Kuroi Ushio

Kuroi Ushio (黯い潮, lit. Black Tide) is the first full-length novel by Japanese writer Yasushi Inoue, set against the background of the 1949 Shimoyama incident. It first appeared in serialised form in the literary magazine Bungei Shunjū in 1950[1][2] and later in book form in 1952.

Kuroi Ushio
AuthorYasushi Inoue
Original title黯い潮
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
PublisherBungei Shunjū (magazine)
Kadokawa Bunko (book)
Publication date
1950, 1952
Media typePrint

Plot

After the violent death of Sadanori Shimoyama, president of the Japanese National Railways, journalist Hayami, who works for the fictitious newspaper "K", is entrusted with the task of managing the coverage of the case. While rivaling newspapers advocate a murder theory, Hayami, who resents sensationalism, interprets the evidence and unofficial statements by police officers as suicide, for which he faces criticism by superiors and readers. During the investigations, Hayami thinks back to the death of his young wife Harumi 16 years ago, who committed suicide with another man, leaving behind no explanatory letter but only a short message telling him that she loves him. He also has repeated meetings with his former art teacher Usan, who wants him to help publish a book on ancient cloth colouring techniques. Usan offers him his daughter Keiko, who appears to be interested in Hayami, as a wife. The Shimoyama case eventually remains unsolved, and Hayami decides against the prospect of marrying Keiko.

Background

At the time of Shimoyama's death, Inoue was working for the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, which favoured a suicide theory, while the Asahi Shimbun advocated the theory that Shimoyama had been murdered.[1] The case was closed by the police without announcing a definite cause of death.[3]

Legacy

Kuroi Ushio is regarded as one of Inoue's best-known works,[4] which "encouraged the vogue of novelistic treatment of contemporary social and political events".[5]

Inoue's novel has not seen an English translation and publication yet. A translation into German appeared in 1980.

Adaptation

Kuroi Ushio was adapted into a film of the same name in 1954, directed by and starring Sō Yamamura.[6]

Bibliography
  • Inoue, Yasushi (1952). 黯い潮 (Kuroi Ushio). Tokyo: Kadokawa Bunko.
  • Inoue, Yasushi (1979). 黯い潮・霧の道 (Kuroi Ushio / Kiri no michi). Tokyo: Bungeishunjū.
  • Inoue, Yasushi (1980). Schwarze Flut (Kuroi Ushio) (in German). Frankfurt: Suhrkamp.

References
  1. "「井上靖 人と文学3 －新聞記者時代－」展 ("Yasushi Inoue and Literature 3–Newspaper Reporter Era–" Exhibition)". Yasushi Inoue Memorial Hall (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  2. Domsch, Sebastian (6 March 2001). "Lebensfarben, Todesfarben (Life colours, death colours)". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. Shibata, Tetsutaka (19 May 2009). "振り返る昭和 昭和24年 戦後最大の謎、下山事件" [Playback Showa 24 (1949) - Shimoyama Incident, the biggest mystery after the war] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. Frédéric, Louis (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge and London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-67400770-3.
  5. Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan. Vol. 3. Tokyo and New York: Kōdansha. 1983. p. 311.
  6. "黒い潮 (Kuroi Ushio)". Kinenote (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 July 2021.
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