A Woman’s Lineage, Volume 1

Hayase Chikara has built a quiet home with O-Tsuta, a woman whose former life makes their happiness difficult to acknowledge publicly. A lively fishmonger and a loyal maid share their daily jokes, while his teacher’s daughter, Taeko, brings flowers and memories of the household in which Chikara grew up.

When a wealthy graduate seeks Taeko’s hand, his family treats marriage as a means to secure status for an entire clan. Chikara objects, but his teacher has demands of his own. A matchmaker’s interference, an incident on a tram, and a newspaper report tighten the pressures upon everyone involved.

This first volume moves from playful domestic conversation to fierce confrontations over loyalty, reputation, and women’s choices. Its vivid streets, electric trams, geisha houses, and shifting imagery capture the tensions of early twentieth-century Tokyo.