The World of Dogura Magura / Kyusaku Yumeno, Inhabitants of the Labyrinth (Kodansha Literary Library Tsu-J 2)

The opening chapter is "The World of Dogura Magura," published by Tsurumi Shunsuke in the magazine "Science of Thought" in 1962, a time when Yumeno Kyusaku was largely ignored by the reading public. This essay led to the "rediscovery" of Yumeno Kyusaku, who had been forgotten in Japan's post-war period. The publication of "The World of Dogura Magura" led to a relationship between Tsurumi and Yumeno Kyusaku's eldest son, Sugiyama Tatsumaru. After thoroughly digesting Sugiyama Tatsumaru's books and Yumeno Kyusaku's diary compiled by Sugiyama, Tsurumi wrote his essay on Yumeno Kyusaku, "Yumeno Kyusaku: Dweller of the Labyrinth." The first part of "Yumeno Kyusaku: Dweller of the Labyrinth" begins with an introduction to Yumeno Kyusaku's "Dr. Inugami," which Tsurumi Shunsuke encountered as a boy. The book then moves on to "The Edge of Ice," a work inspired by the Japanese military's Siberian expedition, and the unique mystery novel "Dogura Magura." The question then arises as to how these works were received by readers in the early Showa period.

Part 2 traces the life of author Yumeno Kyusaku through the lens of his real name, Sugiyama Yasumichi. Much of Yasumichi's biographical information comes from the writings of his eldest son, Sugiyama Tatsumaru. By combining these biographical facts with the historical context, readers can delve deeper into the world of his works.

Part 3 chronicles the evolution of how Yumeno's works were received. His works were still perceived as aberrations by Edogawa Rampo and other detective writers of the same era. However, they left a strong impression on younger readers such as Fukunaga Takehiko and Nakai Hideo. After Japan's defeat in the war and during the Occupation, Yumeno Kyusaku was forgotten, but interest in him began to grow again around 1960, leading to further research and analysis of his works. What emerged was the image of an extremely original writer who, living in a region far from the center, used the everyday language of the area to approach fundamental human issues. This book sheds light from multiple angles on the highly original writer that is Yumeno Kyusaku, and it is hoped that readers will also develop a clearer image of him.