A Locked Room Mystery in the Snow
On a cold winter night in 1937, the peaceful village of Okamura is shattered by an unthinkable horror. The wedding celebration of Kenzo Ichiyanagi, heir to the prestigious Ichiyanagi family honjin (a traditional inn for samurai), should have been a joyous occasion. Instead, it becomes the stage for one of Japan's most baffling locked-room mysteries.
The newlyweds retire to their wedding chamber in an isolated annex of the estate. The building is surrounded by fresh snow, making any approach visible. Around midnight, the eerie sound of a koto echoes through the darkness, followed by terrible screams. When family members break down the door, they discover a scene of carnage—both bride and groom brutally slaughtered, their bodies bearing horrific wounds from a Japanese sword.
The impossible puzzle: the room was locked from the inside, the snow around the building shows no footprints except those of the family rushing to investigate, and the murder weapon—a katana—is found inside the sealed room. How did the killer enter and escape? Who would want to destroy this wedding in such a spectacular fashion?
Enter Kindaichi Kosuke, the disheveled detective who must unravel not only the physical impossibility of the crime but also the dark family secrets and wartime shadows that led to this night of blood and horror. This case, Kindaichi's debut investigation, would establish him as Japan's greatest detective and cement Yokomizo's reputation as a master of the locked-room mystery.
The eccentric private detective making his debut. With his disheveled appearance and stammering manner, he seems an unlikely hero—yet his keen observations and logical mind prove indispensable in solving this impossible crime.
The ill-fated groom and heir to the Ichiyanagi family. A man burdened by family expectations and dark memories from the war. His wedding night becomes his final night.
The bride, a young woman whose dreams of happiness are brutally ended. The circumstances of her death raise questions about the killer's true target and motivation.
Kenzo's younger cousin, a troubled young man with a complex relationship to the family. His strange behavior during the investigation raises suspicions.
Kenzo's younger sister, intelligent and observant. She provides crucial testimony about the strange occurrences leading up to the wedding night.
The local police chief who recognizes the case is beyond his abilities and calls in Kindaichi. His practical approach complements Kindaichi's intuitive methods.
Historical Note: Published in 1946, immediately after World War II, The Honjin Murdersreflects the tensions of its era—the decline of old aristocratic families, the trauma of war, and the clash between tradition and modernity. The locked-room mystery serves as a metaphor for Japan itself: a sealed world being violently opened to new realities. This novel won the first Mystery Writers of Japan Award and remains one of the most celebrated locked-room mysteries in Japanese literature.