Daughters of Nijo, by Onoto Watanna, is an early twentieth-century romance novel set in Japanese court circles. It follows young women of the Nijo palace as love, duty, and family expectation shape their lives, with scenes of betrothal, court gossip, and moonlit meetings. It offers a warm, atmospheric glimpse into an imagined Japan of princesses and palace intrigue.
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Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).
Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
DAUGHTERS OF NIJO
“She did not speak to the attendant while she dined, but continued to stare before her through the open shoji”
DAUGHTERS OF NIJO
A ROMANCE OF JAPAN
BY
ONOTO WATANNA
AUTHOR OF “A JAPANESE NIGHTINGALE,” “THE WOOING OF
WISTARIA,” “THE HEART OF HYACINTH,” ETC.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND DECORATIONS
BY KIYOKICHI SANO
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
LONDON: MACMILLAN & Co., Ltd.
1904
All rights reserved Copyright, 1904, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up, electrotyped, and published April, 1904. Reprinted April, 1904. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood. Mass., U.S.A.
Contents CHAPTER PAGE Before the Story’s Action 13 I. The Child of the Sun 25 II. An Emperor’s Promise 41 III. Masago 53 IV. A Betrothal 67 V. Gossip of the Court 77 VI. The Princess Sado-ko 87 VII. The Picture by the Artist-man 101 VIII. A Sentimental Princess 113 IX. Moon Tryst 127 X. Cousin Komatzu 147 XI. A Mirror and a Photograph 163 XII. Mists of Kamakura 175 XIII. Daughters of Nijo 189 XIV. Solution of the Gods 199 XV. The Change 211 XVI. A Family Council 229 XVII. The New Masago 243 XVIII. A Mother Blind 255 XIX. Within the Palace Nijo 267
XX. An Evil Omen 281 XXI. “You are not Sado-ko!” 295 XXII. The Coming Home of Junzo 309 XXIII. The Convalescent 321 XXIV. A Royal Proclamation 335 XXV. The Eve of a Wedding 347 XXVI. Masago’s Return 359 XXVII. A Gracious Princess at Last 377 XXVIII “THE GODS KNEW BEST!” 389
Illustrations “She did not speak to the attendant while she dined, but continued to stare before her through the open shoji” Frontispiece “A score of ripe cherries descended upon her head” 35 “‘Look,’ cried Sado-ko, clutching his sleeve” 143 Mists of Kamakura 183 “Then up and down the room in the long, trailing robe of Princess Sado-ko, walked, peacock-like, the maiden Masago” 217 “Then soft alighted on a cherry tree, and filled the air with its sweet song” 223
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