The Name of the Flower

by Kuniko Mukoda, Tomone Matsumoto (Translator)

Over a dozen unsettling and eccentric stories chart the distances between men and women and between people and their memories of the past. Mixing startling visual details and plot twists with subtle changes of hue and texture, these tales of ordinary Japanese families offer vivid portraits of secret unhappiness and betrayal of men trapped by obsession and insecurity, of women finding strength and sorrow in their ability to silently endure.

- a wife's devoted effort to make her husband more refined is met by a vulgar betrayal
- a fish mysteriously appears in a kitchen one afternoon, and no one but the philandering husband knows why
- a young wife-to-be revels in the attention she gets from her fiance's assistant, until she finds out what he's really after
- a man takes a day off work and discovers strange memories int he closets and drawers at home
- a father worries that his daughter, like his own mother, may be incapable of controlling her sexuality

A satisfying blend of literary style and sharp observations on modern domestic life, this collection introduces the late Kuniko Mukoda as a sensitive writer with a calculating, mischievous intelligence.

Genres: Japan, Fiction, Short Stories, Japanese Literature

152 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly, Mukoda Kuniko died in a plane crash in 1981, just as she was being recognized for her great talents. Prior to that she worked hothouse-style, and anonymously, writing out scripts to satisfy the needs of film & television. Japan has changed a lot since 1981. There had been a Mukoda “boom” (a great interest in) her writings due to her tragic death. Despite all the changes to society, even though the stories were forged in the newly affluent country of the 1960s and 1970s, they feel as fresh and relevant as yesterday.

Japan’s educational system is not unlike that of most powerful countries, in that it educates you to satisfy the needs of the central government; fall off the track and you’re on your own. Mukoda is subtle about this, in that she’s interested in those who are largely on their own, neither pitying nor glorifying them, but, rather democratically, showing how outsiders integrate insiders into the economy and not the other way around.

There’s the story “Small Change”, which features a young woman named Tomiko from Hicksville, Hokkaido. Touchingly, she has none of the skills to make it in Tokyo, but she tries anyway. Shoji, the owner of a company, hears his colleagues’ criticisms when Tomiko comes in for an interview: “This one’s quite hopeless.” “She’s too big.” “She has thick ankles.” “She’s dumb.” “The only reason she wants this kind of job is to use it as a stepping-stone to a marriage above her class.” “Her clothes are old-fashioned.” “Her responses during the interview were dull.” “Can’t imagine there are still girls like that around.” Touched by her all the same, Shoji doesn’t offer her a job, but he retains her address, visits her, and a relationship develops.

Tomiko is embarrassed by how narrow the slits of her eyes are; as such, she wants corrective surgery. Shoji is genuinely attracted to the way she is: there’s no need to wear that make-up or perm your hair. He is especially attracted by her plumpness; it reminds him of the Korean dancer Choe Sung-hui his father had once taken him to see – as well, the woman named Oiwa, the disfigured heroine in a village kabuki play. They both know carrying on the relationship is wrong. It seems like the charity case is Tomiko. But is she, though? Could be Shoji, the one who has created for himself a successful life based on economic necessity alone. I doubt there’s anyone around who believes he or she is driven by economic necessity alone… that is until we meet someone we strongly desire, only to find out that not everyone is impressed by how truly empowered we are.

This is how Mukoda develops her stories: given the circumstances, what is it these two people want or need from each other? The answers are never the obvious ones. Mukoda’s touch shows a remarkable facility with all levels of society, a narrative voice that is centrally located, and with no axe to grind other than demonstrating the ironies of a relationship.

In the story “Manhattan” the more obvious charity case is the male. Mutsuo’s wife Sugiko has left him. Ordinarily we’d snicker when it is detailed the kinds of things Mutsuo is learning for the first time without having his wife around, such as bread goes stale after three days. Mukoda presents this as merely factual. Sugiko has no regrets about leaving him; let go from his job he is making no efforts to find a new one. “A salaried clerk has virtually no marketable skills.”

So he’s fallen into a routine, of eating crispy noodles out, buying a newspaper and reading it front to back. He begins hanging out at the new bar “Manhattan”. The mama-san running it is unattractive, but there’s something about her. He gives her one of Sugiko’s treasured lithographs for the bar. Meanwhile Sugiko, a successful dentist, has taken up with an attractive, younger colleague and flaunts their success as a contrast to Mutsuo’s laziness.

The story ultimately rests on two events: first, Mutsuo (and we) see by a look in the eyes that the relationship with Sugiko’s lover isn’t turning out like she had hoped. Second, Sugiko’s reaction when she realizes Mutsuo *betrayed* her by giving her treasured piece of art away for nothing. And there’s no trace of it now. The mama-san closed up shop and left town for good.

[Olga Zilberbourg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous collection of stories about post-WWII Japanese families. Most of these center on female protagonists and tell the stories of marriages, class, education, relationships with aging parents and in-laws, managing own and husband's careers, raising children. Each story holds numerous turns and surprises -- each one is unexpected. Many of the stories are sad or have sad endings, but the reading experience is captivating, because often these endings to leave openings for secondary characters; what's a bad ending for one, is an opportunity for another. One of my favorites is the penultimate story, "Half-Moon," in which the mother accidentally cuts off the tip of her son's finger, and then is overwhelmed by guilt and, unable to cope with her mother-in-law's nagging, leaves the house. The turns in the story are very well done, well prepared and yet totally unexpected.

[jeremy wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

a tight collection of domestic short stories. people here are stalked by shameful memories from decades ago as they quietly decay into creatures resembling animals and inanimate objects. each story features a family with a peaceful surface covering deep-seated rot. the best kind of “depressed japanese woman” writing.

[charisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

mukoda is so good at making me feel uncomfortable. how do these stories, some almost on the verge of the surreal, feel so visceral?? there’s a special kind of understated shame that permeates this collection.

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were entertaining if a bit emotionally downing at times.

[Eric Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mukoda only started writing short stories at the very end of her tragically shortened life, and it breaks my heart to think about how many more she would have written. These stories are absolutely fantastic, nearly all of them. They're incredibly simple tales, nothing flashy whatsoever, just present happenings and past reminiscences in the lives of everyday men, women, and children.

So what's unique about her? These are actually subtly weird stories and they're told in a masterful manner. I bid you to read the description/overview of what some of these stories are about, as written above, and tell me they don't sound fascinating. But why are they so? None of these things seem especially impossible, and they're not largely out of the ordinary. Yet when you read several of these stories you're transported to a different world, not a supernatural one in any way, but one in which anything else can happen.

It's hard to explain. You just have to read this book and feel it for yourself. That's all.

I read this book mostly in Seoul and finished it in Japan. The subtle, wonderful weirdness of these places probably enhanced my overall experience.

I wish I read Japanese because she has heaps and heaps of work that has never been translated.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick. Very visual, like watching episodes. A little sad, sometimes a little disturbing, but usually satisfying. Most concern the Japanese middle class, infidelities, arrogance, and nostalgia. Especially enjoyed "Manhattan", "The Doghouse", and "Triangular Chop".

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written short stories with twists and turns. I enjoyed every one of them. I'm sad that only two of her books are translated into English. It's also tragic that she passed away before she could write more

[Teena Chumber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Read during summer 2019. Liked it. Simple easy life stories.

[Viki Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly observed vignettes in this collection of short stories: all beautifully judged, and exquisitely eccentric. A joy to read.

[David Bonesteel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a fairly silly comment in the Publisher's Weekly review that Kuniko Mukoda's stories "mix Eastern tradition with Western values." Another reviewer stated that this short story collection will demonstrate how little Westerners understand Japanese society. I couldn't disagree more. The late Mukoda wrote closely observed stories about domestic dilemmas set in Japan of the 60s and 70s. Although there are naturally references to Japanese traditions and cultural practices, I did not find them a barrier to understanding--and I don't think that's just because of my long acquaintance with the country. Mukoda's characters are typically experiencing a crisis in their family life that is illuminated or complicated by memories of past events. These characters, their emotions, and their struggles are very recognizable to Western readers, not because Mukoda wrote about "Western values" but because she is a talented observer of human nature, which remains a constant everywhere.

[David B · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a fairly silly comment in the Publisher's Weekly review that Kuniko Mukoda's stories "mix Eastern tradition with Western values." Another reviewer has stated that this short story collection will demonstrate how little Westerners understand Japanese society. I couldn't disagree more. The late Mukoda wrote closely observed stories about domestic dilemmas set in Japan of the 60s and 70s. Although there are naturally references to Japanese traditions and cultural practices, I did not find them a barrier to understanding--and I don't think that's just because of my long acquaintance with the country. Mukoda's characters are typically experiencing a crisis in their family life that is illuminated or complicated by memories of past events. These characters, their emotions, and their struggles are very recognizable to Western readers, not because Mukodas wrote about "Western values" but because she is a talented observer of human nature,

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading "Triangular Chop" was exactly like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPudp4...

I loved it. Extra star.

All of the other stories were solid three stars. I thought that I could probably get as much from a Banana Yoshimoto.

[Sae-chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The past will catch up with you. No matter how you try to forget, you try to run away, you try to alter it. It will definitely come.

Nothing remarkable out of these stories, though.