A Japanese old classic work discussed by Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads

Today Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads looks at the Japanese classic book The Makioka Sisters. First released in instalments between the years of 1943 and 1948, it follows the lives of 4 sisters over the period of five years. The story is set in the time immediately preceding WWII and looks at the dynamics of an upper-middle class household in pre-war Japan.

The 1983 motion picture of the same name condenses the five-year plot into one year and trims lots of scenes which are found in the novel, but still offers a breathtaking visual representation of the novel. Fabrics and kimonos, cherry blossoms, and typical Japanese architecture and design are all a big aspect of this motion picture generating a tempting artistic experience. Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads proposes this movie as a perfect visual accompaniment to the book.

The story of the novel centers around four sisters, Sachiko, Yukiko, Tsuruko and Taeko and their pursuit of searching a spouse for Yukiko, the 2nd youngest sister. Although there are continuous tensions about Yukiko’s growing age, marriage proposal after marriage proposal is declined for minor justifications. The matter puts into focus the snobism of the restrained upper-middle-class families and their inability to adjust to the rapidly transitioning times. This trouble of finding a best suited spouse is put into contrast with the defiant youngest sister Taeko who, dismissing the social traditions of what is expected of a female from a ‘good family’, makes the decision to take on a job to earn money and go out with people outside of her social status. The nearly six-hundred-page book sometimes moves at a slow pace but is not only precious for the glimpses into the daily life of a classic Japanese family, but also for the depictions of the condition and feelings of a region on the edge of battle. The story takes place in a small location close to Osaka and in Tokyo, which are regularly contrasted by the author. Osaka is portrayed as a virtuous location respectful of cultures which is placed in comparison with Tokyo’s dysfunction and bleakness. A great deal of real life events are recounted, such as the Kobe flooding that happened in 1938, a significant plot detail in the novel. The thorough illustrations of everyday unimportant anxieties and obsessions of a conservative Japanese household is the reason why Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads thinks this is a book of fantastic cultural and historical value.

The story’s Japanese title is less literal than its English version and translates as ‘lightly falling snow’, imagery often employed in classic Japanese poetry. It is typical for Japanese pieces of art to be given names that contain poetic nature depictions. The indirectness of such a title may possibly look peculiar to a Western reader, however, as the novel continues the reason why this image was selected as titular to the story ends up being more noticable. This image of falling snow is a suggestion for falling cherry blossom petals, reminiscent of big fluffy flakes of snow. Anyone vaguely knowledgeable about Japanese society recognizes that flowering cherry trees, or sakura, are an essential component of this society. Cherry and plum blossom viewing, or hanami, is still frequently practiced by both young and old by going out to parks during the months of March and April. Incidentally, cherry blossom viewing is a vital part of the story, which denotes simultaneously the appreciation of the beauty of the moment, as well as the transforming times for the Makioka family members. Laogumnerd Phnegphian Reads advises this novel to anybody intrigued by learning more about the culture of old Japan.