Bamboo Doll of Echizen
(Echizen take-ningyô)

Tamae, a former geisha, marries Kisuke, whose late father had supported her generously. Kisuke is an artisan who makes bamboo dolls. He creates a new model called “Echizen”, inspired by he impression Tamae made on him the first time he saw her. One day, Tamae bas a chance encounter with Chubei, one of her former clients who lives in Kyoto He rapes her and she becomes pregnant. She goes to Kyoto to ask him to help her. Chubei mistreats her : she goes into premature labor, and the foetus is thrown into a river. Exhausted, Tamae returns to her husband before she dies. Kisuke gives up making the “Echizen” model forever.