The Sound of the Mountain — 『山の音』（やまのおと）
The Sound of the Mountain is one of Yasunari Kawabata’s（川端康成）finest and most mature novels. It was serialized from 1949 to 1954. The story is quieter than Snow Country, but its psychological observation is deeper and more realistic.
Story
The central character is Shingo Ogata（尾形信吾・おがた しんご）, a businessman in his early sixties who lives in Kamakura（鎌倉）with his wife and the troubled families of his adult children.
One night, Shingo hears a strange sound coming from the mountain:
It sounds to him like the mountain itself is rumbling.
He interprets it as a possible warning of death（死の予感）. This “sound of the mountain” becomes a symbol of old age, mortality and the voice of the unconscious.
Shingo is especially concerned about his daughter-in-law Kikuko（菊子・きくこ）. She is gentle and devoted, but Shingo’s son Shūichi（修一・しゅういち）is unfaithful to her. Shingo feels tenderness toward Kikuko—partly paternal, but also emotionally complicated.
Meanwhile, Shingo’s daughter Fusako（房子・ふさこ）returns home after her marriage fails. The problems of his children force Shingo to confront the failures of his own family.
Main characters
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Shingo（信吾） | Ageing father and central consciousness |
| Yasuko（保子） | Shingo’s wife |
| Shūichi（修一） | Their unfaithful son |
| Kikuko（菊子） | Shūichi’s gentle, unhappy wife |
| Fusako（房子） | Their unhappily married daughter |
Main themes
- Old age and mortality（老いと死）
- Family breakdown（家族の崩壊）
- Memory and regret（記憶と後悔）
- Unspoken desire（語られない欲望）
- Generational conflict（世代間の葛藤）
- Beauty and transience（美と儚さ）
- Mono no aware（物の哀れ）
Shingo and Kikuko
The most delicate part of the novel is Shingo’s feeling for Kikuko. He recognizes in her the beauty, purity and tenderness missing from his own marriage and family.
His affection is never presented as a simple romantic love. It combines:
- Fatherly protection（父親としての庇護）
- Admiration for beauty（美への憧れ）
- Regret for lost youth（失われた青春への後悔）
- Subconscious desire（無意識の欲望）
Kikuko therefore represents both a real suffering woman and Shingo’s dream of a more beautiful life.
Meaning of the title
The mountain’s sound（山の音）can be understood as:
- A premonition of death（死の予感）
- The voice of ageing（老いの声）
- Shingo’s troubled conscience（良心の声）
- A call from nature and the unconscious（自然と無意識からの呼び声）
The sound may be real, imagined or dreamlike. Kawabata deliberately leaves it unexplained.
Literary style
Kawabata reveals emotion indirectly through small details:
- Flowers and trees
- Dreams
- Seasonal changes（季節の移ろい）
- Traditional masks（能面・のうめん）
- Moments of silence（沈黙）
- Ordinary family conversations
The novel does not offer a dramatic resolution. Like real family life, its conflicts remain partly unresolved.
In one sentence:
The Sound of the Mountain portrays an ageing man who hears the approach of death while quietly observing the unhappiness, lost possibilities and fragile beauty within his family.
