The Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai

Copyright © 2012 Barbara D. Lazar

The right of Barbara D. Lazar to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

First published as an Ebook by Headline Publishing Group in 2012

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

eISBN : 978 0 7553 8927 8

HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
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London NW1 3BH

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Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Acknowledgements

Historical Note

Principal Characters

Maps

Prologue

Book 1

I. Conspiracy

II. The Negotiation

III. New World

Book 2

I. A Rival

II. Rules

III. Risk

IV. Ambush

V. Story of Samurai

Book 3

I. Omens

II. The Practice of Omens

III. First Weapons

IV. Third Month Third Day Dancing

V. Six More Weapons

Book 4

I. Flaw

II. Succession

III. The Gods of Directions’ Directive

IV. Honourable Hiroshi

V. Madam Hitomi

Book 5

I. Surprises

II. Work

III. One Story

IV. Advancement

V. The Exceptions

VI. Metamorphosis

VII. Backward Blessing

Book 6

I. A Bright Time

II. Additions

III. Emi Laughs

IV. A Contest

V. Treachery

Book 7

I. Knowledge

II. Proposal

III. Framework for Vengeance

IV. Decision

V. Systems

VI. Information

Book 8

I. One in Particular

II. Premonitions

III. Preparations

IV. A Beginning

V. Purchases

Book 9

I. Echizen Governor Taira No Michimori

II. Messengers

III. Battle

IV. Byōdōin

V. Advice

Book 10

I. Homecoming

II. Portable Shrine

III. A Secret

IV. Temporary Home

V. Misuki’s Exorcism

Book 11

I. Abstention

II. Obāsan

III. New Home

IV. Service

V. Practising and Politics

VI. Journey with the Emperor

Book 12

I. Sea Bass

II. Summoned

III. Meeting Again

IV. Three Cups of
Sake

V. A Hunter’s Dog

VI. Another Road

Book 13

I. New Work

II. Secret Papers

III. Players

IV. Number Two Serving Girl

V. Samurai Training

Book 14

I. Temples

II. Secret Door

III. A Game of
Go

IV. Pretence and Counsel

V. Birth Anniversary and The Coin

VI. Gifts

Book 15

I. Festivals and Famine

II. Spiders

III. Shoes

IV. Fly in Web

V. Weaving Webs

VI. Journeying

VII. The Trap

Book 16

I. Return

II. Enemies

III. Honour and Blood

IV. Vision

V. Burned

VI. Enemies of Enemies

Book 17

I. Settling

II. Banished

III. Tokikazu’s Armour

IV. Mountain Surprise

V. The Coin

VI. Last Performance

Book 18

Glossary

Author’s Notes

Taira Clan Genealogy

Minamoto Clan Genealogy

Genealogy of Emperors of the Late Heian Japan

Acknowledgements

First, I wish to express my most profound gratitude to my superb agent, Alexandra Machinist, as well as to Dorothy Vincent and Kaitlin Nicholis at Janklow & Nesbit Associates. Second, my extraordinary indebtedness to Claire Baldwin, Emily Kitchin and Hazel Orme for their enthusiasm and their superb pruning, shaping and editing.

Gratitude to Fred Brandow who assisted initally, to Diane Capito, Ginny Ford, Barbara Gere and Leila Klemtner, a writing group who nursed the manuscript to its adolescence; to Jean Jackson, Butch McGhee, Diane LaCombe, Jacque Paramenter, and to the Penultimates – Tim Talbert, Beaty Spear, Steve Stewart and Marjorie Brody, who cherished and badgered it into adulthood. An extraordinary and heartfelt appreciation to Barbara J. Gere who is the artist who created the magnificent maps. I wish to thank the San Antonio Public Librarians, especially those at Tobin Oakwell Library and the Interlibrary Loan Department for obtaining the inaccessible, and the reference librarians at Trinity University for their never-ending assistance. A special appreciation to the Japan America Society of San Antonio, Peter Hoover and particularly Ikuko Groesbeck. Also my indebtedness to Curt Harrell and Dr Roger Spotswood for their lavish book loans and knowledge as well as Dr Fred Notehelfer, Dr Hank Glassman, Reiko Yoshimura at the Freer Gallery of Art, Sharon S. Takeda, Greg Pflugfelder, Ann Yonemura, and Michael Watson.

My love and wholehearted gratitude to Dr Diane B. Latona (nee Mirro) who gave me more wisdom and information than are in books, to my father who bequeathed a love of words, to my mother who bequeathed a love of reading and to my husband and life partner, Gregory Surfas, who endured my scribblings – mornings, evenings, middle of the nights and weekends – and whose love sustained me through each sentence.

Historical Note

The Gempei War, the cataclysmic clash between the Taira and Minamoto clans in late twelfth-century Japan, heralded the end of its Golden Age (794-1185). At this critical time in Japan’s history, warriors continued their progression to power until they controlled the country several centuries later. Many Noh and Kabuki plays are set during this war because of the war’s innumerable heroic exploits and battles. These plays are written from the Minamoto point of view, but
The Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai
’s point of view is the Taira’s.

Principal Characters

Kozaisō, writer of the
Pillow Book
, formerly Fifth Daughter

At a
shōen
(estate)

At the Village of Outcasts

At Rokuhara

The Taira Clan (Kozaish
ō
’s)

The Minamoto Clan