One of the most important lessons Seikei learns is how deceptive appearances can be; this knowledge prevents Judge Ooka from making assumptions that could impede a successful investigation. Trusting appearances often leads to confusion and further obfuscation of the truth, so Seikei must learn to question even things that seem obvious.

Seikei encounters people who are not what they seem to be or what they should be according to society; he also learns to discern actions that are designed to deceive observers. He himself is not quite as he appears: Though he is technically just a merchant’s son, his bravery reveals that he has the heart of a “true samurai,” something the discerning judge recognizes and rewards. On the Tokaido Road, his own appearance leads others to believe that he is a robber, though he’d never steal. Hakuseki is another such individual: He is a powerful daimyo, so one might assume that he would conduct himself with dignity and honor. However, even a short interaction with him reveals his lack of virtue or concern for others. During Ooka’s investigation, the innkeeper’s actions also suggest that he is more than meets the eye; his choice to commit death by

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