Around Nihonbashi and Other Writings

An errand boy hurries through muddy Tokyo streets, tempted by food stalls and fascinated by shop signs. Decades later, the same streets carry memories of books, family, prosperity, and loss. In “Around Nihonbashi,” Tayama Katai watches a familiar city vanish and rebuild, finding the rhythm of his own life in its changing bridges, markets, and storefronts.

Another journey leads far from the city. “Deep in the Nikkō Mountains” follows rushing rivers, precarious bridges, secluded hot springs, and mountain paths toward a remote lake. Its wonder and solitude accompany five shorter writings in which Katai questions criticism, considers attachment and detachment, and asks what gives an artistic expression life.

A major figure in Japanese naturalism, Katai (1872–1930) brings both intensity and tenderness to these recollections and arguments. This complete new English translation presents all seven supplied works in their original collection order, with brief notes on allusions, readings, and textual difficulties. AI-assisted translation, prepared and edited by Valentin Sarić.