Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.

See Author Details Here:Wiki (Hasegawa Shin)
| Original Title | 沓掛時次郎 三幕十場 |
|---|---|
| Author | 長谷川 伸 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | On a tense autumn night, disgraced gambler Sanzō Muttsuda prepares to flee with his wife Okinu and young son Tarōkichi as rival factions close in. Once a rising star in the Nakagawa syndicate, Sanzō now faces annihilation for refusing to abandon his imprisoned boss. Amid hurried packing and whispered fears, their fragile escape plan shatters when assassins storm their home. A brutal confrontation erupts, revealing Sanzō’s ferocious skill—and the ruthless code governing this shadowy world. \nEnter Tokijirō Kutsukake, a wandering swordsman entangled in the bloodshed. His duel with Sanzō leaves the family fractured, binding him to Okinu and Tarōkichi through guilt and uneasy obligation. As winter tightens its grip, the trio navigates destitution as traveling performers, their survival hinging on Tokijirō’s fading honor and Okinu’s resilience. Yet past enemies resurface, threatening to expose buried secrets and unravel their fragile alliance. \nHaunted by loyalty and loss, the group treads a knife’s edge between redemption and ruin. With Okinu’s unborn child complicating their flight and vengeance lurking in every shadow, Tokijirō’s murky motives clash with growing familial bonds. Can a gambler’s blade shield innocents from a world built on betrayal—or will their shared past consume them all? |