A Pilgrimage to Yushima

A young graduate leaves an aristocratic household, but cannot free himself from the obligations of his marriage. A spirited geisha seeks affection in a world that has taught her to expect humiliation. At Yushima’s shrine, an ordinary kindness brings their lives together.

Izumi Kyōka’s 1899 novel follows Kōzuki Azusa and Chōkichi through conversations, recollections, private superstitions, and public cruelty. Friends debate whether love can justify abandoning rank and duty. Behind Chōkichi’s playful manner lie a brutal childhood and the memory of a mother who sacrificed herself in the hope of saving her daughter.

Tenderness offers neither an easy escape from debt nor protection from the people who exploit her. A doll, a photograph, a borrowed coat, and a bush warbler become charged with meanings the lovers cannot control.