Pathway to Japanese Literature
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The Traveler of KisoAuthor: Okamoto Kidō
| Original Title | 木曽の旅人 |
|---|---|
| Author | 岡本 綺堂 |
| Genre | Detective & Mystery |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a remote mountain hut deep within Japan’s Kiso wilderness, a rugged lumberjack named Juubei lives in isolation with his young son, Taikichi. Their solitary existence is disrupted one autumn evening by an enigmatic traveler—a pale, well-dressed young man whose arrival stirs an inexplicable terror in the boy and provokes violent frenzy in a hunter’s dog. Though the stranger offers gifts of food and drink, his presence radiates an unsettling aura that even Juubei, hardened by years in the wilds, cannot ignore. Whispers of *etemono*—mountain spirits that toy with human perception—linger in the air as tensions mount. The traveler’s charm masks a sinister undercurrent: why does Taikichi tremble at his voice? Why does the dog snarl as if facing a beast? As night deepens and suspicions swirl, Juubei grapples with growing dread, torn between hospitality and instinct. Shadows of guilt and spectral vengeance blur reality, leaving haunting questions unanswered. What unseen malevolence trails this wanderer? And what truths lie buried beneath the forest’s ancient silence? |
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