日輪
In ancient Japan, the princess Himiko is caught in tribal wars.
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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 Sun (Nichirin) is a novella by Riichi Yokomitsu, published in 1923 and the work that established his literary career. Rather than pursuing historical accuracy, it centers on Himiko and depicts the love and hatred surrounding her, unfolding a grand epic of slaughter between nations. In the story, Himiko is originally a princess of the Kingdom of Fumi and eventually goes to Yamato.
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.
Queen of Yamatai, mentioned in the 'Account of the Wa People' in the Records of Wei. In the third century she sent envoys to Cao Wei and received the title 'Ruler of the Wa, Friend of Wei.' Yokomitsu Riichi used the fragmentary records of the 'Account of the Wa' as material, setting the story in ancient Kyushu.
A 'C'-shaped curved bead common from the Jōmon to the Kofun period. Together with cylindrical beads, it was worn as a neck ornament and was also regarded as a sacred treasure imbued with spiritual power.
The fence or enclosure built around ancient shrines. Because it surrounds the sacred precinct, it is also called a 'jewelled fence' (tamagaki) and marks the boundary of the deity's domain.
About the author
Riichi Yokomitsu (17 March 1898 – 30 December 1947) was an experimental, modernist Japanese writer. After his 1923 stories "Nichirin" ("The Sun") and "Hae" ("A Fly") appeared in Bungeishunjū, he co-founded the magazine Bungei-Jidai with Yasunari Kawabata and became known as a leading figure of the Shinkankakuha (New Sensation School).
Summary prepared with AI from Wikipedia: 日輪 (横光利一) (CC BY-SA)
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 “Advanced”. 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.