The Eight Dog Warriors (Nanso Satomi Hakkenden)

Kyokutei Bakin · 1814-1842

Overview

A long yomihon in 98 volumes and 106 books, published over twenty-eight years from 1814 to 1842. Set in Awa in the late Muromachi period, it begins with the fateful bond between Princess Fuse, daughter of Satomi Yoshizane, and the dog Yatsufusa. Eight jewels marked with the characters for benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, loyalty, faith, filial piety and brotherly love scatter, and eight dog warriors are born holding them. Meeting and parting again and again across the Kanto, the eight gather under the Satomi clan and finally face a decisive battle against a great Kanto army.

Background

Kyokutei Bakin was born into a samurai family in Edo and made his name writing popular fiction. Strongly influenced by the Chinese Water Margin, he built his story on the framework of rewarding good, punishing evil and karmic retribution. He went blind in old age and completed the work by dictating it to his son's wife, Omichi. It was an age when yomihon were widely read through lending libraries, and Hakkenden was enormously popular, becoming kabuki plays and woodblock prints too.

Highlights

  1. Princess Fuse and YatsufusaBecause of a promise made in jest, the princess retreats to Mount Tomi with a dog. The fate behind the whole story begins here.Read “(place)” →
  2. The Konaya at GyotokuWounded dog warriors gather at an inn, and bonds are formed.Read “(place)” →
  3. The duel on the HoryukakuOn the roof of a tall tower in Koga, Inuzuka Shino and Inukai Genpachi grapple and tumble into a boat on the river below. One of the most famous scenes in Hakkenden.Read “The Duel on the Horyukaku” →
  4. The monster cat of Mount KoshinA tale of a mountain monster that takes human form and deceives a family. It shows the fun of the book as a fantastic romance.Read “(place)” →