The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn

During Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1867), samurai warriors occupied the highest rank in Japanese culture. The rigid caste system that privileged samurai over all others—including farmers and merchants—was established in the early 17th century. Daimyo, high-ranking samurai lords, ruled from castles that served as status symbols and administrative centers, with the castle environs populated by their samurai retainers. Samurai were supposed to adhere to a strict sense of duty, loyalty, and martial skill, conforming to bushido, or “the way of the warrior.” The higher a samurai’s rank, the closer he lived to his master. Since the Edo Period was so peaceful, the martial arts of combat and self-defense (like karate and judo) eventually declined in importance, and the feudal system in Japan came to an end.

Seikei’s lower status as a son of a merchant precludes him from becoming a samurai, because lineage and birthright established one’s caste and occupation during this era, regardless of an individual’s preferences or talents. For a long time, merchants occupied a position of lower standing because of their dealings with money, but their increasing wealth meant that more of them could afford to educate their children and enjoy luxuries usually reserved for samurai. In The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn, this change in status is reflected in Seikei’s education, his father’s insistence that they ride in kago rather than walk, and their ability to afford the same lodgings as a powerful daimyo. Historically, the Tokaido Road was the thoroughfare that stretched from the eastern capital of Edo—now Tokyo—to Kyoto.

Finally, Judge Ooka, the character who employs Seikei and recognizes his virtue, is based on a real judge born in 1677. Ōoka Tadasuke was appointed to office by the shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, and became known for his strict ethics and incorruptibility. Ōoka’s fairness and long life elevated him to legendary status, and he became celebrated in Japanese culture and literature as a result. His wisdom is represented throughout the text, as he is the first to identify and reward Seikei’s bravery and honor, and he behaves with more sagacity and mercy than the shogun himself.