Musui's Story

In “Adult Years,” the author describes his life between his early twenties and age 37. During this time, Katsu has three more children with his wife after his first-born Rintarō. The family lives in Edo (Tokyo). This chapter is accompanied by a map of the relevant places in the Edo area to improve the reader’s understanding of the narrative (70). The author makes repeated attempts to obtain an appointment with the shogunate to no avail. As a result, he continues to hustle, making money by dealing swords and using other, more questionable methods. He also faithfully continues to visit the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters. His two brothers Hikoshirō, the official head of the Otani household, and Saburōemon, continue to get the author out of trouble.

At first, Katsu visits commissioner Kōzukenosuke Ōkubo and, after previous failures, “begged him to recommend [him] for a post” (71). The young man came clean and “even submitted a list of the misdeeds” (71). The process of government staffing at that time usually involves in-depth investigations by the shogunate, and Katsu is informed that he will be investigated.

Once again, the commissioner’s office tells Katsu to wait for a government appointment because he repented for his poor behavior.