The Glow of Sunset in Asuka: A Saga of Soga no Iruka

In the late 630's in Asuka, Soga no Kuratsukuri, who was born the son and heir of the powerful minister Soga no Emishi, is now grown up and regarded as one of the best and brightest to manage the imperial government. He is studying hard at the T'ang Dynasty. This school is reserved for the sons of nobles and influential families such as Prince Karu, Ishikawamaro, Prince Yamasiro no Oe, Prince Furuhito and Nakatomi no Kamatari. They are earnestly studying Chinese thought and political doctrine in the hope of carrying out governmental reforms in Yamato. Among all the others, Kuratsukuri and Kamatari are regarded as excellent and treated with deference. However, Kuratsukuri is the heir of the head family of the Soga clan, whereas Kamatari was born into a family of rather lowly status. The family is in charge of affairs pertaining to the Shinto religion. The two men are naturally quite different in political standing, and Kamatari is secretly jealous of Kuratsukuri.