Steve Wiley

The year is 1931. Prince Tokugawa Yoshinobu holds absolute control over Japan. Remnants of the Meiji era’s culture can be seen around the city, but scientific technology and Japanese esoteric cosmology Onmyodo are also developing. Yet lurking behind the glitz is Kuchinawa, a dissident group planning the assassination of the prince. Tasked to extinguish these dissidents is Nue, the government’s secret executioner group. Sawa Yukimura, who works for this organization, suffered at the hands of the Kuchinawa boss. Her entire family was murdered and she dedicated her life to avenging their death.

In 1959, a body of a flight attendant of an international airline is found, strangled. Detective Rokuro Fujisawa takes charge of the investigation with a young detective Ichimura and his investigations lead him to Father Tolbeck as a suspect. But the police are forced to move very discreetly as the time was right after the Second World War, when a sensitive situation that involves Western people and religion is likely to become an international issue. The investigation leads to an unexpected discloser of a shadowy business behind the church that reflects the uncertainty of the time.

One of the most appealing features of Japan's national road network is the various Michinoeki, literally way stations, that provide a place for motorists to rest, dine and shop. They offer information on the locality and restaurants with regional specialties, and often sell local crafts and delicacies for travelers to take home. A stop at one or more of these spots helps to make any road trip in Japan unforgettable.

The year is 1931. Prince Tokugawa Yoshinobu holds absolute control over Japan. Remnants of the Meiji era’s culture can be seen around the city, but scientific technology and Japanese esoteric cosmology Onmyodo are also developing. Yet lurking behind the glitz is Kuchinawa, a dissident group planning the assassination of the prince. Tasked to extinguish these dissidents is Nue, the government’s secret executioner group. Sawa Yukimura, who works for this organization, suffered at the hands of the Kuchinawa boss. Her entire family was murdered and she dedicated her life to avenging their death.

One of the most appealing features of Japan's national road network is the various Michinoeki, literally way stations, that provide a place for motorists to rest, dine and shop. They offer information on the locality and restaurants with regional specialties, and often sell local crafts and delicacies for travelers to take home. A stop at one or more of these spots helps to make any road trip in Japan unforgettable.