Bells
The New Year’s Eve bells remind Oki of the past. They are immediately mentioned in the beginning of the text, showing their significance. Oki travels to Kyoto in the hope of listening to the New Year's Eve Bells alongside his former lover, Otoko. The bells remind him of his past: “He heard a sound that only a magnificent old bell could produce, a sound that seemed to roar forth with all the latent power of a distant world.”
The photo
Taichiro talks about Princess Kazunomiya, and what has been found on her grave by archeologists. They have found a photo, but the photo fades due to its exposure to air. It becomes so faded that they cannot tell who in the photo. This photo symbolizes how memories and love can fade over time. Although Oki hopes to rekindle his relationship with Otoko, he realizes she has moved on, and that their love cannot be rekindled. To Oki, thinking about this relationship is almost like looking at an old photo.
New beginnings
The novel opens on New Years Eve, symbolizing new beginnings. Oki decides that this is the best time of year to take a risk, and attempts to reconnect with his past and rekindle his romance with Otoko. The idea of new beginnings is present throughout the text, from the formation of new relationships to the birth of children.
Otoko's parting gift
Otoko gifts Oki some food for his return journey, and he thinks about what it might mean: “an assortment of New Year's foods, including some small, perfectly formed rice balls. They seemed to express a woman's emotions. No doubt Otoko herself had made them for the man who had long ago destroyed her girlhood. Chewing the little bite‐sized balls, he could feel her forgiveness in his very tongue and teeth. No, it was not forgiveness, love.” For Oki, the food she gives him symbolizes her undying love for him, due to the amount of care she has put into making it.
