Shūgorō Yamamoto (1903–1967)

In 18th Century Japan, society was firmly bound by certain codes of conduct and the samurai were revered as protectors. Towards the end of the Tokugawa period, Ichi, a young woman from the family of a high ranking official is married to a samurai.

Living with his mother and 2 brothers, Ichi, develops a close relationship with them but begins to feel an uneasy undercurrent in the atmosphere around her. As a woman, she doesn't feel it in her place to question her husband but as tensions rise, her husband places in her care, a wrapped bundle with instructions to hide it well should anything happen to him.

Young and pregnant, Ichi falls victim to political intrigue she doesn't understand, and is forced to flee with her mother-in-law and a brother-in-law to border towns, hiding their identities to avoid capture by officials. Quite amazingly for someone of her upbringing, Ichi finds a hidden strength that leads her to seek work in weaving flower mats in order to support her mother-in-law and new baby daughter. However, their safety is compromised and they are once again forced to flee. Amidst tragedy, she uncovers evidence of a conspiracy against the shogun and without thought to her own personal safety, she does all she can to bring the journals to his attention.

The economical phrases in this beautifully written short story accentuates the details and immediately captures the attention and imagination of the reader.… (mere)