A Ring of Hair and Other Writings

In an old house opened only for summer, a little purple apron brings back a childhood friendship and a farewell gift braided from hair. Upstairs over an ice business, two women try to make a home while work, money, and an approaching marriage strain their companionship. Elsewhere, a writer offers help to an aspiring woman whose gratitude and resentment prove difficult to separate.

This collection brings together five complete works by Miyamoto Yuriko, first published between 1917 and 1927. “A Ring of Hair,” “Upstairs at the Ice Warehouse,” and “Daphne” trace friendships shaped by poverty, ambition, and unequal expectations. “A Particular Spectator” examines the emotional possibilities of theatrical performance, while “Deep Affection and Gratitude” considers what an imperfect early work made possible for its author.

The fresh English translations preserve each original ending, the afterword, section divisions, and quoted song and counting lines. Brief reader notes explain period customs, theatrical terms, provisional name readings, and textual peculiarities. AI-assisted translation, prepared and edited by Valentin Sarić.