Memories of a Japanese Umbrella Shop, as Recorded in the Popular Novel The Origin of Twenty

Are you familiar with the popular novel The Origin of Twenty by Etsuko Takano, which was hailed as the “bible of youth” in the 1970s?
Published in 1971, this work is a compilation of the actual diaries written by the author, Etsuko Takano, during her college years.
It candidly depicts the inner conflicts of someone in their early twenties—including romance, loneliness, questions about society, and the search for one’s identity.
The traditional Japanese umbrella shop Tsujikura also appears in the author’s diary, written during her time as a student in Kyoto.
The text describes her visit in search of an umbrella, how she unfolded one that suited her, and her impressions of it—capturing the atmosphere of that time.
Shops with a long history have their own unique stories, and the customers who visit them lead diverse lives as well.
I could sense the profound depth of continuing to craft traditional Japanese umbrellas in the same location, unchanged, even while being buffeted by the tides of time.