The Hunting Gun, set in the period immediately after the Second World War, is the story of a tragic love affair and its psychological impact—not only on the lovers themselves but on all those close to them.
The narrative is related from three points of view: Saiko, the guilt-ridden mistress; Shoko, her pathetic, disillusioned daughter; and Midori, the sophisticated but unhappy wife of Shoko's lover. This triangle is focused on Josuke, the husband-lover whose lonely, insular existence is symbolized by the hunting gun. Inoue displays a remarkable understanding of the psyche and an innate flair for dramatic incident, as well as a keen sympathy for the social milieu of Ashiya, an exclusive suburb of the great commercial cities of Osaka and Kobe.
At once a study of everyday personal relationships and of the social and historic circumstances they mirror, The Hunting Gun remains timely and universal—a classic of modern Japanese literature.