'幼年時代 (Yonenjidai)' Summary

幼年時代 (Yonenjidai) is a novel by Japanese author Murō Saisei. It is a semi-autobiographical account of the author's childhood in Kanazawa, Japan. The novel follows the protagonist, a young boy named Jōji, from the age of seven to thirteen. Jōji is the son of a poor farmer and his wife, but he is adopted by a wealthy family. Jōji's adoptive parents are kind and loving, but he still feels a sense of loss and displacement. He often visits his birth parents, but their relationship is strained. Jōji's only solace is his friendship with his adoptive sister, Nobuko. Nobuko is a strong and independent young woman, and she helps Jōji to come to terms with his identity and his place in the world. However, Nobuko is eventually forced to marry a man she does not love, and Jōji is left alone again. 幼年時代 is a moving and nostalgic portrait of a young boy's coming-of-age. It is a story about family, loss, and the search for identity.