طبل آیاکاشی

by Kyūsaku Yumeno, تهمینه زاردشت (Translator)

کیوساکو یومنو نویسندهٔ داستان‌های معمایی محبوبیتش مدیون تخیل و تمایلش به عبور از مرزهای معمول این ژانر فانتزی است. می‌شود گفت زندگی‌اش به رنگارنگی نوشته‌های اوست. یومنو پسر سیاستمداری پشت‌پرده بود. گویا با پدرش سازگاری بسیارکمی داشته. خوشبختانه پدربزرگش او را زیر پروبالش گرفت و می‌گویند تئاتر نو و ادبیات کلاسیک چینی را حتی قبل از ورود به مدرسهٔ ابتدایی یادش داد.

یومنو در دانشگاه کی‌او توکیو درس خواند، اما پدر مجبورش کرد دست از تحصیل بکشد و او را به ادارهٔ مزرعه‌ای بزرگ فرستاد که یومنو در این کار شکست خورد. مدتی راهب بودایی شد، رهبانیت را کنار گذاشت و ازدواج کرد، نمایش نو را آموخت، بعد گزارشگر روزنامه‌ای در کیوشو شد، جایی که حرفهٔ نویسندگی را با نوشتن افسانه‌هایی برای کودکان آغاز کرد.

بالاخره، در سی‌وپنج سالگی شروع به نوشتن داستان‌های معمایی کرد که شهرتش مدیون همین داستان‌هاست. در سال ۱۹۳۶، ناگهان افتاد و مرد. چهل‌وهشت سال داشت.

Genres: Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Fiction, Japan, Horror, Classics

92 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1924

About the author

Yumeno Kyūsaku (native name: 夢野 久作) was the pen name of the early Shōwa period Japanese author Sugiyama Yasumichi. The pen name literally means "a person who always dreams." He wrote detective novels and is known for his avant-gardism and his surrealistic, wildly imaginative and fantastic, even bizarre narratives.

Kyūsaku’s first success was a nursery tale Shiraga Kozō (White Hair Boy, 1922), which was largely ignored by the public. It was not until his first novella, Ayakashi no Tsuzumi (Apparitional Hand Drum, 1924) in the literary magazine Shinseinen that his name became known.

His subsequent works include Binzume jigoku (Hell in the Bottles, 1928), Kori no hate (End of the Ice, 1933) and his most significant novel Dogra Magra (ドグラマグラ, 1935), which is considered a precursor of modern Japanese science fiction and was adapted for a 1988 movie.

Kyūsaku died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1936 while talking with a visitor at home.

Reviews

[spillingthematcha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nie spodziewałam się, że ta krótka książka może mnie tak bardzo w pewien sposób poruszyć.

[Marie-Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly complex for such a brief work, this is eerie, atmospheric, and rather sad. The translator, J. D. Wisgo, kindly offers an introduction explaining the significance of Noh theater to the story, which helps illuminate the importance of the drums in the tale and in Japanese culture.

While I don't think this can (or should) be classified as horror or a ghost story per se, there are supernatural elements to the tale as well as a decadent atmosphere that gives the work a distinctly eerie and slightly fantastic character. I think anyone who enjoys the work of Kyōka Izumi or Hyakken Uchida will like this very much. I sincerely hope that more work by Yumeno is translated soon (perhaps by Mr. Wisgo?).

[M.H Ansari · Rating 3 out of 5]

داستان گنگ و تاریک بود ، جذابیت متوسطی هم داشت .

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro de misterio con componentes sobrenaturales y psicológicos. Me gustó que aunque es un libro corto, no deja ningún cabo suelto y la lectura es cautivadora. También me gustaron las referencias al teatro Noh y al folclor japonés, que siempre me ha interesado.

[emkart_andbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardzo fajne! Trochę fantastyki i trochę humoru. Taka świeżość pośród literatury azjatyckiej — tej bardziej melancholijnej i refleksyjnej.

[TT · Rating 4 out of 5]

داستان به شدت جذاب بود
ولی آخرشو نفهمیدم 😅 احیانا اگر کسی فهمیده به منم بگه

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book from a man who became an odd writer. It was entered into a competition looking for a work of detective fiction. This was in 1926, the same year Agatha Christie published The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, her third featuring Hercule Poirot. The epistolary novella Ayakashi no tsuzumi (translated variously as The Demonic Hand Drum, The Apparitional Hand Drum, The Eerie Hand Drum or, in the translation I read, The Spirit Drum) came in joint second; there was no first prize awarded. The comments by the judges were, to say the least, mixed.

Nowadays we’re familiar with a swath of sub-genres from cozy mysteries through police procedurals right down to hard-boiled literature. Japanese detective fiction also developed its own sub-genres as it moved away from mimicking the loose English translations that reached them at the end of the 19th century:

Generally, the prewar debates were divided into two camps. One side asserted the Golden Age puzzle formula of “whodunit” was the authentic (honkaku; 本格), healthy (kenzen; 健全), and modern/progressive format, as opposed to the allegedly inauthentic (henkaku; 変格) form of writing which was characterized by its grotesque taste, lack of scientificity/logic, and “backward” premodern references. The other side argued that detective fiction should be understood as artistic fiction with detective tastes (tantei shumi 探偵趣味) rather than scientific fiction with rigid rules. They stated that it is the fictional element, not the detective element, that is central to a detective story. – Historical Overview: Japanese Detective Fiction, All About Rampo

(This is a very brief summary of information gleaned from Satomi Saito’s thesis ‘Culture and authenticity: the discursive space of Japanese detective fiction and the formation of the national imaginary’ pages 71-80.)

Understandably there was a cultural war going on, and not simply in literature, between a modern West and a premodern Japan. I think it’s fair to say that Japan has had a harder time than most letting go of its heritage than, say, the United States which hardly had one to begin with. (To be fair the States had its own problems at this time when it came to producing authentic American classical music.)

The Spirit Drum, as I said, divided the judges. The overall consensus was that it was a work of henkaku which employs some elements of detective fiction but its main focus is more or less sensationalism (eroticism and the grotesque) related to criminal investigation. The hen in hentai (変態) and henkaku is the same character, which made the semantic connection between the two a natural one but bear in mind when this was written; this is about a far from tentacle porn as you could get and what was considered erotic or grotesque in the 1920s is exceedingly tame these days.

I didn’t even read this as a detective novel. I thought it was a work of gothic fiction. Indeed it has something of the “antiquarian ghost story” about it, the kind of thing M.R. James might’ve dashed off. Rampo, who was the biggest name in Japanese detective fiction at the time, was probably the harshest of the judges. He just did not like the piece:

I simply was not favourably impressed by this story. I found it somewhat odd to hear that others considered this an excellent work and recommended it for first place. Just in case, I read it a second time, but sure enough, my efforts were in vain. I do not see the goodness (yosa) of this work.

I can see his problem and it’s a problem writers throughout the land were struggling with at the time: What makes a work of detective fiction a work of Japanese detective fiction? To start answering that consider what makes a work like Koji Suzuki's Ring different to, say, Stephen King’s Christine.

In Ring we have a cursed video tape; in The Spirit Drum a cursed hand drum. Cursed objects are a recurring and popular trope—the One Ring from The Lord of the Rings, the puzzle box in Hellraiser and the eponymous monkey’s paw from the short story by W.W. Jacobs—so it’s familiar ground to modern readers. It’s a Shinto belief that everything has a spirit, so in Japanese folklore it’s possible for inanimate objects to become sentient. Hence we have the Tsukumogami (付喪神) which is the collective name given to a type of yōkai (Japanese spirits or monsters) which are haunted household objects. It would take very little stretch then to imagine a cursed hand drum. Plus you have to keep in mind Kyūsaku was a lifelong devotee of noh and, at age twenty-nine, became a noh instructor. That the cursed object in this book is a tsuzumi (handheld drum used in noh theatre) is given added significance only if you understand the history which, sadly, virtually no Western reader will do. The translator’s ‘A Brief Introduction to Noh Theatre’ only serves to let you know in advance how much out of your depth you’re going to be.

My advice to any reader thinking about giving this a go is to accept you’re going to miss all the subtleties and to let them go whoosh! over your head. If you’re keen enough afterwards then read Satomi Saito’s thesis (or as much of it as interests you) or Nathen Clerici’s thesis: Dreams from Below: Yumeno Kyūsaku and Subculture Literature in Japan which covers similar ground. Junko Ikezu Williams’s Visions and narratives : modernism in the prose works of Yoshiyuki Eisuke, Murayama Tomoyoshi, Yumeno Kyūsaku, and Okamoto Kanoko is also worth a read.

Bottom line then? Well it wasn’t really my sort of thing. As you can see, what salvaged things for me was learning about the author and the history of the piece as opposed to the work itself which felt derivative although at the time I’m sure it was quite the cutting edge work. Well, so was Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony back in the day.

Detective novels tend to go in for facts, details, accuracies whereas this book muddies the waters. Things aren’t investigated. Questions aren’t asked and, most importantly, we don’t see the culprit get his—by “his” I mean its—comeuppance. I’ve certainly never read a detective novel like it although to be fair I’ve never read a horror novel like it either. It isn’t a bad read but it does seem Kyūsaku went on to better things. His, from what I can gather, masterwork, the Kafkaesque (not an adjective I throw around casually) Dogra Magra certainly sounds more my cup of tea if it ever gets translated into English.

[Andy James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story and a great translation! This story itself was an interesting and entertaining look into Japanese superstitions and supernatural beliefs.

The translation was very readable and kept the story flowing nicely. I easily connected with the characters and was quickly swept into the events taking place.

[Khaled · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very twisty

This story really kept me on my toes, I never knew what would happen next! I also enjoyed the prose.

[Asaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kraj: Japonia

Historia pewnego bębenka oraz klątwy z nim Związanej, która zrujnowała życia pokoleniom trzech rodzin. Nowela nie jest typowym horrorem, bardziej opowieścią z dreszczykiem w takim typowym japońskim stylu Kwaidan :)

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woe Betides those Possessed....

Well written translation of a weird tale about two families accursed by the spirit drum, whose hollowed drumbeat drive the fate not only those who played the said drum but those who heard it. This tale's told far better than another story read and was kinda disappointed. Still, a very good story told.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cursed object dooming multiple generations? Right up my street. And I liked the matter-of-fact first person narrative which somehow made the tale spookier. Would love to read more translations by J.D. Wisgo of this author’s work.

[Benzene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like a lucid dream

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an interesting atmosphere but the story was lacking... drive? Purpose? Maybe it was a little too convoluted for me to follow well? The translation is good and very readable, though.

[Temy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read Kyusaku Yumeno's magnum opus Dogra Magra but was afraid it's too long or hard to follow, so I decided to read this novella first. This book was translated and self-published by J.D Wisgo in 2019.
Kyusaku Yumeno (1889-1936) was the pen name of Sugiyama Yasumichi. He became prominent in 1924 when this novella was first published. After that, he wrote many other short stories. His major work Dogra Magra was published in 1935 one year before he died prematurely at the age of 47. Yumeno was in fact re-discovered in Japan in the 1960s due to the countercultural movement, and Dogra Magra has been hailed as a masterpiece of Japanese literature.
The Spirit Drum tells of a bizarre hand drum which brings bad luck to those who play it and hear it played. The accursed families suffered death or suicide over three generations.
Yumeno's writing is exquisite, especially when he describes the subtle differences in the sounds the hand drum produces. The story was framed as a farewell note left behind by the narrator and has multi-layers of identity and narrative, which gives the story a surrealistic character. J.D. Wisgo’s translation of this novella is beautifully done.
Besides J.D Wisgo, Penguin Random House also published a novella by Yumeno in 2022. I hope there will be a proper English translation of Dogra Magra soon. The English version currently on sale was translated from the French which was translated from the Japanese.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆4,5/5☆

Kyūsaku Yumeno nie zawodzi. Jest onirycznie, jest niepokojąco, a warstwy między epiką i liryką oraz epiką i dramatem zostają nieznacznie przekroczone, jednak nie na tyle, żeby dzieło przestało być gatunkowo nowelą.

Wszystko kręci się wokół nietypowego bębenka, w którego dźwięku pobrzmiewa zawodzenie zazdrosnego kochanka, odpowiedzialnego za stworzenie instrumentu. Przeklęta melodia, jaka wydobywa się z niego podczas gry, towarzyszy nie tylko bohaterom - ściągając na nich szaleństwo i zgubę - ale i czytelnikom, gdyż japońskie symbole muzyczne pojawiają się jako przerywniki pomiędzy poszczególnymi fragmentami tekstu. Historia opowiedziana zostaje ustami Kyūyi Otomaru - potomka twórcy tytułowego sokoła noweli - na zasadzie retrospekcji. Znając z góry konsekwencje klątwy (tj. śmierć trzech ludzi, za którą obwiniono narratora), cofamy się wraz z mim do początku i powoli odkrywamy kolejne karty tej dziwnej tajemnicy. W momencie kulminacyjnym utworu granica między rzeczywistością a jawą zostaje zachwiana w iście teatralny sposób.

Nie ma co, dzieło godne uwagi każdego, kto zgłębia dorobek pisarski "wiecznie śniącego ekscentryka".

[Ali Riazi · Rating 3 out of 5]

فضای رمان کوتاه طبل آیاکاشی، یه فضای مرموز، توام با وحشت ملایمه. حس‌وحال داستان رو شاید در بعضی از آثار ژاپنی دیگه هم دیده باشید؛ مثلا به‌نظرم این فضای رازآلود و رعب‌آور، شباهت‌هایی با حس‌وحال فیلم سریر خون کوروساوا داره. البته این فضا و حس‌وحال رو‌ کمرنگ دیدم و اگه پررنگ‌تر می‌بود، بیشتر می‌پسندیدم.
داستان کتاب، سرعت خوب و پیچ‌وتاب‌های جذابی داره و درکل سرگرم‌کننده‌ست؛ ولی نثرش اون قدرا که انتظار دارم روون نیست. شاید مهم‌ترین علتش این بوده باشه که این کتاب هم مثل اکثر رمان‌های ژاپنی دیگه، از انگلیسی به فارسی ترجمه شده. دکتر سیدآیت حسینی یه مقاله در همین رابطه داره.
داستان در اواخر دوران میجی و اوایل دوران تایشو حدود دهه‌ی ۱۹۱۰ میلادی اتفاق میفته؛ دورانی که نویسنده در همون دوره زندگی می‌کرده. برای کسایی که نمی‌دونن، امپراطور میجی پدر ژاپن مدرنه و در دوران ۴۵ ساله‌ی حکومتش با اقداماتی که انجام داد - که به اصلاحات میجی معروفن - ژاپن سنتی رو به‌سرعت به ژاپن مدرن تبدیل کرد. خوندن داستان‌ها و مقالات مربوط به اون دوره که گذار از سرعت به مدرنیته رو شرح می‌دن برای من خیلی جذاب و آموزنده بوده. اتفاقا انتهای کتاب هم یه جستار کوتاه از نویسنده با عنوان «توکیو هولناک» در همین رابطه اومده.

[ofeti fetio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motyw dość znany - niespełniona miłość i klątwa z niej wynikająca. W pierwszej połowie nowelki miałam mieszane uczucia, pojawiało się sporo nazwisk, nazw (chwała przypisom, było ich dużo i wyczerpujące), trochę mnie nużyła. Ale historia nabiera tempa, a pod koniec wydarzenia są już gwałtowne, niespodziewane i niekiedy szokujące. Spodobało mi się w tej drugiej połowie, nawet chciałabym więcej. Sam koniec - przykry, acz nie pozostawiający niedosytu.

Dlatego skończyłam tę książkę z całkiem pozytywnym odczuciem i mogę polecić, jako odskocznię na jeden wieczór, ale z uprzedzeniem, że nie jest to lekka bajka, a wymaga ciut skupienia.

Recenzja pochodzi z instagrama @ofeti_fetio - tam możesz przeczytać ją w całości i zobaczyć zdjęcia oraz cytaty z powieści! :)

[Divine · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Kyusako Yumeno! I enjoyed reading J.D. Wisgo's introduction to Noh theater art and Yumeno's attachment to it. This novella only helped me gain a deeper appreciation for the hand drum, taiko, and I really love how this became the object of fear for a generational curse. It seems perfect that reading this felt like an account of a dream, especially since Kyusako Yumeno's pen name also translates to "a person who always dreams."

P.S.: This just made me very excited to read the new English translation of Dogra Mogra soon!

[Gabriela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Siento que la literatura japonesa no es lo mío 😂

Fue bastante rápido de leer, si hubo un momento que me mantuvo un poco intrigada, pero en general no me gustó.

Al ser tan corto, casi no hubo desarrollo de personajes, pero me gustó un poco la viuda por lo loca que estaba (y esa fue la única parte del libro que me gustó).

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 4 out of 5]

To było świetne, super się bawiłam. Krótkie, ale mega wciągające i klimatyczne, zakończenie w pełni mnie usatysfakcjonowało. Taka trochę groza, niezwykłość, fantastyka, ale i lekki humor! Naprawdę ta historia czerpie z tego co najlepsze, fajnie autor to rozplanował, bardzo mi się podobało i polecam! Uwielbiam serię yume! Ode mnie 7.5/10

[Emil · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tale of a cursed drum and it’s effect on its owners. It’s just a semi-interesting story with no particular sparkles.

داستان طبلی نفرین شده و اثرات آن برای روی دارندگانش. داستانی نیمه جذاب ولی بدون پیغام درخشان.

[Zar · Rating 3 out of 5]

متفاوت، عجیب، و بسیار کوتاه. برای داستانی با این همه جزئیات و پیچ و خم، کمی زیادی کوتاه بود.
(کتابی که الان موجود هست، چاپ اوله. امیدوارم در چاپ‌های بعدی یک سری ایرادات رفع بشه تا خوندنِ روان‌تر میسّر بشه.)

[Diana Lorena SRP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un cuento de terror japonés con temas un poco extraños.

[Zaczytana.W.Azji · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ☆

[Kinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baśń dla dorosłych. Piękna i wciągająca.

[Booksreview96 · Rating 1 out of 5]

بهار ۱۴۰۱

کتاب خیلی جذابی نبود که البته فکر میکنم بخش اعظم این بد بودن بخاطر سانسوره چون به شکل گسترده ای به نظر می رسید بخشهای جنسی حذف شدن.
به هرحال من همیشه از ادبیات ژاپن لذت می برم

[Popkulturalna kociara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Hanna Stasiewicz · Rating 3 out of 5]

ciekawa, krótka historia. idealna na jedno posiedzenie przy herbatce

[Maglonya♡~ 「まお」 · Rating 3 out of 5]

یه مقدار فیلم هندی بود. میح.