Detective Kosuke Kindaichi: Another Japanese Mystery Story

Good reading: The Little Sparrow Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (1902-1981). His detective in this novel, Kosuke Kindaichi, is eccentric, as I have found him in several other novels from a very long and permanently popular series. The action takes place in a village somewhere in rural Japan in 1955. The suspense builds as a series of murders baffle the local people and all of the professional detectives involved in trying to solve them. 

Kindaichi’s appearance conceals his brilliance, as witnessed by his colleague: “Inspector Isokawa looked at his friend, who, as usual, appeared dishevelled in his tired white-and-indigo kimono, which he wore with a pair of threadbare summer hakama.” This description also hints at the preponderance of details from Japanese life that may seem challenging to the modern American reader — but these details create a wonderful traditional atmosphere in post-war Japan. In my opinion, it requires patience and determination to read these novels — but it’s worth doing.

At the beginning of the novel, as is usual with many Japanese translations, the editors supply a list of characters in the village where the action takes place. In this novel, the list has 30 of them, grouped by families; most of the families have more than one identifying name. Also included: the names of several policemen and the detectives, including Kosuke Kindaichi, who is the principal character in the numerous novels in this series.

The breadth of descriptions and variety of personalities in the story create a vivid picture of village life — as experienced by the non-local detectives. I find this fascinating (as always in this series of books). I especially liked some of the food scenes, for example:

“It had already gone eleven o’clock by the time Kosuke Kindaichi and Inspector Isokawa stepped out of the bath and sat down to a hearty breakfast. The meal was comprised of miso soup with nameko mushrooms, salt-grilled salmon, stewed vegetables, and an egg each—and although it was an altogether simple affair, the delicious miso soup filled their empty stomachs.”

Other details involve the geography of this small place: in fact, the solution to the mystery, as of course reasoned out by Kindaichi, involves much trekking around on foot and on bicycles. The reader is offered a great amount of information about how the various houses and farm buildings (especially a winery where a terrible sour wine is made) are placed. 

The map is essential: 

A map of the village where the action occurs. 

The novel includes many examples of Japanese culture, such as a scene near a statue of the folk god Jizo.

I was quite intrigued and googled for images of this child-like god, who wears little clothes that people make for him.

Seishi Yokomizo (1902–81) was a famous and much-loved Japanese mystery writer, and Detective Kosuke Kindaichi -- who appears in many of the author's other novels -- has been in a variety of TV shows in Japan, and even in video games. The novels are currently being republished: this is a recent edition, published last fall. All those I have read are great for suspense, clever plotting, character development, and depictions of a now-lost culture from the mid-20th century.

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