a character in the
neal stephenson book
cryptonomicon. goto-san is a
nipponese soldier who evades death multiple times during the course of the story. his character grew up in
hokkaido, where he learned from his father a great deal about tunnels and
mining. throughout much of the book he wrestles with the belief that he is neither a
good soldier nor a good nipponese citizen, because he has no
honor, or, more specifically, because instead of taking one of the many opportunities presented him to give his life for the
emperor, he selfishly attempts to save the lives of himself and whomever else happens to be with him at the time.
in the end of the story he reunites with his old friend
bobby shaftoe, whom he first met in
shanghai, converts to christianity, and becomes the protege of
general douglas macarthur. he shows up in the portion of the book set in the present as an old man who owns a successful engineering firm and ends up deciding to assist
epiphyte(2) in excavating
golgotha, which he designed and built during
world war ii to hide gold stolen by the
axis powers.