So much modern Japanese fiction is written in this wistful tone, meditating on the gap in understanding between the old and the new Japan. Well, this one's no exception. Even the structure of the thing is filmic, with each chapter opening up on a distinct scene.

Actually, this one practically IS an Ozu film. Not only are the aforementioned characteristics there, there's also th...more

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Sep 23, 2010

Redfox5 rated it

Shelves: fiction, japan

Hmmmm, not really sure what to make of this book. It seems like not alot happened, even though it did. And the things that did happen were not explaned. Was the story about her parents stealing her true? What was the deal with her being asked by Ryusuke to check the accounts. Did Naeko decide to get married? Also I think Chieko had a fairly unrealistic attitude to being a stolen child. I would have liked some sort of conculsion to the book. This book is worth a read but it's not that exciting. ...more

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Feb 10, 2009

Stefanie rated it

Note: Must look more into this author. Apparently, Holman's translation is supposed to be very true to the original. As with all translations though, I can't help but wonder if there was something more lost. I have a basic knowledge of Japanese history and have read other historical fiction about Japan however I was left wondering if I should know more to fully comprehend the author's motives.
This is the first novel I have read by Kawabata. While I was drawn to the very straightforwa...more

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Sep 21, 2009

Mark David Gan rated it

It’s easy to see why the cherry blossom is regarded as an inimitable symbol of springtime in Japan. Blooming for only a week or two each year, this muse of the vernal season not only graces the Japanese landscape with enchanting elegance but also emanates a subtle, gentle charm that’s evocative of the country’s own aesthetic sensibility. As no poem can ever be as lovely as a tree, no verse can ever be enough to express in words the full beauty of the Sakura’s flowers.

In The Old Capital, No

...more

In The Old Capital, Nobel-laureate Yasunari Kawabata weaves a story about a Kimono designer’s daughter whose endearing qualities is no less than that of the white cherry blossoms that fill the air with a pervasive sense of purity, modesty, and delicate beauty. The first chapter, “The Flowers of Spring”, evokes a floating feeling quite similar to being young at heart. And true enough, even before the end of this short chapter, I found myself falling in love with the beautiful young woman as she takes delight at the countless blossoms which couldn’t have surpassed her own loveliness. Reading each of her lines made me feel like I was really there before her, listening to her “pure voice with a beautiful note of strength that rang in its depths.”

Also like the cherry blossoms, however, the sight of her is not without a note of sadness. Obedient and caring, Chieko is the pampered daughter of Shige and Takichiro, a middle-class couple who’s told her since her youth that they’d kidnapped her while only a newborn because their hearts were pierced by her flowerlike smile. But as the seasons change, she grows ever more convinced that she was actually a foundling—an “abandoned child” left at the doorsteps of her adoptive parents. Soon, the peaceful life she has come to cherish collides with a world she has not known, leaving her confused like the old capital where ancient traditions appear ever in threat from the changes embraced by the emerging modern society.

Kawabata’s writing is said to be “suggestive of a Zen brush-and-ink painting where what is omitted is as important as what is included.” Publisher’s Weekly couldn’t have been more accurate in such description. In this subdued narrative, characters are often lost deep in thought—a mood that constantly reflects the peaceful yet elusive tone of the story. Dialogues quickly turn into monologues when after one character speaks, the other would simply be described as “silent” or “saying nothing.” But in silence, Kawabata’s brilliance only becomes more evident as those brief moments of pause intensify the feelings brought forth by the statements that precede them. With few words, he is able to express the intense physical and emotional states that his characters go through, making a short scene feel like an actual experience.

But the book’s polite yet spirited characters are not the only captivating elements of the story. In between affectionate dialogues, Kawabata slips in nearly-ethereal word-paintings of the characters’ surroundings, as if carefully taking note of the atmosphere that bears witness to the tale. The summer sky, the winter snow, the towering cedars and fallen petals, gardens and shrines, prayers and processions, festivals, geishas, maikos, vendors, locals and foreigners—they’re all part of the painted picture where beauty often meets with sadness. It’s a tour of post-war Japan that offers a close look at its people, its places, and its practices at a time when the country’s identity is at a turning point.

The Old Capital is truly a story of “inexpressible warmth,” a novel of such exquisite quality that it was called Kawabata’s “most outstanding” work at the time of his Nobel Prize citation.

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Nov 11, 2008

Brian rated it

Shelves: read-2008, asian, nobel

“Were there no such thing as man, there would be nothing like Kyoto either. It would all be natural woods and fields of grasses. This land would belong to the deer and wild boar, wouldn’t it? Why did man come into this world? It’s frightening… mankind.”

Another Kawabata this year and another wonderful, calming read. I timed this one perfectly for my trip to Kyoto and was able to plan a few days in the 'Old Capital' based on the settings described in the book. It is a simple story abou...more

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Sep 14, 2007

Antonius Block added it

Shelves: japanese-literature

The Old Capital – the true title should simply be “Kyoto,” but to a non-Japanese, that city might not register as Japan’s previous capital, hence the English title which spells it out – was one of three novels cited when Kawabata received the Nobel Prize for Literature. At the time, he stated that he sought harmony in his work between man, nature, and emptiness, and that theme really comes through in this book.

Kyoto is not merely the old capital of Japan but the center of its old tr...moreThe Old Capital – the true title should simply be “Kyoto,” but to a non-Japanese, that city might not register as Japan’s previous capital, hence the English title which spells it out – was one of three novels cited when Kawabata received the Nobel Prize for Literature. At the time, he stated that he sought harmony in his work between man, nature, and emptiness, and that theme really comes through in this book.

Kyoto is not merely the old capital of Japan but the center of its old traditions and culture, which in this postwar world is threatened to be transformed if not lost altogether. Family run stores are becoming incorporated, festivals are being altered, traditional inns have been converted into inns for western tourists, and an entire way of life seems to be falling between the cracks of modernity.

It’s in this world that Kawabata sets his story about a 20-year old girl, Chieko, reconciling the abundant love her parents have shown her and which she has always reciprocated, with the newfound knowledge that she was an abandoned child, found and raised by her foster parents who, in order to ease the burdensome knowledge of having been abandoned by one’s real parents, insist that they kidnapped her as a baby. Her father is an obi designer who has long lost his touch, and much of the drama revolves around whether he should close up his shop, which is struggling financially, or continue to operate.

One day, in what is something of a dreamlike moment, Chieko meets a girl at a festival who turns out to be her twin sister, Naeko, who was not abandoned, and who lives a comparatively harsh life up in the mountains doing manual labor among large cedar trees. Both Chieko and Naeko are of a gentle, delicate sensibility, and they become mirror images of one another, confusing a number of secondary characters who mistake the one for the other. But to dwell too much on “plot” would be a mistake, since Kawabata is much more attuned to imagery and metaphor and most of all an elegiac tone that is as quietly passionate as in any of his novels.

Kawabata’s characters are always reflected in their environment, with trees and flowers paralleling the experiences or sensibilities that define them. The Old Capital begins with a description of a tree harboring twin sets of violets in bloom, one higher in the tree and one lower, which cause Chieko to wonder: Will these two sets of violets ever grow together? They reflect not only Chieko and Naeko, destined to meet but melancholically unable to ‘grow together,’ but also the many potential suitors for Chieko, one of whom develops a fondness for Naeko upon realizing his love for Chieko is impossible, which reflects how Naeko perceives herself to be a mere illusion of her sister. Chieko, meanwhile, perhaps loves a boy whom she remembers fondly for his important role in a festival many years ago. She is, in a sense, as much in love with the illusion of that festival boy she holds in her memory as the other loves Naeko as an illusion of Chieko. Going further, one can read these illusory loves as reflecting Kawabata’s own love with an old capital, an idea of a city that only remains in his memory. I can think of few better examples than this of the concept of ‘mono no aware,’ that particularly Japanese sadness toward the ephemerality of life.

Unlike Snow Country or The Sound of the Mountain, The Old Capital doesn’t limit itself to a single viewpoint character, but switches between several as the book progresses, perhaps broadening the scope but limiting the depth of character. Nevertheless, the essentialist style, the attention to aesthetic beauty and nature as reflecting the internal transformations or experiences of its characters, the subtlety with which interactions are hinged – a glance, an intimation, a word – imbues the book with Kawabata’s distinctive signature.
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Jul 09, 2010

Kazuko Kato rated it

Through this book I was able to see pre WWII Japan vs. post WWII Japan. I have never encountered a book that depicted the clash between the old and the new so accurately. This is a great read for anyone interested in Japanese culture because it opens the door to many cultural aspects that have been overshadowed by modernity through time. The book itself seems to be uneventful and it’s a slow read filled with rich details that need to be carefully appreciated.

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Jul 02, 2011

Sae-chan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: japanese-writers

I was so mesmerized reading the book. The colors were vibrant and bold. The fragrant smell of the pine during the rain uncannily lingered. The characters were dull and pale. Like a stage play with the backdrop as its main story and the actors are extras. And simple words, like small dashes in Van Gogh's painting, entwined beautifully as a whole.

I come to understand 悲しいほどきれい

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Apr 30, 2010

Sherry rated it

So good to read on my way to Japan again....and it is about twins and illusions and trees and Kyoto--all things I love tho I know illusions and Kyoto least. And I'm reminded again of how much I wish I had the power/ability to read books in their original languages for the translation of this is beautiful and yet I can only imagine how much more "Japanese" and beautiful it must be in Japanese.

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Jan 22, 2012

Albena Todorova rated it

Заедно с "Гласа на планината" една от най-силните книги на Кавабата - именно те двете са най-познати на западната публика.
Необходимо е да се чете бавно, внимателно, с вглеждане, без бързане.

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Nov 16, 2010

heather rated it

Shelves: 2010, fiction, school, translated

i definitely have to reread this sometime, much of the subtlety went over my head. the characters are delicately delineated, the plot is almost nonexistent (strange for a story that involves various love connections, a surprise twin, and the decay of customs). the traces of historical change embedded in the novel are startling and intriguing. there's a lot to unpack here.

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Mar 17, 2010

Jamie rated it

This novel is set in Kyoto, and contains numerous descriptive references to the shrines, gardens, festivals and neighborhoods of Kyoto. I love reading Kawabata, for his tendency towards beautiful scenic descriptions and feelings of melancholy, and this novel was no different in that regard. As an added feature, this novel has been helpful in my quest to learn more about the history and what there is to see in Kyoto. It has been a source for my planning of which temples to visit while I am there!...more

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Apr 04, 2010

Harvee rated it

Spring, cherry blossoms, the Old Capital of Kyoto, family, love and loss, by the master storyteller Kawabata. Too bad I had to read it in translation. Full review of The Old Capital

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Jan 16, 2012

Shari rated it

Shelves: classic, award-winner

Storywise, disappointing. No suspense here, even obscure in some parts. The books objective is not to entertain but to make one nostalgic and feel the presence of nature and passing of time. Kawabata brilliantly used the setting to highlight the story's themes and plot.

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Dec 01, 2011

B G rated it

First book of 20th century Japanese fiction that I read almost 20 years ago and one of the best novels of the 20th century. A wonderful book about Japan and Japanese culture and traditions and about identity and loneliness as well. A very beautiful book.

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Dec 10, 2010

Lavinia added it

Shelves: 2010, fiction

Either the book is poorly written (though Mr. K. is a Nobel winner, for goodness' sake!), the elegant Kyoto dialect difficult to translate or I'm too shallow and unable to get why the Japanese are so keen on processions and festivals: cherry blossom, camphor blossom, maple blossom, tea harvest - all on the same page.

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Jul 28, 2011

Gerardo rated it

· review of another edition

La historia no es lo principal en este escrito, es un medio para poder darle vida a la cultura japonesa, en especial a Kioto, antigua capital. Es un libro que retrate de una manera hermosa la naturaleza, las fiestas, paisajes, habitantes, en fin, retrata la cultura e historia de un lugar tan enigmático como es esta ciudad.
Las vivencia de los personajes (la mayoría jóvenes), hacen que estos vayan cambiando al mismo tiempo que lo hace la ciudad de Kioto mediante las nuevas generaciones, culturas...more

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Dec 11, 2010

pure..~ added it · review of another edition

من روااااااائع الأدب الياباني
كانت أجمل رواية يابانية قرأتهاللآن كما أنها تتميز بالسلاسة والوضوح تناقضاً مع الروايات المترجمة

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Dec 08, 2008

an rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: jepun, punya

pemenang nobel sastra ni, orang asia pula. walo bukan senegara, tapi ingin rasa na ngebaca. biar tau gimana tipe" tulisan yg bisa menang nobel. bahkan pramoedya yg dah msk nominasi aja cuma berhasil msk di nominasi doang, g lulus".
trus gmn sampe org jepang bisa menang nobel????? dr 4 orang pemenang nobel sastra di asia, 2 di antara na org jepang.
lagi" jepang....

n stlh selesai.....

kawabata bhasil m'angkat kisah d daerah na dg baik, mbri deskripsi...more

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Dec 12, 2010

Dia rated it

Impermanence permeates this story of a lonely, dignified girl who discovers she has a twin amidst the perpetual seasonal festivals and waning traditions of Kyoto.

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Dec 09, 2008

Susan rated it

I found that Kawabata's name has more frequently entered my conversations, especially given my growing interest in mindfulness-based CBT.....iconic.

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Nov 01, 2011

Ala'a mansour rated it

· review of another edition

أحببت كيوتو ، العاصمة القديمة لليابان
من الممتع أن تتعرف على شيء مختلف عما اعتدته.

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Dec 29, 2011

Nathaniel rated it

A meandering tale about old japan and the customs of the time.

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About Yasunari Kawabata

Yasunari Kawabata (Kawabata Yasunari, 14 June 1899 - 16 April 1972) was a Japanese short story writer and novelist whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and are still widely read.

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