October 2004

Martin St-Pierre

Sawako Ariyoshi was born in Wakayama city and has been described by J. Thomas Rimer in his Reader’s guide to Japanese Literature as perhaps “one of the finest post-war Japanese writers”. She is the author of many short stories, plays, scripts and novels, some of which have been translated into English and fewer still in french. Her works, and writing style, are often used in University Japanese studies’ and Japanese literature courses in the United States. In 1959, she spent a year at the Sara Lawrence College in New York on a Rockerfeller scholarship. In her earlier works, she dealt with topics and subjects more closely related to life in Wakayama. In these works, one can better understand the culture and living conditions country residents in the Wakayama prefecture endured and enjoyed.

Some of her most famous novels include Twilight Years, Kabuki Dancer, The Doctor’s Wife and Kinokawa. Kinokawa comes highly recommended to anyone living in the Wakayama city or Kinokawa valley area. While much has changed since she wrote the story and when the story is set, between late 1800s and mid 1900s, the river valley setting and descriptions are still relevant today to those willing to imagine a landscape more natural than it now is.

The story was made into a film and became quite famous throughout Japan. In it, the main character, whose name is Kana, is a very well brought up woman who marries the village headman of Musato. The movie is successful in showing the contrast between her extremely proper manners and very polite language versus the Wakayamaben (Wakayama dialect) spoken by virtually everyone else. It is an excellent representation of the old confronted with the new. The movie is also a place to catch a few scenes of the Kinokawa valley and Wakayama city in a somewhat less modern setting.

This movie was partially filmed in one of Wakayama’s more beautiful estate homes located in the village of Momoyama. Originally built in the Edo era, Miyaori, named as such because of the title bestowed on the important family, is a sprawling estate in the southeast part of Momoyama. The Tsuda family, who first built the house, was the village headman, or shoya. Thieves who looted the place burned down the house in 1869. The only thing that didn’t burn down was the east Kura. The house suffered other fires and was rebuilt in 1871 and again in 1902. In 1932, a new house was added to the old main part of the estate. Woods and materials used in the house in its present form come from all over the world, with many rare and large pieces coming from India, Pakistan and many Southeast Asian countries. The craftsmanship is of the highest quality in this house, which is now open to the public and is now used by a kimono selling business. The present owner, Mr. Yoshimi Uchito, is a very kind and welcoming host willing to show the house he has so lovingly restored to its original beauty.

Miyaori has 4 Kura, 25 rooms and measures 6000 square metres, or 1800 tsubo. It is closed on Tuesdays and costs 500 yen to enter. Reservations are preferable by calling 0736 - 66 - 0587.

Posted on October 2004 in the following categories: People