Essay Questions

What does the train ride to Tokyo represent for Shukichi and Tomi?

This will be the first time Shukichi and Tomi have left their small village for the big city. Taking the train is a symbol that they are being ushered into a new era of culture that has abandoned the old traditions that they have lived by and the country has lived by for centuries. It is representative of the change in the familial and societal systems after World War II.

What is the symbolism in Koichi's son being so upset that his desk was moved?

Koichi is hosting his parents for their first trip to Tokyo, and in order to make room for them they have had to move their son's desk. The fact that the son gets so upset and demands it be moved back shows how the culture of respect for one's elders has completely changed. He has no regard for where his grandparents sleep only for himself and what he wants. The moment, though short, shows the massive cultural shift in the family home.

Why is it ironic that Shukichi and Tomi's kids sent them to Atami?

Shukichi and Tomi are thrilled that their children would provide them with lodging at the natural hot springs and when they arrive they love the view. But, once night falls the hotel where they are staying turns into a drunken gambler's den where there is no chance at having any real rest. They believed their children were taking care of them but their carelessness to this detail of the type of place their parents would want to stay shows they actual didn't put much thought into it other than wanting to get them out of their homes.