#Masumi Sugae #Folklore #Okitsugu Tanuma #Hideo Shirai #Matsumae Domain #Korei Hayashi #Ezo (Hokkaido) #Kunashir Conflict A novel set against a historical backdrop, told from the perspective of a spy. Masumi Sugae, known as a pioneer of folklore, meticulously documented local customs and folklore in diary form, leaving behind over 200 books. He mastered waka poetry, painting, and herbalism, and began his journey at the age of 30. At the time, it was a turbulent era marked by the conflict between Okitsugu Tanuma and Sadanobu Matsudaira, the problems of the Matsumae Domain, and the threat from northern Russia, all of which greatly shook the shogunate system. What was he seeking, and what drove him to travel to Shinano, Dewa, Mutsu, and then Ezo (Hokkaido)? This masterpiece of historical fiction delves into his life, a mix of fact and fiction, using mystery techniques to uncover his secrets. - Title: Tenmei no Mittei (The Tenmei Spy) - Author: Fumihiko Nakatsu - Genre: Novel - Publisher: Bungeishunju - ISBN: 9784163232607 Price: 1714 yen + tax