Painting by Ken Kuroi

Kenji Miyazawa

“What is true happiness for everyone?” (本当のみんなの幸せとは　Hontou no Minna no Saiwase towa)

　　　　　　Kenji Miwazawa（宮澤賢治）

             Illustration by Ken Kuroi（黒井健）. 

Nankichi Niimi

Drawn by Ken Kuroi

“Night on the Galactic Railroad (銀河鉄道の夜　Gingatetsudo no Yoru)"
　written by Kenji　Miyazawa

 
“Night on the Galactic Railroad (銀河鉄道の夜　Gingatetsudo no Yoru), is a classic Japanese novel by KenjiMiyazawa （宮澤賢治） written around 1927. After his most beloved sister Toshi died in 1922 of pneumonia. He kept on polishing the work steadily in sorrow until his death in 1933. Now we can be thought through the themes of this novel, how we should live after the disaster that struck in Tohoku region in Japan on March 11th , last year.

 



 Plot summary

Giovanni and Campanella, they get on a star traveling train. The train flies through the Northern Cross and other stars in the Milky Way. Along the way, these boys see fantastic sights and meet various people: for example, scholars excavating a fossil from white sands , a man who catches herons to make candies from them and a girl who tells a story about a scorpion that became a red burning fire. They meet a young man and two children, passengers from the Titanic. Giovanni asks to himself what true happiness is, through this trip. When the train approaches the Coalsack, Campannella disappears, leaving Giovanni behind. Giovanni wakes up on the hill. He can understand that the final destination for this train is Heaven. He wakes, to discover it was all a dream. He heads to the town, and finds that his friend Zanelli had fallen into the river from a boat. He was saved by Campannella  who went into the water and died. Giovanni makes a promise to stay strong throughout his life, unburdened by his friend’s death, and overcoming loneliness and sorrow.





"How should we overcome our sadness?", Kenji asks us. And next he thinks "What can
I do for someone ?" this is an idea of changing and a transformation for hope. "Your
sadness is mine, and my happiness is yours." It depends on the idea that we are living for each
other, on the earth and in the universe.
Then, an incredible energy will well up within us. It will come when we realize the true value
of our lives.
　



”Amenimo makezu” (雨にも負けず　“Not defeated by the rain”) is a famous poem written by Kenji Miyazawa. This poem contains the same theme as　“Night on the Galactic Railroad (銀河鉄道の夜　Gingatetsudo no Yoru).

Please read his poem.


Ame nimo makezu (雨にも負けず)

I am strong in rain. (雨にも負けず)
I am strong in wind. (風にも負けず)
I am strong in the summer heat and snow. (雪にも夏の暑さにも負けぬ)
I am healthy and tough (丈夫な体を持ち)
And free from desire. (欲はなく)
I never lose my temper or good nature (決して怒らず)
Nor the smile on my lips. (いつも静かに笑っている)

I eat three cups of brown rice,（一日に玄米四合と）
miso and a few vegetables a day.（味噌と少しの野菜を食べ）
I don not think of myself before others.（あらゆることに自分を勘定に入れず）
In everything, I learn from my experience（良く見聞きしわかり）
and never forget what is important.（そして忘れず）
I live in a small thatched roof hut（野原の松の木の陰の）
in a field under some pine trees.（小さなかやぶきの小屋にいて）

If there is a sick child in the east, (東に病気の子供あれば)
I go to there to nurse the child. (行って看病してやり)
If there is a tired mother in the west, (西に疲れた母あれば)
I go to her and carry boundless of rice. (行ってその稲の束を背負い)
If someone is dying in the south, (南に死にそうな人あれば)
I go and tell them not to be afraid. (行って怖がらなくてもいいと言い)
If there is a quarrel and a lawsuit in the north, (北に喧嘩や訴訟があれば)
I tell them to stop their petty fighting. (つまらないからやめろと言い)

I weep when there is a drought (日照りのときは涙を流し)
And wander upset when the summer is cold. (寒さの夏はおろおろ歩き)
I am called by everyone (みんなに木偶の坊と呼ばれ)
And receive no praise. (褒められもせず)
No one takes me to heart. (苦にもされず)
This is the kind person (そういうものに)
I always what to be. (私はなりたい)
　　
　　　This was translated into English by Yoshie Senoo



He shows sensitivity for the land and for the people who work in it. It is influenced by his devotion to the Lotus Sutra in particular, Nichiren Buddhism（Nichiren-shu 日蓮宗） termed Nichirenism.

He tells us, the true happiness is speaking, thinking, and acting for others, for humanity. 

We are connected with each other.  we live with nature on ther earth and  in the universe.

Then, an incredible energy will well up within us. It will come when we realize the true value
of our lives.






"Buying Mittens (手袋を買いに Tebukuro wo kai ni) "
written by Nankichi Niimi

Nankichi Niimi（新美南吉） describes lively depictions of humans
in his warm heart.
This is a short story in Children's literature.


We are connected with each other.　
We human live with animals in harmony.



Plot summary   

It was first published in 1943 after his death. The story talks about a fox child who goes to the nearby town to buy some gloves.

When a cold winter comes to the forest, a little fox awakens one morning to the magic of his first snow-fall. His romp in the snow is cut short, however, when his cold, wet paws turn blue. What he needs, his mother decides, are some woolen mittens the size of his little paws. So begins an overnight journey into the village where humans live, to buy a pair of mittens. Nankichi Niimi describes lively depictions of humans with his warm  heart.

The illustrations by Ken Kuroi are really nice descriptions with soft, graceful touch, it makes us warmhearted to  see the pictures.

We are connected with each other.　
We human live with animals in harmony.



If you want to read more, please check the Dance section in the Art category. 

Dance section

Pearl S Buck

 The Big Wave, Tsunami

Written by Pearl S Buck,  a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize Winner



Plot summary　

Kino lives on a farm on the side of a mountain in Japan. His friend, Jiya, lives in a fishing village below. Everyone, including Kino and Jiya, has heard of the big wave. No one suspects it will wipe out the whole village and Jiya's family, too. Jiya, now orphaned, struggles to overcome his sadness. He is eventually drawn back to the ocean where he longs to be a fisherman like his father before him.  Jiya wishes to live as a fisherman again as he comes of age,then facing his greatest fear, Jiya builds a home on the beach . He understands it is in the presence of danger that one learns to be. Jiya says "If  ever big wave come back, l shall be ready. I face it. I am not afraid."
This is a famous story of a Japanese boy who must face life after escaping the tidal wave destruction of his family and village. In Japanese culture, they are taught to "learn to live with danger” and “enjoy life and to not fear death.” The theme is that life is stronger than death.

As Kino’s father tries to make his son understand the tragedy,  “ To live in the presence of death makes us brave and strong. ...to live bravely, to live life, to see how beautiful the trees are and the mountains, yes, and even the sea, to enjoy work because it produces food for life...We love life because we live in danger.

Now Japanese people overcome the tragedy because of the biggest tsunami and earthquake , and face reconstruction in the future.