The Makioka Sisters

“The ancients waited for cherry blossoms, grieved when they were gone, and lamented their passing in countless poems.''

15 Dec, 20244 min read

The Makioka Sisters is a novel written by the Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki in the haydays of the Second World War. Tanizaki is considered to be one of the most prominent Japanese literary figures today. He started producing his first works in 1909 and made his literary debut the year after. Some of his major themes in his works are: femininity, sexuality and different sexual orientations, psychology, eroticism, masochism, emotions, suppressed senses, and impulses, along with the changing dynamics of the 20th century. It is also possible to see that there is a search for a cultural identity in his works. After the 20's, Western influence became noticeable in his works. With all of these in mind, it would be safe to assume that he was one of the figures that helped in bringing modernism into Japan.

His novel Sasameyuki has been translated into English as The Makioka Sisters in 1957 by Edward G. Seidensticker. The name Sasameyuki originally means lightly falling snow in Japanese, which is often mistaken for the sakura petals or Japanese cherry blossoms between the transition from winter to early spring. Although Seidensticker did not emphasize this cultural phenomenon in his translated title, some translations (such as the Turkish one, Nazlı Kar) have tried to reflect this understanding onto the reader. The book itself is inspired by real-life events and people and can be considered a shadow of these elements. It is a reflection of Tanizaki's Japan. Another source of influence for this novel was Tanizaki's third and last wife, Matsuko. The book itself is made up of three different parts or books. Later on, the novel has been adapted into cinema as well.

The book's plot revolves around the daily lives of the Makioka family and their efforts to find a suitable husband for the third sister, Yukiko. It depicts the family's upper-middle class and suburban lifestyle and how it has declined in the face of the second World War and the allied occupation of Japan. The novel's events take place between the autumn of 1936 and the April of 1941. There are many dominant topics in the novel that are similar to Tanizaki's previous works. These include but are not limited to: a constant presence of death and diseases; yearning for a glorious past that is long gone; decay and decline; social classes and reputation; marriage and gender roles; family and tradition; and lastly, the bridge between the East and the West.

When the family was wealthy, prestigious, and proud during their prime, they declined many marriage proposals for Yukiko, who was much younger than she is now. However, with the passing of time, the family starts losing what they possess. Yukiko, who is now in her thirties, is trying to get married before she gets any older. However, the family is not able to find someone appropriate for her. While these are happening, as the result of a mistake or an accident, Yukiko's name gets mixed up in a newspaper article that actually has nothing to do with her. With her passing age and her tarnished reputation, marriage proposals start to slow down significantly. Although there are still candidates, whenever they show up something goes wrong, such as accidents, diseases, natural disasters, deaths, and the designed marriage is thrown off. And while all of these are happening, the sisters meet with each other every now and then in a secluded garden to watch the falling of sakura petals. The garden not only acts as a safe haven from all the destruction outside but is also a way of reminiscing about the past for the sisters. The white and pink petals help the sisters in not only remembering the past and the days gone but also give hope that after every winter there will come a spring. In the end, Yukiko is finally able to get married and moves to Tokyo. Although she has at long last gained what she wanted, she hates Tokyo and is not happy.