Pathway to Japanese Literature

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Denjirō and His SisterAuthor: Yamamoto Shūgorō

Original Title	伝四郎兄妹
Author	山本周五郎
Genre	Popular Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	Amidst the chaos of 16th-century Japan’s warring states, fifteen-year-old Wakana fights to protect her family’s honor when her brother Denjirō, a samurai commander, is branded a traitor. As rumors spread through Ōmura Castle—fueled by enemy victories and children’s taunts—Wakana’s younger sister returns home battered and shamed, their family’s legacy crumbling. Defying her mother’s quiet faith in Denjirō’s innocence, Wakana disguises herself as a laborer and infiltrates the enemy fortress where her brother allegedly conspires. What she discovers shakes her: Denjirō, cold and ambitious, betrays her to their foes. Imprisoned and despairing, Wakana’s resolve is reignited when a mysterious spy risks everything to aid her escape with a cryptic letter. As dawn breaks over Mount Kamafushi, an earth-shattering explosion illuminates the truth—a truth that could redeem their name or destroy it. With armies clashing and loyalties fraying, Wakana races to unravel a web of deception where honor and betrayal wear the same face.