Shinju - double suicide of desperate lovers - is not at all uncommon in Edo, the capital of Japan during the Tokugawa samurai era. Inquiry in such cases is nothing more than a formality... But the young Eriki Sanno Ishiro, who is leading this case, makes more and more unexpected discoveries... The deceased young man - a poor artist from the “fun quarter” - was not interested in women at all. And the girl - a young aristocrat - seems to have happened by accident came into contact with some important secret. Finally, traces were found on the bodies of the “unlucky lovers” that clearly indicate violent death. So... was shinju even committed?