Homecoming

with a Modern Translation and Annotations

By: Osamu Dazai

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This essay-style short story, published in 1943, is a sequel to the earlier work Going Home (1943).

The protagonist, who his family has disowned, receives news that his mother is dying and heads back to his family home with his wife and child. He is the sixth son of a wealthy family from Aomori. He went to Tokyo Imperial University with the hopes of his family, but became involved in left-wing movements, was arrested by the police, became addicted to drugs, and repeatedly attempted suicide.

Dazai is aware that he has been a bad son to his mother and that her death is imminent. He also has to face his brothers, who have disowned him.

The house where Osamu Dazai grew up is now a museum dedicated to him, called Shayoukan.

Annotations

[1] Going Home

[2] Mr. Kita

[3] Mr. Nakabata

[4] Mitaka

[5] Mother

[6] The eldest brother

[7] The second eldest brother

[8] Grandmother

[9] Ueno

[10] Aomori

[11] Goshogawara

[12] Kanagi Town

[13] Tsugaru Railway

[14] 10 Tatami Mat Room

[15] The eldest sister

[16] Honshu

[17] Buddhist room

[18] Tokonoma alcove