Synopsis
The protagonist, Yoshito Ishibashi, is a junior high school teacher in his 50s. While bewildered by the changes in the educational field, he spends his days mentoring young teachers.
One day, he receives news from the Ehime Prefectural Police of his father, Tetsuji Minato’s death. Yoshito hadn’t heard from his father for 38 years, since he left home with his mother as a child.
Tetsuji passed away during the Saijo Festival. The excitement of the “Danjiri” festival, which has continued since the Edo period, stirs Yoshito’s memories.
Yoshito returns to his hometown and, through his father’s belongings and conversations with those around him, learns about his father’s life and thoughts, which he had never known before.
He discovers that Tetsuji ran a rental bookstore, offering hope to people lost in life through books.
Yoshito has only one thing to say about this man who, having accepted everything that had happened to him throughout his life and ended his journey without anyone understanding his suffering, has only one thing to say.
“‘You did a great job.'”
This single word melts away the long-held resentment between Yoshito and his father and heals his own heart as well.
Thoughts
Feelings that were previously unspoken because we were so close reach us across time. Because family is such a close connection, communication can sometimes be difficult. This book makes us want to understand each other as much as possible while our parents are still alive.
I left my hometown in my teens and moved to Tokyo, but sometimes I feel like I want to live closer to my parents in my hometown. They’ve taken such good care of me, but I feel like I haven’t done enough to repay them.
As adults, the time we spend with our parents, who are so close to us, is surprisingly short. This book makes me want to cherish the limited time we have with them.
