Chapter 228

## Shima-enaga

**Shima-enaga**, or **Long-Tailed Tit** (シマエナガ, *Shimaenaga*) is the 228th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

As Sugimoto’s Group continues on their travels, Sugimoto notes that it is starting to get foggier and Asirpa suggests that they head back to the nearest kotan to wait for the fog to lift, showing concerns for Sugimoto’s broken arm. Sugimoto says that he is just fine but hears some chirping nearby and finds a Shima-enaga, a small bird on the ground. He notices that the bird has hurt its wings and picks it up, saying that his arm has been injured as well, making them two of a kind.

Sugimoto recalls the Ainu name for the Shima-enaga, asking Asirpa if he is right but finds that Asirpa is gone. He calls out for Asirpa and she responds, but Sugimoto is unable to locate the direction of Asirpa’s voice and falls down a snowy slope. Upon noticing that Sugimoto is gone, Asirpa and Shirashi begins to look for him by following his tracks. Sugimoto recovers from the slide, saying that he slid a long way down and that it won’t be easy to climb back up with just one hand. He then turns his attention to the bird, asking if it is alright before calling out for Asirpa again.

Sugimoto begins to walk around, looking for a way back up, but noting that the fog is getting thicker and that the sun will set soon, decides to find an area to stay for the night. He comes across a fallen tree propped up against a boulder and starts to collect some firewood to burn. He gives the bird a lesson on what kind of trees to use as firewood and how to properly cut them down with certain kinds of weapons. As he finishes setting up the fire and sits besides it, he states that all of the information he had talked about came from Asirpa and says that it was thanks to her that he was able to survive this long.

Sugimoto then prepares some portable food which Asirpa had made and gives the bird some dango before going to sleep. The next morning, Sugimoto wakes up and shouts for Asirpa but is horrified to find a bear print so close to his camp. As he stays on guard with his rifle, Sugimoto warns the bird about the threat of young male bears, noting that bears are just like soldiers of wars, reflecting back on Toraji as one of the young men with a future that has lost their lives. Sugimoto decides against wandering around in a fog, fighting a bear with only one arm and that he and the bird should just wait for the fog to lift up instead.

With each passing days, Sugimoto tries to stay optimistic but the fog still hasn’t cleared up with no sight of Asirpa anywhere. After a week has passed, Sugimoto thinks that the bird is saying that they should have left the camp ground while they still had the dango and gets angry at it, saying that it was happy to eat up the dango and threatens to eat it as well. The bird becomes frightened and Sugimoto takes back his words and despite his stomach growling, declares that they will survive and make it off the mountains since he is Sugimoto the Immortal.

However, Sugimoto loses his resolve and defeathers the bird while constantly apologizing to it. As he cooks the bird, he is reminded of the sparrow yakitori that he had when he went to Kyoto and tries to recall the steps on skewering the bird. Sugimoto states that he will eat every parts of the bird to regain his energy so that he can get out of the mountains. As he is about to eat the bird, he hears Asirpa’s voice from nearby and lets out a huge wail, which Asirpa hears.

## Character Appearances

* Saichi Sugimoto
* Asirpa
* Yoshitake Shiraishi
* Vasily
* Toraji *(photograph)*
* Umeko *(photograph)*