Tokyo Ueno Station

The novel presents Kazu’s personal story against the backdrop of significant moments in Japanese history. Among these are the Meiji Restoration and the post-feudal era push to modernize, as well as the subsequent move toward an industrial economy, best represented by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Kazu, the novel’s protagonist, was born in the 1930s, and most of his story focuses on the historical events that took place after that time. These include World War II, the economic bubble of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the 2011 earthquake. However, one major event from the late 1800s (the Edo period) had a significant impact on Kazu’s life: the Meiji Restoration. This was the transformation of Japan from a class-based feudal system that was primarily agricultural to a more unified, industrial society. During the Edo period, Japan had little contact with outside countries, and the ruling feudal powers—the shogunate—imposed strict class rules. Resistance efforts were bolstered by the arrival of foreign militaries; eventually, the shogunate was abolished, the imperial emperor was restored to power, and Japan was “opened” to foreign traders. Upon encountering the technological advancements of the west, particularly regarding military weapons, Japan began to emulate Western countries in order to modernize.