電気風呂の怪死事件
by Juza Unno
A bathhouse lover is caught up in a death in an electric bath.
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Sample: three-line reading
Each word has its meaning in this sentence underneath, and each sentence has a full translation. Read the original and glance down only when you need to.
About the book
The text introduces Igami Yokichi, a man who loves bathing and frequents a bathhouse equipped with an electric bath, and recalls how he once asked a friend who worked as an electrical engineer whether anyone could die in such a bath; the friend replied that it was essentially safe, though a weakened heart could be at risk. The opening unfolds at a slow, everyday pace, quietly planting the possibility of electrocution, so it reads as an ordinary scene laced with a faint unease.
Cultural notes (selection)
Background a translation can’t carry: social roles, history and allusions. While reading, tap “Note” at the end of a sentence to see them all.
At the entrance of old-style sentō (public baths) there was a 'getabiki' attendant, a boy who looked after the shoes customers took off. He was usually a relative of the owner or a helper's child, a common sight in sentō of the early Shōwa period.
The back room of a sentō where water is heated and the boiler temperature is managed, separated from the bathing area by a door. The electric switch could only be turned off here, which is why Dazō ran to the kamaba.
A round hole left in the dividing wall for running cold-water pipes through, connecting the men's bath and the women's bath, so one could peek through to the other side.
About the author
Unno Jūza (December 26, 1897 – May 17, 1949), born Sano Shōichi, was a Japanese novelist regarded as the founding father of Japanese science fiction.
How the glosses are made
Word glosses and sentence translations are generated in context by AI models (DeepSeek and Zhipu GLM), and every word is checked to have a gloss. AI can make mistakes; you can report problems from the book page.
FAQ
Is this the original text?
Yes. The library holds the opening section of the public-domain original, taken from 青空文库.
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What level is it?
This one is marked “Intermediate”. Every word is glossed, so you can keep reading even with a small vocabulary.
Can I use another gloss language?
English and Chinese glosses are prepared in advance; signed-in readers can generate other languages.