The Earthquake

The earthquake in Kobe represents the turmoil and misfortune in Komura's life. Many of the unfortunate events in Komura's life, such as his divorce and his inability to pursue a sexual relationship with Shimao, are heavily related to the earthquake. For example, Komura's wife leaves after being captivated by news coverage of the earthquake, and Komura's failures with Shimao are attributed to his incessant thoughts about the earthquake.

The Package

The mysterious package that Komura delivers to Keiko in Kushiro symbolizes Komura's detachment from his reality. After his divorce, Komura appears to be emotionless and he does not care about anything happening around him. This notion is encapsulated by the package, because Komura takes the package and delivers it to Keiko without caring about what is inside it.

Shimao

Shimao represents the lustful aspect of Komura's personality. Komura's character developments are governed through either his...