Chapter 168

## The Elderly Lighthouse Keeper Couple

* Color
* Magazine

**The Elderly Lighthouse Keeper Couple**, or **The Elderly Lighthouse Keepers** (燈台守の老夫婦, *Tōdaimori no Rōfūfu*) is the 168th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

With the power of the lighthouse, Sugimoto, Tanigaki, and Cikapasi were able to make their way out of the cold and to where the others are. Meanwhile, Koito helps himself to some snacks and tea, saying that he would love to tell Tsurumi about them. Sugimoto, Tanigaki, and Cikapasi then huddles together in the space above the *pechka* in order to get warmed up. Tsukishima tells them that they are lucky to be alive as the lighthouse had not been in use since the Russo-Japanese War, and then turns to the Russian couple to thank them.

Once they had gotten warm enough, they help Enonoka's grandfather replace the sled that they had broken up for firewood, and Sugimoto praises the old man's handicraft. Tanigaki thinks back on Ryu's action during the snowstorm and Sugimoto pets Ryu, apologizing to the dog for having doubted him. Just then, Koito calls out to Tsukishima, saying that a hammer is stuck to his hand. Tsukishima explains that it is due to the cold temperature and that his skin will tear off if he tries to rip it off. He calls out for someone to urinate on the hammer to warm it up, which Sugimoto volunteers to do so, scaring Koito away.

Sometime later, Sugimoto's group helps the Russian couple prepare some food and they all sit around at the table, ready to eat them. Tsukishima translates that the Russian couple are happy to have a lively time at the table since it's only the two of them. Hearing this, Sugimoto asks if they don't have any other family members, and Koito points to a picture of a woman, asking if she is their daughter. The Russian couple then shows a grim look on their faces, causing Sugimoto to express concern.

The Russian couple explains that their daughter had been living peacefully with them until some Russian Army deserters showed up and took their daughter away. The couple looked all over for their daughter but could not find her and so turned to the military and the government for help, but they did not lift a finger for them. Eventually, during the war, the Japanese army arrived at their lighthouse and made use of their lighthouse since the couple were furious at the government for not helping them. The Japanese army left for another lighthouse to the north, but their daughter never returned after all that time.

Sugimoto says that their lighthouse is still around because of what had happened to their daughter, and that it had saved their lives. He then turned to the couple, asking if he could borrow a picture of their daughter so that they can look for her on their journey. Tsukishima tries to talk to Sugimoto about their objective, but Sugimoto says that they won't go off course asking around about the daughter, and that he feels indebted towards the couple. Before leaving, Sugimoto gives the couple a picture of Asirpa, asking them to let her know that he is still alive. However, the couple are bewildered to see that Sugimoto had accidently left a photo of himself.

## Character Appearances

* Otonoshin Koito
* Saichi Sugimoto
* Genjirou Tanigaki
* Cikapasi
* Hajime Tsukishima
* Enonoka's Grandfather
* Ryu
* Enonoka
* Asirpa *(Cameo)*

## Trivia

* On the chapter cover, Koito is writing the kanji **鶴** (Crane), which is the first kanji of Tsurumi's name.
* The lyrics on the cover are a parody of a song Winter, Again by GLAY, a band from Hakodate, Hokkaido:

The nights when I want to be with you

I'm filled with yearning

The more I think of you, the more...

tuhRu~

* In the Q&A section of DVD bundle of the 17th volume of Golden Kamuy manga, when asked by Konishi Katsuyuki (Koito's seiyuu) whether Sugimoto managed to "help" Koito with the hammer, Satoru Noda answered:

## References

1. ↑ #EHScans, Golden Kamuy Chapter 168 Glossary
2. ↑ Q&A corner from the DVD bundle of the 17th volume of Golden Kamuy