Akito Kashiwagi
| ||
| "...if possible, I would like to take Kyouka with me." | ||
| Japanese | 柏木 秋人 かしわぎ あきと | |
| Family | Kyouka Kuze (lover) Kaname Ototsuki (son) | |
| Occupation | Folklorist | |
| Status | Dead | |
| Date of death | Late Edo period | |
| Games | Fatal Frame III | |
| Notes | Folklore Notes & Legend of Song | |
Akito was a travelling folklorist and scholar. While studying folk-songs and ancient legends, he heard of a lullaby that had spread through the mountains of the Mutsu Region, and became interested; deciding that he could only learn more by immersing himself in the local atmosphere, he travelled to the area himself to conduct further research.[1]
While he was there, he was invited to stay the winter at the Kuze Shrine, where it was traditional to invite male guests to produce female heirs. It was here that he first heard the lullaby in its original form. He was going to be sent away when the snow melted from the manor, but he fell in love with Kyouka. Kyouka was infatuated with him, and arranged her hair in different ways to show that she loved him. He would take pictures of her with his camera. When he inquired about the songs and rituals of the region, she played music for him on her koto, including some version of the Sleeping Priestess song. He also took photographs of the Handmaidens, among other things, with the camera he took to the manor.
When the snow finally melted, Akito had to leave Kyouka behind, although he promised to return. Before departing, he gave her a set of Echo Stone Earrings so that they could hear each others' voices. Ultimately, Akito was killed by Yashuu Kuze, and his and Kyouka's child, Kaname Ototsuki, was smuggled out of the Manor to grow up in one of the mountain villages, unaware of who his parents were. After Akito's death, some of his notes about the folklore of the Tohoku Region were preserved and used by Yuu Asou and Kei Amakura in their research on the Tattooed Curse.
Misc. Info
- Akito bears a striking resemblance to Kei Amakura, even though there is no evidence that either are related.
- While Amane Kuze does refer to Akito as 'father' in one of her diary entries, Akito is not her biological father - as sourced by the Zero 3 Complete Guidebook.
- Akito's camera, found by Kei in the game, was a Camera Obscura. How he came into possession of it remains a mystery.
- Akito was active as a folklorist from the late Edo era until the Meiji period, the same era during which Dr. Kunihiko Asou was active.
See Also
- For other members of the Kashiwagi family, see Kashiwagi Family.
- For other folklorists in the Fatal Frame Series, see Folklorist.
- For other rituals in Fatal Frame III, see Fatal Frame III Rituals.