Fune ni Sumu

Serialized from 1996 to 2000, the story centers on Tsuda Kenta, a novelist who lives on a small, makeshift houseboat on a river near Tokyo. Drawing from the artist’s own life, the narrative follows Kenta through a series of whimsical and surreal adventures involving a range of eccentric characters, such as a fisherman who drinks heavily, a monk with questionable intentions, a corpse who speaks, a forgetful recluse, and a wife and son who are both supportive and skeptical. Many scenes are set on the Tonegawa River in Chiba, where Tsuge often fished, as well as at his home and at Joker, a clothing store he and his wife opened in 1977. The work reflects themes Tsuge has explored since the late 1960s, offering a more laid-back and hopeful perspective on aging, domestic life, and personal retreat.