Pathway to Japanese Literature

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VirudhakaAuthor: Yoshikawa Eiji

Original Title	増長天王
Author	吉川英治
Genre	Modern Short Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In the secluded Ōkawachi mountains of Hizen, samurai-turned-Mountain Inspector Suzuki Mokunosuke patrols ceramic workshops famed for producing the Nabeshima clan’s exquisite pottery. Boredom gnaws at him—until whispers of espionage disrupt the valley’s tranquility. Suspicion falls on Chōjirō, a gifted young painter entangled with Kumeichi, the clan’s arrogant master potter, whose volcanic temper and genius fuel both awe and resentment. When Kumeichi dedicates himself to crafting Virūḍhaka, a defiant ceramic masterpiece, rivalries ignite: Hyakusuke, a vengeful kiln stoker, schemes to sabotage the work, while Chōjirō and Kumeichi’s daughter Natsume risk everything to protect it. As secrets smolder beneath artistry and ambition, Mokunosuke finds himself torn between duty and the realization that true craft cannot be confined—or controlled. Amid kiln fires and betrayals, the mountains tremble with questions: Can beauty survive envy? And what sacrifices will outlive the ashes? A tale where clay breathes with human passion, and loyalty burns hotter than any flame.