The Samurai's Garden

As Stephen packs for his journey to Hong Kong, three days away, he and Matsu feel their looming separation: “it’s as if the house is slowly becoming a stranger to us. Matsu stares hard into each room as if he already sees it as it once was, silent and uncluttered” (207). Sachi turns up for an afternoon visit and stays until evening, an unexpected delight tinged with sadness. As Matsu walks her back to Yamaguchi, Stephen realizes that the visit was for Matsu, not for him. 

On the morning of Stephen’s last full day in Tarumi, Matsu greets him with two packages. One contains dinner, Matsu tells him. The other is a secret.

Stephen gives Matsu his painting of the garden and thanks him for taking care of him. Matsu is deeply touched and responds, “I sometimes think it has been the other way around” (208).

They go to the Tama shrine, where Stephen performs the rituals from before. But he has not come to pray; rather, he wishes to leave a slip of paper on the wall near the altar with all of the other villagers’ prayers so that something of him will remain.