Woman Running in the Mountains

“She felt as if she were running through the mountains, alone, with no one to rely on.”

Part 1: Takiko’s Pregnancy

Takiko Odaka, a young woman in Tokyo, discovers she is pregnant after a brief affair with a married man. Despite societal pressure and her strained relationship with her parents, she decides to keep the child. Her father, an alcoholic, is hostile, while her mother reluctantly supports her. Takiko struggles with isolation and financial instability as she prepares for motherhood.

Part 2: Birth and Early Motherhood

Takiko gives birth to her son, Akira, and faces the exhausting realities of single parenthood. She moves into a small apartment, working menial jobs to survive. The relentless demands of childcare leave her emotionally drained, yet she finds fleeting moments of joy in Akira’s presence. Her loneliness intensifies as friends and family drift away.

Part 3: The Mountain Retreat

Seeking respite, Takiko takes Akira to a rural mountain village. The natural surroundings offer temporary peace, but her struggles persist. She befriends a group of women, including a midwife, who provide fleeting solidarity. However, Takiko remains haunted by her unresolved past and the weight of societal expectations.

Part 4: Return and Reflection

Back in Tokyo, Takiko grapples with her identity as a mother and an individual. Akira grows more independent, forcing her to confront her own desires and regrets. The novel ends ambiguously, with Takiko still “running”—caught between freedom and responsibility, belonging and alienation.

Key Ideas

• The oppressive expectations of motherhood in patriarchal society.
• Isolation as a central theme in urban and rural life.
• The tension between personal freedom and societal duty.
• Nature as both a refuge and a mirror of inner turmoil.
• The cyclical struggle of single parenthood and economic hardship.

• Readers interested in feminist literature and societal critiques.
• Those exploring themes of motherhood and autonomy.
• Fans of introspective, character-driven Japanese fiction.