Two contrasting depictions of Edo life by the Japanese master of historical fiction, Shugoro Yamamoto. "Dad" relates the story of a common man in the Edo period. Shigematsu is master craftsman who finds his unique skills abandoned by the fickle tastes of the changing age. Bereft of purpose, he is supported through this crisis by his family and friends. "Women Are All the Same" tells the tale of Koichiro. He is a young samurai determined to avoid the fate of his father, who finds himself under the thumb of his Koichiro's domineering mother. He steadfastly refused to marry despite having been betrothed to the daughter of a noble family since he was a child. Indeed, he seems destined to remain a bachelor for life until o his mother hires a maid, Kii, to look after him.
