The Vine-Tangled Bridge of Kiso, Volume 1

In the mountain valleys of Kiso, war seems distant—until a beautiful courtesan’s secret draws lords, retainers, and outlaws into a struggle over revenge and power. Niodori’s nightly brush with death conceals a mysterious inheritance, while a young couple must choose between loyalty to their families and loyalty to each other. A skull fashioned into a drinking cup connects the living to an unresolved crime.

Beyond the fortified mansions, mountain bandits gather beneath a charismatic leader. In another domain, famine exposes the human cost of warfare, and an enigmatic old master distributes rice balls that restore life. Magical transformations, concealed identities, and contests of supernatural skill carry the action from river cliffs to castle corridors and the open sky.

Kunieda Shirō (1887–1943) brings historical adventure and fantastic invention together in a sweeping tale of Japan’s warring age. This first volume offers a complete translation of the supplied opening portion, with concise notes on names, customs, poems, and textual peculiarities. The narrative continues in Volume 2. AI-assisted translation.