Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads examines the Makioka Sisters


Today Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads looks at the Japanese classic book The Makioka Sisters. First released in instalments between the years of 1943 and 1948, it follows the lives of 4 sisters over the time period of five years. The plot is set in the time immediately preceding World War Two and examines the dynamics of an upper-middle class household in pre-war Japan.

The 1983 film of the same name condenses the five-year storyline into 1 year and trims many scenes which are found in the novel, but still delivers a stunning visual description of the novel. Fabrics and kimonos, cherry blossoms, and vintage Japanese architecture and design are all a large part of this film creating an inviting artistic experience. Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads recommends this movie as an awesome artistic accompaniment to the novel.

The storyline of the book centres around 4 sisters, Tsuruko, Sachiko, Yukiko and Taeko and their mission of looking for a husband for Yukiko, the 2nd youngest sister. Despite the fact that there are constant tensions about Yukiko’s growing years, marriage proposal after marriage proposal is rejected for petty justifications. The situation sets into focus the snootiness of the restrained upper-middle-class families and their inability to accommodate to the swiftly transitioning times. This trouble of finding a suited spouse is put into contrast with the insubordinate youngest sister Taeko who, ignoring the social customs of what is desired of a young lady from a ‘good family’, makes a decision to earn her own living and go out with men outside of her social reputation. The almost six-hundred-page text occasionally progresses at a slow rate but is not only valuable for the glimpses into the daily life of a traditional Japanese family, but also for the depictions of the state and sentiments of a region on the edge of conflict. The storyline transpires in a tiny area close to Osaka as well as in Tokyo, which are consistently contrasted by the writer. Osaka is depicted as a respectable place respectful of customs which is brought in contrast with Tokyo’s bleakness and dysfunction. Several real life happenings are recounted, such as the Kobe flooding that transpired in 1938, a principal plot point in the novel. The comprehensive depictions of routine insignificant stresses and obsessions of an old-fashioned Japanese family is the reason why Laogumnerd Phengphian Reads thinks this is a book of fantastic cultural and historical value.

The story’s Japanese name is less literal than its English adaptation and translates as ‘lightly falling snow’, an image typically utilized in classical Japanese poetry. It is typical for Japanese works of art to be given names that contain poetic nature depictions. The indirectness of such a title may perhaps look curious to a Western reader, however, as the novel advances the reason why this image was picked as titular to the story ends up being more pronounced. This image of falling snow is a suggestion for falling cherry blossom petals, reminiscent of big fluffy flakes of snow. Anybody vaguely acquainted with Japanese culture is aware that flowering cherry trees, or sakura, are a vital component of this culture. Cherry and plum blossom viewing, or hanami, is still widely practiced by both young and old by visiting parks during the months of March and April. Incidentally, cherry blossom viewing is a crucial part of the story, which denotes simultaneously the admiration of the wonder of the moment, as well as the shifting times for the Makioka family members. Laogumnerd Phnegphian Reads endorses this book to any person interested in learning more about the customs of old Japan.

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