Kuki Kyuzo, a young Japanese man, has been born and raised in the puppet state of Manchuria/Manchukuo, and is one of the many Japanese left behind there when it fell to the Soviet army at the end of WWII. He decides to make his way back to his fatherland, a country he has never seen, but which feels like home. He sets off on a long and perilous journey. On this basic level the book is very much an adventure story as we follow Kuki and his enigmatic travelling companion as they battle their way through many dangers and hardships into an uncertain future. On a deeper level the novel explores issues of identity, what it means to be Japanese, loyalty and treachery, colonialism and the brutality of war. It helps to understand at least a little of the historical and political background, and the introduction is relatively helpful on that point, but overall this is one of the worst introductions I’ve ever read as it is so academic and abstruse that I found it almost impenetrable. Nevertheless, it probably is worth ploughing through for a more nuanced reading of the book. The novel itself is a powerful and compelling one, with the outcome always uncertain, and the descriptions vivid and atmospheric. I’m not sure I fully engaged with Kuki but I was pleased to have accompanied him on his nightmarish journey.

Welp, I made a mistake. I thought this was the same author who had written The Women in the Dunes (or sand women in Japanese) but I didn't realize that Abe had passed away.

EDIT: well, Goodreads has the wrong entry for this book and it is not linked to the correct account. This IS written by the same Abe that wrote The Women in the Dunes and has been recently translated. (Note, I have opened a ticket with Goodreads to have this fixed).

I found similar themes between the two books - searching for yourself in a hostile place. How can Kuki truly be Japanese if he was not raised there? Similar to Sand Women, Beasts Head for Home takes the reader on a journey they would never expect to encounter otherwise.

Works Read So Far for Japanese Literature Challenge 11

1. "The Children" by Junichiro Tanazaki
2. Beasts on the Way Home by Kobe Abe


Most people into the Japanese novel read Kobe Abe's (1924 to 1993) towering classic, Woman of the Dunes, and never read anymore of his work. Woman of the Dunes is for sure must reading for anyone into post WWII Japanese novels.  I would say most all list makers would put it in the top ten Japanese novels. Kenzaburo Oe said Abe should have been given a Nobel Prize instead of him. In addition to this I have read and greatly enjoyed in past Japanese Literature Challenges reading his The Ark Sakura and The Face of Another. All these novels have elements of surrealism whereas the written earlier Beasts on the Way Home is a realistic work, drawing on his childhood in Manchuria. (There is some biographical data on Abe in my prior posts and the Wikipedia article is decent.) Abe enrolled in medical school to avoid being drafted into the Japanese Army. He received an M.D. but never practiced. He did say all his friends with liberal arts degrees died in the war.

Beasts on the Way Home is set in Manchuria, right after the defeat of Japan. All Japanese have to leave the place they viciously ruled for over a decade. A young Japanese man is trying desperately to cross Manchuria to make it to a port from which he can catch a ship for Japan. He is crossing a war ravaged territory, where the Chinese hate the Japanese. He teams up with another Japanese youth and they begin a nightmare journey. They face robbers, wild bands of homeless dogs, Chinese soldiers and near starvation. The narration is very suspenseful and totally believable.

Those new to Japanese literature for sure should first read Woman of the Dunes. Then study his other works to see if you wish to proceed on. Those into Japanese WWII literature should add Beasts on the Way Home to their list.

I was kindly given a review copy of this book.

Mel u
The Reading Life

A much needed translation of one of Abe's lesser known novels, exploring issues of identity in post-war Japan.

This novel just embodies the epitome of timeless literary fiction, complete with dramatic historical parallels. Abe Kobo captures the human spirit with these extremely determined characters.

1945. Japan surrenders. Four million Japanese soldiers and civilians remain unrepatriated . Kuki Kyuzo, a Japanese teenager was born and raised in Manchuria due to his father's employment. Mother and son were able to remain in Manchuria for nineteen years despite his father's early death. But now, Kyuzo's world is topsy-turvy. New borders are being drawn. Kyuzo, however, has the right of return. His journey to Japan will be a difficult one.

Kyuzo's trip preparation includes packing a waterproof blanket filled with stolen items....foodstuffs, a military map, a long,heavy rare knife and a silver spoon with a naked woman engraved on the handle. He leaves before dawn, defying Martial Law, in an attempt to jump a departing train heading south. He is able to obtain a special travel certificate allowing him to travel in any liberated area. The journey is heart-wrenching because the train is set afire. Kyuzo, befriended by Mr. Wang, a train passenger himself, set off on foot, journeying to Japan. Mr. Wang, an unsavory character, is neither friend nor foe. Kyuzo would be wise to conceal his belongings. Mr. Wang sends up constant smokescreens. He confesses that his new name is Ko Sekito. Emotions run rampant. The frozen, barren, unforgiving land provides no shelter or sustenance. Kyuzo experiences delusional dreams and exhibits bizarre behavior. He dreams of turning into an insect and walking across a map. He prowls around a fire like a caged beast. Both Kyuzo and Ko experience fear which changes to despair then morphs into self loathing and outward anger. What will tomorrow bring? Will there be a tomorrow?

"Beasts Head for Home" by Kobo Abe is an excellent character study showcasing the naivete of Kyuzo versus the manipulation of Ko. Are they friends or enemies? What is the cost of self preservation? The struggle to return "home" is palpable. Anti-Japanese sentiment made it difficult for the characters to determine who was trustworthy. Kudos to Kobo Abe for a thought provoking, well written tome.

Thank you Columbia University Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Beasts Head for Home".