Sanshiro (1908; tr. Sanshiro, 1977), written by Natsume Soseki, is a coming-of-age novel about the social consequences of rapid industrialization in Meiji-era Tokyo. The main character, Sanshiro, transplanted from his rural village into the intellectual fray of urban university life, makes friends and struggles with a confusing, changing world. As Sanshiro’s relationship with the Westernized Mineko undergoes ups and downs, their struggle parallels Japan’s own contemporary turmoil.
Historical dictionary of modern Japanese literature and theater. J. Scott Miller. 2009.