- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,057
- 18,914
A privately published historical novel by a distant descendant of the Kōka (or Kōga) ninja has become an unexpected success, mainly because of its grounding in real events. In Japan, it is unusual for a work by a non-professional author to maintain steady sales more than two years after release. The book, titled Ieyasu and the Kōga Ninja Ohara Clan (家康と甲賀忍者・大原一族 Ieyasu to Kōga Ninja Ōhara Ichizoku), was written by a Shiga Prefecture resident under the pen name Kōga Otomohara, who chose anonymity because of his past career as an executive at a major corporation.
家康と甲賀忍者・大原一族 Ieyasu to Kōga Ninja Ōhara Ichizoku
The Kōka samurai of Shiga have long been associated with ninja traditions, with many families tied together through bloodlines. Otomohara traces his own ancestry to the Ohara, one of the largest of these ninja families, renowned for their close-knit bonds. First published in December 2022, the novel blends family oral traditions with accounts the author gathered from relatives and local sources.
家康と甲賀忍者・大原一族 Ieyasu to Kōga Ninja Ōhara Ichizoku
The Kōka samurai of Shiga have long been associated with ninja traditions, with many families tied together through bloodlines. Otomohara traces his own ancestry to the Ohara, one of the largest of these ninja families, renowned for their close-knit bonds. First published in December 2022, the novel blends family oral traditions with accounts the author gathered from relatives and local sources.