Abstract

The Shimabara Rebellion—one of the largest civil wars in Japanese history.
A heart-wrenching historical epic confronting the conflict between religion and war!

Hikokuro and Zendaiyu, pages to Yukinaga Konishi of the Western Army at the Battle of Sekigahara, along with Saheiji, who defended Higo, are childhood friends and Christian samurai.

After their defeat, the three are forced onto entirely separate paths.
Eventually, a populace suffering under fierce persecution rises up behind a miraculous boy named Shiro.
The three friends reunite—this time as enemies on opposing sides.

What is faith? What is freedom? What does it mean to live?
An epic, deeply moving saga!

Author’s Information

Born in Yokohama in 1960. Graduated from Waseda University. After working for foreign-affiliated companies and working as a management consultant, he made his literary debut in 2007 with Takeda-ke Metsubō (The Fall of the Takeda Clan, KADOKAWA). He won the 34th Eiji Yoshikawa Prize for New Writers with Kuni o Ketta Otoko (The Man Who Kicked Away the Realm, Kodansha) and the 4th Futaro Yamada Prize with Kyogei no Umi (Sea of Giant Whales, Kobunsha), along with numerous other literary awards. His recent works include Aoki Umi no Hate ni: Ryūkyū Keisatsu II (To the Ends of the Blue Sea: Ryukyu Police II, Kadokawa Haruki Corporation) and Kaikyō no Megami (Goddess of the Strait).