{Inter} Cultural Japan

Hanamaki is a well-known hot spring resort, but more than that it is the native place of author, teacher, researcher and agricultural reformer Miyazawa Kenji. You will find more about him in the Miyazawa Kenji Museum, a short bus ride from either Shin-Hanamaki or Hanamaki Station. It presents Miyazawa Kenji from various angles and has the draft of Night Train to the Milky Way on display, as well as the author’s cello and watercolor paintings. There are also photographs and personal effects. The museum was opened in 1982. Within the premises also stands the Ihatov-kan, which displays art works and research reports regarding Miyazawa Kenji.

[The wild northern forest of Miyazawa’s fairy tales seen from the museum. Photo © Ad Blankestijn]

Miyazawa Kenji (1896-1933) was a poet and writer of stories for children, which have great literary value as well. A devout Buddhist of the Nichiren denomination, Miyazawa was born in a poor rural village in Iwate and except for brief periods in Tokyo, lived there most of his time. In 1921 he became teacher at a local agricultural high school and spent also much of his time improving the lives of the peasants around him. His first literary success came in 1924 with the story collection A Restaurant with Many Orders, followed soon by his most famous work of poetry in free verse Spring and Ashura. The last years of his life he suffered from pleurisy, which carried him to the grave when he was only 37 years of age. His most famous story is Night Train to the Milky Way (1927). Miyazawa struggled with his health and poverty, but was filled with compassion for those around him. From all his works speaks a sense of celebration of life, mixed with Buddhist renunciation.

Tel: 0198-31-2319

Hours: 10:00-17:00; CL 12/28-1/1

Access: From Hanamaki St take the Iwate-ken Kotsu Bus for Hareyama via Shin-Hanamaki station. Get off at Miyazawa Kenji Kinenkan Mae (18 min. ride) and walk 10 min. (you can of course also take the bus in the opposite direction from Shin-Hanamaki St). It is a 20 min walk from Shin-Hanamaki St.

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