Koda Aya (1904-1990) did not publish until she was 43 years old. Her short stories, novels and essays, insightfully exploring women's lives, the family and traditional culture, were welcomed by readers, and her elegant, mature style was lauded by critics. In this text, Ann Sherif discusses the life and work of Koda in light of changes in critical horizons, readerly communities and especially constructions of gender and the family in the latter half of the 20th century. Sherif's translations of some of Koda's most provocative short works are included in the second part of the text - the essays ""Fragments"" (Kakera) and ""A Friend for Life"" (Mono Iwanu Issho no Tomo), and two short stories, ""Dolls for a Special Day"" (Hina) and ""The Medal"" (Kunsho).