EX LIBRIS
VINTAGE CLASSICS
JUN’ICHIRŌ TANIZAKI
Jun’ichirō Tanizaki was one of Japan’s greatest twentieth century novelists. Born in 1886 in Tokyo, his first published work – a one-act play –appeared in 1910 in a literary magazine he helped to found. Tanizaki lived in the cosmopolitan Tokyo area until the earthquake of 1923, when he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region and became absorbed in Japan’s past.
All his most important works were written after 1923, among them Some Prefer Nettles (1929), The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi (1935), several modern versions of The Tale of Genji (1941, 1954 and 1965), The Makioka Sisters, The Key (1956) and Diary of a Mad Old Man (1961). He was awarded an Imperial Award for Cultural Merit in 1949 and in 1965 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to receive this honour. Tanizaki died later that same year.
ALSO BY JUN’ICHIRŌ TANIZAKI
Naomi Quicksand
Arrowroot
Ashikari (The Reed Cutter)
A Portrait of Shunkin
In Praise of Shadows
The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi
The Tale of Genji
The Makioka Sisters
Captain Shigemoto’s Mother
The Key
Diary of a Mad Old Man
JUN’ICHIRŌ TANIZAKI SOME PREFER NETTLES
TRANSLATED FROM THE JAPANESE BY Edward
G. Seidensticker
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The moral right of the author has been asserted
First published in Great Britain by Secker & Warburg in 1956
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Everywormtohistaste; someprefertoeatnettles.
Japaneseproverb
I NTRODUCTION
O N1SE P TEMBER 1923,thedaytheearthquakedestroyed TokyoandYokohama,TanizakiJunichiro¯wasinthe HakoneMountainssouthofYokohama.Almostbeforehe thoughttoworryabouthisfamilyinYokohama,hewrote later,hefeltaperversesurgeofhappinessatthenewsofthe disaster.‘“NowtheywillmakeTokyoadecentcity.”Icould notkeepbackthe gladthought.’ Thedarknessoftheoldcity was gone,andthenewcitywouldbefilledwithhornsand headlights,movietheatres,thebrightcriesofstreetwalkers, theradianceofbeautyparloursandTurkishbaths. WhenTanizakiwrotedowntheserecollectionssometen yearslater,hemeantthemtotellthestoryofhisearlycareer. Hewasthirty-sevenyearsoldin1923,andhehadbeena well-knownwriteralreadyformorethantenyears.Hewas bornoftheoldTokyomerchantclass,theclassthatwasin chargeofJapaneseculturewhenCommodore Perryarrivedto openthecountry,andtheclassthatin1923stillconsidered itselfratherthefinestfruitoftheJapaneserace;buthe dislikedbothhisclassandthetraditionitstoodfor.Hisearly works, generallycalled‘demoniac’ bytheJapanese,were writtenundertheinfluencelessofJapanesepredecessorsthan of Poe,Baudelaire,andWilde;andinhispersonallifehe seemstohaveindulged,astheoldmanofthisnoveloncedid, ‘inforeigntastesofthemosthair-raising variety’.Atthetime oftheearthquake,hewasliving ontheYokohama‘Bluff’,the veryheartoftheforeignenclave.FewJapanesewenttosuch extremeseveninanagethatwasfascinatedwiththeWest. AftertheearthquakehemovedtoOkamoto,betweenKobe
Jun'ichiro ¯
andOsaka.LikeallnativesofTokyo,hehadalwaysviewed Osakawithamixtureofamusementandcontempt.The Osakanwasapenny-grabbing bumpkinwhohadnotlearned thefineJapaneseartofconcealing hisemotions;andthe Osakanseemedinsensitivetotheexhilarating successionof foreigninfluencesthatwassweeping thecountry.Hewas cloddishlybehindthetimes.
Butpresentlyasuggestionthatthecasewasnotsoclear begantocomeintoTanizaki’swritings.Hisfirstmajorpostearthquakenovel, AFool’sLove,isadisquieting studyof whatcanhappenwhenonecutsoneselfofffromone’spast. Thehero,ayoung manwhowillliveinthenewway,findsa littlebar girlwhoremindshimofMary Pickford,andhe proceedsto groomhersothatheneednotbeashamedofher infrontofthe golden-hairedforeigners.Attheendheisliving acomfortlesslifeinYokohamawhilehisfashionablewife takesforeignlovers.
In1928 Tanizakibeganserialpublicationoftwonovels thatineffectsumuphisearlycareerandannounceanew beginning. Whirlpool bringsupforfinalreviewallthe perversionsandcrueltiesoftheearlynovels,andleavesits heroine,whohashopedtorenounceconventionandfind sexualliberationthereby,inthedarkestdespair. SomePrefer Nettles isinmanywaysTanizaki’sownstory,thestoryofa sexuallydisturbedTokyomanwithrathersuperficialWestern tasteswhoalmostagainsthiswillfindshimselfattractedto OsakaandtotheJapanesepast.Theissueisclearlydrawn, thesetwonovelsseemtotellus:tobeforeignistocourt unhappiness;aJapanesecanfindpeaceonlybybeing as intenselyJapaneseasthetimeswillallow.
Between1931and1935Tanizakiturnedoutaseriesof shorthistoricalnovels,allofthemdreamyanthemstoaday whenbeautydidnotseemcompelledtofightagainstitstime. Hewasoccupieduntilthewaronarenditionintomodern Japaneseof TheTaleofGenji,the greateleventh-century Japaneseromance.Sincethewarhehaspublishedamassive novelcalled SasameYoki,aloving anddetailedre-creationof theoldOsakawayoflifeinwhatevenTanizakihadtoadmit
wereitslastprecariousdays.Nowheisbackatthe Genji, whichhehopestofinishreworking thisyear.
II
SomePreferNettles isapersonalconfessionandthestoryof aculturalconflict.Thecentralsituation,anunhappymarriagebetweentwopeoplewhodonotinteresteachother sexuallyandwhofeelatormenting uncertaintyoverwhatto doaboutit,seemstobeautobiographical.InAugust1930 Tanizakidivorcedhiswife,whobypreviousarrangement becamethewifeofthepoetandnovelistSato¯Haruo.Sato haswrittenthatonenightafterdinnerTanizakiremarked: ‘HowwouldyouliketomarryO-chiyo?’ andeverything proceededamicablyfromthere.Tanizaki’sfirstmarriage,one judgesfromaninterviewTanizaki gavethepapersatthetime andfromSato’srecollections,wasnotunlikeKaname’sin thisnovel:Tanizakihadnothing againsthiswife;shesimply didnotinteresthim.Hisunhappiness,itappears,hadbeen growing forsometime,anditisclearenoughthathewas thinking ofhisownmarriagewhenhepublished SomePrefer Nettles twoyearsbeforethedivorce.
Thenovelisalsoautobiographical,ofcourse,inthatittells ofTanizaki’s growing attachmenttoOsakaandtraditional Japan.ButsomuchcontemporaryJapanesefictionisthinly disguisedautobiographythatonepounceswithjoyona novelthatismore.Tanizaki’scareer,withitsearlyliking for theWestanditssubsequentretreatintotheJapanesepast, tellssomuchaboutmodernJapanthatwhenhetalksabout himselfhetalksaboutmuchmorethanhimself.
Therealthemeof SomePreferNettles istheclashbetween thenewandtheold,theimportedandthedomestic.The maritalconflictandtheculturalconflictareinavery general waycoextensive.Misako,thewife,isdrawntowardsthenew andforeign,andKanamemoreandmorestronglytowards thetraditional.Andyeteachispulledbyconflicting forces. Misakoisthestylishyoung matronofthefuture,butwe knowthatsheisbynomeanssureofherself,andattheend
ofthebookherfatherremarkssagelythathermodernnessis ‘aprettythinveneer’.Kanameforhispartlongstoburyhis emotionaltroublesinthecalmunityoftheoldJapaneseway oflife,andyetheisattractedtotheEurasianprostitute Louise.Ifthedivorceistocome,onefeels,itwillsettlemore forKanamethanitwillforMisako,andevenKanamehas crisesahead.
Thenewandtheold.ForKanameandforTanizakithereis ontheonehandTokyoandontheotherOsaka,ontheone handtherobustEurasianLouiseandontheotherthefragile, vaguelyunhealthyJapanesedoll,O-hisa.Tokyoisthecity offoreignfadsandofjournalism,andofan‘intelligentsia’ createdbythetwo.‘Onecannotlightlydismissthefact,’ Tanizakilamentedwhenhepublishedhisviewsofthetwo citiesin1934,‘thatTokyoisthecapitalofthenation,and Tokyoshallownessishaving itseffectoneveryoneofour arts.’
Osaka,ontheotherhand,is‘themerchants’ capital’.The Osakamerchantis grasping,saystheTokyoman.‘And indeedisitnotnaturalthatheshouldbe?’ Tanizakireplies. ‘Hemaydistressyouatfirst,ifyouareusedtoTokyo,but presentlyyouseethathisverycovetousnessisinitsway endearing.Tomeheismoreprogressive,morevirile,hehas moresubstance,thanyourcallowTokyointellectual.’
TheOsakamerchant,quitesimply,isstilltheOsaka merchant,whiletheTokyointellectualisapalechaserafter fadshecanmakenothing of;andsincethecultureofold Japanwasamerchants’ culturesomething ofitmuststill remaininOsaka.EveninOsakaitisdying perhaps–theold puppettheatretowhichTanizaki givessuchaffectionate attentioninthisnovelcannolongerattractcrowds;the motion-picturecompanythatsupportsitis getting restive. ButinOsakaitshouldstillbepossibleforalittlewhiletolive alifethatissufficienttoitself.
Atentativeacceptanceofthemerchants’ culturesetsoff thereturntooldJapanin SomePreferNettles.Thereturnis inasenseareturntochildhood.Kaname,wearetoldin Chapter3,‘had grownupinthemerchants’ sectionofTokyo beforetheearthquakedestroyedit,andthethoughtofit
couldfillhimwiththekeenestnostalgia;buttheveryfactthat hewasachildofthemerchants’ quartermadehimespecially sensitivetoitsinadequacies.’ Theurgeto gobackthus becomesareaffirmationofachildhoodthattheadult intellect,ifnottheadultheart,hasrejected.TheOsakasong, ‘Snow’,thefirstbitofOsakaarttowhichKanameis attracted,bringsmemoriesofhisearlyTokyoyears.The Osakatheatreremindshimofanafternoonlong agowhenhe wastakentoatheatreinTokyobyhismother.Inthelast chapterO-hisa,theKyotobeauty,isquitedeprivedofsexand reducedtoadoll,andweare giventounderstandthat KanamewillhenceforthbeinterestedinO-hisa-likedolls.He willhavenomoreofadultproblems,hewill gobackand relivehischildhood.
Ifhedoes goback,however,itcannotbeforlong,and Tanizakiknowsit.TheWestisheretostay,andpresently Tokyowillhaveeverything itsway.‘Iknowaswellas anyone,’ Tanizakisaidin1934inasadandrathermoving essayonthetraditionalartscalled InPraiseofShadows,‘that Iamdreaming,andthat,having comethisfar,wecannot turnback.IknowthatIam grumbling tomyselfand demanding theimpossible.Buttherecanbenoharm,ifmy grumblingsaretakenforwhattheyare,inconsidering how unluckywehavebeen,whatlosseswehavesuffered,in comparisonwiththeWesterner.TheWesternerhasbeenable tomoveforwardinorderedsteps,whilewehavemeta superiorcivilizationandhavehadtosurrendertoit,andwe havehadtoleavearoadwehavefollowedforthousandsof years.’
Todaytheprospectsfortheoldcivilizationseemeven dimmerthanwhenthesewordswerewritten.Thewarseems tohavecompletedthemischiefthatTokyobegan.Allof thesmallcitiestowhichwearedirectedinChapter10if wewouldfindasurvivalfromanearlierdayhavebeen destroyed.TheOsakaof SasameYuki is gone.Kyotosurvived thebombings,andtheearthenwallsandtheduskyoldhouses Tanizakisolovesarestilltobefoundthere;butinsidethem oneislikelytocomeonyoung ladieswhocuttheirhairinthe mannerofAudreyHepburn,andyounggentlemenwhowant
to gooffto Paristostudysomething called dessin orto Peking tolearnof Paradise.Kyotohasnonovelistofnote exceptTanizaki,andTanizakihasnodisciples.Yetsome thingsdosurvive–theOsakapuppettheatre,forinstance, albeitamidvoicesprophesying theworst,andeventheAwaji puppettheatre,aboutwhichTanizakiwasevenmorepessimisticwhenhewrote SomePreferNettles.Andtheconflict thatisattheheartofthenovelcontinuestotroublethe Japanesespirit.Almosteveryoneseemsnowtohavechosen thenew,butnoteveryoneishappywithit.
III
ItiseasytoarguethatJapaneseisahopelesslyvague languagefromwhichitisimpossibletotranslate,butthe argumentusuallycomesdowntoanunrealnotionofwhat eventhebesttranslatorcanaccomplish.Notwolanguages makequitethesamedistinctions,andeverytranslationisa makeshiftinsofarasthisistrue.
Itisundeniable,however,thattherefusaloftheJapanese languagetomakedistinctionsoftenseemsscandalous,and theproblemsonefacesintrying tomakeJapaneseliterature understandableontranslation growaccordingly.Tanizaki takestheposition,inanilluminating studyofliterarystyle called ACompositionReader,thatitisthedutyofthe Japanesewritertoknowthe geniusofhislanguageandto accommodatehimselftoit:ifJapaneseisvague,itsvagueness mustbemadeavirtueof.
Tanizakiputshimselfinalineofstylistsstemming from TheTaleofGenji,stylistswhoaimatadreamy,floating prose.Theyaresuspiciousoftoovividachoiceofwords,too clearaview,tooconspicuousatransitionfromonefigure orideatoanother.Theyprefertheirprosetobemisty,to suggestmorethanitsays.Theyare,Tanizakisays,pure Japanesestylists,inoppositiontoChinese-influencedwriters whoaimatconcisenessandprecision.Oneislefttoconclude thatthelatter,whoratherdominatethefieldtoday,aretrying
todosomething thatcanonlyresultinviolencetothebasic natureoftheJapaneselanguage.
Among thepreceptsTanizakihandsdowntothosewho wouldbewritersarethese:Donottrytobetooclear;leave some gapsinthemeaning.‘Themodernwriterseemstometo betookindtohisreader,’ hesays,andagain:‘WeJapanese scornthebaldfact,andweconsiderit goodformtokeepa thinsheetofpaperbetweenthefactortheobjectandthe wordsthat giveexpressiontoit.’ Oncewhenhewascriticized fornotexploring theinnerlifeofoneofhischaracters,he retorted:‘ButwhyshouldIdiscusshispsychology?Can’tthe reader guessfromwhatI’vealreadytoldhim?’
Theseideasarebroughtupnottoshowhowdifficult Tanizakiistotranslate–theTanizakisentence,forallits poeticsuggestiveness,isasamatteroffactamodeloflimpid expression–butratherinthehopethattheywillthrowlight onwhattotheWesternreadermaybeaconfusedand uncertainending.Inthelastchapterof SomePreferNettles weseethatKaname,thehero,isstronglydrawntowards O-hisa,theKyotobeautywhorepresentsoldJapan.Wehave hisstatementthathehasmadeadecisionforhimself,andwe knowfairlywellwhatthedecisionis:theoldman,withhis conservativetastesandhisimmersioninwhatstilllivesofthe Japanesepast,hascometoKanameasavisionofwhathe himselfwillonedaybe.Attheveryendwehave,dimthrough linennetting,thepalefaceofanAwajipuppet,symbolofthe disembodiedJapanesefemininitytowhichKanameisturning;andwehaveO-hisaherself,equallydimandfragile, kneeling besidethedoor.
Butwearenottold exactly whatKanamewilldo.Willhe appearattheCityHallthenextdaydramaticallyannouncing hisbreakwiththeWestasheturnsinhisdivorcenotice?Or willhechooseacompromisewherebyforthetimebeing hecanhavebothO-hisaandtheEurasianLouiseandcan perhapsevenshelterhiswife,Misako?Wedonotknow.Itis atthispointthatTanizakichoosestobe‘unkind’.‘Andwhy shouldItellyou?’ wecanhearhimsaying.‘Ihavealready toldyouenoughaboutKaname.Iprefertoleavesome gaps.’