Fifty Words for Rain

Content Warning: This section of the guide depicts and discusses instances of colorism, racism, and related prejudices, as well as physical abuse, sexual assault, and child trafficking. It also depicts self-harm, death by suicide, a violent death in a car accident, and the death of a baby.

Eight-year-old Noriko Kamiza (Nori) has only known life with her single mother, Seiko. One day, in the summer of 1948, her mother brings her to a grand estate in Kyoto and tells Nori she is to live there with her maternal grandparents. Seiko gives Nori a letter and tells her to enter the estate alone. Then, Seiko drives off, abandoning Nori.

It is the summer of 1950. Nori is now 10 years old. Her grandparents, Yuko and Kohei Kamiza, have taken her in and educated her, but she isn’t allowed to leave the attic of the estate. Kohei is advisor to the emperor while Yuko is the emperor’s cousin; they are both proud of their status and want to hide away their granddaughter, whom they think of as a shameful secret. A maid, Akiko, is Nori’s primary caretaker. Nori hopes that Seiko will return one day to take her away from the estate.