Synopses & Reviews
The fictionalized account of a military training mission gone tragically wrong as a result of poor planning, bureaucratic interference, and bad luck. In the winter of 1902, 210 soldiers are ordered to cross the snowbound slopes of Mount Hakkoda to test their military strength in anticipation of a Russian invasion. The author's precise descriptions of the terror of the snow and the cold epitomize the detached lyricism so highly admired in Japan.
Review
"A compelling tale." Bloomsbury Review
About the Author
Jiro Nitta was one of Japan's most popular authors at the time of his death in 1980.James Westerhoven teaches at Hirosaki University in northern Japan.