The Town That Isn’t on the Map and Other Stories

A hungry former schoolteacher wanders into Asakusa and encounters an old beggar who seems to know every hidden passage of the city. Food, shelter, clothes, money, and even a ready-made household appear within reach. But the kindness that rescues him may lead somewhere he cannot escape.

In “Buying a Suicide,” an unemployed narrator discovers a startling advertisement placed by an artist he knows. The artist’s explanation leads back to a desperate night beside a railway line, a wealthy stranger’s hospitality, and an errand whose true purpose emerges too late.

Written by Japanese mystery author Hashimoto Gorō, these two stories make ordinary city streets feel unstable and strange. Their suspense depends on the difficulty of telling generosity from manipulation, and on what poverty can make a person accept. This complete English translation preserves the original narrative frames, numbered sections, and unexplained omissions, with concise notes on names, period clothing, money, and cultural references.