Setchūbai
Seijishōsetsu: Setchūbai is an 1886 Japanese novel written by Tetchō Suehiro.
Kyoko Kurita wrote in "The Romantic Triangle in Meiji Literature" that the novel is "a simple Aesopian story, in which the characters are mere tools to advocate the author's political convictions". Ozaki Yukio stated in his introduction of the novel that it is not merely a romance story but a modern Japanese novel; Kurita argued that this introduction was "generous".
The book has a sequel, Kakan'ō.
Plot
The book begins on October 3, 2040 in Tokyo. Two unnamed men, a host and a guest, discuss how powerful and wealthy Japan has become. The host states that he does not understand how Japan recovered from poor conditions in 1880, in which Japan experienced political strife, and in the period 1883-1886, when political discussion had declined. The guest responds by showing two books, titled "Plum Blossoms in Snow" and "Songbirds Among Flowers." They describe the main character and his eventual wife, Kunino Motoi and Tominaga Haru. These notebooks were written by a professor and his wife. The convention involving a novel opening with a discussion among unnamed men was common in the Tokugawa period.The primary story is set in the years 1886–1890. Kunino adopts an alias and moves to Tokyo in order to become involved in politics. He meets a former samurai and promises to marry the samurai's daughter, Haru, but decides not to meet her until he has established himself. However Kunino is forced to keep a low profile when the government enacts a round of persecution. Haru's parents die, and her only possession is a photograph of Kunino since her uncle has her parents' former possessions. In Meiji 19 she attends a speech given by Kunino, now ill and using his real name.
Haru decides to financially sponsor and support Kunino, who works to unite the different political groups in Japan, and assists him as he experiences financial difficulties and becomes incarcerated, despite the fact that her uncle wants her to marry another man. She does not learn of Kunino's former identity until she shows him the photograph. Haru's uncle reveals that her father had written a will which gives Kunino the family estate. They marry, and continue to be involved in politics.