Nami-ko

Kenjiro Tokutomi (1868 - 1927)
Translated by Sakae Shioya and Edwin Francis Edgett (1867 - 1946)

Nami-ko, a young woman of a noble Japanese family, has recently married the naval officer Takeo, the only heir of a friend of her father's. The couple is very happy together and Takeo is doing everything to create the perfect life for his wife, even more so when she contracts tuberculosis. Takeo's mother, however, sees Nami's illness as a threat to the survival of the family line. Egged on by Chijiwa, a spurned lover of Nami's and Takeo's cousin, she uses her son's absence to send Nami back to her family, thus effecting a divorce. Upon his return, Takeo is furious, but, unable to undo the divorce, he goes off to the front line in the war with China. Meanwhile, Nami is getting worse, and her only wish is to be able to see Takeo one more time...
This is the best known novel by Kenjiro (pen-name: Roka) Tokutomi. Written in 1899 as Hototogisu (The Cuckoo), it deals with the life of the upper classes in the early years after the Meiji Restoration, when Japan was torn between ancient traditions and modern Western influences. The novel was translated several times soon after its publication. This translation is by Sakae Shioya and E. F. Edgett from 1904. (Summary by Availle)

Genre(s): Family Life, Literary Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Introduction and Author's Preface Availle
00:07:47
Play 01 Bk I, Ch 1: The Honeymoon Availle
00:13:04
Play 02 Bk I, Ch 2: Nami-ko Availle
00:08:15
Play 03 Bk I, Ch 3: The Fern Gathering Availle
00:14:48
Play 04 Bk I, Ch 4: The House of Yamaki Availle
00:23:38
Play 05 Bk I, Ch 5: The General at Home Availle
00:23:17
Play 06 Bk I, Ch 6: The Mother-in-Law Availle
00:19:46
Play 07 Bk I, Ch 7: On Duty Availle
00:09:21
Play 08 Bk. II, Ch 1: Home Life Availle
00:19:13
Play 09 Bk II, Ch 2: Yamaki Entertains Availle
00:20:38
Play 10 Bk II, Ch 3: Confidences Availle
00:18:33
Play 11 Bk II, Ch 4: Zushi Days Availle
00:28:37
Play 12 Bk II, Ch 5: Revenge Availle
00:08:34
Play 13 Bk II, Ch 6: Mother and Son Availle
00:22:21
Play 14 Bk II, Ch 7: A Prospective Bride Availle
00:16:48
Play 15 Bk II, Ch 8: The Recall Availle
00:09:11
Play 16 Bk II, Ch 9: The Home-Coming Availle
00:11:28
Play 17 Bk II, Ch 10: Takeo and His Mother Availle
00:06:32
Play 18 Bk III, Ch 1: Battle Off Yalu-River Availle
00:31:22
Play 19 Bk III, Ch 2: In Time of War Availle
00:21:18
Play 20 Bk III, Ch 3: Convalescence Availle
00:10:33
Play 21 Bk III, Ch 4: Temptation Availle
00:19:41
Play 22 Bk III, Ch 5: The Yaso's Story Availle
00:23:26
Play 23 Bk III, Ch 6: Port Arthur Availle
00:09:18
Play 24 Bk III, Ch 7: Takeo's Return Availle
00:08:27
Play 25 Bk III, Ch 8: Passing Trains Availle
00:11:11
Play 26 Bk III, Ch 9: Sayonara Availle
00:12:53
Play 27 Bk III, Ch 10: The Meeting at Aoyama Availle
00:13:41