Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
The Tale of RetrievalAuthor: Okamoto Kanoko
| Original Title | 取返し物語 |
|---|---|
| Author | 岡本 かの子 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Female Author |
| Summary | In late 15th-century Japan, amid the turbulent Muromachi period, a devout Buddhist community faces a harrowing trial. The revered monk Rennyo seeks to reclaim a sacred portrait of Shinran Shōnin—a spiritual treasure held hostage by rival Miidera Temple under a gruesome ultimatum: two severed heads in exchange. As tensions rise between sects, the burden falls on Katata no Gen’emon, an aging fisherman torn between faith and familial love. His son Genbei, betrothed to the orphaned Okumi, harbors a secret resolve that threatens to shatter their fragile hopes. Okumi, navigating servitude and forbidden devotion, clings to whispered prayers and fleeting moments with her beloved, unaware of the storm gathering around them. \nAmid moonlit confessions and whispered vows, Rennyo’s teachings of compassion collide with the brutal demands of duty. Shadows of sacrifice loom as loyalties are tested—to faith, to family, and to a love that defies mortal bounds. Will devotion justify unspeakable acts? Can enlightenment bloom in bloodstained soil? A haunting tale of zeal and humanity unfolds, where every heartbeat echoes the weight of eternity. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP