The Uncanny Wind from Mount Kurohime and Other Writings

A beautiful young thief learns the secret of hidden gold and sets out to avenge his family. On a river near Edo, a young lord’s fascination with a boatwoman encounters an unexpected obstacle in their parents’ past. Emi Suiin’s two historical tales combine suspense, lively conversation, and disturbing reversals, following ambitions and affections into consequences their characters cannot foresee.

Two autobiographical exploration pieces follow. A chance pottery fragment awakens the writer’s interest in Japan’s prehistoric inhabitants. Digging with friends, he discovers not only ancient objects but a new pleasure in physical labor, rivalry, and fitting fragments together. His recollections of Gongendai become a record of friendship, loss, and change above and beneath the ground.

This complete new English translation presents all four supplied writings in their original order, with concise notes on period customs, historical beliefs, textual irregularities, and the archaeological account’s preserved figure captions. AI-assisted translation.