Part Two

April 1949 (pp 86-114)

Part Two commences with the reader oriented to April 1949. Ono mentions how several times a week he walks to the little wooden bridge known as the Bridge of Hesitation, from where he can survey the construction which is progressing all around. The bridge was aptly named as not too long ago it led into the pleasure district, and it represented the point of decision from where ‘conscience-troubled men’ (p 86) decided whether to go out drinking or return home to their wives. Gradually the bombed ruins are being replaced with new roads and buildings, even Mrs Kawakami has received an offer to sell her property which she is considering.

Ono recalls an incident last winter when Shintaro informed Ono he was applying for art teaching jobs in high schools and that his application was progressing well but that there were a few points from on which the selection committee needed clarification. Shintaro requested Ono write to them confirming certain statements Shintaro had made in relation to poster artwork they had worked on together during the China crisis, as there were ‘the American authorities to satisfy …’ (p 90). Shintaro had disagreed with Ono’s views at the time, and had openly expressed them one evening when he’d had too much to drink. Ono admonishes Shintaro’s desire to disassociate himself from the past, seeming to not notice the contradiction this presents given the similar request he only recently made of Matsuda. Shintaro points out that he is in the middle of his career compared to Ono who is now retired. Ono does not reply, and stares instead at the garden. Shintaro leaves the contact details of the committee and again makes his request before leaving, Ono not speaking another word.

In hindsight, Ono admits he may have treated Shintaro harshly and attributes his ‘… unsympathetic approach towards his [Shintaro’s] efforts to shirk his responsibilities’ (p 93) to Noriko’s upcoming miai (the formal sit-down meeting between the bride and groom families) which did not go to Ono’s liking. In addition to disliking the chosen venue, Ono felt he would be at a disadvantage at the miai due to the groom’s side having three family members to Ono’s two. Furthermore, Noriko had become tense in the leadup weeks, a point Ono concedes may have been avoided if he’d been more open with her about the negotiations.

While sitting together on the veranda observing the garden, Noriko tells Ono that he has ruined aspects of the garden with his meddling and that his pruning has left the azaleas and bamboo unbalanced. The reader wonders if Noriko’s reference to Ono’s meddling speaks to a subject beyond the garden. Ono doesn’t see any issue with the garden and reframes Noriko’s comments as indicating her lack of artistic talent, and that in this respect she and her sister took after their mother, while Kenji took after him. Ono tells how Noriko’s mother may have made comments about his painting but would eventually cede to Ono’s views, which Noriko takes to mean that her father thinks he is always right: ‘So Father was always right about his paintings too, I suppose’ (p 95). Ono calls the discussion pointless and tells Noriko she can attend to the garden if she likes but she says she’s too busy. Ono is tempted to tell Noriko about the extent of his efforts in the marriage negotiations on her behalf as a way to make her feel ashamed of her behaviour towards him. He is referring to his visit to see Kuroda the previous day.

Ono easily found where Kuroda was living from a professor at Uemachi College who gave Ono the address and updated him on Kuroda’s career. Ono indirectly mentions the fact that Kuroda spent years in prison, focusing instead on the ‘strong credential[ing]’ (p 96) this has provided him on release and in his career progression. Ono admits it may seem ‘perverse’ (p 96) that he be pleased with Kuroda’s success, but qualifies this with it being ‘natural after all that his [Kuroda’s] teacher should continue to take pride in such things, even if circumstances have caused teacher and pupil to become estranged’ (pp 96-97), leaving the reason or nature of their estrangement undisclosed. Kuroda is not home and his roommate and protege Enchi, who mistakes Ono for Kuroda’s work associate, invites Ono in to wait for Kuroda. While Enchi makes tea, Ono appreciates the art in the room and on learning it is Enchi’s work, provides him with encouragement on his style.

When Enchi learns that Ono is not the person he was expecting, and Ono introduces himself, Enchi’s gracious demeanour changes and he suggests that Ono detain himself no longer, that he will let Mr Kuroda know Ono had called by. Ono views Enchi as ‘a sulking child’ (p 100) and proceeds to warn him ‘not to jump to conclusions about matters of which you [he] do not know the full details’ (p 100). Enchi admonishes Ono for presenting himself as a friendly visitor and questions whether Ono is aware of the full details, that Kuroda had been beaten in prison and labelled a traitor, receiving an injured shoulder and denied medical attention so that his injury was not attended to until after the war. Ono responds that Enchi is too young to understand the complications at the time, suggesting Ono is deceiving himself, and makes his exit to which Enchi responds: ‘We all know now who the real traitors were. And many of them are still walking free’ (p 101). Ono decides not to let Enchi’s words upset him, and finding it disturbing that Kuroda could still hold hostility towards him, decides to write to Kuroda in light of Noriko’s marriage negotiations. Ono is disappointed that in response to his ‘friendly and conciliatory’ (p 101) letter to Kuroda, he received a ‘cold and offensively brief reply’ (p 101) declining the meeting, and suspects the shadow this had cast over his mood may have contributed to Noriko feeling the matter was unresolved.

On the day of miai, Noriko spends the whole day getting ready and accuses her father of being ‘too proud’ (p 102) to properly prepare, a point Ono asks her to expand on, insinuating she is referring to something else beyond the miai. Ono contemplates on how Noriko’s present anxiety contrasts her casual approach to the miai with the Miyake family last year and, indeed, her lightheartedness leading up to the present miai.

Ono views the Kasuga Park Hotel venue for the miai as being decorated ‘… in a somewhat vulgar manner – intended, no doubt, to strike the American clientele with whom the place is popular as being charmingly “Japanese” ‘ (p 103), though concedes the miai room is pleasant enough. Ono casts doubt on the accuracy of his recall for the evening by prefacing that his memory may have been affected by alcohol, having drunk more quickly than usual, but recalls his favourable impression of Dr Saito on having been properly introduced, being only slight acquainted previously, and also of Mrs Saito. Ono feels assured that Taro received himself and Noriko with grace and manners but he takes an immediate dislike to Taro’s younger brother, Mitsuo, albeit admitting there was nothing in his behaviour to warrant it, except that he reminded Ono of Kuroda’s protégé Enchi and from then on, suspiciously takes Mitsuo’s attitude as a reflection on what the entire Saito family are thinking.

At the start of the evening Noriko is shy and reserved, providing only limited conversation despite the Saito family’s efforts to engage her in conversation, so when Ono recognises that the family is not old-fashioned, expecting their women to be quietly spoken, he starts to become concerned that she is not acting in her usual frank and natural manner. Mr Saito introduces the topic of the increasing demonstrations in the city centre and how he met a man who was injured in such a demonstration, and that the man returned directly to the demonstration after seeing a doctor. Dr Saito asks after Ono’s views, who responds that it was unfortunate people were being injured. Mr Saito remarks that despite this, it was healthy that people were freely expressing their views, that he had also been trying to convince his wife on the matter and what did Ono think. Ono’s hesitation in answering is saved by Taro interjecting to state that he felt democracy to be good but it’s a responsibility which citizens must learn to use with maturity. Dr Saito expresses how he seems to be the more liberal one compared to his son and wife and asks Ono whether he agrees on this assessment. Ono seems confused by ‘a curious lack of disharmony about the Saito’s supposed difference of views’ (p 108), and perhaps made suspicious by Dr Saito’s question as to his ideology, reverts to his previous answer, that he hopes for no further injuries, before Taro changes the subject, trying to engage Noriko in conversation.

Dr Saito raises the topic of Kuroda and that Mitsuo is studying at the college where Kuroda is teaching. Ono asks whether Mitsuo is well acquainted with Mr Kuroda, however he replies that having himself no artistic talent, he knows the man only by reputation. Mr Kyo, the negotiation facilitator, who had been quiet until now, commences a story during which Ono interrupts to ask Mitsuo whether Kuroda has spoken to him about Ono and that he expects Mr Kuroda would not have a high opinion of Ono. Mitsuo appears confused and looks to his parents, both of whom reassure Ono that Mr Kuroda would have only the highest opinion of him. However Ono goes on to share he is convinced Kuroda and others view Ono’s career as having been a negative influence ‘now best erased and forgotten’ (p 110) and, suspicious of Dr Saito’s watching him ‘rather like a teacher waiting for a pupil to go on with a lesson he has learnt by heart’ (p 110), goes on to accept the validity of such a view and to acknowledge making harmful mistakes, mistakes that led to the suffering of many Japanese people. Dr Saito, confused, asks Ono whether he was unhappy with his paintings. Ono asserts that his paintings, and the ideology they represented, were done in good faith for the benefit of his fellowman, evidently reassuring himself that his influence was artistic in nature while circumventing any authority his work had in causing others, such as Kuroda, harm.

Taro tells Ono he is being too harsh on himself and asks Noriko whether he is always this way. Noriko is so astonished at her father that she returns to her usual manner and replies without thinking, telling the table that her father is not strict and that he is in fact a late riser, which elicits some light banter in return, and from that point on the miai becomes more relaxed, eventuating into a successful evening. On reflection later, Ono attributes the success of the evening to his declaration, grandiosely reassuring himself that there is dignity in admitting to past mistakes done in good faith, and assesses himself as superior to Shintaro who he views as hypocritical for not having done so. Ono further digresses on Shintaro, attributing him cunningness for escaping any harm from the war, which he later shares with Mrs Kawakami who disagrees, and who reminds Ono of Shintaro’s injured leg and the two weeks he lost from work. At the bar, with with construction continuing outside, Ono suggests Mrs Kawakami accept the offer on her bar so she can relocate elsewhere. Mrs Kawakami says she’s been there so long, and nostalgically reflects on the past. Ono ponders that enjoyable as it was perhaps it is best that the old times have passed and is tempted to say this to Mrs Kawakami, pitying her ignorance of the new perspective which he himself has only just adopted, then decides that it will hurt her feelings and refrains.

Part Two Quotes

… the little wooden bridge still known to some who lived here before the war as ‘the Bridge of Hesitation’. We called it that because until not so long ago, crossing it would have taken you into our pleasure district, and conscience-troubled men – so it was said – were to be seen hovering there, caught between seeking an evening’s entertainment and returning home to their wives. (Ono) Pages 86-87

‘Shintaro,’ I said, ‘why don’t you simply face up to the past? You gained much credit at the time for your poster campaign. Much credit and much praise. The world may now have a different opinion of your work, but there’s no need to lie about yourself.’ (Ono) Page 91

‘That’s what comes of Father having so much time on his hands. He ends us meddling where it’s not required.’ (Noriko about her father) Page 94

‘Your mother was rather like you, Noriko. She had no bones about saying whatever came into her head.’ (Ono) Page 95

‘Mr Kuroda is always telling me,’ he said, ‘I should try and paint in a style more distinctly my own. But I find so much to admire in Mr Kuroda’s ways, I can hardly help mimicking him.’ (Enchi, Kuroda’s protégé to Ono) Page 98

‘We all know now who the real traitors were. And many of them are still walking free.’ (Kuroda’s protégé Enchi to Ono) Page 101

‘I never claimed all this fighting was a good thing. …Of course, one doesn’t want to see people hurt. But the underlying spirit – that people feel the need to express their views openly and strongly- now that’s a healthy thing, don’t you think so, Mr Ono?’ (Dr Saito to Ono) Page 107

When amongst family, or in the company of close friends, Noriko is in the habit of adopting her somewhat flippant manner of address, and often achieves a wit and eloquence of sorts; but in more formal settings, I have often known her to have difficulty finding an appropriate tone, thus giving the impression she is a timid young woman. (Ono) Page 106

… it seemed to me clear – and Mrs Saito’s own high profile appeared to confirm this – the Saitos were not the old-fashioned sort of family who preferred their female members to be silent and demure. (Ono) Page 106

‘Democracy is a fine thing, but it doesn’t mean citizens have a right to run riot whenever they disagree with something. In this respect, we Japanese have been shown to be like children. We’ve yet to learn how to handle the responsibility of democracy.’ (Taro) Page 107

‘… I must say I find it hard to understand how any man who values his self-respect would wish for long to avoid responsibility for his past deeds; it may not always be an easy thing, but there is certainly a satisfaction and dignity to be gained in coming to terms with the mistakes one has made in the course of one’s life.’ (Ono) Page 111