Musui's Story

When Katsu retires, he becomes a lay Buddhist priest by submitting a request to his commissioner. This was a common practice that did not involve either discipline or special training. At this point, the author changes his name to Musui, hence the title of this book.

During retirement, Katsu continues engaging in money-generating schemes to stay afloat. One of his jobs is working as a retainer for his landlord Magoichirō Okano, for whom he previously found a wife. Attending a gambling session with dozens of wealthy merchants, in which Katsu claims not to participate, the author is suddenly inspired to engage in usury: “The gambling gave me the idea of lending money to friends and acquaintances at high interest. It was a profitable arrangement, as I soon found out” (111).

This chapter features two illustrations: one of Nihonbashi and another unlabeled image of what appears to be an open-air marketplace (112-13, 116-17). The Nihonbashi image depicts a bustling crowd scene of the Nihonbashi part of Tokyo (Edo) around the Nihonbashi River and its historic bridge. Dozens of people go about their daily tasks, and the water is full of boats.