By / MOOK Editorial Department
An Osaka native, Yasushi Sato’s three classic debut fantasy novels, collectively hailed as the "Kansai Trilogy," include The Mystery of Amakusa, The Deer Man, and Princess Toyotomi, set respectively in Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. Sato masterfully weaves Japanese history and ancient legends into his storytelling, creating a uniquely fantastical world of his own.
The Kansai Complete Guide is now available on the App Store. (Image provided / MOOK Editorial Department)
The Mystery of Amakusa was Yasushi Sato’s debut work, which caused a sensation upon publication in Japan, earning widespread acclaim from readers and media alike and sparking a whirlwind in the Japanese literary scene. It was also nominated for the Japan Booksellers’ Award, often dubbed the “Oscars of the publishing world,” chosen by booksellers nationwide as their most recommended book.
It is said that when it was built (in 1164), all of Japan’s Buddhist sculptors were summoned to complete the Sanjusangendo Hall, a testament to the exceptional level of Buddhist sculpture artistry here. (Image provided / Mook Editorial Department)
Important locations in the book include the Kamigamo Shrine, Sanjusangendo, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, and yG Garden. The Kamigamo Shrine, with its vermilion facade, features classical structures such as the Dance Hall, Bridge Hall, Fine Hall, and Main Hall—all built in the style of the Heian period, with simple lines yet a strong aristocratic aura. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar from the Heian period, and has become Kyoto’s most famous plum blossom viewing spot in winter. Sanjusangendo, meaning “a great hall divided into thirty-three sections by pillars,” houses one thousand and one statues of the bodhisattva Kannon in its thirty-three chambers. Its official name is Rengeo-in.
His second work, The Deer Man (Shika Otoko Ao ni Yoshi), was not only once again nominated for the Japan Booksellers’ Award but also made the shortlist for the Naoki Prize, Japan’s highest literary honor. It was also adapted into a popular Japanese TV drama starring Kimura Takuya.
Nara Park, where the protagonist talks to deer every day, is Nara’s premier sightseeing spot. Spanning 600 hectares, Nara Park is home to must-visit sites such as Todai-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple, the Five-Story Pagoda, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Mount Wakakusa. The surrounding area also features cultural facilities such as the former residence of novelist Shiga Naoya and the Nara National Museum. To fully soak in Nara’s unique rustic charm, a whole day at Nara Park is well worth it.
The park’s iconic sight—herds of deer grazing with their heads down—has become a symbol of Nara City. (Image provided / Mook Editorial Department)
The fourth work, Princess Toyotomi, set once again in his hometown of Osaka, was another nominee for the Naoki Prize and was adapted into a film starring Junichi Okada and Haruka Ayase. As an Osaka native, Yasushi Sato naturally felt compelled to write a story set in Osaka, giving birth to Princess Toyotomi. The story originates in the Kūhō Shopping Street. Located along Nagahori-dori, if you walk up the stone slope, you’ll find the spot where Masamune Sanada, the mild-mannered, slightly chubby middle school boy who is the protagonist of the novel, would pray every morning before school to Mii-san (a local shrine figure) to make his wish come true. Since the second grade, Masamune had only one wish: to become a girl. That wish became something he prayed for daily.
Kūhō, the site of the ancient Naniwa Palace, is the remnant of an empty moat built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to defend Osaka Castle—thus named Kūhō, meaning “empty moat.” (Image provided / Mook Editorial Department)
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