Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | 京鹿子娘道成寺 |
|---|---|
| Author | 酒井 嘉七 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Amidst the opulent spectacle of a kabuki theater, Japan’s revered dancer Iwai Hanshirō meets a grisly fate during his star performance in *Kyo Kanoko Musume Dojoji*. As he vanishes into a towering prop bell to transform into a serpent, the audience awaits his metamorphosis—only to discover his lifeless body, forehead bloodied by an ivory shamisen plectrum. The stage, bathed in cherry blossom splendor, becomes a locked-room enigma: no one could have entered the sealed bell, yet the murder weapon belongs to Hanshirō’s embittered shamisen master, Kineya Shinji, who collapsed with illness moments before the show. Suspects multiply—Shinji’s loyal disciple, a resentful stagehand, even whispers of a vengeful ape tied to Hanshirō’s cruel past—as investigators unravel contradictions in testimonies and eerie details: muttered curses, flung costume threads, and a missing primate. Framed as a rediscovered Taisho-era manuscript blending ornate folklore with cunning detective fiction, this tale lures readers into a labyrinth where artistry masks malice, and every flourish onstage hides a darker truth. Will you discern illusion from reality? |
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