Diary of The White Fox

08 Skies of the Bakumatsu

by Hiroshi Saito

illus. by Jun Takabatake

The long-awaited eighth instalment of the historical fantasy series celebrating its 30th anniversary. Shirakoma Maru, the magical white fox who has journeyed through the ages, now finds himself in the closing years of the Tokugawa shogunate, as Japan stands on the brink of dramatic change. Encountering historical figures including Ii Naosuke and Yoshida Shoin, he watches as the arrival of the Black Ships sets the country on a path towards a new era. Through the eyes of the immortal fox, Hiroshi Saito once again explores the contradictions of human nature against the backdrop of a pivotal moment in Japanese history.

19 x 14 cm, 302 pages, Black-and-white illustrations
First published April 2026