When Masao Gonno turns 65, he retires from his job at the company where he has been working for 42 years (241). His coworkers throw him a small party on his last day and Masao leaves feeling relieved that he won’t have to spend so much of his life at the office anymore. However, he soon becomes lonely and bored in his retirement.

A few months after retiring, Masao considers going to see the cherry blossoms, but doesn’t have the energy to do so. He remembers taking his daughter Chie when she was young, but she doesn’t live at home anymore and is constantly working at the bookstore. He sits at home and thinks about everything he’s learned since his retirement (243). He doesn’t feel old, but he doesn’t have any hobbies and feels invisible to society now that he’s not working (243).

Masao spends the day watching television, which annoys his wife Yoriko, as he hasn’t done any household chores. Yoriko is 10 years younger than Masao and still working. Noticing his mood, she suggests that he take “a Go class at the Community House” that one of her computer students, Mr.