Storm Rider: An Epic Historical Novel – A Literary Journey from Japan to Civil War America

by Akira Yoshimura

Based on real characters and events, Storm Rider is a vivid historical portrait of Japan and America in the mid-nineteenth century, as well as an exciting high-seas adventure and a moving story of a man lost between two cultures.

At the age of thirteen, Hikotaro is orphaned and left to a life at sea. When the merchant vessel he sails on is caught in a violent storm on the Pacific, an American ship comes to the rescue and takes the young boy to San Francisco. With trepidation and hope, the boy-now dubbed Hikozo-accepts his new country. Still, he dreams of returning to Japan, but shogunate policy forbids reentry to Japanese who have been abroad. He tries anyway, only to be refused and returned to America, where a wealthy American adopts Hikozo and introduces him to a world of influence and power. Some ten years later, Hikozo returns to a Japan stirred into violence by the opening of the country. At the same time, America is in the midst of its bloody Civil War, and Hikozo finds that there is no place he can call home.

Genres: Japan, Japanese Literature, Fiction, Historical Fiction

367 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Prize winning Japanese writer. Akira Yoshimura was the president of the Japanese writers union and a PEN member. He published over 20 novels, of which in particular On Parole and Shipwrecks are internationally known and have been translated into several languages. In 1984 he received the Yomiuri Prize for his novel Hagoku (破獄,engl. prison break) based on the true story of Yoshie Shiratori.

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a disappointment! It plodded along, following a young man who never feels anything but a vague homesickness. Surely there's a point in a young man's life where he'd think "Fuck this shit, I'm going to try and have some fun"?

It's also clumsy. The narrative is often interrupted by new shipwrecked Japanese sailors and their entire life stories. Yawn. On page 305 we're told that "Two days later" reports reached our hero of leading merchants in Kyoto being attacked; their heads were severed and left at the foot of the main bridges and attached with notes threatening a similar fate to anyone who trades with foreigners. Then on page 307 we learn that "Afterward many frightening reports reached him. There was a series of assassinations of Japanese merchants doing business with foreigners. In Kyoto, for instance, one of the leading merchants, named Hachimaya Uhei, had been cut down, his bloody head set on a stake at the foot of Sanjo Ohashi Bridge. A notice was attached to the stake that declared that trade with foreign countries had impoverished the people ..." Isn't this the same thing? "They're killing merchants in Kyoto!" "I know. I told you yesterday." "Different merchants!" "Oh holy shit!"

And there's times when we're told that something's impossible, and then on the next page it's happening. Page 336 has a paragraph about why foreigners – including our hero - can't travel to Honjo Village: the treaties limit foreigners to 15 miles of the treaty ports, the risk of attack from antiforeigner samurai is too severe, etc. On page 338 a chap called Itoh is preparing the paperwork to make it happen and they're off early the next morning. What?

The translation seems a bit naff, too. "Life was quiet at the Sanderses'"? Wouldn't "Life was quiet at the Sanders' home" be better? And there's typos: "Two days later, at dawn, they sailed past Murado Cape, part of the Toasa Domain." Not "Tosa"? And not "Muroto"?

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Storm Rider is primarily a story about a young Japanese castaway rescued by American sailors trying to get back to his homeland. Hikotaro, who became Hikozo, and later Joseph Heco becomes a successful interpreter for various commercial enterprises and the US government during the period when Japan was opening itself to western trade again in the 1850's. Even though Hikozo is able to return to his homeland in his heart he is knows that his fellow countrymen will always be considered a criminal for becoming a citizen of his adopted country and converting to Christianity. Never being truly American and not able to assimilate himself back into Japanese society, Hikozo is destined to drift between this cultural divide unsure of where he fits and where his true loyalties lie.

On the surface this would make a compelling story. However, Yoshimura fails to deliver the goods. Instead the reader is presented with an interesting historical perspective of the opening of Japan but not much else. The main plot has no real dramatic tension or motivation. The story simply follows Hikozo around for many years detailing his life and all the people who help him return to Japan, while on some level this is fairly interesting it doesn't make for a very compelling read. On top of that Yoshimura felt it necessary to split the narrative several times, following the lives of other Japanese castaways whom Hikozo meets as they, too, try to return to Japan. All these stories felt like an epilogue sandwiched in the middle without much thought as to how it would affect the pace and overall structure of the story. It's all a bit strange why Yoshimura choose to fragment the story in this way, something I would expect from a first time novelist, not a seasoned veteran. Also, the translation while probably accurate and precise his often very dry and a times seems to breakdown the cadence/rhythm of Yoshimura's writing that is quite jarring and hard and adds breaks to the narrative that shouldn't be there. Really Storm Rider feels like a thinly veiled historical narrative Nakahama Manjiro's life and the opening of Japan. With some judicious editing and a better translator this could have been a really good novel. Or maybe Yoshimura should have just stuck with a historical biography of Nakahama Manjiro and not have tried to fictionalize his life story.

On a positive note Storm Rider has not deterred my desire to read Shipwrecks by the same author. Even though I may not have enjoyed Storm Rider as much as I would have liked, I did find some real potential in Yoshimura's writing. Added bonus I learned about Nakahama Manjiro, an unintentional side effect of googleing. Oh and now I feel I need to learn more about Japanese culture and history to really understand setting and moods of Japanese fiction.

[Sharrylou · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ship is lost at sea during the storm and Japanese sailors rescued by an American ship and and taken San Francisco. Story of their quest to return to Japan. Hizoko's story was interesting, but I think it got a bit bogged down with all the other castaways he met along the way. Learned a lot about Japanese history (pre-restoration and during) and culture, engagement with the west etc. and it was interesting, but for someone who didn't know much about that era, it was a bit difficult. The book is descibed as being based on much research and I am very curious about whether particular parts of the book are true or not. Interesting, a bit tedious near the end.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is translated from the original Japanese. Although it is historical fiction, the book seems to be based on a great deal of research about the opening of Japan to the outside world; the main character is followed from age 13 to his death at age 62. The facts were interesting, but I found it overall quite dull.

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 19th century Japan, Hikotari is a castaway rescued along with the rest of the crew by a U.S. ship. While this novel follows Hikotari's many journeys, it also traces Japan's pull towards opening up to the west and its internal struggles with sects of the samurai against foreign influence. Yoshimura's tale often reads like a history lesson, yet it is an interesting era in Japan's adjustment to the modern world.

[JoeG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I avoid biographies, but this one snuck up on me. I have now read all 4 of Yoshimura's translated novels and am still impressed by his thorough scholarship that he combines with strong, simple prose.
In this book,I learned a great deal about the last few decades of the Shogunate and first few decades of the Meiji Restoration. The interplay with United States and England was revelatory. The main character, Hijozo was definitely a 19th century, Japanese Forrest Gump.

[Marko Hakaj · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, packed with irrelevant names, dates and events.

[Phillip McCollum · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Storm Rider" attempts to semi-fictionalize the true story behind Hikotaro (aka Joseph Heco), a thirteen-year-old boy living in 1850 Japan. His father died when he was an infant and his mother passed away a few months before his thirteenth birthday. Finding himself without obligation or purpose, Hikotaro took up sailing like his merchant stepfather and became lost at sea. He was saved by a passing American trader ship, propelling him toward a life straddling two very different cultures during a period of turbulent transformation for both the United States and Japan.

I was very excited about this book. Unfortunately, "Storm Rider" is an example of a fantastic story told poorly. The first 20 pages and final 20 pages held promise, but everything in between seemed to be more of a story told than a story dramatized. Yoshimura has certainly done his research, but my expectation for "Storm Rider" was that it was a novel. Instead it resembled unadorned, pieced-together memoirs.

With constant changes in viewpoint, and a lack of plot and characterization, Hikotaro’s story wasn’t as emotionally powerful as it could have been. Some reviewers say this may be due to the translation and since I can’t read Japanese, I can’t argue for or against that point, but they all seem to agree the book didn’t live up to its potential.

For those interested in a unique bit of history, I’d recommend checking out "Storm Rider." Just know what you’re getting into. If you’re looking for a dramatic work, I advise skipping this one.

[Raghuveer Parthasarathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, true story, but a really boring book, remarkably devoid of conflict and drama. The first quarter is good; our protagonist is lost at sea and rescued by an American ship, at time when Japan and the U.S. are largely mysteries to each other. After that, however, the book is a dull recounting of how nice everyone is, and how difficult international bureaucracies are to navigate. Eventually, our hero makes it back to Japan, where there’s a little bit of introspection about his lack of a “home.” I’m tempted to give it 2 stars, but as a glimpse of a very different place and time, it has its merits.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical drama based on the lives of Japanese sailors who were shipwrecked in the days when Japan was closed to the west (except for small Dutch or Chinese trading zones.) Such sailors who were rescued by foreign vessels and taken to China or United States or elsewhere were often barred from returning to Japan, a society closed to the outside world. Those who did return could not have converted to Christianity or other non-Buddhist/non-Shinto religions.

Follows the life of one sailor who as a young teen was transported to San Francisco and how he struggled fitting in to either the United States or Japan.

Quick read.

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It must be said the writing here is very dry. Derived from historical documents of real events and characters, this translated work charts the tides of change for Japan and the USA in mid 19th C. This novel is, if you take the time, immensely engrossing; especially for anyone wanting to learn about the rocky birth of Japanese-American relations, as well as Japanese cultural heritage & indigenous customs prior to Western influence. It's starkly different to Yoshimura's "Shipwreck" novel. I knocked off one star as the writing in this book is flat.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book about Japan in the mid-1800s prior to their opening to the rest of the world. This book describes the experiences of a sailor set adrift in the Pacific Ocean; he was not allowed back into Japan for many years. He lived in the United States for a while and met three presidents, including Lincoln. The book is a bit of a slow read in parts, but still very interesting.

[Shiroiken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. It is a very easy read in English, which helps. Hikozo is a character that is easy to like. You see him leave him home and be forced to grow up between cultures. Eventually, both cultures deny him, and he discovers that his is something new. He is not pure Japan, but neither is he American. He cannot escape that he is something new.

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for both The Expanding Horizons Challenge and The TBR Challenge.

Here are the links for my review:

Amazon.ca: http://tinyurl.com/3ah8ev (Votes appreciated)

or

My blog: So Many Precious Books, So Little time
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - a wonderful window into the social turmoil of Japan's opening to the West. A great, meandering exploration of the sense of "homelessness" associated with living between two cultures experienced as a sort of "castaway" - adrift upon various social and cultural currents.

[Steven Hartman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as enticing as I remember when I read it the first time.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting view of the era when Japan first allwed contact with other countries (mid-1800's).

[Trevor Kew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, based on a true story. Slightly odd writing in parts.

[scarlettraces]

Written in that observational, distancing style that I associate with Japanese literary fiction (yeah, I probably need to read more widely), this packs a punch on the theme of being cut adrift - castaway - in all possible senses that doesn't become evident until the final section. And manages to get in some pretty acute digs at the American Dream too.