Floating Clouds - Ukigumo

Sometime ago I borrowed a copy of Hayashi Fumiko's novel Floating Clouds/Ukigumo, (translated by Lane Dunlop), from the library but had to return it before being able to finish it, recently I managed to catch up with the story again through watching Naruse Mikio's 1955 adaption of it, another aspect of note of this exceptional film is that Kihachi Okamoto was the assistant director, it would be interesting to learn more about how the two directors approached sharing the direction of this adaption. Initially one difference between that of the novel and the film is that in the novel, as far as I can recall, more space is given to Yukiko's time in occupied Indo Chine, in the film the scenes flash back to this time through the first part of the film, which I had thought would continue throughout the film but stops not long after it begins, although this is a period that is obviously something which deeply pre-occupies Tomioka's thoughts, and indeed the formation of their relationship, we only see a glimpse, although it is also revisited again at the end. Another aspect to the story is the deep intelligence of the narrative, at times it could be said that it operates within certain stereotypes, but as the film progresses it dispenses with conventional characterization and develops into a deeper psychological study of the two main protagonists. Tomioka, unusually instead of sinking deeper into further self destructive abandon with feelings of despondency and despair, develops a redemptive strain as Yukiko's illness worsens, the compulsive love between them expands beyond breaking point into a realm that transcends convention. One poignant crunch point of the film is when in heated argument they discuss the reading of the hero of Maupassant's Bel-Ami, and Tomioka asks Yukiko 'Why don't you fool men?', this question seems to crush any pretence of character that Yukiko entertains and taps into her raw emotive being. After this it seems that things can only go one way with their planned escape to Yakushima - 屋久島, Yukiko going on in sharing the same fate as Tomioka's wife. With the film version it could be thought that perspectives of the narrative in the book could also come from Tomioka, although as far as I can recall the book is solely, or perhaps predominantly that of Yukiko's. Perhaps Okamoto's contribution can be seen in the slightly more documentary aspects/shots of the film, which maybe aren't so common in Naruse's other films, the dancing in Iba-san's The Temple of the Sun God and the earlier shots of the matsuri.

Maybe the only slight, and usual gripe in the English presentation of the film is the nuances omitted in some of the subtitles.

3 disc boxset of Naruse at the BFI

above image from the film's wiki entry

The Kobe Hotel

 

   

Stuck somewhere between a desire to read either fiction or poetry The Kobe Hotel offers the opportunity to read both with the prose and haiku of Saitō Sanki, 西東三鬼, (1900-1962), who leaving his wife and child in Tokyo went to Kobe, the circumstances behind this course of action are revealed over the course of these stories. A dentist by profession on his arrival at the hotel on Tor Road in Kobe, which he describes as being an 'odd international hotel', he worked in a number of different occupations to get by, Sanki had previously lived in Singapore during the 1920's. The short prose sketches are full of his encounters and observations of the characters that drift through the hotel during his tenancy there, an interesting aspect to the tenants of the hotel is that of their metropolitan origins, especially as Sanki arrived in Kobe in 1942, at the height of the war, being too old he missed being drafted. The opening piece entitled The Story of the Strange Egyptian describes the character Maged Elba, one of only two Egyptians, he mentions, living in Japan at the time, although how Sanki is certain of this fact I'm not sure. Although described as stories they might pass as being labelled as chronicles, perhaps they are in actuality slightly embellished or polished tales of true events, the jacket also describes Sanki as a sexual adventurer and given his antipathy towards the military and authority, whilst reading these stories I was in places slightly reminded of Henry Miller, although they are devoid of Miller's fiery temper and perhaps the stories are told with a slightly more detached poetical eye. In the introduction Saito Masaya mentions that Sanki continued living his bohemian lifestyle in Kobe that he had begun in Singapore during the twenties. 

 

Originally published in periodicals, the stories evolve around certain fixed events of Sanki's life, his relocation to Kobe and meeting Namiko, a woman who becomes his partner, the eventual fire bombing of the hotel and of his renting and leasing a Western style Meiji era house set in the hills overlooking Kobe Bay. Another reoccurring presence throughout the stories is that of the German naval serviceman who due to increasing blockades are forced to anchor in the harbour, Sanki points out that due to the metropolitan nature of the city, the presence of spies and surveillance personnel were common in the city at the time, there is mention of the notorious spy Richard Sorge. Amongst these portraits and character histories, Sanki discusses his connections and involvement in creating various haiku groups, (Gendai Haiku), and poets from his past, who occasionally pay visit to him in Kobe, he was forbidden to write haiku for a number of years, only resuming again at the wars end. Among telling these stories he briefly describes his involvement in what he refers to as the Kyoto University Haiku incident of 1940 and laments the intellectual repression during the years of increased militarization. The stories continue up to a time period slightly after the war, observing Hiroshima and in the piece Like A Rolling Stone describes being commandeered in the building of a brothel for servicemen of the occupying forces. Eventually Sanki had to move on from his rented house after it was bought by a Chinese landlord, and he describes his re-entry into the world of poetry, struggling to get by editing various magazines and journals. Interestingly, in a slightly strange coincidence there's also a brief appearance here by a Mr Kotani who also features as a character in Inoue's Bullfight, in the character of Okabe.

Along with these autobiographical based pieces there is a varied selection of Sanki's haiku included, selected from the four collections of haiku he produced. Sanki's haikus are filled with scenes of the poverty and despair endured and experienced immediately after the war. Saito was born Keichoku Saito in Tsuyama in Okayama Prefecture, along with The Kobe Hotel he produced four collections of haiku - Flag, 1939, Peaches At Night, 1948, Today, 1952 and Metamorphosis in 1962. The incident in Kyoto that Sanki was involved in was also known as the Satoda Incident after which he was imprisoned, whilst in Kobe he remained under surveillance by the military police, until moving back to Tokyo in 1956. Sanki passed away in 1962 after suffering from stomach cancer, Tsuyama City created a prize in his name.


Let me store it
in myself, a mountainful
of cicadas screeching.

from - Kyo/Today


Translated by Saito Masaya published by Weatherhill, but now out of print.

Works at Aozora Bunko (Japanese Text)