The Five-Story Pagoda

Jūbei is a poor carpenter whose awkward manner conceals an exceptional command of his craft. When a temple abbot plans a five-story pagoda, he longs to build it alone. But Genta, the respected master who has helped him, expects the commission—and offers compromises that Jūbei cannot accept.

What begins as a dispute over work becomes a trial of pride, gratitude, and artistic conviction. Wives and apprentices enter the conflict, generosity turns to resentment, and violence threatens the enterprise. When the completed pagoda faces a devastating storm, the two craftsmen must confront what their work means to them and to one another.

Kōda Rohan (1867–1947) gives the world of Edo’s artisans a vivid physical presence: sharpened tools, intricate timber joints, formal building rites, drinking parties, and wind that rages like an army of demons. First serialized in 1891–1892, *The Five-Story Pagoda* remains a powerful story of the desire to make something that lasts. This complete edition retains all thirty-five sections, with notes on selected cultural and architectural terms. AI-assisted translation.