Correspondence: A Japanese Epistolary Novella 1-1

akimi

Oct. 22, 2025

Correspondence: A Japanese Epistolary Novella 1-1

One Exchange part 1

Kyoko’s First Letter ：April 10, Showa 50 (1975)

Dear Takeshi,

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and spring has arrived in all its gentle glory. I hope you and your family are doing well.

I must admit, I’m a little flustered—this is the first time I’ve ever written you a letter. I started off sounding a bit formal, didn’t I? It feels strange to use polite language with you, as if we’re strangers.

But when I try to write in a casual tone, my dialect slips in and I can’t seem to get the words right. As you know, I’m not very good at this sort of thing. Please forgive me.

Come to think of it, I’ve never even called you on the phone. We used to talk just by tapping on each other’s windows with a long stick from our rooms. That was enough.

It’s strange, isn’t it? We were neighbors for so long, and now we live apart. Even though I’m the one who left town.

I wonder if my mother is still telling the neighbors about me. Saying things like, “She’s working in the city now,” as if I’ve moved to Tokyo. It’s embarrassing. It’s just a small town in the next prefecture. She always exaggerates.

I imagine you’re still working hard, as always. I have a confession to make: I used to peek through my curtains and watch you draw at your desk. Even after I turned off my light to sleep, you stayed up late working. The light from your room would softly illuminate mine, and it helped me sleep so well.

That’s why I used to take notes for you when you fell asleep in class. It was my way of saying thank you. I bet you didn’t know that.

Now, the light that reaches my window in this boarding house comes from a mercury lamp. I try to pretend it’s the light from your room, but I don’t sleep as well.

Letters are wonderful, aren’t they? The wait for a reply is part of the joy. If I open the mailbox and find a letter from you, I’ll probably jump with happiness—like receiving a gift.

But don’t worry. I know you’re busy creating your work, so it’s okay if your reply takes time.

If I ever really need to hear your voice, I might call you. The family I’m staying with is kind and always says I can use the phone anytime. But if I call you, I think I’ll use a public phone.

I imagine the black phone in your house ringing—the one shared with the shop. Your father would answer first, saying cheerfully, “Hello, this is Usagiya.” Then, realizing it’s me, his voice would soften: “Ah, it’s Kyoko.”

Even a phone call feels like a gift.

Please take care of yourself. Work hard, but don’t forget to rest.

Warm regards,

Kyoko

translationcreative writingepistolaryenglish practicenatural expressiontone check

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JeikNation

Correspondence: A Japanese Epistolary Novella

One Exchange part 1

Kyoko’s First Letter

：April 10, Showa 50 (1975)

Dear Takeshi,

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and spring has arrived in all its gentle glory.

I hope you and your family are doing well.

I must admit, I’m a little flustered—as this is the first time I’ve ever written you a letter.

I started off sounding a bit formal, didn’t I?

It feels strange to use polite language with you, as if we’re strangers.

But when I try to write in a casual tone, my dial~~ect~~ogue slips in and I can’t seem to get the words right.

As you know, I’m not very good at this sort of thing.

Please forgive me.

Come to think of it, I’ve never even called you on the phone.

We used to talk just by tapping on each other’s windows with a long stick from our rooms.

That was enough.

It’s strange, isn’t it?

We were neighbors for so long, and now we live apart.

Even though I’m the one who left town.

I feel like this needs something. Even though I'm the one who left town, _____________. I am the one feeling sad/I am the one that feels lost/it feels like you are the one falling further away/it feels like you are the one distancing yourself.....

I wonder if my mother is still telling the neighbors about me.

Saying things like, “She’s working in the city now,” as if I’ve moved to Tokyo.

working in the big city perhaps. or you could capitalize like working in The City.

It’s embarrassing.

It’s just a small town in the next prefecture.

She always exaggerates.

I imagine you’re still working hard, as always.

I have a confession to make:

I used to peek through my curtains and watch you draw at your desk.

Even after I turned off my light ~~to sleep~~, you stayed up late working.

The light from your room would softly illuminate mine, and it helped me sleep so well.

so well can be replaced with a better softer adjective maybe. helped me sleep soundly, helped me sleep safely, helped me sleep peacefully.

That’s why I used to take notes for you when you fell asleep in class.

It was my way of saying thank you.

I bet you didn’t know that.

Now, the only light that reaches my window in this boarding house comes from a mercury lamp.

comes from an old/murky/dimly lit/cranky mercury lamp....something to show contrast between his soft light that helped you fall asleep and this new light

I try to pretend it’s the light from your room, but I don’t sleep as well.

Letters are wonderful, aren’t they?

The wait for ayour reply is part of the joy.

If I open the mailbox and find a letter from you, I’ll probably jump with happiness—like receiving a gift.

But don’t worry.

I know you’re busy creating your work, so it’s okay if your reply takes time.

If I ever really need to hear your voice, I might call you.

The family I’m staying with is kind and always says I can use the phone anytime.

But if I call you, I think I’ll use a public phone.

I imagine the black phone in your house ringing—the one shared with the shop.

Your father would answer first, saying cheerfully, “Hello, this is Usagiya.”

Then, realizing it’s me, his voice would soften:

“Ah, it’s Kyoko.”

Even a phone call feels like a gift.

Please take care of yourself.

Work hard, but don’t forget to rest.

Warm regards,

Kyoko

Feedback

Wow, very nice story. Very well written, I added just a few comments for maybe some improvements but they are at your discretion.

akimi

Oct. 23, 2025

Thank you very much. I learned a lot from this. I truly appreciate your kindness. I plan to continue posting the rest of this piece, so I hope we’ll have another chance to connect again.

helena0101

Even though I’m the one who left the town.

I try to pretend it’s the light from your room, but I don’t sleep as well as before.

Feedback

Overall this letter is good, nice vocabulary, just small correction.

akimi

Oct. 23, 2025

Thank you for your advice. I appreciate your help and hope to hear from you again.

Saying things like, “She’s working in the city now,” as if I’ve moved to Tokyo.

working in the big city perhaps. or you could capitalize like working in The City.

It’s embarrassing.