ぱなりぬすま幻想
“Panari nu suma gensō”
[Isolated Island Fantasy]
First published in Bungakukai [Literary World] in January 1969, “Panari nu suma gensō” is an intriguing tale about a man’s search for his roots on a remote Okinawan Island. The story follows Yamatarō, who flees to a remote island after committing a murder, only to discover that the mysterious island is the hometown of his grandfather. By chance, Yamatarō arrives on the island just as the annual harvest festival is about to begin. Through this story, Ōshiro Tatsuhiro examines issues of communality, taboo, secret ritual, and identity.
JAPANESE TEXT:
Ōshiro, Tatsuhiro. “Panarinusuma gensō.” Panarinusuma gensō. Tokyo: Kadokawa Bunkō, 1975. 6-74.
1. Characters
Yamatarō ヤマタロー
Yamatarō is the protagonist of the story. He flees to the island after pushing a newspaper cameraman from the chimney and killing him. Yamatarō gradually comes to realize that his ancestors are from the island, but just as he acquires a fuller knowledge of himself, he is killed by Saki’s brother, Takejirō.
Shinjō シンジョー
Shinjō is the captain of the ship that brings Yamatarō to the island, and Yamatarō stays at his house during the festival. Shinjō is not a native of the island, but he has reluctantly accepted its traditions. Consequently, he has a more objective view of the rituals and rules of the island.
Saki サキ
Saki works at the rubber shoe factory with Yamatarō. She falls in love with him after he rescues her from Yutaka, who has been pestering her. Saki is a native of the island and her younger brother, Takejirō, is about to go through the endurance ceremony to become an adult. She is worried that Yutaka, whom she knows to be a cruel man, will make it difficult for Takejirō to pass the test.
Scholars 学者たち
Three scholars visit the island in order to research the festival and ceremonies, which are in danger of dying out. The scholars offer a more objective and critical perspective on the islanders and their customs. The researchers stay at Shinjō’s house, so Yamatarō often overhears their discussions.
Elder Akagiアカギ長老
Elder Akagi is the oldest person on island, and thus has the most authority. He insists on protecting the island’s traditional rules.
Takejirō タケジロー
Takejirō is a Saki’s younger brother, who lives on the island and takes the endurance test to become an adult. He is extremely dedicated to protecting the traditions of the island, and is even willing to murder those who violate the island’s taboos.
Yutaka ユタカ
Yutaka is also a fellow worker of Yamatarō’s at the rubber shoe factory. A cruel man, Yutaka has been trying to force himself on Saki, whom he fancies. Yutaka, who is also from the island, becomes one of the examiners for Takejirō during the endurance test. When Yutaka finds out that Saki likes Yamatarō, he becomes intensely jealous. After the festival, he tells Takejirō that Yamatarō is a yamakusare, or traitor of the island.
2. Plot
Section 1 (6-14)
Yamatarō has just arrived by boat on an isolated island, where the wind never stops blowing. Shinjō, the captain of the boat, invites Yamatarō to stay at his house, together with three scholars who have come to observe the island’s harvest festival. At the house, Yamatarō mutters, “sasara, sasara,” a peculiar way of saying “I’m thirsty” that he learned from his father, and goes outside to the water tank, where he sees a strange boy watching him. He recalls seeing the masked boy earlier on his way to the house. Shinjō arrives and tells Yamatarō that he is like an islander for putting his furoshiki pack on some papers to prevent them from blowing away. Shinjō also tells him to be frugal with water, since the island only has a limited supply.
Section 2 (14-32)
Saki is at the Council of Elders, which is preparing for the festival that welcomes the gods Akanemoto and Kuronemoto from the sea. They decide to ban all photographs, according to tradition. Elder Akagi, the oldest elder, talks to Saki about Takejirō, who will be going through the Coming-of-Age Ceremony. After the Council meeting ends, Elder Akagi talks with Saki and Takejirō. He explains that if Takejirō passes the Aratame endurance test, he will become a Yamaninju (a “person of the mountains,” or a recognized male adult of the community). Takejirō tells Elder Akagi that he checked on all of the people who have cameras. Saki hears that during the Aratame Takejirō will be tested by Yutaka, a cruel man that she works with.
Saki recalls her experiences at the rubber shoe factory, especially Yutaka’s persistent harassing of her. She likes Yamatarō, who rescued her once from Yutaka. The workers at the factory go on strike, and three men, including Yamatarō, are chosen to climb to the chimney of the factory in order to stop production. During the strike, Saki receives a letter from Yutaka, urging her to return to the island for the festival. One night, Yamatarō suddenly appears at Saki’s home, and they have sex. He confesses to her that he has killed someone, saying that it was unavoidable. Then he runs off. The next day, a newspaper cameraman is found dead below the chimney of the factory. Saki and Yutaka arrive on the island, but Saki is surprised that Yutaka doesn’t talk aboutYamatarō.
Section 3 (32-41)
Looking down from “kami no hana,” the cliff that overlooks the sea, Yamatarō watches the ceremonies taking place on the beach. The villagers are waiting to welcome the two gods that will come from beyond the sea. As he stands on the cliff, separated from the others, Yamatarō recalls how he felt on the chimney. He also thinks about his childhood. His father could not work because he was shot trying to escape from the armed forces. Yamatarō’s grandfather also moved to town from the country, but Yamatarō’s father does not knows where they came from either. In school, Yamatarō had been bullied because of his strange accent and peculiar vocabulary.
He reflects on why he had agreed to climb the chimney, and recognizes a desire for connection to others, even when he feels disconnected. Looking down from the cliff, he has similar feelings towards the villagers: he feels both connected and cut off from them at the same time. Suddenly, a reporter with a camera appears and Yamatarō yells at him. Recalling his confrontation with the cameraman on the chimney, he has to remind himself that this is a different person. A masked boy appears and Yamatarō fears that he might be pushed off the cliff with the reporter, but then the boy turns and runs away. Just then, the sun sets.
Section 4 (41-8)
In the clearing of the forest, Saki exchanges greetings with other villagers at the start of the festival. The rules, which absolutely must be obeyed, are announced: (1) No one should enter the forest, (2) photography is forbidden, and (3) everyone must participate in the dance with the gods. Watching from the nearby forest, Yamatarō feels isolated but elated. The procession of the gods (men in costumes) begins, and then the villagers form a circle and dance together. Yamatarō recalls his involvement in the union and recognizes that he has a similar feeling now. He is surprised when he sees Saki in the crowd.
Section 5 (49-56)
Yamatarō listens to Shinjō talk to the scholars about the rules of this island. He mentions that the newspaper reporter is missing, and Yamatarō realizes that the masked boy at the cliff probably killed him. Shinjō explains that when he first came to the island, he declined to take the endurance test at first, but that his family was relentlessly bullied until he decided to take the test. He describes his experience of the aratame, the endurance test. During the test, examiners use sticks and stones, and eventually the candidates learn not to resist and to not consider the meaning. One of the scholars comments on the role of violence and the power of the beliefs. Shinjō points out that the villagers don’t like violence, and that “kill” is one of their taboo words. Yamatarō again recalls his feelings on the chimney and nostalgically thinks about his grandfather.
Section 6 (56-64)
Yamatarō wakes up from a dream in which Shinjō had told him about his father and grandfather. Yamatarō’s grandfather, named Ishizō, ran away from the island fifty years ago after being violent with a girl. Yamatarō’s father, named Kuraji, had a similar problem of not being able to obey authority, and was thrown out of the army after hitting an officer. Yamatarō has thus inhereted this reluctance to follow rules. However, an island tradition states that if someone who breaks a rule leaves the island, that person’s children will be able to return. The dream ends with Shinjō telling Yamatarō that Saki is his only hope.
After Yamatarō wakes up, Shinjō tells Yamatarō that he will take the scholars to watch the aratame endurance ceremony, but that Yamatarō should stay at home. However, Yamatarō sneaks out and goes anyway. Yamatarō notices that Yutaka is one of the examiners, and sees Saki in the crowd. He wants to talk with her but watches the ceremony instead. Before the ceremony begins, Elder Akagi discusses the rules and history of the island. He points out that the island was poor, so people needed to learn to control their desires. The words “sasara,” “tsukuri,” and “hizuru” are used to help the villagers repress any extravagant desires. Hearing this explanation, Yamatarō now knows that he is from the island. During the ceremony, Yamatarō notices that Yutaka is being expecially cruel to one of the boys, whom Yamatarō recognizes as being the boy at the cliff. He feels a connection to the boy, since they have both meted out their own private justice by killing someone. Yamatarō considers talking to Saki, but Shinjō comes over and tells him to leave at once.
Section 7 (64-74)
On the third night of the festival, the gods (men in costumes) go around to all the homes of the village. Shinjō had told Yamatarō to stay home, but Yamatarō decided to observe the ceremonies anyway. Wearing sunglasses and a straw hat, he searches in vain for Saki in the crowd. Instead, he notices Yutaka. Saki has been surreptitiously handed a note “from the gods” telling her to meet at the top of the cliff when the moon is over the adjacent island. Saki hopes the note is from Yamatarō, whom she had spotted in the crowd, but is worried that it might be from Yutaka. Still, she believes that the gods have brought Yamatarō to the island, so that they can be together.
At the cliff, Saki waits, hoping for a “new god” to appear, but when Yutaka appears, she realizes she has made a mistake. Just as Yutaka tries to force himself on her, Yamatarō appears and punches Yutaka, who then runs off. After spending some time together with Saki, Yamatarō says, “sasara, sasara,” and Saki realizes that he is from the island. Just as she thinks, “I’ve won,” Takejirō appears and pushes Yamatarō off the cliff. She finds out that Yutaka had told Takejirō that some yamakusare (someone who violates the rules) was here. She recalls Yamatarō’s words about the murder that he had committed: “It couldn’t be helped.” She looks out to the sea, and the light looks like blood spilled by the gods. Her disheveled hair blows in the wind.
3. Setting
The setting of the story is obviously Aragusuku, a small pair of islands in the Yaeyama chain. Comprised of Kamiji and Shimoji islands, Aragusuku lies just to the east of Iriomote. The first part of the title, “panari nu suma,” means “remote island” in the Yaeyama language, but the word “panari” has also come to refer specifically to Aragusuku. Various hints in the story also suggest that Ōshiro is referring to the Aragusuku. To begin with, the islanders wait for Akanemoto and Kuronemoto, the gods that will come over the sea. In Yaeyama, the gods of the harvest festival are called Akamata and Kuromata. The secret nature of the festival is also described in similar terms. Just as in Ōshiro’s story, islanders are not supposed to take photographs of the gods, who are villagers in costume. The water tank is another hint that Ōshiro is referring to Aragusuku. The island has often suffered water shortages, and water service was not started until 1975; however, water tanks still exist on the island. The geography of the island in the story is also similar to Aragusuku. For example, the high cliff called “kami no hana” in the story is similar to “kui nu pana,” a beautiful location for viewing the island and the ocean. One final hint is the name Shinjō, which if written in kanji, can also be read “Aragusuku.”
4. Point of View
Although the narration is omniscient, the point of view alternates between Yamatarō and Saki. The first section is narrated from Yamatarō’s point of view, and the second section switches to Saki. The third section is Yamatarō’s point of view, and the beginning of the fourth section switches to Saki’s point of view. However, the point of view switches to Yamatarō in the second half of the section. The fifth section sticks to Yamatarō’s point of view, but focuses on Shinjō’s discussion with the visiting scholars, which provides readers with background information about the festival. The sixth section is told from Yamatarō’s point of view. In the seventh section, the point of view begins with Yamatarō’s but switches to Saki’s towards the end. In this way, the narration of the story moves back and forth between Yamatarō and Saki, as if to suggest that their destinies are entwined.
5. Symbolism / Imagery
Yamatarō’s dream
Although some readers might criticize the dream sequence as being a narrative device for confirming Yamatarō’s ties to the island, one can also interpret the dream as being a manifestation of Yamatarō’s unconscious knowledge and desires. Although readers are not provided enough information about Yamatarō’s father and grandfather to judge for sure, Yamatarō has heard many rumors about them and quite possibly already knows what Shinjō tells him in the dream. In other words, Shinjō’s explanation makes explicit what Yamatarō already suspects. Similarly, Shinjō’s statement that Saki is Yamatarō’s only hope clearly reflects Yamatarō’s own desire to be with her.
The chimney and the cliff
Both the chimney and the cliff symbolize Yamatarō’s distance from the communities he wishes to join. Yamatarō volunteers to climb the chimney out of a desire to contribute to the union and to become a part of that community; however, the height of the chimney physically separates from the other employees. Similarly, the cliff on the island symbolizes Yamatarō’s distance from the village community. As a man wanted for murder, he cannot join in the festivities, yet he cannot refrain from watching. Ironically, this act leads to his death.
6. Themes
Search for lost identity
On one level, “Panarinusuma gensō” is the story of a man’s search for his lost origins. Ignorant of his family roots, Yamatarō desperately wants to know about his hometown. He has only heard rumors about his grandfather, who fled the family home for mysterious reasons, and his father, who was forced out of the military. Yamatarō’s only clues about his roots is his use of strange words (such as “sasara, sasara” for thirsty) and a few behavioral quirks (such as putting objects on papers to prevent them from blowing away). In town, Yamatarō feels disconnected from those around him. Growing up, Yamatarō was bullied for speaking dialect, and as an adult, he feels isolated from his coworkers. He gets involved in union activities, partly to experience a sense of community. However, this attempt fails, and Yamatarō ends up killing a reporter, partly because he interprets the reporter’s objective observation of their strike activities as an affront to their suffering—a sensibility that is ironically quite similar to those on the island. After Yamatarō flees to the island, he soon discovers that this is his hometown and spiritual home. Ironically, however, Yamatarō cannot join the community to which he yearns to return. To begin with, his crime has made him a wanted person who must hide his identity and which has prevented him from joining the island’s rituals. The inability to participate in the ritual, in turn, leads Yamatarō to violate the taboo against passive observation. This violation leads to his death.
Problems of modern society vs. problems of premodern communities
Throughout the story, comparisons are made between the problems that Yamatarō faces at the factory and those he faces on the island. As Takara Kurayoshi and other critics have pointed out, the problems at the factory are tangible problems, such as wages, strikes, and interactions in the employee cafeteria. The problems’s of the island, however, are described as being mysterious and inaccessible. The major concerns are the gods, rituals, and taboos. Ōshiro takes a critical stance towards the island as well. Through Shinjō and the scholars, he presents an objective view of the rituals and criticizes the villagers for the extreme lengths that they are willing to go to protect their taboos. Through the character of Yutaka, the story also questions the motivations of the partipants, and reveals the dangers of such unquestioned beliefs. Yutaka takes advantage of the ritual in order to fulfill his base desires. For example, he draws Saki to the cliff by slipping her a note “from the gods,” and then, when she appears, he attempts to rape her. When this attempt is foiled by Yamatarō, he gets revenge by sending Takejirō to kill him, on the pretext that Yamatarō was violating the taboo. Yutaka, however, had just violated the same taboo himself. From an individual perspective, such as that represented by Yamatarō, the overriding concern of both modern and premodern communities are the issues of inclusion and exclusion.
Okinawan issues
As most critics have pointed out, Yamatarō seems to symbolize the anxiety that many Okinawans experienced after the war. Not only were many Okinawans displaced, but also many lost relatives and connections to decimated communities. Economic hardships only exacerbated such difficulties. For example, many people needed to abandon remote islands in order to move to cities in search of work. At the same time, Okinawa also faced a crisis in its identity, especially during the US Occupation.
7. Criticism
In a short review of the story, Nakahodo Masanori emphasizes the sensibilities of the main character, Yamatarō. Early in the story, Yamatarō pushes the reporter from the chimney because he is angered that someone would passively observe the suffering of his comrades. At the end of the story, Yamatarō is pushed off of the cliff for the same reason: observing the villagers from the outside without being involved in their ritual. In this way, Yamatarō can be seen as both a victim and victimizer. Put another way, Yamatarō kills the reporter because he possesses the same sensiblities as those on the island, but he is killed because he has become isolated from that island community (Shosetsu no naka no Okinawa 162-4).
Nakahodo also discusses the story in the “Kaisetsu” [Commentary] of Panarinusuma gensō, which also includes “Yasashii hito” and “Nisei,” two other Ōshiro stories. Nakahodo writes that all three stories are about the anxiety and confusion felt by characters who have lost their foundations or identities. In “Panarinusuma gensō,” for example, the protagonist struggles to find his identity both in the modern struggles of the union and in the rituals of a premodern community. The main theme of the story, Nakahodo argues, is loss and recovery. Yamatarō has lost his homeland, but through his peculiar behavior and use of language, which he has learned from his father, he has been able to maintain a tenuous tie to his roots. (270-3)
Takara Kurayoshi points out that Yamatarō is a bridge between the modern world, with its realistic, concrete problems such as strikes and unions, and the premodern world, with intangible and mysterious concerns, such as gods and rituals. Yamatarō does not belong to either of these worlds, however, and fails to bridge them. Instead, his quest ends in failure and death. Pointing out that Yamatarō is never described in concrete terms (for example, nothing is said of his facial characteristics, height, or history), Kurayoshi argues that Yamatarō is an abstract representation of the anxiety that Okinawa faced shortly after the war (331-3).
Finally, Davinder Bhowmik focusses on the fantastic elements of the work and points out Ōshiro’s strong tendency to create mythic characters that can represent various aspects of Okinawa culture. She praises Ōshiro for his desire to build up Okinawan culture through his stories, but faults him for not creating rounder, more convincing characters. Responding to Kurayoshi’s essay, Bhowmik argues that Yamatarō comes across as merely a vessel by which Ōshiro make his points about Okinawa culture, and that he has not been fleshed out as a character. (113-4)
8. Discussion Questions
(1) Why does Yamatarō kill the newspaper reporter?
(2) What role does Shinjō play in the story?
(3) What is the meaning of the story’s title? In particular, what “fantasy” is being referred to?
(4) What is the significance of the comparisons between Yamatarō’s union activities and his experiences on the island?
(5) What function do the visiting scholars serve? How do they view the island’s rituals and beliefs?
(6) What memories does Yamatarō have concerning his hometown?
(7) What role does language play in Yamatarō rediscovering his roots?
(8) How should the dream sequence be interpreted?
(9) What is Yutaka’s attitude towards Yamatarō?
(10) Why didn’t Ōshiro write the story entirely from Yamatarō’s point of view? In other words, what is gained by having an omniscient narrator? Or by switching to Saki’s point of view?
(11) What does the story teach us concerning Okinawan culture?
(12) How do Yamatarō, Saki, Yutaka, Shinjō, Takejirō, and the scholars differ in their attitudes towards the island’s rituals and beliefs?
9. Works Cited
Bhowmik, Davinder L. “The Flight Home in ‘Fantasy Island.’” Writing Okinawa: Narrative Acts of Identity and Resistance. New York: Routledge Press, 2008. 108-14.
Nakahodo, Masanori. “Panarinusuma gensō.” Shōsetsu no naka no Okinawa. Naha: Okinawa Times, 2009. 162-4.
---. “Kaiketsu” [Commentary]. Panarinusuma gensō. Tokyo: Kadokawa Bunkō, 1975.
Ōshiro,Tatsuhiro. “Panarinusuma gensō.” Panarinusuma gensō. Tokyo: Kadokawa Bunkō, 1975. 6-74.
Takara, Kurayoshi. “Panarinusuma gensō.” Okinawa bungaku zenshū. Vol. 17. Tokyo: Kokusho kankōkai, 1992. 331-3.
For a fascinating discussion in Japanese of the secret rituals of Yaeyama and some photos of Aragusuku, check the following site:
Ameotoko. Hisai no haikei [Background of the Secret Rituals]. 2004.
Report by Kasumi Sminkey.