The Samurai’s Garden

Over breakfast the next morning, Matsu tells Stephen that Kenzo will be buried tomorrow in a Buddhist ceremony. Matsu also reveals that he spent yesterday going to Yamaguchi to bring Sachi the news of Kenzo’s death. When Sachi learned of the tragedy, she fell silent for a minute, then recalled a festival day from her youth, where she had fallen in a parade. Though a young Sachi had feared she might be trampled by excited villagers, someone had come in and swooped her up to safety. For years, Sachi believed her savior was Kenzo—but now, she realizes it was Matsu who intervened.

Stephen wonders why Matsu never spoke up to tell Sachi of his gallantry. Matsu explains that Kenzo was his best friend: “I never meant to betray him.” Matsu tells Stephen that he tried to reassure Sachi that Kenzo died peacefully, without much suffering. But Sachi did not believe Matsu, asking only, “haven’t we all been suffering for years?” After breakfast, Stephen writes a letter to his mother and heads into town to mail it.

In Tarumi, Stephen is surprised to realize that most of the villagers now recognize him. Just before he heads home, Stephen bumps into Keiko, who is carrying a basket of persimmons. Stephen asks to walk Keiko home, but she again refuses, insisting that her father is “old-fashioned.” Stephen wonders if Keiko’s hesitancy is because she doesn’t want her father to see her with a Chinese boy.