Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
Praying to the Sea GodAuthor: Tanaka Kōtarō
| Original Title | 海神に祈る |
|---|---|
| Author | 田中 貢太郎 |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In 1679 Tosa Domain, seasoned magistrate Ichiki Gonbee battles nature and superstition to complete Murotsu Port—a vital harbor for storm-battered ships. Workers whisper of cursed Kettle Reef, a jagged formation that mocks their hammers with uncanny resilience. Bloodied injuries and eerie tales of phantom monks fuel fears of divine wrath, stalling progress as laborers grow mutinous. Gonbee’s pragmatic resolve clashes with his own spiritual convictions; he performs a solitary midnight ritual, pledging his life to the Dragon King in exchange for the reef’s destruction. \nThe gamble appears to work—stones fracture, cheers erupt—but triumph is shadowed by cryptic visits from skeptical lords and a sudden, paralyzing illness that strikes Gonbee whenever he nears completion. As political pressure mounts and his body betrays him, the magistrate’s iron will faces its ultimate test: Can devotion to duty outlast both mortal frailty and the sea’s ancient grudges? Whispers of sacrifice linger in salt-stained air, where crashing waves blur the line between myth and a man’s unraveling fate. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP