Condolence Money

A young man from rural Kyushu arrives in Tokyo to study, carrying a heavy basket and assuming that a man from a neighboring village will welcome him into his home. The company employee who receives him is amused, fond of him, and also uneasy about obligations he cannot afford.

Hirata Gosaburō plays with the children, walks everywhere through winter weather, and tries to make a miniature garden outside his rented room. As the months pass, his changing appearance and friendship with a young woman unsettle the narrator’s understanding of him. A sudden death brings those uncertainties into sharper focus.

First published in 1925, Toyoshima Yoshio’s story is addressed throughout to the narrator’s mother. Its domestic humor and reflections on city life lead toward an unexpected act of condolence. This complete English translation includes notes on schooling, period measures, clothing, medical language, and the narrator’s conflicting perceptions. AI-assisted translation.