吝嗇神の宿The Miser God's Inn

What you'll learn

The thief introduces the stranger Shishido to his girlfriend Otatsu at her apartment. Otatsu is immediately hostile and suspicious, but the thief tries to calm her down.

The thief becomes suspicious that Otatsu has been unfaithful while he was away. He searches the apartment, but Shishido comments on his behavior. Otatsu returns and a tense dinner scene ensues.

The thief becomes paranoid and desperate, feeling defeated. Otatsu, angered by Shishido's indifference, attacks him with a towel and nearly kills him. The thief revives Shishido, but his anxiety only grows.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Expresses completion or regret of an action.
  忘れてしまった。
• ～ながら N4While doing something; simultaneous actions.
  音楽を聞きながら勉強する。
• ～そうだ (伝聞) N4Hearsay: 'I hear that...'
  天気予報によると、明日は雨だそうだ。
• ～てくれ N4Request (casual, male speech): 'Do [verb] for me.'
  ちょっと待ってくれ。

Cultural notes

• 新宿御苑A large park in Shinjuku, Tokyo, originally a feudal lord's garden. It's a famous spot for cherry blossoms and a symbol of post-war reconstruction.
• 長屋Traditional Japanese row houses, often wooden and cheap. They are associated with lower-class urban life in the Edo and Meiji periods.
• パンパンSlang for prostitute in post-war Japan, especially those catering to Allied soldiers. Reflects the social upheaval after WWII.

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Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storymysterysuspiciondeceptionsuspensefuldarkaozora bunko