Saburo

山本周五郎 / 初三Feb 2026

3.9

Word count: 168K words
Chapters: 101

Summary

Ryōji and Saburō, senior and junior apprentices at the Hōkodō, once had a stable plan for their apprenticeship. Ryōji was clever and handsome and drew much attention, while Saburō was short, stout, and ordinary. Then a calamity sent Ryōji's fortunes into sudden decline: falsely accused of theft, he was expelled from the school, subjected to torment by the constables, and exiled to a desolate island. Filled with resentment and a determination for revenge, he let himself go. Saburō, though his own circumstances were poor, never abandoned him, quietly supporting Ryōji by gathering news, visiting, writing letters, and planning a way out, helping him make peace with past humiliation. Yet just as their hardships seemed to be ending, Ryōji discovers a trail of clues pointing to Saburō as the original betrayer. The story revolves around the experiences of these two, profoundly revealing the complex entanglement of human nature, friendship, and fate; the plot rises and falls, full of suspense and food for thought.

Editor's review

This is a work built around the bond between senior and junior apprentices and driven by the reversals of fate. Ryōji falls from a brilliant, much-watched apprentice to a falsely accused exile on a desolate island, and his resentment and desire for revenge are drawn with substance; Saburō, short, stout, and ordinary, supports him over the long term through gathering news, visiting, writing letters, and planning a way out, the weight of loyalty accumulating in small actions. The real tension comes when, just as their hardships seem to be ending, clues point to Saburō as the original betrayer—gratitude and suspicion press in at once, forcing the reader to re-examine every earlier passage of warmth. Yamamoto Shūgorō's steady narration lets suspense arise not from piled-up coincidences but from the gradual revelation of relationships, and the addition of a junior high school character brings an observing, questioning perspective. Suited to readers who enjoy both human entanglement and suspense; watch for foreshadowing in the details, and afterward revisit each of Saburō's visits for a different impression.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy fiction balancing human entanglement and suspense with a steady pace
Readers drawn to themes of apprenticeship, friendship, and betrayal
Deductive-minded readers who savor foreshadowing and post-reading reflection
Yamamoto Shūgorō fans seeking a work with complex relationships

Not a good fit for

Readers who want only light, warm friendship stories and will not accept a twist of suspicion
Readers who prefer short, fast reads and lack patience for long relationship development
Readers sensitive to heavy material such as exile and false accusation

Reading tips

On the first read, go straight through, noting the details of Saburō's visits and letters; on the second, revisit the first half with your suspicions in mind.
Prepare a simple character chart, recording the timeline of changes in Ryōji's fortunes and Saburō's actions to compare against the foreshadowing.
After finishing, reread the clue passages near the ending and test whether your earlier judgment of Saburō was guided by the narrative.

版权信息
第一章
一
二
三
四
五
第二章
一
二
三
四
五
第三章
一
二
三
四
五
第四章
一
二
三
四
五
第五章
一
二
三
四
五
第六章
一
二
三
四
五
第七章
一
二
三
四
五
第八章
一
二
三
四
五
六
第九章
一
二
三
四
五
第十章
一
二
三
四
五
第十一章
一
二
三
四
五
六
第十二章
一
二
三
四
五
六
第十三章
一
二
三
四
五
第十四章
一
二
三
四
五
六
第十五章
一
二
三
四
五
第十六章
一
二
三
四
五

FAQ

What is the core suspense of the story, and will spoilers affect my reading?

The core suspense is whether Saburō is truly the original betrayer, and how Ryōji will face a situation where gratitude and suspicion coexist. Before reading, avoid discussions of specific plot points as much as possible and preserve room for judging the characters' motives; the tension of the suspense will then be more complete.

Can I read this directly without having read other works by Yamamoto Shūgorō?

Yes. The characters are centered on Ryōji, Saburō, and those around them, and the main line follows the two men's experiences; it does not depend on the author's other works. As long as you are willing to follow the relationships as they gradually unfold, you can enter the story; if you like the style, you can then branch out to other works.

Is the bond between the apprentices written too idealistically?

Judging from the materials, Saburō's support is grounded in concrete actions—gathering news, visiting, writing letters, planning a way out—rather than vague sentiment, and the suspicion at the end puts that bond to the test. The coexistence of loyalty and doubt is precisely what makes the work complex; readers can judge its credibility for themselves.

Is it suitable as a book club selection?

Yes. Issues such as whether Saburō committed the betrayal, whether Ryōji should seek revenge, and whether friendship can withstand suspicion all leave room for discussion, and the clues are distributed across the beginning, middle, and end, making it easy for members to form different judgments. Agree not to reveal the ending in advance to preserve the reading experience.

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About the author

山本周五郎 Author

Yamamoto Shūgorō was a Japanese novelist. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his dates of birth and death and his education are not recorded in our database. The site holds twelve of his works, including The Red Beard Clinic, The Rain Has Stopped, New Tide Chronicle, The Tale of Merry Peace, Wind Chime, Saburō, The Tale of Yanagibashi, and Record of Fallen Plum Blossoms, commonly classified under foreign literature. Judging from these works, he was skilled at depicting townspeople and everyday urban life in a plain, delicate style, often portraying ordinary people's emotions, moral sense, and struggles for survival through small daily events, with steady narration and a strong human touch. His works have been repeatedly adapted for film and television in Japan, which speaks to their readability and the vitality of their characters. This introduction is based on in-house facts and limited public knowledge, without specific biographical details.

初三 Author

The name Chusan appears in Chinese publications mainly in the translator credit of Chinese editions of works by the Japanese writer Yamamoto Shūgorō; books such as The Last Fir and The Amorous Tale of Peace are credited to "translator: Chusan." The library holds fifteen related titles, including Dr. Redbeard's Clinic, The Story of Yanagi Bridge, Peace Day by Day, The Fallen Plum Blossom, and The Triplets, mostly in the categories of foreign literature and mystery and detective fiction, with some works of the otherworld fantasy genre. Beyond this translator credit, public information about the person's identity, nationality, and life is very limited, and no verifiable education, career, or award record is available. The translated works generally center on ordinary urban life and historical social manners, in a plain and understated style, and the translations serve to introduce Yamamoto Shūgorō's Edo narratives to Chinese readers, offering reference value for understanding this Japanese author.