Snow Country By Yasunari Kawabata - Discussion

I hope you are enjoying The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima if you are joining our discussion on the 17th. The novel begins in Maizuru, and reading it reminded me of Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata. The latter takes place in Niigata, another prefecture located in Ura Nihon. Ura means the wrong side in Japanese. It indicates how this side has been neglected, compared to the Pacific side (Omote Nihon). This fact seems significant to understanding both novels, but we shall see. Of course, there are more connections between these novels. For example, Mishima was Kawabata's protege, and they had a close friendship.

After consulting with regular members, I am pleased to create an event around Kawabata's famous work. Snow Country was the first novel written by a non-Western author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968. The book was published in 1937, over thirty years earlier. The 1960s was a decade seemingly devoted to reshaping the tainted image of Japan after the Second World War. It seems plausible his work was part of this effort, although there is little evidence to support this idea. Without being too political, the novel is a sheer pleasure with Kawabata's poetic writing style.

As usual, we will combine a little walk along the Thames, starting in Battersea Park. We'll have a preliminary discussion at Pear Tree Cafe before starting our leisurely stroll along the Thames towards the South Bank. It's the last day before the clocks change - let's enjoy the longish afternoon or a part of it together while appreciating Kawabata's beautiful work! We will still meet, whatever the weather, but we might have to abandon the walk if it rains heavily. Let's worry about that when it does. 😇

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