“Tree Shadow Story”
Saiichi Maruya is an undeniable stylist of writing.
Maruya Saiichi was undoubtedly a stylist of writing. He was neither a "master of prose" nor a "beautiful writer," and the term "talented penmanship" doesn't really fit him. He was quite far from being called a "great literary figure." In the end, the only way to describe him is as a "stylist."
Therefore, it was unthinkable for him to abandon the old kana and write his writing. If he had done so, his writing style would have been fundamentally damaged. If a stylist loses their style, where can they go? He was a writer who stubbornly maintained the individualism of his writing until the very end, but perhaps his unique quality lies in the fact that the term "solitary" does not suit him.
Although Maruya is not a prolific writer, he has written quite a number of novels. It is difficult to choose which one is his "masterpiece," but I personally love "Jukagetan" (first published in 1988).
It's a slightly longer short story, but the sentences are efficient and the story is profound. Every time I reread it, my impression of it changes a little. The colors change, the angle of the scenery changes, and the texture changes. It's an undeniable masterpiece.
