夏の葬列Summer Funeral Procession

Read a sample in Japanese

What you'll learn

A man returns to a coastal town where he was evacuated during WWII. He recalls a traumatic event where he pushed a girl, Hiroko, during an air raid, believing he caused her death. On the present day, he sees a funeral procession and learns that the deceased is actually Hiroko’s mother, who went mad after her daughter was killed in that same raid. The man realizes he is not directly responsible for Hiroko's death, but is haunted by the irony and lasting impact of the past.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• 〜たことがない N5Indicates that someone has never experienced something.
  彼は一度もこの町をたずねたことがない。
• 〜てしまう N4Indicates completion of an action, often with a sense of regret.
  駅前の風景はすっかり変ってしまっている。
• 〜ように N3Used to express 'as if' or 'like'.
  突然、彼は化石したように足をとめた。
• 〜かもしれない N4Express possibility 'might' or 'maybe'.
  くれるかもしれない

Cultural notes

• 疎開 (そかい)During World War II, many children from major cities were evacuated to rural areas to avoid bombing. These children were called 疎開児童. They often lived with host families or in group shelters. This story's protagonist was one such child.
• 国民学校 (こくみんがっこう)From 1941 to 1947, Japanese elementary schools were renamed 国民学校 (National Schools) as part of the wartime national mobilization. The text mentions '当時は国民学校といったが' to indicate the historical context.
• 葬列の習慣Traditional Japanese funerals involve a procession (葬列) from the home or funeral hall to the cemetery. The coffin is carried on the shoulders of pallbearers, and family and friends follow. In rural areas, such processions were common even during wartime.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storyghost storymemoryguiltmelancholyeerieaozora bunko〜かもしれないkamo shirenai · might / maybe〜てしまうte shimau · ended up (regret)ようにyou ni · so that / in order to