Teito Monogatari:
The Tale of the Imperial Capital
Part 1: Great Spirit of Tokyo
Author: Hiroshi Aramata
Part 6: Those Who Command Shinigami
Chapter 32: Night Parade of One Hundred Demons
As he pointed at the New Nihonbashi Bridge under construction, First Lieutenant Katō whispered to Karl Haushofer, "Look at that strange bridge."
"What about the Japanese bridge?" the German asked. "It doesn't look strange to me."
"This place feels eerie,” Katō replied in German and Japanese.
“Why?” Haushofer asked in German.
“The New Nihonbashi Bridge carries the grudge of a powerful spirit," he said. And why is that? he asked himself silently. It was already dark. A sinister atmosphere shrouded the corner of Nihonbashi where brand-new buildings stood in clusters.
Why was there a bloodthirsty aura lingering around the new bridge? Katō recalled the name of the architect charge of its design, Tsumaki Yorinaka, born in Edo before it became Tōkyō. He possessed a mysterious influence over the bureaucratic and political worlds. Rumor had it that he was building the New Nihonbashi Bridge as a triumphal arch to symbolize the glorious Meiji era.
Even so, malicious gossip circulated quietly among other architects. Tsumaki Yorinaka was a gloomy man who used the prestige of the state as a shield to make impossible demands.
Was the violent aura around the bridge purposeful? Had Tsumaki Yorinaka intended to create it?
Lieutenant Katō tilted his head.
Mr. Haushofer, standing beside him and looking toward the Imperial Palace while the pleasant river breeze of Tōkyō brushed their shoulders, was lost in a different set of reflections. He was thinking about the strength of the Japanese Imperial Army. Having observed in detail the military maneuvers conducted throughout Japan during winter, he was astonished by the efficiency of the exercises and the brilliance of their execution.
Take the bridge-building exercises near Yokohama, for instance. The encampment trained in the snow of the Hakkōda Mountains. In every case, they completed the tasks with half the number of men the German army would have used, and in less than half the time. He, like Katō, had been repeatedly asking himself, why?
In Mr. Haushofer's case, however, an answer to the question was already halfway formed. The homogeneity of the Japanese race created cohesion. Perhaps the purity of their blood was the cause of their terrifying competency. He believed that the best way to strengthen the German army was to build it up with pure-blooded Aryan people. He had already begun compiling this conclusion into a report to send to Munich.
Suddenly, Lieutenant Katō's sharp voice cut through his thoughts. Mr. Haushofer turned.
Katō gripped his saber with a white-gloved hand and cast his gaze around without letting down his guard.
"We're surrounded. Hurry," he whispered with an intensity that intimidated his German companion.
Mr. Haushofer followed after Katō. The two headed from Sudachō toward Kyōbashi. The brand-new main street was empty at this hour. The men cast their shadows on the white buildings to either side of them. They walked in silence for about ten minutes. When they were close to Kyōbashi, Katō suddenly slipped into a small side street to the west.
Mr. Haushofer kept pace. "What is it, Katō?"
"Sh." Katō looked around once more. "We're being followed."
"By what?"
"A monster."
"A monster?"
There was a reason they had slipped into the narrow street. Katō quickly pulled out his notebook, scribbled something in haste, and then handed it to Haushofer.
From between the walls of the alley, they stared out at the main street. An orange light shone brighter and brighter overhead; Mr. Haushofer could not identify its source. Then a groan echoed off the alley walls, sounding like the chanting of a large crowd.
A naked person stumbled out of the alley opposite Mr. Haushofer and Lieutenant Katō, bathed in orange light.
But, no--that wasn't a person. It was about four feet tall and spun around and around like a circus dwarf. It stopped suddenly, facing them. Its mouth was a wide red slit and its hair was in wild disarray. Two horns sprouted from its sweaty forehead.
The demon's appearance on the street served as a signal. A band of similarly orange-lit monsters appeared around it. They imitated the movements of kabuki dancers, striking poses or flipping like acrobats. They marched haphazardly down the main street. Some of the demons were obviously women.
Mr. Haushofer chanted protection spells like a madman and kept his eyes fixed single-mindedly on the demons. The bizarre procession continued without end, advancing like performers on a stage, staining the darkness orange.
Mr. Haushofer was overcome by terror, but he forced himself to keep chanting.
At last, the parade of demons ended. When the final figure vanished behind the alley wall, the orange light flickered. The demons groaned softly, their voices fading into echoes.
Lieutenant Katō lifted his head. After confirming that Mr. Haushofer was safe, he chanted the Great Invocation of Buddhism three times:
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Mr. Haushofer drew in a deep breath, feeling restored.
"That was a demon. More precisely, it was a shikigami. It seems that someone opposes our plan. Most likely, shikigami manipulated by the Tsuchimikado family are behind this. They came to take our lives."
"Katō," the German murmured, clearly worried.
"There is no need to be concerned. Astrology is useful for deciding on a place and time to hide from danger, as we have just done. Mr. Haushofer, you have just experienced one of the grandest magics of the East."
Dazed, the German nodded, then stuck his head out from the alley and peered down the main street.
The swarm of demons was nowhere to be seen.
Lieutenant Katō drew himself up, murderous intent blazing in his gray eyes.
A ferocious fight was about to begin. The forces of darkness would clash.
Katō raised one hand and pulled down his white glove.
The jet-black pentagram dyed into the back of his hand left a vivid afterimage in Mr. Haushofer's eyes.
Translator's Note:
Katō's mantra is associated with Nichiren Buddhism, and is often referred to as the Daimoku, meaning "Great Invocation" or "Great Prayer."
Thank you so much for this translation project! 🩷
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! :) This one's tough, but I'm really trying!
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