The short story “Sand Walls, Paper Doors” is from my first collection of short stories called, “A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories”. This story was originally recorded for my 50th episode of Uncanny Japan, but has been remastered for Soothing Stories. I hope you like it.
A side note about the title. In old Japanese houses the walls are covered in this fine sand-like fibery substance. It’s usually muted tones like moss green, ochre, beige, or rust. So that’s what sand walls is referring to.
Paper doors are the shoji doors you see in Japanese style homes, those lattice frames that are covered in thick opaque paper. There is something very calming and slightly otherworldly about the diffused light, subdued colors, and smell of cedar incense smoke in these old homes here in Japan.
Speaking of Japan, yes, the story is set here, in one of those old Japanese houses, the one I lived in for quite a few years, actually. That is until I had to move, which I wasn’t very happy about. But it inspired this story and it’s quite autobiographical. That said, you’ll also find quite a few Japanese beasties in the tale. They’re called youkai. I’ll let you decide which parts are real and which are fiction.
Credits
Intro/Outro Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura
Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4397-sovereign
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Bicycle by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3434-bicycle
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Luminous Rain by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4007-luminous-rain
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Heartbreaking by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3863-heartbreaking
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Thinking Music by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4522-thinking-music
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Umbrella Pants by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4559-umbrella-pants
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Clear Waters by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3516-clear-waters
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cryptic Sorrow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3568-cryptic-sorrow
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Immersed by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3900-immersed
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
