作品Free Graded Reading
顎十郎捕物帳Agujūrō's Casebook
Agujūrō Torimonochō
by 久生 十蘭 · Hisao Jūran
A bumbling detective's hilarious casebook – perfect mystery-comedy blend.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnAgujūrō, a lazy but clever clerk, hears from informant Hyōrori about a series of horse tail cuttings by a man named Watanabe Riemon, who left a strange death poem. Agujūrō suspects more to the case.
At Hanayo's, they examine luxurious Goro fabric and discover a hidden plover (miyakodori) pattern, leading them to suspect the fabric might be locally made, not imported.
A dead nun is found in the canal. Agujūrō notices details like no mud on her sandals but fish scales, suggesting she was brought by boat. His uncle pretends to dismiss him but secretly orders an investigation.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 馬の尻尾 (うまのしっぽ) | horse tail |
|---|---|
| 呉絽 (ごろ) | a type of silk fabric from China |
| 比丘尼 (びくに) | Buddhist nun |
| 都鳥 (みやこどり) | a bird pattern (plover) on fabric |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ても N4Indicates 'even if' or 'whether...or not'. Used in 'どうしても' meaning 'no matter what'.どうしても、こうしても、ありゃしません。
- ～そうだ (hearsay) N4Indicates hearsay; 'そうだ' attached to a sentence means 'I hear that...'なんでも、上総で名のある和学者の裔だそうで……
- ～ながら N4Means 'while' doing an action. Here, '苦笑しながら' means 'while smiling bitterly'.顎十郎は、苦笑しながら、「そんなところで足ぶみしていないで、まア、お歩きなさい」
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 雛の節句 (Hina Matsuri)The Doll Festival celebrated on March 3rd, featuring displays of dolls and offerings. The text mentions preparing for it.
- 呉絽 (Goro)A luxurious silk fabric imported from China during the Edo period, highly prized for its texture. The text describes its popularity and high cost.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat does Agujūrō find suspicious about Watanabe's death poem?
- The poem is too well-written.
- The poem has a grammatical error and doesn't sound like a death poem.
- The poem mentions a horse.
- The poem is too short.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to dialogue as it reveals character relationships and plot clues.
Read a sample in Japanese
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