This is a log of my random thoughts and impressions of things related to Japan.   Later on I might try to regroup them by topics, but for now this will do.  

 

  Kanji gone awry?  

The word for "coward," okubyoumono, appears several times throughout the ROV manga.   At first, I didn't pay much attention to the hiragana text ( おくびょうもの ).   Later, when I saw the kanji ( 臆病者 ), I was very shocked.   The word is a noun compound of "cowardly" ( 臆病 ) and "person" ( 者 ).  

Why, I thought, would the Japanese kanji for "cowardly" be the same as the Chinese term for "hysteria"?   And it's not just "hysteria" in the sense of making a fuss over nothing.   It's the medical term for describing a psychiatric disorder that involves exaggerated fantasies, social awkwardness, and occasional epileptic seizures.   What happened?   Can someone tell me?

 

  Murder mystery novels  

While rewatching the Oniisama E (Brother, Dear Brother) anime, I was suddenly reminded of a book I read many years ago.   The anime's opening theme refers to the idea of a "golden bowl" vs. "silver bowl."   Here, the word utsuwa is translated as "bowl."   It can also be interpreted as "vessel" or "container."   Which brings us to ...

《砂の器》 松本清張 (著) ,   角川文庫,   初版 1961
Suna no Utsuwa   (Vessel of Sand),   by Matsumoto Seicho,   first published in 1961
Translations available:	English ~   Inspector Imanishi Investigates,   Soho Press (1994)
	Chinese ~   《砂之器》,   星光 (1993),   志文 (1989)
Film adaptation (1974), directed by Nomura Yoshitaro

A disfigured corpse of an elderly man is found on the rails of a Tokyo subway station.   Who is it?   How did it get there?   Inspector Imanishi, a veteran homocide detective and an avid poet-gardener, and his young protegee journey across Japan in search of the elusive killer.

Intricately plotted, the mystery unveils as a series of subtle, and often unmisleading, clues about dialectal differences, fragmented relationships, and social classes.   Matsumoto is known for his detailed, realistic analysis of the Japanese society, and this book shows him at his best.   Among the topics explored are personal ambitions vs. family loyalty, social stigma towards leprosy, regional pride, and poverty.

Of course, given the book's age, the police work is outdated by today's standards and may seem like chasing white elephants.   Still, if you love mystery novels, you don't want to miss this classic.   Hey, it's been nearly 10 years since I read it, and I still remember much of the story.   Says a lot about the book's appeal.

 

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