Snow Country

Japanese: 雪国 - ゆきぐに

This is a medium-length novel by Kawabata Yasunari and a representative work of his middle period. It was published in various magazines such as Bungei Shunju and Kaizo from 1935 to 1937 (Showa 10-12). It was published as a book in 1937 and won the Bungei Konwakai Prize, but he continued writing it from 1940 and completed it in 1947 (Showa 22). It was published by Sogensha in 1948. Shimamura, who is idle, visits a hot spring resort in a snowy country and meets a geisha named Komako. Komako is aware that loving Shimamura is futile, but she is drawn to him devotedly. She lives by the honest feelings of the moment and tries not to have any regrets, but a girl named Yoko is beside her, whose appearance seems to directly represent the pain that will inevitably remain in the heart if you love someone. This symbolic work was written in the wake of the author's desire to find evidence of true love and acts that were not in vain during the war, when life seemed meaningless. It is based on his own experiences in Yuzawa, Echigo.

[Tetsuya Hatori]

movie

Japanese film. Produced by Toho in 1957 (Showa 32). Directed by Toyoda Shiro. Original story by Kawabata Yasunari, adapted by Yasumi Toshio (1903-1991). Japanese painter Shimamura (Ikebe Ryo, 1918-2010) cannot forget Komako (Kishi Keiko, 1932-), whom he met at a hot spring in Snow Country a year ago, and visits her many times. Komako has a foster mother who is a dance teacher, her sick son, and her stepsister Yoko (Yachigusa Kaoru, 1931-2019), who became a geisha to earn money for her medical expenses, but Yoko hates Komako. The scene at the beginning of the novel, "We came out of the long tunnel at the border and found ourselves in Snow Country," begins with a moving train. The outdoor location shooting allows the man-woman tactics to be portrayed neatly. There is a wonderful scene where Ikebe carries the shy Kishi on his back and crosses the river. The battle between the women, in which the young Yachigusa seduces Ikebe and Kishi becomes jealous, is also a highlight. In 1965, Shochiku remade the film in color, directed by Ohba Hideo (1910-1997), and adapted the screenplay by Saito Ryosuke (1910-2007) and Ohba. Subtly different from the previous film, Komako is played seductively by Iwashita Shima (1941-), Yoko is played by Kaga Mariko (1943-) with unintentional fawning, and the translator Shimamura is played passively by Kimura Isao (1923-1981). The tunnel scene comes midway through.

[Shohei Sakajiri]

"Snow Country" (Obunsha Bunko, Kadokawa Bunko, Shincho Bunko)

[References] | Yasunari Kawabata | Shiro Toyoda

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

川端康成(やすなり)の中編小説で中期の代表作。1935～1937年（昭和10～12）『文芸春秋』『改造』など諸誌に分載。1937年いったん本になり、文芸懇話会賞を受賞するが、1940年よりまた書き継ぎ、1947年（昭和22）完結。1948年創元社より刊行。無為徒食の島村は雪国の温泉場を訪ね、芸者駒子(こまこ)に会った。駒子は島村などを愛してみても徒労であるとは知りながら、いちずに慕い寄ってくる。彼女は瞬間の正直な気持ちに生き、悔いなど残すまいとしているが、人を愛してしまえばかならずあとに残るであろう心の痛みを、そのまま表すかのような姿で、葉子という少女が彼女のかたわらにいる。生きることが無意味とも思われた戦争の時代に、まことの愛や行為の徒労ならざるなにかの証(あかし)をみつけだしたい作者の思いが書かせた象徴的作品。越後(えちご)湯沢における実体験が素材になっている。

［羽鳥徹哉］

映画

日本映画。1957年（昭和32）東宝作品。豊田四郎(とよだしろう)監督。川端康成原作、八住利雄(やすみとしお)（1903―1991）脚色。日本画家の島村（池部良(いけべりょう)、1918―2010）は、一年前に雪国の温泉場で知り合った駒子（岸恵子(きしけいこ)、1932―　）が忘れられなくて何度も訪ねる。駒子には踊りの師匠の養母とその病身の息子、それに義妹の葉子（八千草薫(やちぐさかおる)、1931―2019）がいて、治療費を稼ぐために芸者になっていたが、葉子は駒子を憎んでいる。小説冒頭の「国境の長いトンネルを抜けると雪国であった」という場面が、前進移動の汽車の映像で始まる。野外ロケを加味して男女の駆け引きが端正に描かれる。池部が恥じらう岸を背負い、川を渡る場面が素晴らしい。若い八千草が池部を誘惑し、岸が嫉妬(しっと)する女の闘いも見どころである。1965年、松竹で大庭秀雄(おおばひでお)（1910―1997）監督によるカラーの再映画化では、斎藤良輔(さいとうりょうすけ)（1910―2007）と大庭が脚色。前作と微妙に異なり、駒子を岩下志麻(いわしたしま)（1941―　）が妖艶に、葉子を加賀まりこ(かがまりこ)（1943―　）が意図しない媚(こび)をみせ、翻訳家の島村を木村功(きむらいさお)（1923―1981）が受身で演じている。トンネルの場面は、途中に出てくる。

［坂尻昌平］

『『雪国』（旺文社文庫・角川文庫・新潮文庫）』

[参照項目] | 川端康成 | 豊田四郎

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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