Historical Novel The Broken Oath Explores Forgotten Samurai Women of Japan

London, United Kingdom Jun 4, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Author and martial artist Sumiko Nakano has released The Broken Oath, the second novel in her acclaimed Daughters of Wars series. Published in early June 2025, the book is a work of historical fiction set during the Boshin Wara civil conflict that marked the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the twilight of the samurai era. It follows three warrior sisters from Aizu as they are forced to abandon the code of honor they were raised to uphold in order to survive a political conspiracy that reaches into the highest ranks of the collapsing shogunate.

The story unfolds in 1868, just before the formal beginning of the Meiji era, at a time when Japan stood on the edge of civil war and centuries of tradition were unraveling. The novel explores the rarely told stories of onna-mushafemale warriors of feudal Japanwhose voices have largely been left out of historical accounts. Through vivid storytelling grounded in historical research, The Broken Oath brings readers into the chaos of a society caught between loyalty, silence, and survival.

My goal was to tell a story that history itself tried to erase, says Nakano, who drew inspiration from real-life figures such as Nakano Takekoher cousin four generations removedand from the lived experiences of women whose roles in warfare were systematically overlooked. We talk about Bushid like it was some timeless virtue, but by the early Meiji era it was already being rewrittenused to turn loyalty into a weapon. For women, for soldiers, for everyone. This book asks what happens when people stop letting others define what honor should look like.

Nakano, a Japanese-born British writer and martial artist, combines her background in traditional weaponry and combat arts with a historians attention to detail. Her work has been praised for its cinematic pacing, emotional depth, and refusal to romanticize violence.

The Daughters of Wars series began with The Birth of Steel and Vengeance in 2024, and has garnered a loyal following for its portrayal of female resilience in times of war. The Broken Oath continues that journeyfocusing not only on action, but also on betrayal, memory, and the cost of obedience.

The Broken Oath is available now worldwide in both print and digital formats via Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FB61LMNF

About the Author:
Sumiko Nakano is a martial artist and author whose work explores the intersection of silence, memory, and history. Known for her powerful storytelling and firsthand knowledge of Japanese martial traditions, she splits her time between London and Japan.