The Great Bodhisattva Pass, Book 26: Meiro, Volume 1

As snow closes around a mountain hot spring, Oyuki seeks comfort beside the blind swordsman Ryūnosuke. Songs and a flute awaken memories, while private fears mingle with the rumors of other guests. Conversations move through poetry, faith, music, and the uncertainty of a life held in winter seclusion.

On the roads and by the sea, pursuits and encounters continue. Old tales, artistic explanations, children’s play, and unsettling accusations connect characters whose intentions remain difficult to read.

Meiro, Volume 1 translates the complete supplied first of two volumes of Book 26 of Nakazato Kaizan’s epic. All twenty-one narrative sections, full poems and letters, and the final empty section 22 heading are retained. Its narrative continues in the supplied Volume 2.