Chapter 216 - Superstition 6 {6 Alone} (10–11 A New Maxim, and to Sawai's Residence in Memuro)
"Nishida-san, Yoshimura-san, are you high school graduates?"
When asked by Okuda, Nishida replied,
"We're both university graduates, though in name only."
Okuda then said,
"Hah? University grads? I only graduated from higher elementary school (not ordinary elementary school), you know!? For university-educated people to ask me things they don't understand, that's just ridiculous!"
He self-deprecatingly mocked himself while appearing utterly exasperated.
"Okuda-san, we might have a bit of academic background, but I believe academic history is irrelevant to things that require depth of life experience. Moreover, the premises of the systems in the pre-war era and our era are different. That's exactly why I want to ask you, Okuda-san, with your wealth of life experience," Nishida pressed further.
"Good grief..."
Okuda made a face as if he were truly at a loss, and his bewildered state remained unchanged. However, one could see that he was still trying to think seriously.
"I don't understand difficult things, and I can't say anything clever, but... Aren't you both underestimating experience too much—specifically, your own experience? I expect you think so too, Nishida-san?"
After draining the sake from his choko (T/N: small ceramic sake cup), Okuda spoke up as if he had made up his mind.
"So you think so too?"
Nishida felt a sense of relief, in a way, that Okuda shared the same intuition as himself.
"Yeah. Certainly, history is something that great scholars and critics have researched in various ways, so it might be certain, and it might be on a different dimension from the small experiences or trials of the countless nameless people around here. But listen, even that history is nothing more than the result of the accumulation of many people's experiences, and history itself can be wrong when you look back at it later, right? In that regard, your own experience, as long as you weren't daydreaming, is an unmistakable fact—the very thing you actually experienced. Naturally, that... what do you call it? Right, right! It might be far removed from what they call objectivity, but it has its own meaning, doesn't it? The weight of experience might be inferior to history, but I don't think it's meaningless at all. How's that for an answer?"
Okuda peered at Nishida's reaction, perhaps slightly lacking confidence in his own response.
"The maxim 'Fools learn from experience, while the wise learn from history' seems to look down on experience far too much, and the saying 'Fools learn from their own experience, but the wise learn from the experience of others' also seems to disparage one's own experience too much. Hearing you say that makes me feel relieved that my thoughts weren't wrong."
Having said that, Nishida reached for the kazunoko (T/N: herring roe) with satisfaction.
"Besides, history inevitably ends up feeling like someone else's business, doesn't it? For smart people, they might be able to draw proper lessons from it, but the reality is that there are overwhelmingly fewer smart people in the world, right? But experience... especially what you gain from your own experience, there's no doubt it often remains as part of your blood and flesh. In that sense, it might be inferior in objectivity, but in terms of effectiveness, I think it must have something far greater than history."
Okuda was speaking passionately, likely unconsciously, using hand gestures.
"In that case, what is the position of other people's experiences? I understand the nuance of objectivity, but..."
Yoshimura, who had been listening in silence for a while, interjected.
"Even if it's someone else's experience, if it's conveyed through the words of relatives or those close to you, doesn't it gain its own meaning? It's because I think that way that I act as a storyteller. But still, in terms of the degree to which it becomes part of you, it's definitely weaker than your own experience... That would be the huge drawback that comes in exchange for the advantage of objectivity compared to one's own experience. As that experience is passed through several people, its effectiveness grows weaker and weaker. That's exactly why history, which is an extension of other people's experiences, repeats the same things after a while, don't you think? In other words, because there's a limit to how experience can be transmitted, the same things are repeated. Since there are almost no people who can learn from history, if the effectiveness of others' experiences fades generation by generation, the same things happen again."
Okuda poured himself more sake, still projecting a sense of helplessness.
"However, since the modern era, quite a lot of video footage remains, so in that regard, isn't it considerably more effective than just text or oral tradition, both in terms of history and the transmission of experience?"
Nishida offered a slight counter-argument to Okuda's opinion.
"That might have some effect. It has objectivity too," Okuda said, looking into Nishida's eyes, but after looking away and organizing the words he should say for a moment, he opened his mouth.
"But you see, there are parts that only those who actually experienced it can understand and talk about. You can't reproduce smells on TV or in movies... And above all, the 'air' of that time is something you can't understand unless you're someone who actually experienced it."
"The air?"
"That's right, Nishida-san. You could call it the social climate. This invisible 'air' is unexpectedly troublesome, and it strongly influences the world... Because individual humans aren't that strong. This can't be reproduced with video, and it's hard to convey even with words."
"...I see. Certainly, the social climate of each era probably has parts that can't be understood unless you're a person who actually lived through it. Even looking back at my own life, I think I have that sensation."
Okuda's answer was sufficient to make Nishida reconsider his thoughts.
"Conversely, someone who can't even make use of what they've experienced themselves—especially a huge failure they made twenty or thirty years ago—and repeats it, can truly be called a real fool. What do you think?"
Upon hearing Okuda's statement, Nishida asked with a wry smile,
"In that case, would the truly correct maxim based on history and experience be: 'A fool cannot learn even from their own experience; an ordinary person can learn from their own and others' experience; and a wise person learns from all experience and history'? It's gotten a bit long, though."
"Yeah, yeah. Putting the length aside, isn't that about right? Well then, since the troublesome stuff is settled for now, let's have another drink. Come on, come on!"
Okuda, wearing a very satisfied smile at Nishida's words, encouraged Nishida and Yoshimura to drink.
The two accepted gratefully, but Yoshimura, after taking a sip, muttered,
"But I'm a bit concerned."
"What? What's concerning you?"
"Well, Team Leader. 'Ordinary person' means a 'normal person,' but at the same time, doesn't it also carry a negative image of being a 'boring person'?"
"Yeah, well, it does have that aspect..." Nishida nodded reluctantly.
"Then, wouldn't it be better to add 'good' before 'ordinary person'?"
"It's already long enough, and you want to make it longer..."
Nishida shook his head and was about to dismiss the idea, but he was lightly rebuked.
"Nishida-san, adding two characters is nothing at this point! You should listen to what the young ones say once in a while."
As expected, the opinion of the elder Okuda carried weight.
"Well, if Okuda-san says so..."
After that preface, Nishida restated it:
"Then: 'A fool cannot learn even from their own experience; a good ordinary person can learn from their own and others' experience; and a wise person learns from all experience and history.'"
"Alright! Now that everything is cleared up, another drink!"
Okuda wore a beaming smile and again filled the two men's choko, which still had sake left, to the brim. Then, the three of them raised their choko in front of their faces and toasted once more.
The three of them ultimately drank, ate, and chatted until past 2:00 PM, but since Nishida and the others had to go to Sawai's place, they left Okuda's residence before 3:00 PM. Since Okuda had already been drinking, they decided to call a taxi to Kunneppu Station as planned, but Okuda unexpectedly accompanied them to the station to see them off.
When boarding the local train bound for Ikeda Station, Nishida told him,
"Well then, I'll come to say hello again before I return to Sapporo."
Okuda replied,
"Please do! Next time I'll order some sushi and treat you, so look forward to it!"
The two waved back at Okuda, who was seeing them off from the window of the moving train after the doors closed, but unfortunately, this turned out to be their final parting in this life.
About a month later, in mid-February, Okuda suddenly collapsed while shoveling snow outside and passed away without ever returning home. Nishida and Yoshimura were shocked when they happened to see the obituary in the Doho's (T/N: shorthand for Hokkaido Shinpo) condolence column. Later, they managed to carve out time to rush to the funeral hall, where they felt a sense of relief upon hearing from his biological daughter that, according to the neighbor who found him, his final expression was peaceful. Also, since his friend Tanaka Kiyoshi was in attendance, it became an opportunity to directly apologize for past discourtesies. In a sense, it could be said that Okuda had arranged this place for apology.
Even so, the fact that Okuda went out of his way to see them off at the station might have been due to some premonition he had. And while looking at his funeral portrait, the two of them quietly and firmly etched into their hearts that personal, almost redundant maxim created with Okuda's advice: "A fool cannot learn even from their own experience; a good ordinary person can learn from their own and others' experience; and a wise person learns from all experience and history."
The local train on the Furusato Ginga Line arrived at Ikeda Station past 5:30 PM, and from there, the two transferred to the JR local train bound for Memuro before 6:00 PM. Usually, it would be a train for commuters and students living in Obihiro, but since it was during the first three days of the New Year, the train was crowded despite the schools being on winter break.
At Memuro Station, Sawai was waiting to pick them up in his private car, but his home was apparently in the central area, only about a five-minute walk from the station. Takeshita and Kurosu had already arrived, and it seemed that Oba, who worked at the Obihiro Station, would join them after finishing work. Nishida, Yoshimura, Takeshita, and Kurosu were to stay at Sawai's house tonight and return tomorrow. The other members of the former Engaru Station had declined due to returning to their hometowns or family obligations, though some might have simply disliked the idea of hanging out with men from their former workplace so early in the New Year.
Nishida and Yoshimura had remained in Kitami for the New Year, but Takeshita from Monbetsu had spent the New Year with his family at his home in Sapporo before coming here with Kurosu, who lived in Sapporo; Takeshita himself was stopping by here on his way back to Monbetsu.
It was their first time visiting Sawai's home in Memuro, and since it was land he had owned since his parents' generation, it was a spacious house typical of the countryside with many rooms. Indeed, it was at a level where four adult men staying over was no problem at all. They also handed the souvenirs they brought from Kitami to Sawai's wife, whom they were reuniting with for the first time in six years.
Immediately after reuniting with Kurosu, they were suddenly praised for solving the difficult case he himself had been involved in, without even a greeting, and were told it had become quite a topic among colleagues in Sapporo. Exposing a major politician's involvement in murder was, as Baba, the Section 1 Head of the Criminal Investigation Department at HQ, had previously told Nishida at the Sapporo Detention House, perceived by police officers across Hokkaido as a feat that would go down in the history of the Hokkaido Prefectural Police. Additionally, when it was conveyed that Nishida and Yoshimura would return to Sapporo in a year as a reward for this achievement, he was also delighted that they could drink together frequently in Sapporo again.
Nishida, for his part, praised Kurosu's strong sense of discomfort seven years ago regarding Isaka Daikichi's statement to former Prefectural Assemblyman Matsushima after the dinner with Sada Minoru—specifically, the fact that he used the expression "old name" instead of "real name" when saying, "The old name he (Oshima Kaiji, formerly Tadokoro Yasuo) used when he and I snatched the inheritance together before he became Tadokoro Yasuo is written on the deed." Now that it was known that Onodera Michitoshi, alias Oshima, had already swapped places with Kuwano Kinya at the time of the naval mine explosion accident, it turned out to be a very astute observation. However, Kurosu had apparently already heard the details from Takeshita and only appeared mildly pleased, taking it as a bit of a social courtesy.
On the other hand, for Sawai, the fact that his juniors who remained in the police force had achieved results he couldn't accomplish during his active service was something he was very happy about even during the prior phone call, saying it made him proud as a former superior. At the same time, seeing Takeshita's article in the Doho, he seemed to have understood the complexity of the case anew.
Even though Sawai himself was a police OB (T/N: Old Boy; former member), he had a strong awareness of being an outsider now, so he hadn't made unnecessary interference or inquiries for information during the investigation. Because of this, the articles Takeshita wrote regarding Oshima seemed to have been very helpful in accurately grasping the situation.
Takeshita, for his part, thanked Nishida, saying that his evaluation within the company had increased because he wrote articles that could only be obtained from an insider source within the police. Of course, being Takeshita, who had long considered the harmful effects of reporters colluding with the police, he didn't seem to be rejoicing unconditionally, but in this case, it was likely within the permissible range. He also obtained permission from Sawai to use the phrase "Remote Grave Marker," which Takagaki intended to use as the title for his book about the tako-beya (T/N: forced labor camp) labor at the Jomon Tunnel.
Until Oba arrived, the group didn't touch the food, passing the time with beer and snacks. Sawai, whose children were already independent, talked about health and grandchildren, while the other members talked about their families; for the time being, they kept work talk to the beginning and drank in a harmonious atmosphere. Oba arrived after finishing work about an hour later, and as the youngest member, he was teased in various ways by his seniors as soon as he arrived. However, once the story came out that he was getting married soon, the mood shifted entirely to one of celebration.
And finally, with everyone gathered, it was time to eat the osechi (T/N: traditional New Year's food) dishes prepared by Sawai's wife. Although it was an extension of home cooking, Sawai's wife's cooking was quite professional, providing a different kind of enjoyment from the Boss's (T/N: Aida Izumi) extravagant osechi, regardless of the containers.
Once they had mostly finished eating, Sawai prompted Nishida to summarize the case. After all, there was no doubt that the current results were only possible because of the struggles of the detectives at the Engaru Station back then. In a sense, Sawai and the others had a right to know. On the other hand, while Sawai had said "a rough outline is fine" out of concern for information management, Nishida began to explain the truth of the series of cases in considerable detail and how the investigation had progressed during that time.
The talk began after 8:30 PM, but as expected of such a complex case, even after omitting a large portion of the articles Takeshita had written for the Doho, it easily took over an hour.
In particular, regarding the evidence that cornered Oshima and Tatsukawa in the Sada Minoru murder case, he spent a lot of time explaining, especially since the truth of how that evidence came to light—namely, that Motohashi's posthumous involvement was behind it—had not been made public.
The part where the ostensibly provocative letter Motohashi sent to Nishida and the others to take his revenge after seven years was actually something like a written statement sent via Motohashi's long-time close friend and trusted younger associate, seemed to draw considerable interest from the three, including Takeshita's code-breaking method and Nishida's decision to dispatch Takeshita to Osaka, and they persistently questioned Takeshita.
Incidentally, the code-breaking was based on the deciphering of the letters exchanged between Shiino and Motohashi during the 1995 investigation. Takeshita remembered that a major hint for that deciphering was Oba's comment: "This letter... it's like it's written on manuscript paper; every single character fits perfectly into place," and he took this opportunity to express his gratitude again. Unfortunately, the person himself had completely forgotten it, and the room was filled with laughter, with people saying, "What a hopeless guy..." However, there is no doubt that Oba's casual idea was greatly utilized in the investigation seven years later.
Now, the biggest worry for Nishida, who was in the position of explaining, was how to tell the remaining three about the Boss's extortion of the Isaka family, putting aside Takeshita, who had already been told. However, even though it was a "side-stream" incident within the series of cases, since it was heavily involved in Yoneda's murder, he explained it in broad strokes, considering its importance and its role in the flow of the story. The very beginning was that the Boss was the orphaned child of Mende, and the origin of her name and her encounter with Sada had, in a sense, become the direct trigger for the series of cases to take concrete shape.
The three were visibly shocked by this, and their pleasant intoxication seemed to vanish, leaving them with dark expressions for a while. However, they were relieved for the time being by Yoshimura's explanation that, thanks to Isaka Masamitsu's petition, she wouldn't be charged with a very heavy crime and there was a possibility of a suspended sentence if things went well.
"But for the final investigation of the case to end up being an investigation into the Boss... honestly, it felt like the proverb about it being darkest under the lamp, or like the irrationality of the world..."
Nishida was speaking haltingly, but then he suddenly went silent after prefacing with,
"I hesitated whether to say this..."
Yoshimura and Takeshita could likely anticipate what would be said next, but since the other three had no idea, Sawai told Nishida, "What is it? If it's something you shouldn't let outsiders know, you don't have to say it."
"It's not that. Actually, immediately after the interrogation, that Boss tried to commit suicide by slitting her wrists..."
At this statement, Sawai instinctively asked with concern,
"What!? Was the Boss okay!? ...No, no, I mean, she must be okay since you're talking about it now, right?"
"That's right, and as a result, she somehow survived and is already doing well, but..."
After saying that, Nishida remained hesitant. Then he continued tentatively.
"At that time, I had dared to suggest she turn herself in, but the Boss was strangely stubborn, saying she needed some time, and Yoshimura wasn't satisfied with that attitude and complained... But since I couldn't bear to arrest her, I just left the Boss's house after telling her to turn herself in. Then, on the way back to Kitami by car, Yoshimura told me, 'You shouldn't forgive that kind of attitude even if it's an acquaintance. You should tell her that if she doesn't turn herself in within a few days, you'll arrest her'... I think it was the result of Yoshimura, who should have wanted to forgive the Boss far more than I did, trying to be faithful to his duty as a police officer. Of course, even so, turning herself in is a considerably lenient measure..."
Beside him, Yoshimura maintained a solemn face during Nishida's statement.
"So, I followed those words, and although the car had already entered Ikutahara, the two of us hurriedly returned to Engaru. If Yoshimura hadn't persuaded me then, there's no doubt the Boss would have bled to death. Even when we got back, it was very close... To be honest, if we hadn't made it in time, I think I would have had to take responsibility and quit the police force, even if I had just solved a difficult case... That's why, although I haven't told him very clearly, I inwardly think that advice was very helpful."
Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Nishida was voicing his gratitude to Yoshimura, something he rarely did.