Chapter 9 Summary

In the summer, Kaname accepts an invitation to come visit his father-in-law and O-hisa. There is a popular tradition of stylish gentlemen and their mistresses dressing up as pilgrims and going on a trip to visit thirty-three holy places. They are to begin in Awaji, where the old man is staying. They will also visit a puppet theater that uses an even older style of puppets, and Kaname is looking forward to seeing what that is like. As the two men talk, Misako's father makes O-hisa play music for them on the samisen, a traditional Japanese instrument similar to a dulcimer. As O-hisa sings and plays, the old man criticizes her singing, saying that she sings too sweetly for the subject matter. Finally she encourages the old man to play something himself, which he agrees to do once he has had enough to...