"First published in Japan in 1984 by Bungei Shunjåu"--Copyright page.
TERU MIYAMOTO, born in Kobe in 1947, is among Japan's most widely read living authors. He has received Japan's most prestigious literary distinctions, including the Dazai Osamu Prize and the Akutagawa Prize. Several of his works have been made into award-winning movies, including Maborosi, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, the Oscar-nominated director of Shoplifters. ROGER K. THOMAS is a professor of East Asian languages and cultures at Illinois State University, where he also directs the program in East Asian Studies.