A Daughter of the Samurai · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for A Daughter of the Samurai by Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates her sacred memories to her two mothers, honoring their love and influence despite their vastly different lives and environments.
Chapter 2
Acknowledgment to Nancy Virginia Austen
The author expresses gratitude to Nancy Virginia Austen for her friendship, encouragement, and practical support, which inspired the author to collect and share the fading spirit of the samurai with contemporary readers.
Chapter 3
A Daughter of the Samurai
The opening chapter introduces Etsu-bo's early life in a samurai household in Nagaoka, detailing her family's strict adherence to samurai codes, her mother's quiet strength, and the cultural expectations placed upon her as a girl. It sets the stage for her journey between tradition and modernity.
Chapter 4
I: Winters in Echigo
The narrator describes the harsh winters of Echigo province, the family's home in Nagaoka, and the household's history after the Restoration. She recounts how her mother burned the family mansion to prevent its capture, and how her father rebuilt a modest home, planted mulberry groves, and relied on the loyal but inexperienced Jiya for business. A story of Jiya's involvement in a silkworm egg fraud illustrates the misunderstandings of the era. The chapter also portrays winter preparations, childhood games, and the family's daily life.
Chapter 5
Curly Hair
Etsu-bo recalls her childhood struggles with her naturally curly hair, which was considered ugly and animal-like in Japan. She endures painful treatments to straighten it and faces humiliation at her seventh-year celebration when an aunt criticizes her appearance. Her nurse Ishi makes a loving sacrifice by cutting off her own straight hair and offering it at a temple, praying for Etsu's hair to become straight. The chapter also describes the community's fervent participation in rebuilding the great Hongwanji temple in Kyoto, including women donating their hair to be braided into ropes for construction. Etsu joins the procession, holding the pulling cord of the sacred Buddha's cart, experiencing a moment of profound reverence.
Chapter 6
Days of Kan
Etsu-bo describes her early education in Nagaoka, including learning Chinese classics from a scholarly priest, the influence of her grandmother's stories, and the strict samurai discipline of her upbringing. She also recounts the domestic skills she learned and the games she played, highlighting the blend of traditional and progressive elements in her childhood.
Chapter 7
The Old and the New
The narrator recalls her first taste of meat at age eight, a forbidden food due to Buddhist vegetarianism, and the household's solemn reaction. Her father, following a Western doctor's advice, introduces meat for health, leading to the sealing of both family shrines to prevent pollution. Grandmother refuses to eat, preferring ancestral ways. The chapter then shifts to Mr. Toda, a progressive samurai who ventures into dairy and butcher businesses after the Restoration, facing social horror and family disgrace. His grandmother commits suicide to uphold family honor, and Mr. Toda eventually abandons the business, becoming a guard, then a teacher, and finally a Go instructor in Tokyo, unable to find a place in the rapidly modernizing society.
Chapter 8
Falling Leaves
The chapter describes the last 'Castle Sinking Celebration' in Nagaoka, a tribute to the samurai spirit after the Restoration. Etsu-bo recalls the procession led by her father, the sham battle, and the communal feast. The narrative also covers her father's declining health, his journey to Tokyo for Western medical treatment, and Etsu-bo's loneliness, shared with her dog Shiro. The chapter reflects on the loss of the old castle and the fading of samurai traditions.
Chapter 9
A Sunny New Year
After Father's death, the household experiences a period of mourning and loneliness. The first forty-nine days are marked by Buddhist rituals, but afterward, a deep sadness settles over the family. Etsu finds solace in temple visits with her mother and Ishi. The chapter describes the New Year celebrations, including the tradition of toso-sake, the visit of old retainer Goro who shares a humorous poem about the god of poverty, and the festive atmosphere of the streets with shops selling kites, clogs, and battledores. Despite the quiet house, Mother entertains relatives and servants, maintaining a semblance of tradition and joy.
Chapter 10
The Wedding That Never Was
The chapter recounts the return of Etsu's brother after years in America, his reinstatement as head of the Inagaki family, and the memories of his broken engagement that led to his exile. It also describes the family's reaction to his homecoming and the emotional complexities surrounding his return.
Chapter 11
Two Ventures
The chapter describes Sister's wedding and the elaborate rituals of leaving home, including the symbolic white and scarlet garments, the farewell at the shrine, and Mother's gift of the mirror-case with its admonition. It also recounts Brother's failed venture in America, where he was defrauded, suffered a head injury, and was rescued by Matsuo, but never fully recovered. Interspersed is the folk tale of Taro, who defied the gods by wounding a baby bride, only to later marry her and recognize the scar, illustrating the futility of resisting fate.
Chapter 12
The Story of a Marionette
The narrator reflects on the annual Ura Bon festival and the gifts sent by her Honourable Edo Grandmother, a woman she never met. She learns the tragic story of her grandmother, who was forced to leave her husband's family after his mysterious death during the political turmoil of the Restoration. Despite her honorable position as a governess in the Satsuma daimyo mansion, her grandmother's heart remained with her distant granddaughter, to whom she faithfully sent personal treasures each year. The chapter explores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the deep-hidden soul of Japan.
Chapter 13
X: The Day of the Bird
The chapter describes the preparations and ceremony of Etsu-bo's betrothal to Matsuo, which takes place on the Day of the Bird. It also covers the decision for Etsu-bo to go to America to join Matsuo, the family's sacrifices to prepare her for an English education in Tokyo, and Grandmother's advice about samurai loyalty and duty in a foreign land.
Chapter 14
XI: My First Journey
Etsu-bo describes her first journey from Nagaoka to Tokyo with her brother, including the farewell picnic with friends, the eight-day journey through mountain roads, and her reflections on leaving home. Along the way, she encounters different customs, hears the legend of Obatsuyama (the mountain of abandoning the aged), and begins to question her upbringing and the abandonment of her priestess education.
Chapter 15
Travel Education
Etsu-bo travels with her brother through rural Japan, encountering diverse experiences that broaden her understanding of her heritage and the lives of others. She reflects on family history, visits Miyo's home where she learns of her mother's secret kindness, and stays at a silkworm farm where she meets a former samurai attendant with relics of a tragic siege.
Chapter 16
XIII: Foreigners
Etsu-bo moves to Tokyo to attend a mission school for girls, living first with relatives and then with Major Sato and his kind wife. She walks five miles to school daily, admires her foreign teachers, and struggles with cultural adjustments, including her provincial dress and the absence of a family shrine. Mrs. Sato helps her find solace in a nearby nun's hut, where she can honor her father's death-day.
Chapter 17
Lessons
Etsu-bo reflects on her school days, where she balanced Japanese and English studies. She recalls the joy of receiving a set of translated Western books from her father, which opened her mind to the wonders of the Western world. She describes her struggle with spoken English and her delight in recognizing familiar stories from her childhood. The chapter also covers her essay on love, which was criticized by a teacher, and her love for the Japanese classic Hakkenden, which was temporarily taken away by a teacher. She contrasts the restrained wildness of her home garden with the unrestrained freedom of the school grounds, where she enjoyed planting her own garden.
Chapter 18
How I Became a Christian
Etsu-bo reflects on her spiritual journey from Buddhism to Christianity, describing the influence of her mission school teachers, her mother's reluctant consent, and her grandmother's lifelong sorrow. She contrasts the melancholy of Buddhist thought with the cheerfulness of her teachers, and recounts her growing rebellion against the fate that subjugates women, culminating in her conversion.
Chapter 19
Sailing Unknown Seas
Etsu-bo returns to Nagaoka after another year at school, facing the challenge of re-integrating into her community as an educated woman and a Christian. As she prepares for her marriage to Matsuo in America, her family navigates the tension between tradition and modernity, ultimately deciding on a Japanese trousseau. She travels to Tokyo with her brother, then boards a steamer for America, experiencing culture shock in San Francisco, where a kind gift of Japanese food triggers a poignant memory of her father.
Chapter 20
First Impressions
Etsu reflects on her first year in America, describing the cultural adjustments and misunderstandings she faces as a Japanese bride in a new country. She discusses her love for the outdoor spaces of her new home, her attempts to learn English through newspapers, and her surprise at American customs such as divorce and marriage proposals. She shares anecdotes about wifely duty, cherry pie, and gift-giving, and contrasts the relationships with servants in Japan versus America. The chapter culminates in her realization that her Japanese treasures look out of place in her American home, leading her to embrace natural, wild decorations instead.
Chapter 21
Strange Customs
Etsu reflects on the vast differences between Japanese and American customs, from fashion and etiquette to the use of household objects. She describes her struggle to reconcile her love for both cultures, often feeling caught between two worlds. Through conversations and observations, she explores the symbolism behind Japanese traditions and the American tendency to view objects purely for their aesthetic value, leading to cultural misunderstandings and moments of personal growth.
Chapter 22
XIX: Thinking
Etsu reflects on the Japanese repression of strong emotion and the cultural differences in expressing affection, contrasting bowing with kissing. She recounts her shock at seeing public kissing in America, her disappointment with Ellen Terry's portrayal of Portia, and her discomfort with Western love scenes. The chapter also explores the commercialization of Japanese art through Matsuo's store, where American-designed 'Japanese' goods are mass-produced, leading Etsu to ponder the loss of artistic integrity and pride.
Chapter 23
XX: Neighbours
Etsu discusses with Miss Helen the differences and similarities between American and Japanese women, using the examples of Molly Pitcher, the women of Hachijo Island, and their neighbor Mrs. Newton. She reflects on her conversations with the General about American history and the value of antiquity versus progress, and begins to question her own assumptions about gender roles and cultural customs.
Chapter 24
New Experiences
Etsu and her American mother share a poetry contest and plant morning-glory seeds from Japan, but the blossoms are weak, mirroring Etsu's fears about her unborn child. Her baby, Hanano, is born healthy, and they name her 'Flower in a Strange Land.' Etsu experiences her first American Christmas, finding beauty in Miss Helen's tree, and later encounters a snowman that reminds her of Daruma Sama, leading to reflections on cultural differences.
Chapter 25
Flower in a Strange Land
Etsu becomes absorbed in caring for her baby, Hanano, prompting her mother to send Buddhist picture-books as a gentle warning against selfish love. The chapter explores cultural misunderstandings, such as Minty's surprise that the baby's feet are normal, and Etsu's reflections on Japanese fatherhood and the contrast between American and Japanese expressions of affection. Hanano's innocent remark about the moon and God leads Etsu to ponder the spiritual beliefs of Japan, blending Shinto and Buddhist traditions.
Chapter 26
Chiyo
The chapter focuses on the birth of Chiyo and Hanano's initial disappointment that her baby sister is not a blonde-haired American child like Susan's sister. Hanano's longing for a little sister leads her to pray to God, and when Chiyo arrives with black hair, Hanano struggles with her own Japanese identity. This prompts a growing interest in Japanese culture, as her mother tells her stories and songs from Japan. The chapter also includes the legend of Lady Moon and her enemies, told to Hanano on an evening of moon-gazing. The chapter ends with the death of Matsuo, leaving Etsu a widow, and her decision to return to Japan with her children.
Chapter 27
XXIV: In Japan Again
After returning to Japan, Etsu faces the challenge of navigating unfamiliar customs and family expectations as a widow. She must fight to retain control over her daughters' education against the traditional views of her husband's family, culminating in a tense family council where her request is granted on a trial basis.
Chapter 28
Our Tokyo Home
Etsu-bo settles into a new Tokyo home with her children and the capable servant Sudzu. Her mother sends Taki, a widow from the family's former service, who quickly takes charge of the household. Etsu-bo struggles to assert her modern views against Taki's traditional ways, particularly over closing the storm shutters at night. The chapter includes a tender tour of the house for Chiyo, highlighting the blend of Japanese and American influences, and a flashback to Taki's past refusal to pay her husband's prison debt.
Chapter 29
XXVI: Tragic Trifles
Etsu struggles to find suitable schools for her daughters in Tokyo. Chiyo is accepted into a small model kindergarten, while Hanano faces bureaucratic hurdles before being placed in the third grade of a public school. Etsu diligently tutors Hanano at home and navigates the rigid expectations of relatives. At home, small cultural clashes arise, such as Taki's forceful correction of the children swapping bedcovers. A poignant moment reveals Hanano and Chiyo recreating their American home in the garden, singing 'My Country, 'tis of Thee,' prompting Etsu to question the cost of transplanting her children to Japan.
Chapter 30
XXVII: Honourable Grandmother
The chapter describes the arrival of Etsu's mother (Honourable Grandmother) to live with them, and the adjustments required to blend old Japanese traditions with modern influences, especially regarding the children's upbringing, education, and religious practices. It highlights the gradual bonding between grandmother and granddaughters, and the respectful coexistence of Buddhist and Christian faiths.
Chapter 31
Sister's Visit
During a summer when Mother is unwell, Etsu-bo invites her elder sister to Tokyo. Sister's visit brings comfort and storytelling, particularly about the family's tragic history involving Kikuno, a handmaid who had an affair with a youth and was forced to commit seppuku. The story explains the family's taboo against chrysanthemums and the annual memorial service 'For the Nameless.'
Chapter 32
A Lady of Old Japan
Sister recounts Mother's dramatic life story to Hanano, from her marriage at thirteen through the war years when she disguised her son, faced danger, and endured years of hiding. The chapter culminates in Mother's death and funeral, where she requested the ancient ceremony for 'The Nameless' (Kikuno) be observed one last time, blending Buddhist rites with the narrator's Christian faith.
Chapter 33
The White Cow
Etsu-bo prepares to return to America with her daughters, Hanano and Chiyo, after a family council grants her request. Before leaving Japan, she takes the children to Nagaoka to visit their grandmother's grave, witnessing the modernization of the town. They then visit Sister's mountain village, where Sister tells the legend of the white cow, linking Etsu-bo's soul to a faithful animal. The chapter also recounts an amusing visit from a wealthy Tokyo lady who presents Etsu-bo with chewing gum, highlighting cultural clashes.
Chapter 34
Worthless Treasures
Etsu-bo and her children visit Sister's godown, where they explore a collection of family heirlooms and treasures from Nagaoka. The children marvel at a palanquin, a bathtub, and other artifacts, while Etsu-bo is reunited with the saihai of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Sister also shows them the sacred robe, wedding garments, funeral items, and her own death-robe, prompting reflections on tradition, memory, and the passage of time.
Chapter 35
The Black Ships
On the night before sailing for America, Etsu-bo's uncle brings friendship ribbons for the children, and Chiyo and Hanano express their mixed feelings about leaving Japan. As Etsu-bo packs, she recalls a childhood memory of showing her grandmother a world map and learning about the 'black ships' of the Western barbarians. The grandmother's tale about the need for mutual understanding between East and West echoes as Etsu-bo herself prepares to sail on a black ship to America, carrying a cushion that once belonged to her grandmother.
