disappearing wife

Nobember, 1941. Japan was still in poverty. after lost of second world war, they face growth of population and food shortage at the same time. in cities, so many unauthorized market called Yamiichi were open, marchants at the markets sell their product in higer prices than official prises by the governments. people went to rural areas to seek foods, local farmers get so many luxury goods in exchange with their foods. the currency lost value.
Tomoo Yamamoto was also one of such a farmers who earned living by the exchanges. he had beautiful wife, Akiko. everyday, they wake up at 5:00pm and ate breakfast, then Tomoo went to their small farm. Tomoo and Akiko grew up in this village in Kansai rigion, after graduate from an elementary school in the village, they had helped their parent's business like other son and dougthers of farmers, they they got married when the war ended. Tomoo mainly took care of their farm. Akiko had another job, she took a bus to the station and took a train to the city for a hour. she went to "Yamiichi" in the city where she could sell thieir vegetable in three times higher than official prices. the city was in hunger. every one in the city struggled to find foods, they sold their properties to make a budgets for rice and vegetables and meats. so the city was ruined dramatically. many thief, rapists and other criminals flowed the streets in the city. the police existed, but they ignored them, sometimes, they helped these junks.So when they were recommended to go to the city, they show their concern, but the man who recommended "Yamiichi" said
"No problem, there is a safe markets where criminals rarely entered"
he was a Tomoo's friends, so he believed without doubt.
a day after, his wife and the man left Tomoo's house, she showed him smile when he is concerned about her. he couldn't hide this emotion.
"Don't worry, I earn a lot of money so that we can build a new home"
the house which he had succeeded from his parents were nearly collapsed, there were holes at the roof so they often bothered with heavy rain in the living room, at the kitchen the fire was often disappeared by rain. they tried to reform their home, but that cost this couple much money. they were poor farmer, they corrected living per day, no saving, no investment, all money was used for their one day.








Tomoo just waited for his wife, as he had for a week. She and the man had never back to the village since she went to the city. he had no way to find his loved one, actually he legally had the right to request police to look for her. But police was too busy to care about missed people. a police officer who visited his home to interview Tomoo said
" there are many women who hide themselves in cities to escape from violence"
this officer initially mentioned possibility of domestic violence. Tomoo was good man, at least he thought violence is shame and he understand to be gentle and kind. this officer really missed the point and Tomoo realized that he would never bring his wife back to the house.
How he could get back his life with the wife? When she came back to his home? he questioned these so many times to himself.
"no one help me"
he whispered with watching the fire in front of his house. he made his dinner after his wife's disappearance.
" I have to find my wife..........by myself."










after the decision, he worked so quickly that his neighbors surprised and wondered whether he was crazed . but Tomoo did not care about someone else. He just thought his wife, so he made budget to go to the city. He sell his samll land, his home. he got all money from his bank account. he worked around the village to visit his relatives and friends. He asked them to lend some money. most of them said No, some of them said" your wife must have gone to the city to find a man who bring better life. she is immoral" missing wife in small villages often cause such a rumor. But Tomoo loved Akiko, he persuaded them for long time, some of them were angry and punched him, others were tired from the endless negotiations for money. they lend some money .
five weeks later, he left the house where he and Akiko lived since they get married. moving to the city was questionable and perhaps dangerous for Tomoo who had never been to outside of the village. Was there someone whom he know? the answer was No. How he find his wife in the large city which had large population, he had no idea. Where he should go in the city? he had no idea.but Tomoo moved to the city to look for his loved one. he believed if he went to the city, at least he could get a clue for the answer which he want to know.








The train to the city packed with hungry people who brought big bags in which there were so much vegetables. they bought these from local farmers who get luxury things like watch, tie in exchange with their products. currency had no value, it's just papers. Tomoo had no idea how difficult it is to get foods in cities, but even though he had to suffer with hunger he wanted to find his loved wife. the crowded train was not pain for him. the train often stop at stations for long time, not for passengers, for police officers. they entered inside cars to examine passenger's bags which contain so much rice and vegetables which they bought from local farmers. it was illegal, so they had to enforced law. Even though public supply chain couldn't provided enough foods. a officer walk to him with suspicious eye.
" Open your bag."
the officer rudely asked. Tomoo just followed his order. the officer looked at inside of the bag, there was no vegetable.
"OK"
the officer moved ro a next passenger. after thirty minutes the train left the station to the city. the officers arrested five men for violence against them, most passengers had their vegetables taken by the officers. the train carried passengers, Tomoo and their disappointment, his hope.








when the train entered the terminal in the city, Tomoo left the train and look around here. station staffs walk quickly, passengers, most of them wore miserable cloths. Tomoo was not care about his surround. He just walked to the exit with bags. there was no trouble until he showed his tickets to the station staff at the exit. But he should have be more careful, the city was the museum of crimes and gangs and poverty. they always looed for someone who had money or foods but had not ability to protect himself. a man who wore black suits, very nice suits followed Tomoo three feet away from him. he was not like a thief, not any kind of criminals. But he looked suspicious stared at his behind. Tomoo just looked at the map, he just thoughts how he could find his new residence? this was first visit to the city, he had no connection with the city. so he had to find a real estate developer who would introduce an apartment.











3 feet away from the station, this town was filled with small factories. Tomoo walked through this town find his new apartment. when he stopped to take arrest, the suit moved to Tomoo.
"Did you looked for your wife?"
the man said with emotionless voice, Tomoo looked at him with suspicious eye, he had never seen this man. But he seemed to know something about the wife.
"You should go back to the village right now"
the man gave him a three hundred yen bill, Tomoo was confused, but he couldn't stop asking.
"What? Why?"
"
"Your wife was sold to a Yakuza in Tokyo, she was not here, then you can't find her. they are professional of dark business"
"Who are you?"
"I just say, I'm close to the man who recommend your wife to go to Yamiichi, he was hired by the yakuza family."
The man left him, Tomoo stopped thinking, what he could do to rescue his wife? there was nothing, police would not work, Yakuza was influential, he would be easily killed by them. he could do nothing, nothing.