Originally published in 1918, Rivalry is regarded as the masterpiece
of Nagai Kafu, a Japanese novelist known for his brilliant renderings of
Tokyo in the early years of modern Japan. Stephen Snyder offers the
first English translation of the complete, uncensored text, which has
long been celebrated as one of the most convincing and sensually rich
portraits of the geisha profession.
Rivalry tells a sweeping story in which sexual politics compete with
sisterly affection in a world ruled by material transaction. Komayo is a
former geisha who, upon the death of her husband, must return to the
"world of flower and willow" to escape poverty. A chance encounter with
an old patron, Yoshioka, leads to a relationship in which both lovers
hope to profit: Yoshioka believes Komayo can restore his lost innocence;
Komayo plans to use Yoshioka's patronage to compete in the elaborate
music and dance performances staged by her fellow geisha.
Yoshioka is eager to ransom Komayo, but as she considers his offer,
Komayo falls in love with Segawa, a young actor who promises to turn the
talented geisha into the finest dancer in the Shimbashi quarter. Though
her feelings for Segawa are genuine, Komayo is eager to use her lover's
position to become the lead performer among her peers. Her ambition even
tempts her to take on a third patron known only as the "Sea Monster," a
repellent but wealthy antiques dealer whose deep pockets promise to
shoot Komayo to the height of celebrity.
Though she finds herself at the pinnacle of a glittering career, Komayo
nevertheless becomes the target of a bitter rivalry between her three
lovers that leaves her both thrilled and exhausted, both brutalized and
redeemed. Kafu's compelling tale takes readers from the intimate corners
of the geisha house to the back rooms of assignation, from the dressing
areas of the great kabuki theaters to the lonely country villa of a
theater critic and connoisseur of Shimbashi women. His lush depictions
of architecture and costumes and his incisive descriptions of urban life
and individual motive provide a vivid backdrop for Komayo's struggle-one
woman's absorbing quest to find fame, affection, and financial security
in the refined but ruthless theater of Shimbashi.
