The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn

One of the most important lessons Seikei learns is how deceptive appearances can be; this knowledge prevents Judge Ooka from making assumptions that could impede a successful investigation. Trusting appearances often leads to confusion and further obfuscation of the truth, so Seikei must learn to question even things that seem obvious.

Seikei encounters people who are not what they seem to be or what they should be according to society; he also learns to discern actions that are designed to deceive observers. He himself is not quite as he appears: Though he is technically just a merchant’s son, his bravery reveals that he has the heart of a “true samurai,” something the discerning judge recognizes and rewards. On the Tokaido Road, his own appearance leads others to believe that he is a robber, though he’d never steal. Hakuseki is another such individual: He is a powerful daimyo, so one might assume that he would conduct himself with dignity and honor. However, even a short interaction with him reveals his lack of virtue or concern for others. During Ooka’s investigation, the innkeeper’s actions also suggest that he is more than meets the eye; his choice to commit death by seppuku rather than confess to being involved in the theft exposes his loyal, samurai identity.

Furthermore, Ooka’s revelation that the jewel found in Michiko’s room is a glass imitation prevents Tomomi’s deception from derailing the investigation. Thus, Ooka is not fooled when he learns that Tomomi left the jewel at Amaterasu’s shrine because he knows not to trust appearances. His claim that “the theft […] is not as simple as it first appeared” (51) proves true in multiple ways. Tomomi’s real identity as Genji, the son of a Kirishitan daimyo, remains hidden for much of the novel, and his motivations for pursuing Hakuseki are ultimately revealed to be honorable. Even his failure to commit death by seppuku—which the shogun initially interprets as evidence of cowardice—turns out to be the result of Tomomi’s Kirishitan values, which he had to keep secret because they can conflict with samurai ideals. Finally, Tomomi isn’t just a common thief; upon closer inspection, his motives are much more nuanced and even culturally respectable, as he seeks to retrieve his family’s property.

Ooka’s ability to notice things that others overlook establishes him as a wise judge of people and things, even more so than the shogun (57). Thus, Seikei’s development of a similar skillset bodes well for his future as a samurai. Seikei’s deepening understanding of the importance of looking past appearances also speaks to his developing emotional maturity, reinforcing his aptitude for adaptation in his quest to be a true samurai.