In the present day, a young boy plays in the forest and falls asleep under a tree. Protected by the fox god, his dreams take him far back in time, to discover his past lives. Once a samurai, the dream gods confront him with the massacres he has committed. Later, as a tattoo artist, he will experience the post-World War II omerta and the banning of this subtle art.
Little by little, the reader is introduced to the history and culture of Japan, through a number of references that will delight the more experienced without puzzling the average reader, such as the game with the shogi coins.
