The Gate

Humble clerk Sosuke and his wife Oyone live in a modest house at the bottom of a cliff. Oyone was once married to another man—now her adultery seems to hang over their marriage like a curse. Despite multiple pregnancies, they have no living children; and Sosuke, born into an affluent family, finds his income growing ever smaller. They are left with little besides each other, and a beautiful painted screen as a souvenir of better days.

Then a series of crises rocks their shabby but harmonious domestic existence. Sosuke's wastrel brother moves in with them; they find themselves forced to sell the screen to buy winter shoes; and Oyone's ex-husband is rumoured to be visiting a wealthy neighbour at the top of the cliff. Beset by reminders of his flaws and failures, Sosuke runs away to a temple, hoping to escape into enlightenment. But can he learn what the monks have to teach him? Will he return to Oyone changed—or not at all?

One of the great works of the literature of indecision, The Gate is also one of the founding texts of modern Japanese letters.