The book opens with a vivid portrait of Imabari, a quiet coastal town on Shikoku island, detailing its harbor life, traditional hot-oven sanitariums, and the author's affectionate memories of his grandfather who lived in a small house behind the family store. Shigemi describes the rigorous routine of old-fashioned private schools, where young boys mastered the forty-eight Japanese characters and Chinese classics using inkstones, brushes, and copy-books made from old ledgers. Discipline was strict, involving public shaming and the burning incense-stick punishment, though offset by the warmth of domestic life, communal baths, and traditional meals centered around rice, tea, and salted vegetables.
As the narrative progresses, the author explores the rich social fabric of his youth, highlighting community celebrations, local actors, story-tellers, and wrestling matches. He describes the elaborate preparations for major holidays like the New Year, complete with mochi-making, kite-flying, and traditional street processions, alongside the deep-rooted superstitions and folk beliefs surrounding local shrines and deities. A recurring theme is the balance of strict social codes with genuine human warmth, illustrated through touching anecdotes of neighbors like Aunt Otsuné and local romances that flourished despite parental opposition.
The later chapters trace the transition from feudal traditions to the adoption of Western-influenced common school systems and government reforms. Shigemi reflects on his education, the complexities of the Japanese language and its relation to Chinese learning, and his brief attempts at commercial apprenticeship before his eventual pursuit of higher studies. The book concludes just as the author stands on the threshold of a wider world, having preserved a vanishing world of domestic customs, community bonds, and childhood joys that defined pre-modern Japan.
