石塀幽霊The Ghost of the Stone Wall

What you'll learn

The narrator introduces the Akinori estate and its mysterious family. Yoshida Yutaro, a student, witnesses a murder outside the gate, and two men in white yukata flee. He and the postman find a dying woman.

The police arrive. Officer Hachisuka investigates and finds footprints from wooden clogs in the garden. The victim is identified as the housekeeper Sōmeko. The Akinori family is questioned: the old master is bedridden, and his twin sons are the prime suspects.

Hachisuka, left to guard the footprints, begins to doubt the official theory. He notices the advertisement flyer placed after the murder and realizes the footprints might be a frame-up. He questions the maid about mail delivery. He tries to stop the arrest but fails when fingerprint evidence comes in.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Expresses completion of an action, often with regret or unexpectedness.
  そのまま見えなくなってしまった。
• ～のだ (explanation) N4Used to provide explanation or emphasis. Often contracted to んだ.
  雄太郎君がこのアパートへ越して来てからもう殆んど半歳になるのだが
• ～というのは～だ N3Used to define or explain something.
  秋森家というのは、吉田雄太郎君のいるＮ町のアパートのすぐ西隣にある相当に宏い南向きの屋敷である

Cultural notes

• 山の手Refers to the uptown or residential high ground areas of Tokyo, often associated with wealth and quiet neighborhoods. In this story, it sets the scene for the Akinori estate.
• 交番A small neighborhood police box common in Japan, staffed by officers who handle local incidents and provide directions.
• チンドン屋Street performers who play music and wear advertising banners to promote businesses. They are a nostalgic sight, but in the story, one becomes a key witness.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storyghost storymysterycuriositysupernaturaleeriesuspensefulaozora bunko