Depression grips both their community and. It is rare for a work of fiction to read with such intimacy and heartbreak; the rich tapestry of characters and emotional conflict spanning nearly 100. Episode 1 of Pachinko begins with a brief background to the opening time period that sets the foundation for the rest of this sprawling epic. Apple TV+ has unveiled the first official photos for the upcoming series adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s best-selling acclaimed novel titled Pachinko, starring an ensemble cast led by Oscar-winner. Book 1, Chapter 2 Summary. Like Noa in Pachinko, Lee is an admirer of the nineteenth-century English novel. The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Lee, Min Jin. The narrative skips forward two years. Hansu, wearing light-colored Western clothing, stands out from the other fish brokers “like an elegant bird. Pachinko Episodes 4 Recap. “Sunja-ya, a woman’s life is endless work and suffering. In six months of working at Goro ’s pachinko parlor, Mozasu learns more than in all his years of school. In the aftermath of the Nagasaki bombing, Yoseb is struck and horribly burned by a falling wall from a nearby building. Jun, the seaweed seller, observes that Hansu is staring at Sunja. A New York Times Top Ten Book of the Year and National Book Award finalist, Pachinko is an "extraordinary epic" of four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family as they fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan (San Francisco Chronicle). How does the opening line reflect the rest of the book --- and do you agree? 2. Yangjin. Solomon Baek Character Analysis. Emotions ran high as all of the lead characters made emotional journeys. The brothers boast on behalf of Korea’s “elder brother,” China, saying that Japan “is just a bad seed. Pachinko Book Club Questions for Discussion. Pachinko Summary. Noa is now eight years old, and he takes great pride in both his appearance and his academic studies. By Shashwat Sisodiya March 28, 2022. Yumi and Mozasu don’t get to enjoy married life or parenthood together for very. By Shashwat Sisodiya April 3, 2022. 35 people found this review helpful. Hana has been staying with Etsuko, but she. by Min Jin Lee. Between Noa’s bookkeeping job, the women’s food sales, and Changho. Last Updated September 26, 2022. He helped Isak find the boardinghouse the night before and explains that Isak is a Protestant minister, “the kind that marries,” and is on his way to join his brother in Japan. The show starts in the mid-1910s when Yangjin (Jeong In-ji) visits a shaman to lift a curse that she thinks she has as every child she has with Hoonie (Lee Dae-Ho) dies after childbirth. So begins a sweeping saga of. Book 1, Chapter 8 Summary. Mozasu replies that he can’t stop because he loves Yumi. After a tumultuous journey on an overcrowded ship, Sunja (Minha Kim) and Isak (Steve Sanghyun Noh) reach Japan and are greeted by a jovial Yoseb (Han Joon-woo). Born to Hoonie, a physically challenged poor businessman, and his wife Yangjin, Sunja becomes quite the miracle child who escapes. Hana Character Analysis. Their first three babies die, but the fourth, Sunja, survives. Pachinko resists summary. But it is so much more besides. 1. “Pachinko” is written and executive produced by Soo Hugh (“The Terror,” “The Killing”), who created the series and serves as showrunner. Hansu is a native of the Korean island of Jeju but lives in Osaka, Japan. He takes Solomon under his wing, inviting him to exclusive poker games, and encourages him not to settle for being mediocre. After Totoyama dies, Ayame sells the shop and begins taking care of Daisuke, for whom she arranges special tutoring. Sunja tells him she will do her best to be a good wife. Etsuko is Mozasu ’s girlfriend after Yumi ’s death, when Solomon is a teenager. Hansu, wearing light-colored Western clothing, stands out from the other fish brokers “like an elegant bird. This guide consists of Pachinko summary, book club questions, quotes and books like Pachinko. “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee is an epic family saga that spans four generations, delving into the lives of a Korean family living in Japan. At his great-grandmother’s funeral, Soloman is asked by Hana whether he is a Christian. Whether it’s Sunja choosing to marry Isak to save her unborn child from disgrace or Hansu’s constant, albeit. She suggests they run away to America together. He isn’t surprised by his brother Isak ’s selfless act in marrying Sunja; as a boy, Isak used to give away much of his food to the household servants. Pachinko (Lee) - Discussion Questions. With the worldwide Depression hitting Korea, the winter of 1932 is an especially difficult one. ”. Pachinko is a special show. . Imperialism, Resistance, and Compromise. Born in 1910 Busan, South Korea,. Mozasu sends Solomon to an English-speaking international school, and most of his party guests are the children of prominent industry leaders and expatriates. Haruki is gay, but is engaged to one of his mother’s assistants. It’s better to expect it, you know. Min Jin Lee’s ‘Pachinko’ is a novel which depicts the lives of Baek family in a detailed manner. Under Japanese rule, many Koreas were forced to leave their homes for greener pastures on foreign soil. One afternoon the three women watch Yangjin’s favorite TV show, Other Lands, in which a woman interviews Japanese expatriates around the world. Sunja becomes the central character of Min Jin Lee’s historical epic, ‘ Pachinko ’. Based on a novel of the same name written by Manhattan-based journalist Min Jin Lee, the series will have eight. Context . EPISODE 5. Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko (Feb 2017) is a national bestseller, a New York Times Editor’s Choice and an American Booksellers Association’s Indie Next Great Reads. 9. This multi-generational saga tells the story of a woman during the Japanese occupation of Korea and then follows her family line for several decades. Like a maze made of brass needles, the story drops you in like a Pachinko ball, constantly taking you through endless twists and turns to discover the unimaginable. He promises to call Sunja later and to visit the family next week. S1 E6 - Chapter Six. Pachinko, written by Min Jin Lee and published in 2017, is the story of five generations of a Korean family living in both Korea and then later Japan from 1910 to 1989. . S1 E2 - Chapter Two. 1. Analysis. He goes to a restaurant, where a talkative waiter suggests he get a job at the pachinko parlor. It also becomes extremely thrilling and distressing. The family epic is a shop-worn genre, but the creators of Pachinko reinvent it in their dazzling, heartfelt series about four generations of a Korean family that moves to Japan. Please go ahead :) Read More. PDF Cite Share. Yoseb arrives home from work one Saturday with a bag of taffy and calls for six-year-old Noa, who doesn’t appear. Still, Sunja’s circumstances are shocking. Like in a pachinko machine, getting. Summary. This story follows the life of one Korean family through four generations. In 1910, Japan annexes Korea. Guideline Price: £8. Analysis. The narrative opens in Yeongdo, Busan, Korea, at the beginning of the twentieth century. Apple TV+ By Mike Hale March 24, 2022 In Japan, millions of people are addicted to the pinball-like arcade game pachinko. It is 1942, and Noa is eight years old. Apple TV+. Sunja was once the prized daughter of their family. Like. A recap of. (read more from the Book I, Chapters 1 - 5 Summary) This section contains 1,176. overnights. Pachinko involves skill, but luck is also required. Isak’s older brother, Samoel, had been badly beaten by colonial police after a Korean independence protest and died of his injuries. On Totoyama’s wishes, she marries Haruki. As she prepared to board the ferry, he caught up to her and asked. A pachinko parlor in Tokyo. Soon Sunja and Yangjin have a tearful reunion in the middle of the potato field. He asks her about her life and tells her about his childhood; Hansu grew up very poor and had to forage and steal to keep himself and his alcoholic father alive. Part of his concern stems from the pressures Koreans face under imperialism—in Japan, Koreans are already scorned and discriminated against, and thus Koreans must “Be perfect” as to not face even more prejudice and oppression. Need help with Book 2, Chapter 11 in Min Jin Lee's. 1. He can also be generous, especially to poor and elderly Koreans, such as when he patronizes the struggling Totoyama ’s uniform shop and lifts her family out of poverty. S1 E1 - Chapter One. Summary: Hover over or tap any row of colored boxes to read the summary associated with that row. Book 1, Chapter 2 Summary Book 1, Chapter 3 Summary. Find out the cast and summary of "Pachinko" with Lee MinHo, Jin Ha, Anna Sawai, MinHa Kim, Soji Arai, and Kaho Minami. EPISODE 6. He has always been sickly and is ill with tuberculosis when he arrives in Yeongdo; Yangjin and Sunja nurse him back to health. Lee disguises the structures of racism in each trial and tribulation of the Baek family, and in doing so effectively maps out everything that catalyzes Noa’s death. Episode 7. In the twenty-first century, pachinko has been in decline for two major reasons. Sunja is trying to earn extra money for Noa ’s tutoring fees—he failed the entrance exam for Waseda University by just a few points. He asks Kyunghee to accompany him to the market. Pachinko tells the story of Sunja, a teenager growing up in 1900s Korea. One is the Japanese government's intention to open casinos (casino gambling was legalized in December 2016). “Chapter Four” had me in tears and the finale is just as powerful. The story starts with Hoonie who has a cleft palate and twisted foot. The Theme Wheel is interactive. summary() was fixed. Give Feedback Topics. Track show. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. PachiPara 13: Super Umi to Pachipro Fūunroku is a pachinko simulator in the venerable Irem franchise released exclusively in Japan on the PS2. A "good Japanese"? " Both men had made money from chance and fear and loneliness . Throughout the narrative of “Pachinko,” we witness multiple characters, especially Sunja, making significant sacrifices for the sake of love or the wellbeing of their family. Analysis. Pachinko. Imperialism, Resistance, and Compromise. Pachinko Finale Recap and Ending, Explained. Both were born and raised in the fishing village of Yeongdo—a five-mile-wide islet beside the port city of Busan. The Pachinko Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. By Erick Massoto Mar 1, 2023. Hoonie, the cleft-lipped, club-footed son of a fisherman, marries Yangjin, a 15-year-old “as mild and tender as a newborn calf”. In this sprawling book, history itself is a character. Talk about the thematic significance of the book's title. Analysis. Though he had not expected to marry, he is. Hana uses alcohol and sex to stifle her sadness and low self-esteem. Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. by Min Jin Lee. Adapted from the novel by Min Jin Lee, creator Soo Hugh ’s Apple TV+ series “Pachinko” is an emotional, expressive retracing though history that honors how Koreans were affected by Japanese colonization of Korea in the 20th century. The story is calm, the story is romantic. Each time the novel seems to find its locus—Japan's colonization of Korea, World War II as experienced in East Asia, Christianity, family, love, the. Word Count: 282. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2017. Phoebe Character Analysis. A tearful finale that may not entirely resolve all plot points but brings a fitting conclusion to the generational drama. Sep 16, 2022. Playing Pachinko. Book 2, Chapter 6 Summary: “December 1944”. She cries for her own mother, Yangjin, all the while. Yangjin and Kyunghee are big. In Pachinko, Min Jin Lee’s novel of a Korean family’s intergenerational struggle to survive under Japanese colonialism, many characters display remarkable ingenuity and grit in their efforts to thrive in hostile circumstances. The story starts with Hoonie who has a cleft palate and twisted foot. As with most games of chance, pachinko is mostly. Because Solomon has always. Game Machines. This Study Guide consists of approximately 55 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Pachinko. Pachinko Characters. It speeds up the random number generation and solves the result. Episode 3 of Pachinko starts with Sunja in 1924 cutting kimchi and preparing dinner with her mother. Solomon goes to the curry restaurant where Mozasu, Goro, and Haruki habitually eat on Wednesdays. It is a tribute to the stories that would not make it to the history books, including that of the. Akiko Fumeki. Book 1, Chapter 7 Summary. Chapter Six. ISBN-13: 978-1786691378. She is the story’s tearful but sometimes happy eyes and also the resilient soul with overflowing fortitude. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters - strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis - survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history. Kim Changho. In this sprawling book, history itself is a character. There's a non-linear timeline in the show. She learns to fish and befriends a local fisherman. When Sunja proudly tells him she’s pregnant, Hansu tells her that he has a wife and three daughters in Osaka. The thrills of the story are neverending as it. In 1931 Osaka, Sunja and Isak depart the boat after a difficult journey and head towards new hope. Yumi is an avid student of English in John Maryman ’s class, and her biggest dream is to start a. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2017. Introducing the title sequence featuring its stellar cast, including Academy Award w. In one scene in 1989, Sunja and her banker grandson Solomon (Jin Ha) are in the home of a fellow Korean expat, who surprises her guests by serving them Korean rice. Pachinko received strong reviews and is on the "Best Fiction of 2017" lists from multiple sources, and named by the New York Times as one of the 10 Best Books of 2017. Pachinko is about outsiders, minorities and the politically disenfranchised. The girl accompanies her married boss to restaurants for extra cash and sends the money home to her family; her younger brother says this is sinful. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: Conversation Starters Korean-American writer Min Jin Lee published her bestselling novel Pachinko in 2017. It was on over 75 best books of the year lists, including NPR, PBS, and CNN. Noa believes he is cursed because of Hansu. Based on the novel by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko follows four generations of a Korean family in Korea, Japan and the U. Young Sunja struggles to adapt to life in Japan, but bonds with her new sister-in-law, Kyunghee. SUGGESTED READING. Sunja is an observant youth, one that wishes to help her family to prosper. Pachinko Season 1, Episodes 1, 2, 3: Recap & Ending Explained: American streaming giant Apple TV+ dropped the first three episodes of their latest Korean show Pachinko on 25th March. Yangjin joins her. Pachinko is available to watch for free today. There are many distractions in and around the eight-episode epic “Pachinko. Sunja grows up buying goods… read analysis of Ajumma. Written and produced by Soo Hugh (“The Terror”), with Kogonada and Justin Chon splitting directorial duties, “Pachinko” is peppered with heartbreaking situations and brilliant dialogue. He helped Isak find the boardinghouse the night before and explains that Isak is a Protestant minister, “the kind that marries,” and is on his way to join his brother in Japan. This man is clearly the wealthiest and most influential character in the book ‘Pachinko’. Now 32% Off. They’re from rural Korea and have come to Japan for work. Koh Hansu walks into a tailor shop to confront the pastor Isak. Pachinko. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Min Jin Lee. As. Based on Korean-American author and journalist Min Jin Lee’s 2017 namesake novel, ‘Pachinko’ is an epic tale encompassing the better part of the 20th Century. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee. Pachinko. Pachinko. When the man arrives, he talks to both women about the terms of the job. I hope you found this Pachinko reader’s guide helpful for your next book club session. He’s also tired of her obsession with Japan’s historical evils. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan. The other is pachinko's fusty image. Now 32% Off. Wrap-Up: Pachinko Discussion Questions. Kyunghee, scared to defy Yoseb, waits outside with baby Mozasu; Sunja has to go in. Game Wiki. In Pachinko, Min Jin Lee’s novel of a Korean family’s intergenerational struggle to survive under Japanese colonialism, many characters display remarkable ingenuity and grit in their efforts to thrive in hostile circumstances. Koh Hansu Character Analysis. Book 3, Chapter 13 Summary. The novel is a documentation of real experience. Yakuza Term Analysis. Pachinko Episode 7 isn’t far away, and after the previous episode’s action-packed finale, viewers can’t wait for the next chapter. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and. This section contains 303 words (approx. He asks her about her life and tells her about his childhood; Hansu grew up very poor and had to forage and steal to keep himself and his alcoholic father alive. 1 Book Sense Pick, a New York Times Editor’s Choice, a Wall Street Journal Juggle Book Club selection, and a national bestseller; it was a Top 10 Novels. Pachinko was a bit of a. As a young woman in Korea. He’s not exactly thrilled to see them, forcing a smile, as he admits that he and Kyunghee were shocked to learn of what’s happened. Koh Hansu, played by Lee Min-ho (a South Korean icon) is without a shadow of a doubt the main bad guy in Pachinko. Hansu is a native of the Korean island of Jeju but lives in Osaka, Japan. When their rent goes up, the couple moves out of their bedroom and sleeps in an. It journeys through colonial. As. At the turn of the twentieth century, on the small Korean island of Yeongdo, an aging fisherman and his wife begin taking in lodgers for extra money. Baek Solomon offers to his bosses to travel to Tokyo and persuade the woman to sell her land to the hotel group. When the bomb falls on Nagasaki, Yoseb suffers dire injuries in the fire. S1 E7 - Chapter Seven. 'Pachinko' Review: A Multigenerational Epic on the Racial Feud between Korea and Japan. Overview “Pachinko” was released in the spring of 2022 to near-universal acclaim. Survival and Family. The next day at the market, Sunja bowed to Hansu when she spotted him. Upgrade to unlock the analysis and theme tracking for all of Pachinko! Need help with Book 1, Chapter 9 in Min Jin. The eight-part adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s novel captures the book’s heavy, wide-ranging subject matter. ‘Pachinko’ by Min Jin Lee combines the narrative of four generations of a Korean family as they grapple with rejection and harsh treatment accustomed to immigrants in a postwar discriminatory Japanese society. When Isak gets home, Sunja tells him that her mother had given her the gold watch. Noa resents being made to feel like a subject of study for Akiko. The writers have created something truly special here. The coal man, Jun, stops by for his payment and chats with Yangjin about the mysterious new boarder. So, you’ve had your first hit of Pachinko pandemonium and you’re back for more. Over halfway through its season, Pachinko finally introduces us to Hana, she of the many mysterious and insistent phone calls, in an episode that tightens that which binds characters. The Pachinko Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. New titles, recently rated, and recently tagged by the library community. Pachinko: With Lee Min-ho, Soji Arai, Jin Ha, Minha Kim. Pachinko is set to begin the first part of filming in Toronto on February 1, 2023, and wrap on April 21, 2023. Pachinko’s focus on Teen Sunja’s story is a slight departure from the book, which covers more of her adulthood, raising two boys in Japan, and goes into the life of her eldest son, Noa. Pachinko Season 1 Episode 4 saw no decline in quality as many of the characters, both past. The sister maintains that she’s willing to be disgraced in order to honor her parents. Insert cash or a prepaid card into the pachinko machine. Book Summary A new tour de force from the bestselling author of Free Food for Millionaires, for readers of The Kite Runner and Cutting for Stone. Akiko, Noa ’s first girlfriend and Waseda University’s campus radical, comes from a wealthy Japanese family and is studying to be a sociologist. As she arrives in Japan with her husband, Sunja must depend on the help of others. And this latest episode is arguably the finest of the show thus far. Book 1, Chapter 1. Pachinko Episodes 1, 2, and 3 Recap and Ending, Explained. ― Min Jin Lee, Pachinko. A review of ‘Pachinko,’ Apple TV+’s adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s generational saga about a Korean family, premiering March 25 and starring Minha Kim and Yuh-Jung Youn as central protagonist. 99. The show will be 8 episodes long and is based on a book by the same name, written by Korean-American author, Min Jin Lee. The key words here are “rare:” and/or “desirable. Since they don’t know Japanese, they’re. $27. Genre(s): Drama. It is currently being adapted for television by Apple TV. After eating dinner with Tamaguchi, Hansu finds Sunja’s family finishing dinner in the barn that’s been outfitted into living space. Pub Date: March 6, 2000. The character’s situation is highly relatable to those with similar backgrounds, but the greater themes are applicable to anybody who tunes in. Noa is attracted to Akiko’s willingness to reject conformity and to disagree with her professors—the opposite of. Last Updated September 26, 2022. She wove together the. She and Solomon sleep together until she runs away to Tokyo, where she. Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, nominee for the 2017 National Book Award for fiction, is a sweeping historical saga of one family’s experience living as “forever foreigners” in twentieth-century Japan. When Isak first arrived in Busan, wracked by his illness, he brushed past Koh Hansu on the dock. Anna Sawai in “Pachinko,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Around the world, millions more may. Pachinko spoilers follow. ”. Yumi is terrified, feeling that she has to work. Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee, is a novel about a Korean woman named Sunja who starts out in Yeongdo, Korea, in 1911, and then marries a Christian preacher who takes her to live in Japan to avoid. In 1910, Japan annexes Korea. Pachinko Season-Finale Recap: Surviving Survival can be a radical act, and Pachinko’s finale is a beautiful reminder that this is a story of survival. Next. And the guys in charge will exploit men who believe in ideas too much. From a remote turn-of-the-century fishing village to wartime Osaka, characters make decisions about business, marriage, religion, and self. Phoebe is Solomon ’s girlfriend at Columbia University and moves to Tokyo with him after college. The next market day, Sunja thanks Hansu, and he asks her to meet him on the beach where she does the laundry. Tweet. “Pachinko” was released in the spring of 2022 to near-universal acclaim. Take an inside look at Pachinko, an epic story of one woman’s soul, determination, and power to forge a new and better life for generations to come. You can also submit your own questions for Min Jin Lee on our Facebook page, which she will answer on. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, a New York Times bestseller and was included on over 75 best books of the year lists. Pachinko is about outsiders, minorities and the politically disenfranchised. Chapter Two is just as skillfully crafted as the premiere. Author: Min Jin Lee. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Steve Sanghyun Noh and Junwoo Han in “Pachinko,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Severance. Before meeting Mozasu, Etsuko engaged in a series of affairs and fears that her three children, especially Hana, will never escape the shame she’s. Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame. Chu asks Isak to. This is by design—Mozasu wants Solomon to work for an American company and become “an international man of the world. summary() method, which prints human-readable summary of the model, has been added. In contrast to his brother. So. The novel's opening sentence reads, "History has failed us, but no matter. Their story begins in the early 1900s with their matriarch Sunja. Pachinko is an American drama television series created by Soo Hugh based on the 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee. Stream P. Episodes. The Pachinko Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Book 1, Chapter 5 Summary. He tells Sunja she can call him Oppa (older brother). Min Jin’s historical novel “Pachinko” opens with the startling line: “History has failed us, but no matter. LDAModel. More. Totoyama is now Goro’s. The Pachinko Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. 0 (2020-08-04) The tomotopy. ”. ‘Pachinko’ is a historical fiction written by Korean-American writer, Min Jin Lee, based on the struggles. Sunja grew up in the 1910s, as Japan colonized Korea, with the first episode exploring this hostile invasion. About the Book. As is the case with many games in the PachiPara series, 13's simulation specialty is Sanyo's Umi Monogatari line of machines, with the M55W and M55X Super Umi Monogatari machines. Summary. She and Solomon sleep together until she runs away to Tokyo, where she. Isak takes this at face value and promises to explain to Yoseb, although he seems unsure. Directed by Justin Chon and written by Franklin Jin Rho and Soo Hugh, Episode 5 of “Pachinko” opens in 1931. Click a theme in the Themes Key to lock it. Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 183 begins with a slideshow of how the information is presented to Charles’ brain. Pachinko tells a familiar story on the immigrant experience that’s elevated by a superb cast. Sega Sammy has strong gaming IPs, including Total War, Football Manager, Sonic, Yakuza, and Persona - recently also Angry Birds through the Rovio acquisition. Images (1) Forum (0) News; Guide; Releases ; DLC ; Reviews ; Related Pages Similar Games Characters Locations Concepts Objects Credits;Analysis. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Pachinko, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Noa ends up in the city of Nagano simply because he remembers a teacher’s fond memories of Nagano from her childhood.