Chapter 8, "The Language of Mountains is Rain" Summary

In the final chapter, Eiji's dreams, his reality, his hopes, and his memories begin to mingle as he makes his way toward his home region to visit his mother. By the end of the chapter, it becomes difficult to tell which parts are dreams and which are real.

Eiji's first dream is a pastiche of elements from earlier in the novel: Debussy, war, the barber, Shooting Star, soccer, Wheatie, Goatwriter, the bell in the thunder god's shrine. Kodai, the son of Buntaro, who has grown up. Eiji awakens to find himself in the cab of a freight truck, the free ride that one of the delivery drivers at Nero's arranged for him. As they drive, the man tells Eiji the story of why he is alone: he sleepwalks, and...