Thousand of Cranes [千羽鶴, Senbazuru] by Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成)

 Thousand of Cranes [千羽鶴, Senbazuru] by Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成) is a great story of images and symbolism. The book concentrates on three the most powerful images in Japanese culture, the culture of tea making, the cranes and origami.

The culture of tea making dates back to 9^th century, it is the most evocative symbol of Japan. It was the warrior culture to seat together and indulge the cup of tea before or after the battle, it was the nobility who introduced this custom, this significant pastime. The tea making is a deeply rooted cultural habit, a ceremony which involves a preparation of ‘matcha’ – a green tea. The way it is prepared is comparable to art, to craftsmanship. The characteristic notion of tea making are so-called ‘chaji’ – tea gatherings.

The first tea meeting was undertaken by the Buddhist monk, he prepared ‘sencha’ to Emperor Saga. This custom was originally implemented for medical purposes, tea was supposed to get rid of the diseases, put ones mind at ease and cure. 

Time after time the tea making culture began to be more and more sophisticated, it started representing two particles; ‘sabi’ and ‘wabi’. ‘Sabi’ stands for material life, material goods and pleasures, whereas ‘Wabi’ stands for spiritual life, experience, it represents dark and impenetrable secrets of human existence.

“… The beginning of the tea cult can be traced to (…) Zen Buddhism in Japan. Early Zen masters recommended tea as the beverage most excellent for cultivating the spirit and in the centuries that followed, an elaborate symbolism (…) a carefully contrived ritual encourage the Zen disciple in his aim to achieve imperturbability…”

 The crane stands for good luck and fortune, it is a majestic bird continuously and profusely portrayed in paintings, engraving all over Japan. The crown is indispensible attribute of its dignity and sophistication. The crane or ‘tsuru’ is believed to be monogamous, therefore, often attached to wedding décor and wedding symbolism. In origami, there is a mythical notion behind the long feathers, namely, it is believed that anyone who makes thousand of origami cranes bound together will experience an eternal luck and prosperity.

The novel is interesting not only because of the symbolism it contains but also because of the psychological notion of the messages hidden between the lines. The setting is significant, post-war Japan is like a ghost town, barren and grey, wounded, waiting for the crane to bring a good fortune,  success.

The main character of the novel is Kikuji  who is befriended with an eccentric and intriguing figure, Chikako Kurimoto – she is a tea ceremony master. Kikuji is an unfortunate child, orphaned by his parents.

The book starts with a ceremonial description of the tea making, it is like an invocation. The invitation Kikuji receives is believed to be in commemoration of his father’s demise, the true meaning of it, though, is to arrange the marriage between Yukkiko Inamura and Kikuji. While entering the temple Kikuji spotted two young women, one of them Yukkiko was holding a kerchief with a bunch of thousands of cranes on it. The tea meeting is tranquil. During a moment of silence Kikuji recalls something that intrigued him for a long time, a conversation with is father about Chikako and her… birthmark, large, covering almost all the left breast.

 “… Chikako was unmarried because of her birthmark (…)

-          ‘I wouldn’t matter, would it’ (…) ‘Did You see the mark?’

-          ‘Don’t be silly. Of course not!’

-          ‘You just talked about it?’

-          ‘She came for my lesson and we talk about all sorts of things. I suppose she felt like confessing.’

-          ‘Suppose she were to marry. What would the man think?’

-          ‘He’d probably be disgusted by it. But he might find something attractive in it, in having it for a secret. And then again the defect might bring out good points (…) it is hardly a problem worth worrying about …”

The peace and quiet of the meeting finishes abruptly with the appearance of Mrs. Ota and her daughter Fumiko. Both women were not invited, however, due to the spiritual character of the ceremony, Chikako cannot ask them out. She feels that her good intentions of uniting Kikuji and Yukkiko has just failed. What our protagonist feels is an urge, a strong desire to devote himself to Mrs. Ota, to be loved by her. It is his fate, regardless of what would be done or said he is already lost. 

The feeling of loneliness and unhappiness pushes him into the affair with his father’s former mistress – Mrs. Ota. The affair doesn’t last long, Ota commits suicide, it is not explained … why. Perhaps the feeling of betrayal and guilt predominated her consciousness. Again our protagonist is full of despair. He yearns for understanding and compassion, all his feelings are directed toward a young girl Fumiko, Mrs Ota’s daughter. Alike her mother Fumiko commits suicide.

This complex story of love and betrayal reveals the motives, passion and endless abyss of human soul which seeks for justification of wrong and hurtful decisions. The symbolism is touching, makes the book unique, one of its kind. While reading we try to understand Kikuji, we want to forgive him his faults, instead we see his inner conflict, the omnipresent feeling of guilt and forgotten love.