A Woman’s Lineage, Volume 2

Hayase Chikara leaves Tokyo with his private happiness already broken by his teacher’s demands. In Shizuoka, his command of German wins him students and brings him into the orbit of a powerful family whose daughters must balance desire, duty, and the expectations attached to their marriages.

Back in Tokyo, O-Tsuta struggles with illness, while Taeko refuses to let affection disappear behind propriety. A faithful fishmonger, a geisha friend, and an unexpected caretaker keep the scattered households connected. But Chikara’s opposition to a proposed marriage puts him at odds with a father who treats lineage as the foundation of family honor.

Kyōka sets intimate conversations against spring shrines, summer nights, and the gathering darkness of an eclipse. Tenderness, theatrical comedy, and fierce arguments about women’s choices build toward a startling confrontation.