Botchan is a modern young man from the Tokyo metropolis, sent to the ultra-traditional Matsuyama district as a math teacher after the death of his parents. Cynical, rebellious and immature, Botchan finds himself facing several tests, from the pupils - prone to playing tricks on their new, naive teacher; the staff - vain, immoral, and in danger of becoming a bad influence on Botchan; and from his own as-yet-unformed nature, as he finds his place in the world. One of the most popular novels in Japan, where it is considered a classic of adolescence, Botchan is as funny, poignant and memorable as it was when first published, over 100 years ago. In the introduction to this colourful translation, Botchan's success, the book's clash between Western intellectualism and traditional Japanese values, and the importance of names and nicknames in the novel are discussed.