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Stories of Osaka Life
English (translation)Original Japanese
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 23, 2017
4 stories all focused in or around Osaka. Written between 1939 - 47.
Check out my blog for a full review:
https://ianjoshyateswriting.blogspot....
May 24, 2019
5/5
I loved this book. I knew I would, but just that satisfaction that this would be one of the best books of the year is an amazing feeling to have.
Though Oda has written numerous books during his life, this collection only features 4 of them. But they are amazing stories that begs for more translations of his works.
Sweet Beans for two or Hurray for Marriage!
This story has a pun in its name. In Japanese it would be Meoto Zenzai. Meoto means husband and wife while zenzai means an exclamation of approval. However, Zenzai is also the name of a sweet dish made from adzuki beans. So, a restaurant Meoto Zenzai is actually one recipe served in two dishes. One for him and one for her. This duel meaning, while maintain the air of light heartedness, reminds the reader that there is a duel meaning to the story. Not necessarily a hidden meaning, but more then what the story is presenting to you. Putting this story as the first one in this book is smart because it gives the reader a good idea of Oda’s writing style. Burton Watson, the translator, in his introduction to the collection, gives the reader an understanding of Oda’s writing. He describes Oda’s writing akin to how Oda saw himself,
From the stories, you get the sense that Oda the writer was a curious soul. One who wondered why in the place of judgement. Why does someone act the way they do? What could possibly influence them? What pushes their limits? His writing seeks to provide a subtle explanation, and as a result, the reader approaches each character without judgement. The contrast he displays with the concrete, realistic descriptions of the surrounding environment of Osaka and the malleable nature of his characters sets in the idea that humans are not ideals. They are not the uncut gems ready to be manufactured into priceless gemstones. They are the diamonds in the rough found in the mines. They are attached to the unattractive rocks and no machine can separate them; and like diamonds, they are found in abundance. We are our own reminders of our imperfections, and rather then lament that, Oda decided to rejoice in it. Gesaku writers were writers who,
By associating himself with this style, Oda was setting himself up with confrontation. You see, Oda wrote primarily surrounding the era of WW2. Censorships and criticism were very high and Oda repeatedly faced the frustration of having his works banned from publication. Yet he remained who he was, and his refusal to change his writing marks him today for we remember him and not his critics. I personally, am impressed by his writing and his fortitude to live by his principles and it’s why I consider him part of my list of revolutionary writers.
Review Continued Here
I loved this book. I knew I would, but just that satisfaction that this would be one of the best books of the year is an amazing feeling to have.
Though Oda has written numerous books during his life, this collection only features 4 of them. But they are amazing stories that begs for more translations of his works.
Sweet Beans for two or Hurray for Marriage!
This story has a pun in its name. In Japanese it would be Meoto Zenzai. Meoto means husband and wife while zenzai means an exclamation of approval. However, Zenzai is also the name of a sweet dish made from adzuki beans. So, a restaurant Meoto Zenzai is actually one recipe served in two dishes. One for him and one for her. This duel meaning, while maintain the air of light heartedness, reminds the reader that there is a duel meaning to the story. Not necessarily a hidden meaning, but more then what the story is presenting to you. Putting this story as the first one in this book is smart because it gives the reader a good idea of Oda’s writing style. Burton Watson, the translator, in his introduction to the collection, gives the reader an understanding of Oda’s writing. He describes Oda’s writing akin to how Oda saw himself,
“Oda saw himself as a shin-gesaku or new gesaku-style writer, carrying on this tradition of defince, thumbing his nose at ideologues and arbiters of public morality alike. For this reason, he deliberately chose to focus upon society’s bunglers and misfits, those who because of some flaw in their background or some unconventional turn of behaviour are fated to endure loneliness, frustration, or ostracism. In keeping with the gesaku tradition, his treatment of such subjects is marked by a light handed and ironic touch, carefully avoiding anything that hints at the lugubrious. And yet underlying the surface levity we sense the author’s deep sympathy for the human beings portrayed.” (Watson)
From the stories, you get the sense that Oda the writer was a curious soul. One who wondered why in the place of judgement. Why does someone act the way they do? What could possibly influence them? What pushes their limits? His writing seeks to provide a subtle explanation, and as a result, the reader approaches each character without judgement. The contrast he displays with the concrete, realistic descriptions of the surrounding environment of Osaka and the malleable nature of his characters sets in the idea that humans are not ideals. They are not the uncut gems ready to be manufactured into priceless gemstones. They are the diamonds in the rough found in the mines. They are attached to the unattractive rocks and no machine can separate them; and like diamonds, they are found in abundance. We are our own reminders of our imperfections, and rather then lament that, Oda decided to rejoice in it. Gesaku writers were writers who,
“turned out works reflecting not the ideals of society but is deplorable realities, works flippant in tone and scandalous in content. At such times it became the government’s duty to punish them for their impertinence.” (Watson)
By associating himself with this style, Oda was setting himself up with confrontation. You see, Oda wrote primarily surrounding the era of WW2. Censorships and criticism were very high and Oda repeatedly faced the frustration of having his works banned from publication. Yet he remained who he was, and his refusal to change his writing marks him today for we remember him and not his critics. I personally, am impressed by his writing and his fortitude to live by his principles and it’s why I consider him part of my list of revolutionary writers.
Review Continued Here
June 14, 2024
De hecho sin ninguna vergüenza yo pienso que Odasaku inventó la literatura.
September 2, 2013
Stories of Osaka Life collects four stories by Oda Sakunosuke, 1913 -1947, translated by Burton Watson, the first, Meoto Zenzai has been adapted to film a number of times and for a long time widely regarded as a classic. Choko and Ryukichi, she a geisha, or yatona, he a married man with a young daughter embark on an affair which it could be said traverses the classes, Choko from a poor hard working family, Ryukichi from a well off family, a subplot is the threat that he will loose his inheritance, it could be said that the story plays with certain notions of gender roles, Choko is the stronger and more hard working, while Ryukichi is the epitome seen in much of buraiha (hooligan) literature. Through following their hardships the story ends with Choko making the observation that the story is famous for - "I guess it's better to be husband and wife than all alone in the world!".
The last story in the collection The State of the Times probably displays the dynamics of Sakunosuke to the most effective degree, the story as Burton Watson explains in his informative introduction garnered greater attention after Shiga Nayao pronounced it "filthy". The story, like the preceding one City of Trees is narrated by a writer, which gives the added feeling that we're taking a step closer to the true voice of Sakunosuke, the story builds around a series of recollections that span differing time periods, before, during and after the war, which takes in the story of a ten sen geisha leading to the notorious case of Abe Sada, which Sakunosuke wrote about again later in the story The Seductress. Toward the end of the story the narrator breaks away from telling the story and begins to reflect on the transparency of his motives in writing it, and comes up with conclusions with an honesty that perhaps other writers of his time would have been perhaps equally either revulsed or perhaps inspired by.
The stories that Sakunosuke tell obviously didn't fall into the literary conventions of his times, his characters not only at times slouch out underneath reader and societal expectation but were also leading lives that were veering away from the acceptable paths of their times. These are fascinating translations and they make many references to every facet of Osaka life of their age.
The collection was selected by UNESCO's as being a representative work.
The last story in the collection The State of the Times probably displays the dynamics of Sakunosuke to the most effective degree, the story as Burton Watson explains in his informative introduction garnered greater attention after Shiga Nayao pronounced it "filthy". The story, like the preceding one City of Trees is narrated by a writer, which gives the added feeling that we're taking a step closer to the true voice of Sakunosuke, the story builds around a series of recollections that span differing time periods, before, during and after the war, which takes in the story of a ten sen geisha leading to the notorious case of Abe Sada, which Sakunosuke wrote about again later in the story The Seductress. Toward the end of the story the narrator breaks away from telling the story and begins to reflect on the transparency of his motives in writing it, and comes up with conclusions with an honesty that perhaps other writers of his time would have been perhaps equally either revulsed or perhaps inspired by.
The stories that Sakunosuke tell obviously didn't fall into the literary conventions of his times, his characters not only at times slouch out underneath reader and societal expectation but were also leading lives that were veering away from the acceptable paths of their times. These are fascinating translations and they make many references to every facet of Osaka life of their age.
The collection was selected by UNESCO's as being a representative work.
October 25, 2013
Read "Meoto Zenzai" for History of Modern Japan, my score and review will only be looking at that but I look forward to the day when I can finish reading the rest of the book.
Meoto Zenzai: An Osakan Story
In Japan, Osaka has stood as the cultural counterweight to the influence of Tokyo. Whereas the capital was ruled by those with Confucian ideals, Osaka was dominated by the values of the merchant class. Along those lines, Oda Sakunosuke's Meoto Zenzai is especially representative of Osaka through its portrayal of gender role reversals, hardships, money, and food.
The relationship between Choko and Ryukichi falls into an established pattern in Osakan literature: Choko is the "hard-working all-forgiving woman" whilst Ryukichi is a "spoiled, ineffectual man." Throughout the story, Choko is constantly balancing the books: working long hours; making frugal adjustments to her articles; building a nest egg; borrowing from her friends/family/co-workers. This stands in direct contrast to Ryukichi's idleness, fits of rage and impulse, as well as his drinking and debauchery.
One other well-established theme that Sakunosuke employs is the entrepreneurial spirit that the couple have. Rising out of the merchant's historical influence in the city, Choko and Ryukichi have several attempts to improve their lot through various enterprises that are unsuccessful until they try their hand at something Ryukichi has the utmost zeal for (food/cooking).
Another element derived from the dominance of merchants is the issue of money. Cash simply flows in and out of the hands of the couple at a troubling pace. The most egregious outflows of cash are typically tied to Ryukichi's desires for food, drink, and the company of women outside his household.
Ultimately, there is one more component that represents Osaka and it is food. Oda takes great pains to incorporate food throughout the story: beginning it with Tanekichi's tempura stand; taking Choko and Ryukichi to many places rooted in real life (restaurants like Izumiya, Takoume, etc...); as well as guiding Choko and Ryukichi through a number of businesses related to food (kanto-daki shop, fruit shop, and cafe). The great propagation of food in Oda's writing stresses the importance of food to Osakans and to life. Not only do humans require sustenance, many crave it in one delicious form or another and thus the overt presence of food makes the story very relatable from all the situations it appears in.
Oda Sakunosuke captures the essence of the place known as Osaka in his writing by including the themes of reversed gender role, aspirations, money, and food. They are representative of Osaka because the issue of gender roles is explored by other Osaka literature such as Chikamatsu Monzaemon's The Love Suicides at Sonezaki; both aspirations and money form aspects of the merchant culture that dominate the trade city of Osaka; and food is an integral element of Osakan culture.
Meoto Zenzai: An Osakan Story
In Japan, Osaka has stood as the cultural counterweight to the influence of Tokyo. Whereas the capital was ruled by those with Confucian ideals, Osaka was dominated by the values of the merchant class. Along those lines, Oda Sakunosuke's Meoto Zenzai is especially representative of Osaka through its portrayal of gender role reversals, hardships, money, and food.
The relationship between Choko and Ryukichi falls into an established pattern in Osakan literature: Choko is the "hard-working all-forgiving woman" whilst Ryukichi is a "spoiled, ineffectual man." Throughout the story, Choko is constantly balancing the books: working long hours; making frugal adjustments to her articles; building a nest egg; borrowing from her friends/family/co-workers. This stands in direct contrast to Ryukichi's idleness, fits of rage and impulse, as well as his drinking and debauchery.
One other well-established theme that Sakunosuke employs is the entrepreneurial spirit that the couple have. Rising out of the merchant's historical influence in the city, Choko and Ryukichi have several attempts to improve their lot through various enterprises that are unsuccessful until they try their hand at something Ryukichi has the utmost zeal for (food/cooking).
Another element derived from the dominance of merchants is the issue of money. Cash simply flows in and out of the hands of the couple at a troubling pace. The most egregious outflows of cash are typically tied to Ryukichi's desires for food, drink, and the company of women outside his household.
Ultimately, there is one more component that represents Osaka and it is food. Oda takes great pains to incorporate food throughout the story: beginning it with Tanekichi's tempura stand; taking Choko and Ryukichi to many places rooted in real life (restaurants like Izumiya, Takoume, etc...); as well as guiding Choko and Ryukichi through a number of businesses related to food (kanto-daki shop, fruit shop, and cafe). The great propagation of food in Oda's writing stresses the importance of food to Osakans and to life. Not only do humans require sustenance, many crave it in one delicious form or another and thus the overt presence of food makes the story very relatable from all the situations it appears in.
Oda Sakunosuke captures the essence of the place known as Osaka in his writing by including the themes of reversed gender role, aspirations, money, and food. They are representative of Osaka because the issue of gender roles is explored by other Osaka literature such as Chikamatsu Monzaemon's The Love Suicides at Sonezaki; both aspirations and money form aspects of the merchant culture that dominate the trade city of Osaka; and food is an integral element of Osakan culture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2021
Hurray for Marriage, or Sweet Beans for Two!: 3.5/5
Definitely the weaker out of the four, I don't harbor any strong feelings for it really. I kept wanting to scream to Choko to leave that man at once, but of course that is more or less my modern lenses of a very specific time of a very specific place. All in all, it felt very real. A story of Osaka life indeed.
Six White Venus: 5/5
Read it in one sitting, Narao was by far the best character. I felt very connected to him, unlike my feelings towards Choko in the last story. Short, simple, and very effective.
City of Trees: 5/5
Again, read it in one sitting. Not only the narrator was a great character but I loved the family that later appears as a whole. I liked the way the city was described, and the feeling it gave me as if I was really there, walking up and down Kuchinawa Slope. The ending also happened to be my favorite part (the parents were the real mvp's of this story).
The State of Times: 5/5
Oda as a narrator, and we get a glimpse into his musings as a writer, and looking for different stories (my favorite part). We also get to read a lot about Abe Sada (inspiration for "In the Realm of the Senses"!). This was the story that made me want to read more of Sakunosuke's work. The way he brings this very specific Osaka to life is what I like most about his style of realism.
Overall, this was a very good collection of short stories, were it not for the first one I think it would have been the perfect book. Highly recommend if you're looking into reading more Japanese literature. Essential for realism fans.
Definitely the weaker out of the four, I don't harbor any strong feelings for it really. I kept wanting to scream to Choko to leave that man at once, but of course that is more or less my modern lenses of a very specific time of a very specific place. All in all, it felt very real. A story of Osaka life indeed.
Six White Venus: 5/5
Read it in one sitting, Narao was by far the best character. I felt very connected to him, unlike my feelings towards Choko in the last story. Short, simple, and very effective.
City of Trees: 5/5
Again, read it in one sitting. Not only the narrator was a great character but I loved the family that later appears as a whole. I liked the way the city was described, and the feeling it gave me as if I was really there, walking up and down Kuchinawa Slope. The ending also happened to be my favorite part (the parents were the real mvp's of this story).
The State of Times: 5/5
Oda as a narrator, and we get a glimpse into his musings as a writer, and looking for different stories (my favorite part). We also get to read a lot about Abe Sada (inspiration for "In the Realm of the Senses"!). This was the story that made me want to read more of Sakunosuke's work. The way he brings this very specific Osaka to life is what I like most about his style of realism.
Overall, this was a very good collection of short stories, were it not for the first one I think it would have been the perfect book. Highly recommend if you're looking into reading more Japanese literature. Essential for realism fans.
April 6, 2022
Meoto Zenzai ("Hurray for Marriage!") by Oda Sakunosuke.
Ryukichi, the pampered son of a well-to-do family, abandons wife and child to run off with a geisha named Choko. Disinherited by his father, he relies on Choko for his support, while making halfhearted attempts to engage in one type of business or another. As Burton Watson remarks in his introduction to the translation of Oda's stories: "This pattern of the hard-working, all-forgiving woman and the spoiled ineffectual man is a long-standing one in Osaka literature" (for example Chikamatsu). The story is also characterized by meticulous attention to food and money, traditionally alleged to be two overriding concerns of Osaka dwellers.
The novelist Oda Sakunosuke (1913-1947) was born in Osaka and educated at Kyoto University. With Dazai Osamu and Sakaguchi Ango he is counted as one of the writers of the "Decadent school" (Buraiha). In some fifty short stories, essays and plays, he depicted the lives of ordinary citizens of Osaka. In later stories as "Seso" ("The State of the Times," 1946), Oda describes the first months of the occupation period following Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, which were marked by food shortages so severe that government rations were not enough to sustain life and people turned to the black market to procure the food they needed for their survival.
Ryukichi, the pampered son of a well-to-do family, abandons wife and child to run off with a geisha named Choko. Disinherited by his father, he relies on Choko for his support, while making halfhearted attempts to engage in one type of business or another. As Burton Watson remarks in his introduction to the translation of Oda's stories: "This pattern of the hard-working, all-forgiving woman and the spoiled ineffectual man is a long-standing one in Osaka literature" (for example Chikamatsu). The story is also characterized by meticulous attention to food and money, traditionally alleged to be two overriding concerns of Osaka dwellers.
The novelist Oda Sakunosuke (1913-1947) was born in Osaka and educated at Kyoto University. With Dazai Osamu and Sakaguchi Ango he is counted as one of the writers of the "Decadent school" (Buraiha). In some fifty short stories, essays and plays, he depicted the lives of ordinary citizens of Osaka. In later stories as "Seso" ("The State of the Times," 1946), Oda describes the first months of the occupation period following Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, which were marked by food shortages so severe that government rations were not enough to sustain life and people turned to the black market to procure the food they needed for their survival.
March 30, 2015
This is my second review of Stories of Osaka Life. Please scroll down below the line of dashes for my first review.
The main character in Hurray for Marriage, Chouko, a young Osakan woman, daughter of a food vendor and jack of all trades and a craftswoman, is someone whom I have difficulty understanding. She falls in love with a man, Ryuukichi, who makes her life immeasurably difficult, spending all her money, cheating on her, staying out late. He is an awful person, yet for some reason she loves him and won't toss him aside.
'Chooko thought of Ryuukichi as a thoroughly solid, reliable kind of man' is what we know about their preliminary meeting. She turns out to be wrong about this; he is certainly not reliable. Obviously that's not the only reason she loves him, because she learns just how unreliable he is yet doesn't leave him. So it's something else.
The man has no good points. There is nothing to like about this bloke. He is reprehensible. Whatever the reason is that she likes him, it isn't his character. I think it's her character. To be specific, she is engaged in what Dostoevsky calls 'self-laceration' in The Brother's Karamazov. On page 54 she gives herself away after calling back to the room the geisha with whom she catches Ryuukich engaged in adultery: 'She felt a thrill of delight at how long-suffering she was being in calling them back'.
The guy has no shame. After she pays for his surgery she receives word that her mother is close to death. He guilts her into staying with him, saying 'Who's more important, your mother or me?' She stays and misses her mother's death. Then, while she is away at her mother's funeral, he goes out partying with geisha, taking out loans to do it! When she finds out about this, her reaction gives her away again. 'As long as she herself was paying all the expenses for Ryuukichi's convalescence, she could take full credit for the achievement'. She's most upset that he supported himself, that he didn't rely on her.
My Japanese friend told me that it's possible Chouko is increasing her own self-worth by looking after this scumbag. That makes sense, and the clues verify it. She's a poor woman with low self-esteem, and he is a man in need of a mother (the fate of his mother is never revealed). She goes on loving him through all of this, and it is thoroughly frustrating.
Hurray for Marriage from Stories of Osaka Life is a wonderful read. Definitely check it out. Five stars for it, four stars for the entire collection of short stories.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I bought Stories of Osaka Life I was only trying to get an idea of Osaka. I had become very interested in Osaka after talking with several Osakans. They left a lasting impression on me. They were funny, easy-going and honest people, traits which they attributed to having grown up in the culture of their prefecture.
I had learned from Anthony Bourdain during an episode of No Reservations in which Mr Bourdain visited Osaka, 'The Nation's Kitchen', that Oda Sakunosuke was part of buraiha, or 'hoodlum faction', with three other Osakan authors. According to Bourdain, they got this title for their honest depictions of Osakan squalor post-WWI.
Well, I was very excited when I finally found this book on Amazon. The title grabbed me; it was exactly what I was after. It's description only added to my excitement: it was a collection of short stories about local nobodies. Perfect! I wanted to hear about the other side of Osaka, the side that the natives prefered to hide, which when exposed prompted them to chastise the source.
I will focus this review on the first story only, as it was without a doubt my favourite of the four. In doing so I limit my compliments to one quarter of the material, and I believe you should keep this in mind when assigning a reading priority to this book. The review consists of three parts: (1) the characters, (2) the culture and (3) the pace.
Hurray for Marriage, or Sweet Beans for Two! is the first story in this collection translated by Burton Watson. First, it's the characters. They are believable. After having just finished Crime and Punishment I presumed that every subsequent author I read would create transparantly fictional characters. I can say now that I was wrong to presume that. What Sakunosuke did with limited words impresses me on reflection even now, several months later. Despite the dismissive attitude I took toward characters not written by a psychologist, I got angry at the characters in this book, telling them not to do that but to do this instead.
Second, let's talk about culture. As I've already mentioned, Japanese people during the Edo period (1603-1868) commonly knew Osaka as the Nation's Kitchen. The Nation's Kitchen has given Japan and the world a long menu of unique dishes, including Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki. Sakunosuke fills this story with the flavours of Osaka, from main meals to pub snacks. Osaka is also a very old city and located near Kyoto, the former capital before Tokyo. Sakunosuke includes depictions of traditional Japanese culture, including geisha, Shinto and Buddhist temples, and etiquette. I learned a thing or two about Japan from this book, and I'm sure you will too.
Third, I'll mention pace. For a short story, a lot of stuff happens. I mean, it's jammed packed and fast. Some people might not like this - one person of whom I'm thinking in particular prefers a vivid description of a 5 minute interval, and generally I would agree - but Sakunosuke does it beautifully. I would certainly love to hear a bit more about what happened at various points of the story, but somehow it isn't annoying. You know what I mean? It's written in such a way that when he changes scenes or moves forward with the story, I'm not thinking, 'Wait a second! What happened to [so and so]?' He wasn't stopping, and I was right there with him, always amused.
Definately check it out, especially if you're interested in Osaka or Japan more broadly.
The main character in Hurray for Marriage, Chouko, a young Osakan woman, daughter of a food vendor and jack of all trades and a craftswoman, is someone whom I have difficulty understanding. She falls in love with a man, Ryuukichi, who makes her life immeasurably difficult, spending all her money, cheating on her, staying out late. He is an awful person, yet for some reason she loves him and won't toss him aside.
'Chooko thought of Ryuukichi as a thoroughly solid, reliable kind of man' is what we know about their preliminary meeting. She turns out to be wrong about this; he is certainly not reliable. Obviously that's not the only reason she loves him, because she learns just how unreliable he is yet doesn't leave him. So it's something else.
The man has no good points. There is nothing to like about this bloke. He is reprehensible. Whatever the reason is that she likes him, it isn't his character. I think it's her character. To be specific, she is engaged in what Dostoevsky calls 'self-laceration' in The Brother's Karamazov. On page 54 she gives herself away after calling back to the room the geisha with whom she catches Ryuukich engaged in adultery: 'She felt a thrill of delight at how long-suffering she was being in calling them back'.
The guy has no shame. After she pays for his surgery she receives word that her mother is close to death. He guilts her into staying with him, saying 'Who's more important, your mother or me?' She stays and misses her mother's death. Then, while she is away at her mother's funeral, he goes out partying with geisha, taking out loans to do it! When she finds out about this, her reaction gives her away again. 'As long as she herself was paying all the expenses for Ryuukichi's convalescence, she could take full credit for the achievement'. She's most upset that he supported himself, that he didn't rely on her.
My Japanese friend told me that it's possible Chouko is increasing her own self-worth by looking after this scumbag. That makes sense, and the clues verify it. She's a poor woman with low self-esteem, and he is a man in need of a mother (the fate of his mother is never revealed). She goes on loving him through all of this, and it is thoroughly frustrating.
Hurray for Marriage from Stories of Osaka Life is a wonderful read. Definitely check it out. Five stars for it, four stars for the entire collection of short stories.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I bought Stories of Osaka Life I was only trying to get an idea of Osaka. I had become very interested in Osaka after talking with several Osakans. They left a lasting impression on me. They were funny, easy-going and honest people, traits which they attributed to having grown up in the culture of their prefecture.
I had learned from Anthony Bourdain during an episode of No Reservations in which Mr Bourdain visited Osaka, 'The Nation's Kitchen', that Oda Sakunosuke was part of buraiha, or 'hoodlum faction', with three other Osakan authors. According to Bourdain, they got this title for their honest depictions of Osakan squalor post-WWI.
Well, I was very excited when I finally found this book on Amazon. The title grabbed me; it was exactly what I was after. It's description only added to my excitement: it was a collection of short stories about local nobodies. Perfect! I wanted to hear about the other side of Osaka, the side that the natives prefered to hide, which when exposed prompted them to chastise the source.
I will focus this review on the first story only, as it was without a doubt my favourite of the four. In doing so I limit my compliments to one quarter of the material, and I believe you should keep this in mind when assigning a reading priority to this book. The review consists of three parts: (1) the characters, (2) the culture and (3) the pace.
Hurray for Marriage, or Sweet Beans for Two! is the first story in this collection translated by Burton Watson. First, it's the characters. They are believable. After having just finished Crime and Punishment I presumed that every subsequent author I read would create transparantly fictional characters. I can say now that I was wrong to presume that. What Sakunosuke did with limited words impresses me on reflection even now, several months later. Despite the dismissive attitude I took toward characters not written by a psychologist, I got angry at the characters in this book, telling them not to do that but to do this instead.
Second, let's talk about culture. As I've already mentioned, Japanese people during the Edo period (1603-1868) commonly knew Osaka as the Nation's Kitchen. The Nation's Kitchen has given Japan and the world a long menu of unique dishes, including Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki. Sakunosuke fills this story with the flavours of Osaka, from main meals to pub snacks. Osaka is also a very old city and located near Kyoto, the former capital before Tokyo. Sakunosuke includes depictions of traditional Japanese culture, including geisha, Shinto and Buddhist temples, and etiquette. I learned a thing or two about Japan from this book, and I'm sure you will too.
Third, I'll mention pace. For a short story, a lot of stuff happens. I mean, it's jammed packed and fast. Some people might not like this - one person of whom I'm thinking in particular prefers a vivid description of a 5 minute interval, and generally I would agree - but Sakunosuke does it beautifully. I would certainly love to hear a bit more about what happened at various points of the story, but somehow it isn't annoying. You know what I mean? It's written in such a way that when he changes scenes or moves forward with the story, I'm not thinking, 'Wait a second! What happened to [so and so]?' He wasn't stopping, and I was right there with him, always amused.
Definately check it out, especially if you're interested in Osaka or Japan more broadly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2024
I read this version because it was the only I could get for free (libgen.km) Since my first language is Spanish the dictionary was my third hand .
Sakunosuke’s characters were so amazingly addicted to fail ( Meoto Zenzai) that at some point it seems to be funny (Six White Venus). On the other hand, his nihilism is so nowadays that it’s a little bit scaring and sad u.u ( City of trees)
Oda was totally a man of his age (The state of times).
For those who are going to read him for the first time: you will end up nowhere and that’s exactly what you should enjoy.
Sakunosuke’s characters were so amazingly addicted to fail ( Meoto Zenzai) that at some point it seems to be funny (Six White Venus). On the other hand, his nihilism is so nowadays that it’s a little bit scaring and sad u.u ( City of trees)
Oda was totally a man of his age (The state of times).
For those who are going to read him for the first time: you will end up nowhere and that’s exactly what you should enjoy.
January 11, 2016
Some of the translation was a bit clunky.
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