Conflagration

Goichi is interrogated by detectives in Kyoto about the destruction of the Shukaku Pavilion. He remains silent throughout the questioning, signaling his emotional numbness and possible guilt. The scene sets the modern arc of the story and hints at a deeper motive behind the fire.

In a flashback, Goichi travels to the Soen Temple carrying a letter of introduction from his deceased father, a monk at Kan'ei-ji. The letter frames his entry into the temple world and his connections to powerful patrons. The moment foreshadows the weight of lineage in his life.

Goichi recalls his father's conviction that the Golden Pavilion is the most beautiful thing in the world. This ideal haunts him as he navigates temple life and the expectations tied to his name. The memory underscores his quest for beauty and meaning in a corrupted world.

While helping with daily chores at the temple, Goichi's stutter becomes obvious and he is ridiculed by others. The moment deepens his sense of isolation within the monastic community. It also foreshadows how speech and power shape his status among the monks.

Goichi remembers seeing his mother commit adultery as a child, an event that stains his sense of trust and loyalty. The memory complicates his relationship with family and shapes his view of moral authority. The scene fuels his later distrust of those in power at the temple.

During a family visit, his mother expresses the hope that he might one day become the temple's head priest. He hesitates, aware of the possibility of war and his own doubts about leadership. The moment adds pressure to his fragile self-image.

On a weekend visit to a tourist site, Goichi encounters a pregnant woman and a visiting American soldier attempting to enter the pavilion. His impulsive act leads to tragedy as he pushes her down the stairs, causing her miscarriage. The incident marks a tipping point in his relationship with his community.

Goichi confesses the deed to Tayama Dosen, who already knows about the incident. Tayama has paid off the woman to keep the truth quiet, showing his willingness to use money to shield others and shape who is allowed to rise within the temple system. The revelation compounds Goichi's sense of guilt and betrayal.

In another memory, Togari discusses Goichi's academic decline at Kotani University and his lingering love for ancient temples. The exchange highlights how Goichi's talents are at odds with the expectations of modern life and institutional power. It also foreshadows Togari's later role in Goichi's fate.

Togari reappears as he follows Goichi into the monastic path, where Ranko, a geisha, tends to his injured leg. The unlikely bond hints at the blurred lines between spirituality and worldly desires within the temple. The sequence deepens Goichi's sense of being pulled between duty and personal longing.

Goichi secretly observes Tayama Dosen during a night when the priest is accompanied by a woman. The act reveals the priest's proximity to secular pleasures and power within the temple's inner circle. Goichi's distance from the inner circle grows wider.

During a scripture reading, the Nanquan and the cat koan is discussed, prompting monks’ petty power struggles. After the reading, Goichi uncovers a pin-up photo of a geisha inside Tayama's study book and confronts the priest. Tayama rebukes him, accusing him of being twisted, and Goichi remarks that his stutter disqualifies him from being a monk.

Goichi buys a knife and sedatives, while Togari lends him ¥3,000. He cannot repay the loan immediately, and Tayama partially covers the debt. The money matters emphasize the commodification of spiritual life and the power of patronage within the temple.

Goichi remembers his father's funeral and the cremation that followed, a moment of quiet grief that anchors his personal history. The memory underlines the absence of a steady paternal guide in his life. The scene adds emotional weight to his later actions.

Feeling misunderstood and disillusioned with the monks' secular behavior, Goichi sets fire to the Shukaku Pavilion. The act destroys the temple and triggers the present-day pursuit by the authorities. During the transfer to prison, Goichi throws himself from a moving train, sealing his fate.