What JLPT level is 夏と人形?

夏と人形 is suitable for JLPT N1 level readers (estimated JLPT N1).

How long does 夏と人形 take to read?

夏と人形 takes about 2 minutes (around 192 words) to read at a learner's pace.

作品さくひんFree Graded Reading

夏と人形Summer and the Doll

Natsu to Ningyō

by 坂口安吾 · Sakaguchi Ango

JLPT N1Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready

A traveler's eerie encounter with a mysterious puppet master.

About this story

A traveler recounts a mysterious puppet performance in southern Japan that left a lasting impression.

Read a sample in Japanese

貴方は南国の傀儡を御存じですか？　（と物識りの旅行家が私に話してきかせました）文楽の舞台に比べては余り原始的でみすぼらしいものの、まことの名人気質と名も知られない人形造りが一心こめて残した霊妙な人形はむしろ棄てられた傀儡師に伝えられているのです。七年前のことです。四国の淋しい路傍で最も神秘な傀儡師を見ました。至妙な演戯よ！　私の心は涯もない夢幻の奥へ誘われていたのです。けれども終生忘れることのできないのは（そして彼は暫く深々と感動の瞑目をつづけていました）ふと自分に返ったとき、芝居を終えた人形の額に汗のジットリ滲んでいるのを見出したのでした。私は物識りの旅行家の額には汗なぞ滲まないので、彼の話をきくのが好きです。

Read the full text with furigana + instant lookups in Yomimaru →

Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「坂口安吾全集　01」筑摩書房
1999（平成11）年5月20日初版第1刷発行

Typed in by tatsuki. Proofread by noriko saito.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator recounts a traveler's tale about a mysterious puppet show in Shikoku, focusing on the uncanny detail of sweat on the puppet's forehead after the performance.

Language difficultyExpert · 90/100

Key vocabulary

傀儡 (くぐつ)	puppet, marionette
物識り (ものしり)	knowledgeable person
霊妙 (れいみょう)	mysterious, spiritual
傀儡師 (くぐつし)	puppet master
演戯 (えんぎ)	performance, play

Grammar points you'll meet

～ものの N2Used to contrast two clauses, meaning 'although' or 'but'.
文楽の舞台に比べては余り原始的でみすぼらしいものの
～なぞ N1A literary particle meaning 'such things as' or 'like', similar to など.
物識りの旅行家の額には汗なぞ滲まないので
～てゐる N5Old spelling of ～ている, indicating an ongoing state or action.
伝へられてゐるのです。
～のです N4Used to provide explanation or emphasis.
伝へられてゐるのです。
～ので N4Indicates reason or cause, meaning 'because'.
物識りの旅行家の額には汗なぞ滲まないので

Cultural notes

Bunraku (文楽)Bunraku is a traditional Japanese puppet theater known for its elaborate puppets and storytelling, often performed with chanted narration and shamisen music. The text contrasts the crude but spiritually charged puppet show with the refined Bunraku.
Wandering Puppeteers (傀儡師)In Japan, itinerant puppet masters known as kugutsushi traveled to rural areas, performing with simple puppets. They were often regarded with a mix of awe and mystery, as reflected in the text's description of a 'mysterious puppet master' in Shikoku.