This article is about the 1931 novella by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. For other uses, see Arrowroot (disambiguation).
Arrowroot (吉野葛, Yoshino Kuzu, "Yoshino Arrowroot") is a novella written by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. It consists of six chapters: The Heavenly King; Iimoseyama; The Drum Hatsune; The Cry of the Fox; Kuzu; Shionoha. The narrator, who had been planning a to write a historical novel about the Nanboku-chō (Northern and Southern Courts) period, is drawn instead to the personal story of a mother's love which is revealed by his friend Tsumura who guides him in Yoshino in autumn.
Arrowroot
Author
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Illustrator
Lithographic illustrations by Kentaro Senoo Original drawings by Tomomaro Higuchi
Country
Japan
Language
Japanese
Genre
Novella
Publisher
Serialized in magazine Chūō Kōron January-February 1931. Included in a volume with "A Blind Man’s Tale" and two folk tales, Chuokoronsha , February 1932. Book published by Sogensha, December 1937.
In 1931, it was serialized in the January and February issues of the magazine Chūō Kōron.[1] The first publication in book form was in the collection A Blind Man’s Tale published by Chuokoronsha in February 1932. It was published as a book in December 1937 by Sogensha as one volume of the six-part collection Jun'ichirō Rokubushu.[2]
Arrowroot was one of several of Tanizaki’s works in “essay-fiction” between 1930 and 1950, combining experimentation and tradition, including Mōmoku Monogatari (A Blind Man’s Tale, 1931), Bushukō hiwa (The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi, 1932), Ashikari (The Reed Cutter, 1932), Shunkinsho (A Portrait of Shunkin, 1933), and Shōshō Shigemoto no haha (Captain Shigemoto's Mother, 1949–1950).
The narrative technique of Arrowroot may have been inspired by Stendhal’s The Abbess of Castro, which Tanizaki translated into Japanese in 1928. In both works, the narrator of the story travels to a remote part of the country to investigate the truth of a story which has been concealed by historians. The narrator of Arrowroot is not Tanizaki himself.[3]
In 1948 Tanizaki wrote that Arrowroot was one of his favorite works.[3]
At the time of writing, Tanizaki was living in Kobe, Keihanshin and was studying the Kuzunohasekkyō-bushi [ja] Buddhist "sermon ballad" poems and visited Yoshino frequently, writing a work Kuzunoha set in Yoshino. He conceived Arrowroot around the character Tsumura, who is modeled after Kentaro Senoo, who loves his mother.[4] Tanizaki stayed at the ryokanSakura Kadan on Mount Yoshino, travelled to Okuyoshino by car, conducted research, and wrote Arrowroot.
The fictional work is written in the style of an essay and, modeled on the novelist Kyokutei Bakin's Kaimaki Kyoukikyakuden, he had wanted to write the story of the historical Southern Court. His writing progressed haphazardly and when first published it was a failure, or it was regarded as just an essay, although the novelist and literary critic Takitarō Minakami gave it a high evaluation.
After World War II it came to be regarded as one of Tanizaki's masterpieces, and as a metafictional work depicting the circumstances of “I tried to write a historical novel but failed.” Since the 1980s authors Kenji Nakagami, Naomi Watabe, Joji Hirayama, literary criticYōichi Komori and others have regarded it highly. In the 1970s, the author Akio Goto wrote Yoshino-dayu (吉野大夫, The Courtesan Yoshino) as a homage to Arrowroot, for which he won the 1981 Tanizaki Prize.
Further reading
Chambers, Anthony H. (1985), "Introduction to Arrowroot", Some Prefer Nettles / The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi / Arrowroot (Jun'ichirō Tanizaki), translated by Chambers, Anthony H., London: Picador / Pan Books, pp. 139–142, ISBN978-0330-28825-5
Chiba, Shunji (June 1994). 谷崎潤一郎――狐とマゾヒズム [Jun'ichirō Tanizaki: Fox and Masochism] (in Japanese). Ozawa Shoten. NCID BN10971533.
Hirayama, Joji (May 1983). 考証「吉野葛」――谷崎潤一郎の虚と実を求めて [”Arrowroot”: In Search of Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's Fiction and Reality] (in Japanese). Kenbun Publishing. NCID BN00332436.
Komori, Yōichi (December 1992). 縁の物語―「吉野葛」のレトリック [A Tale of Encounters: The Rhetoric of "Arrowroot" (Soukan, Japanese Literature 22)] (in Japanese). Shintensha. ISBN978-4787975225.
Mook, Yume (February 2015). 谷崎潤一郎――没後五十年、文学の奇蹟 [Bungei supplement: Jun'ichirō Tanizaki – A Literary Miracle, 50 Years After His Death] (in Japanese). Kawade Shobō Shinsha. ISBN978-4309978550.
Sakanishi, Norimi (30 September 1998). 谷崎潤一郎研究 : 『吉野葛』という〈歴史小説〉 [A Study of Jun'ichirō Tanizaki: "Arrowroot"]. Nihon Bungaku (in Japanese). Tokyo Women's Christian University (90): 53–66. NAID 110007184601.
Tanizaki, Jun'ichirō (January 1985). Kasahara, Nobuo (ed.). 新潮日本文学アルバム7 谷崎潤一郎 [Shincho Japanese Literature Album 7: Jun'ichirō Tanizaki] (in Japanese). Shinchosha. ISBN978-4-10-620607-8.
Tanizaki, Jun'ichirō (May 2002). 吉野葛・盲目物語 [Arrowroot; A Blind Man's Tale] (in Japanese) (Revised edition. First edition August 1951 ed.). Shincho Bunko. ISBN978-4-10-100506-5.
Watanabe, Naoki (June 1992). 谷崎潤一郎――擬態の誘惑 [Jun'ichirō Tanizaki: Temptation of Mimicry] (in Japanese). Shinchosha. ISBN978-4103860013.
References
^Mook, Yume (2015). Jun'ichirō Tanizaki – A Literary Miracle, 50 Years After His Death: Guide to Works. pp. 245–261.
^Mook, Yume (2015). Jun'ichirō Tanizaki – A Literary Miracle, 50 Years After His Death: Chronology. pp. 262–271.
^ ab"Introduction to Arrowroot" (Chambers 1985, pp. 139–142)
arrowroot, novel, this, article, about, 1931, novella, ichirō, tanizaki, other, uses, arrowroot, disambiguation, arrowroot, 吉野葛, yoshino, kuzu, yoshino, arrowroot, novella, written, ichirō, tanizaki, consists, chapters, heavenly, king, iimoseyama, drum, hatsun. This article is about the 1931 novella by Jun ichirō Tanizaki For other uses see Arrowroot disambiguation Arrowroot 吉野葛 Yoshino Kuzu Yoshino Arrowroot is a novella written by Jun ichirō Tanizaki It consists of six chapters The Heavenly King Iimoseyama The Drum Hatsune The Cry of the Fox Kuzu Shionoha The narrator who had been planning a to write a historical novel about the Nanboku chō Northern and Southern Courts period is drawn instead to the personal story of a mother s love which is revealed by his friend Tsumura who guides him in Yoshino in autumn ArrowrootAuthorJun ichirō TanizakiIllustratorLithographic illustrations by Kentaro SenooOriginal drawings by Tomomaro HiguchiCountryJapanLanguageJapaneseGenreNovellaPublisherSerialized in magazine Chuō Kōron January February 1931 Included in a volume with A Blind Man s Tale and two folk tales Chuokoronsha February 1932 Book published by Sogensha December 1937 Published in English1983 Alfred A KnopfIn 1931 it was serialized in the January and February issues of the magazine Chuō Kōron 1 The first publication in book form was in the collection A Blind Man s Tale published by Chuokoronsha in February 1932 It was published as a book in December 1937 by Sogensha as one volume of the six part collection Jun ichirō Rokubushu 2 Contents 1 Background 2 Further reading 3 References 4 External links 5 Related itemsBackground EditArrowroot was one of several of Tanizaki s works in essay fiction between 1930 and 1950 combining experimentation and tradition including Mōmoku Monogatari A Blind Man s Tale 1931 Bushukō hiwa The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi 1932 Ashikari The Reed Cutter 1932 Shunkinsho A Portrait of Shunkin 1933 and Shōshō Shigemoto no haha Captain Shigemoto s Mother 1949 1950 The narrative technique of Arrowroot may have been inspired by Stendhal s The Abbess of Castro which Tanizaki translated into Japanese in 1928 In both works the narrator of the story travels to a remote part of the country to investigate the truth of a story which has been concealed by historians The narrator of Arrowroot is not Tanizaki himself 3 In 1948 Tanizaki wrote that Arrowroot was one of his favorite works 3 At the time of writing Tanizaki was living in Kobe Keihanshin and was studying the Kuzunoha sekkyō bushi ja Buddhist sermon ballad poems and visited Yoshino frequently writing a work Kuzunoha set in Yoshino He conceived Arrowroot around the character Tsumura who is modeled after Kentaro Senoo who loves his mother 4 Tanizaki stayed at the ryokan Sakura Kadan on Mount Yoshino travelled to Okuyoshino by car conducted research and wrote Arrowroot The fictional work is written in the style of an essay and modeled on the novelist Kyokutei Bakin s Kaimaki Kyoukikyakuden he had wanted to write the story of the historical Southern Court His writing progressed haphazardly and when first published it was a failure or it was regarded as just an essay although the novelist and literary critic Takitarō Minakami gave it a high evaluation After World War II it came to be regarded as one of Tanizaki s masterpieces and as a metafictional work depicting the circumstances of I tried to write a historical novel but failed Since the 1980s authors Kenji Nakagami Naomi Watabe Joji Hirayama literary criticYōichi Komori and others have regarded it highly In the 1970s the author Akio Goto wrote Yoshino dayu 吉野大夫 The Courtesan Yoshino as a homage to Arrowroot for which he won the 1981 Tanizaki Prize Further reading EditChambers Anthony H 1985 Introduction to Arrowroot Some Prefer Nettles The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi Arrowroot Jun ichirō Tanizaki translated by Chambers Anthony H London Picador Pan Books pp 139 142 ISBN 978 0330 28825 5 Chiba Shunji June 1994 谷崎潤一郎 狐とマゾヒズム Jun ichirō Tanizaki Fox and Masochism in Japanese Ozawa Shoten NCID BN10971533 Hirayama Joji May 1983 考証 吉野葛 谷崎潤一郎の虚と実を求めて Arrowroot In Search of Jun ichirō Tanizaki s Fiction and Reality in Japanese Kenbun Publishing NCID BN00332436 Komori Yōichi December 1992 縁の物語 吉野葛 のレトリック A Tale of Encounters The Rhetoric of Arrowroot Soukan Japanese Literature 22 in Japanese Shintensha ISBN 978 4787975225 Mook Yume February 2015 谷崎潤一郎 没後五十年 文学の奇蹟 Bungei supplement Jun ichirō Tanizaki A Literary Miracle 50 Years After His Death in Japanese Kawade Shobō Shinsha ISBN 978 4309978550 Nomura Keisuke October 1982 吉野葛 論 Arrowroot Theory Waseda University 100th Anniversary Commemorative Papers 4 Culture Feature in Japanese Waseda Shogaku 298 105 138 NAID 120000790146 Sakanishi Norimi 30 September 1998 谷崎潤一郎研究 吉野葛 という 歴史小説 A Study of Jun ichirō Tanizaki Arrowroot Nihon Bungaku in Japanese Tokyo Women s Christian University 90 53 66 NAID 110007184601 Tanizaki Jun ichirō January 1985 Kasahara Nobuo ed 新潮日本文学アルバム7 谷崎潤一郎 Shincho Japanese Literature Album 7 Jun ichirō Tanizaki in Japanese Shinchosha ISBN 978 4 10 620607 8 Tanizaki Jun ichirō May 2002 吉野葛 盲目物語 Arrowroot A Blind Man s Tale in Japanese Revised edition First edition August 1951 ed Shincho Bunko ISBN 978 4 10 100506 5 Watanabe Naoki June 1992 谷崎潤一郎 擬態の誘惑 Jun ichirō Tanizaki Temptation of Mimicry in Japanese Shinchosha ISBN 978 4103860013 References Edit Mook Yume 2015 Jun ichirō Tanizaki A Literary Miracle 50 Years After His Death Guide to Works pp 245 261 Mook Yume 2015 Jun ichirō Tanizaki A Literary Miracle 50 Years After His Death Chronology pp 262 271 a b Introduction to Arrowroot Chambers 1985 pp 139 142 Nomura Keisuke 1982 Arrowroot Theory Waseda University External links Edit2020 new English translation by Jason James Director General of the Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation Notes from Landolt CRelated items EditAshiya Doman Orikuchiism Yoshino Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arrowroot novel amp oldid 1140820036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
