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The Name of the Flower

Kuniko Mukoda,

Tomone Matsumoto (Translator)

3.95 · Rating details · 60 ratings · 11 reviews

Over a dozen unsettling and eccentric stories chart the distances between men and women and between people and their memories of the past. Mixing startling visual details and plot twists with subtle changes of hue and texture, these tales of ordinary Japanese families offer vivid portraits of secret unhappiness and betrayal of men trapped by obsession and insecurity, of wo ...more

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Paperback, 152 pages

Published July 1st 1998 by Stone Bridge Press (first published September 1st 1994)

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Jun 05, 2016 Stephen rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

Sadly, Mukoda Kuniko died in a plane crash in 1981, just as she was being recognized for her great talents. Prior to that she worked hothouse-style, and anonymously, writing out scripts to satisfy the needs of film & television. Japan has changed a lot since 1981. There had been a Mukoda “boom” (a great interest in) her writings due to her tragic death. Despite all the changes to society, even though the stories were forged in the newly affluent country of the 1960s and 1970s, they feel as fresh and relevant as yesterday.

Japan’s educational system is not unlike that of most powerful countries, in that it educates you to satisfy the needs of the central government; fall off the track and you’re on your own. Mukoda is subtle about this, in that she’s interested in those who are largely on their own, neither pitying nor glorifying them, but, rather democratically, showing how outsiders integrate insiders into the economy and not the other way around.

There’s the story “Small Change”, which features a young woman named Tomiko from Hicksville, Hokkaido. Touchingly, she has none of the skills to make it in Tokyo, but she tries anyway. Shoji, the owner of a company, hears his colleagues’ criticisms when Tomiko comes in for an interview: “This one’s quite hopeless.” “She’s too big.” “She has thick ankles.” “She’s dumb.” “The only reason she wants this kind of job is to use it as a stepping-stone to a marriage above her class.” “Her clothes are old-fashioned.” “Her responses during the interview were dull.” “Can’t imagine there are still girls like that around.” Touched by her all the same, Shoji doesn’t offer her a job, but he retains her address, visits her, and a relationship develops.

Tomiko is embarrassed by how narrow the slits of her eyes are; as such, she wants corrective surgery. Shoji is genuinely attracted to the way she is: there’s no need to wear that make-up or perm your hair. He is especially attracted by her plumpness; it reminds him of the Korean dancer Choe Sung-hui his father had once taken him to see – as well, the woman named Oiwa, the disfigured heroine in a village kabuki play. They both know carrying on the relationship is wrong. It seems like the charity case is Tomiko. But is she, though? Could be Shoji, the one who has created for himself a successful life based on economic necessity alone. I doubt there’s anyone around who believes he or she is driven by economic necessity alone… that is until we meet someone we strongly desire, only to find out that not everyone is impressed by how truly empowered we are.

This is how Mukoda develops her stories: given the circumstances, what is it these two people want or need from each other? The answers are never the obvious ones. Mukoda’s touch shows a remarkable facility with all levels of society, a narrative voice that is centrally located, and with no axe to grind other than demonstrating the ironies of a relationship.

In the story “Manhattan” the more obvious charity case is the male. Mutsuo’s wife Sugiko has left him. Ordinarily we’d snicker when it is detailed the kinds of things Mutsuo is learning for the first time without having his wife around, such as bread goes stale after three days. Mukoda presents this as merely factual. Sugiko has no regrets about leaving him; let go from his job he is making no efforts to find a new one. “A salaried clerk has virtually no marketable skills.”

So he’s fallen into a routine, of eating crispy noodles out, buying a newspaper and reading it front to back. He begins hanging out at the new bar “Manhattan”. The mama-san running it is unattractive, but there’s something about her. He gives her one of Sugiko’s treasured lithographs for the bar. Meanwhile Sugiko, a successful dentist, has taken up with an attractive, younger colleague and flaunts their success as a contrast to Mutsuo’s laziness.

The story ultimately rests on two events: first, Mutsuo (and we) see by a look in the eyes that the relationship with Sugiko’s lover isn’t turning out like she had hoped. Second, Sugiko’s reaction when she realizes Mutsuo *betrayed* her by giving her treasured piece of art away for nothing. And there’s no trace of it now. The mama-san closed up shop and left town for good. ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Olga Zilberbourg rated it it was amazing

A gorgeous collection of stories about post-WWII Japanese families. Most of these center on female protagonists and tell the stories of marriages, class, education, relationships with aging parents and in-laws, managing own and husband's careers, raising children. Each story holds numerous turns and surprises -- each one is unexpected. Many of the stories are sad or have sad endings, but the reading experience is captivating, because often these endings to leave openings for secondary characters ...more

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Apr 02, 2017 Eric Hinkle rated it it was amazing

Mukoda only started writing short stories at the very end of her tragically shortened life, and it breaks my heart to think about how many more she would have written. These stories are absolutely fantastic, nearly all of them. They're incredibly simple tales, nothing flashy whatsoever, just present happenings and past reminiscences in the lives of everyday men, women, and children.

So what's unique about her? These are actually subtly weird stories and they're told in a masterful manner. I bid ...more

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Oct 17, 2019 Samantha Seaman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, short-story

I loved this collection of essays! I was simultaneously racing to finish it, but wanting to prolong reading it. Mukoda uses a combination of sparsity and detail in just the right ways. I found this book by accident when browsing in the library, and am so glad I did. Can't wait to read her other work. ...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Katie rated it really liked it

Recommended to Katie by: Japanese Consulate librarian

Quick. Very visual, like watching episodes. A little sad, sometimes a little disturbing, but usually satisfying. Most concern the Japanese middle class, infidelities, arrogance, and nostalgia. Especially enjoyed "Manhattan", "The Doghouse", and "Triangular Chop". ...more

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Aug 26, 2019 Teena Chumber rated it liked it

Interesting read. Read during summer 2019. Liked it. Simple easy life stories.

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Dec 28, 2019 Viki Holmes rated it it was amazing

Superbly observed vignettes in this collection of short stories: all beautifully judged, and exquisitely eccentric. A joy to read.

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Mar 22, 2014 David B rated it really liked it

There is a fairly silly comment in the Publisher's Weekly review that Kuniko Mukoda's stories "mix Eastern tradition with Western values." Another reviewer has stated that this short story collection will demonstrate how little Westerners understand Japanese society. I couldn't disagree more. The late Mukoda wrote closely observed stories about domestic dilemmas set in Japan of the 60s and 70s. Although there are naturally references to Japanese traditions and cultural practices, I did not find ...more

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Jun 09, 2013 David Bonesteel rated it really liked it

There is a fairly silly comment in the Publisher's Weekly review that Kuniko Mukoda's stories "mix Eastern tradition with Western values." Another reviewer stated that this short story collection will demonstrate how little Westerners understand Japanese society. I couldn't disagree more. The late Mukoda wrote closely observed stories about domestic dilemmas set in Japan of the 60s and 70s. Although there are naturally references to Japanese traditions and cultural practices, I did not find them ...more

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Oct 13, 2012 David rated it really liked it

Shelves: big-red-circle

Reading "Triangular Chop" was exactly like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPudp4...

I loved it. Extra star.

All of the other stories were solid three stars. I thought that I could probably get as much from a Banana Yoshimoto. ...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Sae-chan rated it liked it

Shelves: japanese-writers

The past will catch up with you. No matter how you try to forget, you try to run away, you try to alter it. It will definitely come.

Nothing remarkable out of these stories, though.

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