Pachinko

Noa ends up in the city of Nagano simply because he remembers a teacher’s fond memories of Nagano from her childhood. He goes to a restaurant, where a talkative waiter suggests he get a job at the pachinko parlor. The waiter tells Noa that the parlor will not hire any Koreans or Chinese, “but that will not matter to you since [Noa is] Japanese” (328).

Noa goes to the pachinko parlor to apply for a job. He assures the boss that he is Japanese and gets the job. 

Yumi is pregnant again, after having had two miscarriages in the past three years. The doctor tells her she has high blood pressure, which causes her to “fight pregnancy” (333). He puts her on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy, which is hard for her because she wants to be able to work. The doctor insists that she follows his orders. Sunja arrives to help with the pregnancy. Yumi tells her about her childhood, the details of which sadden Sunja, who says, “My child, you have suffered too much” (339).

Yumi gives birth to a baby boy,