季節のかたみ

by Aya Kōda, Aya Kōda

Japanese

298 pages, Tankobon Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Aya Kōda (幸田 文 Kōda Aya?, September 1, 1904 - October 31, 1990) was a Japanese essayist and novelist. She was the second daughter of Meiji period novelist Kōda Rohan. Her daughter Tama Aoki and granddaughter Nao Aoki were also writers.

Kōda was born in Tokyo. At the age of five, she lost her mother, and later her younger sister and brother. She studied at the Tokyo Women's School (Joshigakuin). She married at age 24, but divorced after 10 years and returned with her daughter, Tama, to live with her father. During World War II, she helped secure her father's job as described in Tama Aoki's Koishikawa no Ie (小石川の家, The house in Koishikawa). Her first works, written when she was 43, were memoirs of life with her father; they include Chichi (父, My Father) and Konna koto (こんなこと, Such an affair). Seen as the writings of a dutiful daughter, they achieved critical success.

Her subsequent short stories, novels, and essays explored women's lives, family, and traditional culture. They include the 1955 novel Nagareru (Flowing), which was made into a popular movie, as well as essays such as Kakera (Fragments) and Mono Iwanu Issho no Tomo (A Friend for Life), and short stories including Hina (Dolls for a Special Day) and Kunsho (The Medal). She received the Yomiuri Prize for Kuroi suso.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Fusako · Rating 5 out of 5]

終わりだの、別れだの、人の世にはそういうことがなければいいのに、とよくいう。場合により、事柄によっては、そうもあろうとおもう。だが、四季の別れ一年の終わり、誰が転勤して誰が留学した、古い家具を取払った、長年使った万年筆をなくした、などという軽い離別は、あってこそよく、なくなっては困るとおもう。別れだの終わりだのは、事のしめくくり、情緒の栄養剤、生活の清涼剤ではなかろうか。あえて意地のわるいことずけずけいうなら、そんな軽い別離ではなく、もっと重くずんと身にこたえる、別れの哀惜、終りの悲嘆に出逢ったとき、人はみがかれるとおもう。私たちの胸には、日常ああ思いこう思う、いわば情念のごみみたいなものが山と積もっているが、別れや終りはそれを吹きはらってくれる、冷えた風のように私はおもう。傷みを伴うけれど、別れとは、いいものである。（「ことしの別れ」より抜粋）

ひとり暮らしだった晩年の幸田文の凛とした佇まいがわたしは好きだ。