Pathway to Japanese Literature

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

Cross KannonAuthor: Nomura Kodō

Original Title	十字架観音
Author	野村胡堂
Genre	Historical Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In the shadowed streets of Edo-era Japan, Matsune Yogunosuke, a disgraced samurai haunted by his clan’s downfall, navigates a perilous world of betrayal and forbidden faith. Once a revered swordsman, he now grapples with disillusionment, torn between avenging his family’s honor and abandoning violence altogether. His resolve is tested by Oaki, a cunning geisha with ties to his past, who lures him into a dangerous plot against political enemies. Yet Yogunosuke’s heart remains tethered to Kanoko, his betrothed—a devout Christian secretly practicing her faith amid brutal shogunate crackdowns. As whispers of conspiracy intertwine with escalating persecution, Yogunosuke is thrust into a web of bloodshed and deception. Between Oaki’s seductive manipulations and Kanoko’s quiet defiance, he must confront not only external foes but the ghosts of his own conscience. A tale of clashing loyalties, simmering revenge, and clandestine devotion unfolds against a backdrop of firelit executions and shadowed alliances, where every choice risks destruction—or redemption.