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高瀬舟

by Mori Ōgai

On a prison boat, a convict calmly explains how his brother died.

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Original language: JapaneseLevel: Intermediate3,553 characters · ≈ 14 minSource: 青空文库

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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.

高瀬舟the Takase boatはtopic marker (as for)京都Kyotoのof / in (possessive-locational particle)高瀬川the Takase Riverをalong/through (object particle marking the course traversed)上下するto go up and down小舟a small boatであるis (copula, formal)
The Takase boat is a small boat that travels up and down the Takase River in Kyoto.
徳川時代にin the Tokugawa period京都Kyotoの(possessive) in/of罪人がa criminal (subject)遠島exile to a far islandを申し渡されるとwhen (he) was sentenced to本人の親類がthe criminal's relatives (subject)牢屋敷へto the prison呼び出されてwere summonedそこでthere暇乞いをするto say good-byeことを(nominalized object of permission)許されたwas allowed
In the Tokugawa period, when a criminal in Kyoto was told he would be sent to a far island, his family was called to the prison, and there they were allowed to say good-bye.
それからafter that罪人はthe criminal (topic)高瀬舟にonto the Takase boat載せられてwas placed on and大阪へto Osaka回されるwas sent onことであったit was that (past)
After that, the criminal was put on the Takase boat and sent to Osaka.
それをhim (the criminal)護送するto escort/guardのはthe one who (is)京都町奉行Kyoto town magistrateの配下にいるunder the command of同心police officer (dōshin)でand (was)この同心はthis officer罪人の親類the criminal's relativesの中でamongおも立ったmain/principal一人をone person大阪までto Osaka同船させるto let (someone) go on the same boatことを(the act of) doing許すto allow/permit慣例であったwas the custom
The one who guarded him was a police officer under the Kyoto town magistrate, and it was the custom for this officer to allow one main person among the criminal's family to go on the same boat to Osaka.

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About the book

"Takasebune" ("The Boat on the Takase River") is a short story by Mori Ōgai, published in Chūō Kōron in January 1916 and based on an episode from the Edo-period essay collection Ōgusa. On a boat transporting a criminal from Kyoto to Osaka, Kisuke calmly recounts the circumstances of killing his younger brother. According to the author, the story centers on two questions: a criminal's attitude toward property, and the problem of euthanasia.

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.

遠島 History

A punishment of exile in the Edo period, banishing criminals to remote islands such as Sado, Oki, and Hachijōjima. It was a severe penalty, second only to execution.

同心 Social role

A low-ranking samurai police officer under the Edo shogunate and the domains, subordinate to the town magistrate (machi bugyō), responsible for practical duties such as patrolling, apprehending suspects, and escorting prisoners. It is a key status in "Takasebune"—Shōbei holds this post.

入相の鐘 Customs

The bell rung by temples at dusk, that is, the "evening bell." In Japanese literature it is often associated with a sense of impermanence; "入相" refers to the hour of sunset.

About the author

Mori Ōgai (February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), born Mori Rintarō, was a Japanese Army Surgeon general officer, translator, novelist and poet, and father of the writer Mari Mori. He obtained his medical license at a young age, introduced translated German literary works to Japanese readers, and is considered a leading figure who modernized Japanese literature; his major work is The Wild Geese (1911–1913).

Summary prepared with AI from Wikipedia: 高瀬舟 (小説) (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.

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