Have you ever taken a look at the old (1984 - 2004) thousand yen bill and thought one of two things: Who is this strangely charming figure with those piercing eyes? Or, how in the world did a Japanese man grow a mustache like that? I don’t know the answer to the second question (my guess would be some sort of mustache enhancing supplements), the figure on the bill is none other than Natsume Soseki (1867-1916), I dare say the most famous and renown Japanese author of the modern era. By modern, refer to everything from Meiji period (1868-1912) up to now, and I ‘dare say’ because though you may say other recent Japanese authors have achieved more notoriety than Soseki, you have never been able to use their likenesses to purchase nikuman and other delectable treats. So there.

Soseki is an interesting figure in his own right. He spent four years studying abroad in England (he hated the stay and was subjected to persecution and isolation). In addition to writing novels, he wrote haiku, poetry in English and Chinese, and taught English and English literature in middle schools and universities.

And so we recommend Kokoro, often referred to as Soseki’s masterpiece, although I can’t be sure as none of his books appeared on the thousand yen bill with him. The word kokoro is one of those tricky Japanese terms that can translate into roughly three million English words depending on context. At it’s simplest, the kokoro means ‘heart,’ or ‘mind,’ or ‘desire,’ or etc… and the definition can be expanded and abstracted at times to ‘the essence of things.’ I suggest you leave the title as Kokoro and read the book.

Kokoro relates the story of an unnamed university student and his encounter with an older man whom the student simply refers to as ‘Sensei.’ Sensei is another one of those words that is best left as Sensei in this case. Interpreting the phrase as “Teacher” wouldn’t quite be accurate, and well… just read the book, ok? Anyhoo, Sensei is a brooding, tormented character, weary of the world, void of emotion for little more than his beloved wife. The student’s admiration and curiosity for Sensei drive him to attempt to learn more about Sensei and his past. The novel plays the theme of humanity’s isolation in modern society against the background of traditional Eastern notions on family relations and the relationship between master and disciple. It is a brilliant portrayal of Japan at the end of the Meiji Era.

Soseki’s language is simple and to the point (a trait rare among Japanese authors), yet incredibly deep and very affecting. The English translation by Edwin McClellan reads fluidly and remains true to Soseki’s style. Readers interested in more Natsume Soseki shoud take a look at some of his other novels, such as I am a Cat or Botchan.

You can find the entire book Kokoro online. Written by Kevin Singleton and originally appeared in The Tombo Times, October 2003.