"The river constantly flows. It's good for me mentally to see things that are flowing," said Durian Sukegawa on the bank of the Tamagawa river, one of the settings for his new novel "Mizube no Budda" (Buddha on the shore).
An active author and poet, Sukegawa has written about a homeless man with a murky past who lives by the river, and a lonely girl living in the city. The novel is published by Shogakukan Inc. and retails for 1,600 yen plus tax.
"Some people would say they have no right to live. It's easy to say this to ourselves. But we have no choice but to live days in which we can't have our own way in everything," Sukegawa said.
In the book, the homeless man meets other homeless people who are unexpectedly kind or have their own philosophy as he spends his days feeling like he's already dead. The story also reveals why the girl came to lead a chaotic life.
As readers go through the pages, they'll be compelled to think about who is a real "Buddha," someone who is truly compassionate in this world.
"Mizube no Budda" excels at describing a man who makes his home with a blue sheet and carries empty cans.
"The Tamagawa river was hit by a typhoon when I lived around here. Many fish were left in a puddle after the water that overflowed from the river receded. When I tried to put the fish back in the river, a homeless person helped me. We sometimes had conversations after that," Sukegawa recalled.
Born in 1962, Sukegawa became a scriptwriter after graduating from university. He wanted to work for a TV or film company, but couldn't take the necessary exam because of his partial color blindness.
Life without any institutional support "drove me to stand in a place different from that of other people. I was obnoxious when I was young," Sukegawa said.
He attracted attention as a vocalist in the rock band Sakebu Shijin no Kai (Society of screaming poets) before moving to New York and living there for three years. He returned to Japan at the age of 40 after using up his savings.
At this time, Sukegawa lived in an area along the Tamagawa river. He said he had a hard time making a living for 10 years before scoring a hit with "Sweet Bean Paste," a novel about Hansen's disease and other issues.
"Things are still hard for me. But I have to enjoy the difficulties as long as I work as a freelancer," he said.
After the interview, Sukegawa and I walked to a nearby station together. He has a long stride.
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