Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Kenji Miyazawa
NIGHT OF THE MILKY WAY RAILWAY
AUTHOR OF
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BY
KO YANO
MICHAEL BRASE
TRANSLATED BY
W H E R E I N J A PA N DID K E N J I LIVE?
HOKKAIDO
HONSHU
TOKYO
KYUSHU
SHIKOKU
The original Japanese version of this book was published by Kashiwa Shobo in 1993. The present English edition was published by Japan & Stuff Press, Mihara 2-19-60-202, Asaka-shi, Saitama-ken, 351-0025, Japan, in April 2010. The author wishes to acknowledge the cooperation of Rinpoosya for photo permissions and Susumu Sato, who consented to the use of excerpts from the Japanese book Miyazawa Kenji, which was written by his father, the late Takafusa Sato, and published by Fuzambo in 1942. Artwork and story 2010 Ko Yano English translation 2010 Michael Brase Translation editor: Curtis Kennedy Digital prepress: Michiko Ohnuma ISBN: 978-4-9902848-4-8 All rights reserved. www.japanandstuff.com
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KENJIS CHILDHOOD LEARNING TO LOVE MT. IWATE 2
2
FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER SOWING THE SEEDS OF TRUTH 42
3
FROM THE FARMERS ASSOCIATION TO KENJIS DEATH A MAN FOR ALL TIME 102 POEM 140
1
KENJIS CHILDHOOD
Learning to Love Mt. Iwate
A CIRCA 1907 VIEW OF THE STREET ON WHICH KENJI WAS BORN AND RAISED (PRESENT-DAY TOYOSAWA-MACHI, HANAMAKI CITY, IWATE PREFECTURE). KENJIS BIRTHPLACE IS ON THE RIGHT, ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE STREET.
KENJIS BIRTHPLACE (COMBINING STORE AND RESIDENCE) IN THE LATE 1920S. IN 1926, THE ORIGINAL PAWNSHOP AND SECONDHAND CLOTHING STORE BECAME A HARDWARE STORE.
4
BABA
G ED IN G D O NG
GE D
G-
THE FIRST GRANDSON ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY, HE WAS PAM PERED AS A CHILD.
KENJI WAS BORN IN 1896, THE FIRST CHILD OF MASAJIRO AND ICHI MIYAZAWA, WHO RAN A SUCCESSFUL PAWNSHOP.
UH
OH!
TOOSHII. TOOOSHIII.
GIDDYUP, HORSEY.
SINCE KENJI WAS THE ELDEST SON AND DESTINED TO BE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD ONE DAY, HIS PARENTS DIDNT LET HIM PLAY OUTDOORS MUCH, THINK ING HE MIGHT HURT HIMSELF. HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME INSIDE, PLAYING BY HIMSELF.
5
LEMME RIDE TOO, OKAY? HEY, SHINZO. HEY KENJI, LETS PLAY.
WA
A
A
A!
WA AAA
GIDDYUP, HORSEY.
AA
WA AA
A!
WA A
A A!
6 UP,
NOW WATCH THIS.
UP AND AWAY.
P ON K
!! !
W H EEE!!!!
OH
NO !
HEY, Y
O
U
TW
O!
OH, ITS KEN AND TOSHI, ISNT IT?
GEE, THANKS.
HUH???
SEE YOU.
BYE.
NO WAY.
GIMME THAT.
T
A N K S.
THANKS.
HA
HA
HA
HA
8
BEGINNING LINES OF THE LETTER ON WHITE ASHES:
WHEN I STUDY
DEEPLY THE EPHEMERAL NA TURE OF HUMAN LIFE,
THE MIYAZAWA FAMILY WERE AVID FOLLOW ERS OF THE BUDDHIST JODO SHINSHU SECT. EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT, IN FRONT OF THE FAMILY ALTAR, THEY FAITHFULLY CHANTED THE HYMN OF TRUE FAITH OR THE LETTER ON WHITE ASHES.*
IN THE MORNING
HE WAS OFTEN TAKEN TO A NEARBY BODAIJI TEMPLE.
WE MAY HAVE ROSY COMPLEX IONS, BUT BY EVENING WE HAVE BECOME AS WHITE AS ASH.
IN AMIDA BUDDHAS VOW TO HELP ALL BELIEVERS ENTER THE PURE LAND. BELIEVERS CHANT THE NEMBUTSU (HOMAGE TO AMIDA BUDDHA) AS AN EXPRESSION OF THEIR GRATITUDE. THE HYMN OF THE TRUE FAITH WAS WRITTEN BY SHINRAN, THE FOUNDER OF JODO SHINSHU BUDDHISM, TO EXPLAIN HIS TEACHINGS AND URGE PEOPLE TO TAKE REFUGE IN AMIDA BUDDHA. (continued on p. 9)
* JODO SHINSHU IS PART OF THE JODO (OR PURE LAND) SCHOOL OF BUDDHISM, WHICH PUTS ITS FAITH
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I HATE THAT STUFF. COME HERE AND DRINK YOUR MILK.
KENJIS HEALTH
LOOK, PICKY LITTLE KENJI GOT IT ALL DOWN. BUT ITS GOOD FOR YOU.
FWEE
FWOO
G UL P
G OLP
O O OH
HH!! !
MY STOMACH.!!!!!
BUT, BUT ?
(continued from p. 8) THE LETTER ON WHITE ASHES, PART OF A COLLECTION OF LETTERS WRITTEN BY PRIEST RENNYO FOR JODO SHINSHU LAY GROUPS, TEACHES THE IMPERMANENCE OF LIFE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUSTING IN AMIDA BUDDHAS VOW SO THAT THOSE WHO CANNOT ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH THEIR OWN EFFORTS WILL BE SAVED NONETHELESS.
10
AA
A!
WA A A
A!
ER DG LE
MIYAZAWA PAWNSHOP
WAAAA!
THE THING IS
APPARENTLY HE THOUGHT HED BE STARTING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALONG WITH HIS FRIEND SHINZO.
IN THE END, THEY HAD TO GET HIM TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES, JUST AS IF HE WERE A QUALIFIED STU DENT.
11
SHALL WE EAT A FEW, THEN? TETSUO, THOSE PLUMS LOOK DOWNRIGHT SCRUMPTIOUS.
MEDICINE CABINET
BOY, AM I FULL.
O H!!!
12
IS DYSENTERY ALL THAT BAD? YOU ATE A LOT, SO YOU GOTTA TAKE A LOT. MEDICINE. I BROUGHT YOU SOME MEDICINE. WHATRE YOU DOING HERE, KEN?
SOMETIME LATER
CARBOLIC ACID
O O OH!!!!
KENJIS FATHER DIDNT BELIEVE IN DILUTING MEDICINE, THINKING THE STRONGER IT WAS, THE MORE EFFECTIVE IT WOULD BE.
13
YOUVE GOT TO BE STRONG!!!
SAYS ME.
SAYS WHO?
SMACK!!! BEAM
14
FIELD OF PAMPAS GRASS
F LAP F LAP
THE GRASS HERE IS ALREADY GETTING GREEN. HOW ABOUT THE REEDS OVER THERE? WILL THEY BURN?
YA
YEAH, I THINK SO.
A AAY
! !! ! !
CRACKL E
W HOOSH
C RACKLE
YAY
!!!!
15
R O O OA A A R R
CRACKLE
CRACKL
E
WOOOWW!!
HEY
HO
H EY HO!!!
R O OOAA R
RR
16
17
TODAY WELL START WITH ONE CARD EACH.*
OH, CRAP.
Y E AA
A H !!!
Y E
SNIK
C LA TT E R CL ATTER
O
O
W !!!
OH !!
!!!!!
* THEY ARE PLAYING MENKO (OR LOCALLY, BATTA), THE AIM OF WHICH IS TO TURN OVER YOUR OPPONENTS CARD (AND WIN IT) BY HITTING IT WITH YOUR CARD.
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T H UDD
AARGHHH!!!!
H E EEEE!!!!!
O H O H OH !! !
SHUJI!!!!
SHUJI!!!!???? SHUJI!!!!????
IT MUST HURT
SHLURP SHLORP
19
ALONG THE NEARBY KITAKAMIGAWA RIVER, THERE WAS A PLACE ALONG THE WEST BANK KENJI HAD DUBBED THE ENGLISH SEASHORE. ON ONE OF THE POINTS, THERE WAS A PRIVATELY OWNED MELON PATCH.
YEAH
HOW CAN YOU TELL WHERE THE MELONS ARE, UNDER ALL THOSE LEAVES?
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YAY!
K PO N A K
THWA CK THWA CK
RUSTLE RUSTLE
HEY! HEY!
HEY!!!!
CRIPES, THE WATCHMAN!!!
AND IM OFF
! ARGH
NK KERPLU
HURRY UP!!!
WOOOSHH
21
DEEELI CIOUS!
GREAT MELON!
BWAH
AHA
KENJI IN TROUBLE
HOW DISAP POINTED HE MUST HAVE BEEN, YOU WRITING SUCH NONSENSE.
22
WHILE KENJI WOULD JOIN IN THE FUN WHEN HE WAS INVITED, HE ALSO LIKED READING AND GOT VERY GOOD GRADES.
YES, FATHER.
AND WHEN ITS HOT, I COULD WORK IN THE COOL AS A STABLE BOY.
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OK, IVE FINISHED ODAYACHO. YES, FATHER. I KNOW ITS COLD OUT, BUT COULD YOU CIRCULATE THIS BULLETIN?
YO, KENJI.
Y I KES
ITS SUGIMOTO AND HIS DOG!
HEEELP!
SICM!
G RRR
24
MISCHIEF AT SCHOOL
CLUMP
RIING RIIING
CLOMP
YESSS!!!
K E R PL UN K
<ERASER
CREEAKKK
A RG
YOU RASCALS!
H!!!
S T OO
OPP
P!
25
THATS ENOUGH!
KENJI INTERVENES
, RING G RIIIN
IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EXCELLENT GRADES, KENJI RECEIVED HIS TEXTBOOKS FREE OF CHARGE EVERY YEAR THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
YEAH.
26
THAT LOOKS HEAVY.
GULP GOLP
27
IN 1909, AT THE AGE OF 13, KENJI ENTERED MORIOKA MID DLE SCHOOL, TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN THE DORM.*
WHERED HE GO?
AT 5 OCLOCK EVERY MORNING, KENJI ATTENDED LECTURES BY DAITO SHIMAJI, CHIEF PRIEST AT GANKYOJI TEMPLE.
* ROUGHLY SPEAKING, AT THIS TIME THE JAPANESE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN BE CONSIDERED AS EQUIVALENT TO A PRESENT-DAY AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE JAPANESE HIGH SCHOOL TO AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, WITH THE JAPANESE UNIVERSITY BEING A QUINTESSENTIAL ELITIST INSTITUTION, OF WHICH THERE WERE RELATIVELY FEW.
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YES, UPPER CLASSMAN. FIRSTYEAR STUDENTS CLEANED THE LAMPS, TOOK OUT THE FUTONS AT NIGHT AND PUT THEM AWAY IN THE MORNING, RAN ER RANDS FOR UPPER CLASSMEN, AND DID ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. IVE GOT AN ERRAND FOR YOU, MIYAZAWA.
THE DORMITORY
THE RELATION SHIP BETWEEN LOWERCLASS MEN AND UPPER CLASSMEN WAS VERY STRICT.
HE ALWAYS THOUGHT THINGS THROUGH TO THE END. WHEN HE CAME UP AGAINST A PARTICULARLY THORNY PROBLEM, HE WOULD SOMETIMES COMPLAIN AND SHOW HIS FRUSTRATION, BUT HE WAS NEVER EASY ON HIMSELF. IN THE EYES OF SOME, HIS TENDENCY TO LOOK AT HIMSELF CRITICALLY VERGED ON SELFDEGRADATION.
KENJI HAD BEEN RAISED TO BE COURTEOUS AND PIOUS. HE SPOKE POLITELY NOT ONLY TO SENIOR STUDENTS BUT TO JUNIOR STUDENTS AS WELL. HE WAS GENERALLY LIKED, THOUGH SOME MIS TAKENLY THOUGHT HIM A GOODY TWOSHOES.
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FINE WITH ME. LETS SETTLE THIS IN THE RING.
YEAH !! !
OH YEAH!!!
L E T S D O I T ! AN Y T IM E !
-B AMMM!!!
F WHEEEE
30
MT. IWATE IS CALLING OUT TO ME. ONE DAY ILL CLIMB TO THE VERY TOP.
KENJI WOULD OFTEN GAZE AT MT. IWATE FROM HIS HOME IN HANAMAKI, BUT THE FIRST TIME HE SAW IT UP CLOSE WAS FROM MORIOKA. HE FELT AS IF HE HAD BEEN STRUCK BY A BOLT OF LIGHTNING.
IN JUNE OF 1910, HIS SECOND YEAR IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE DORMITORY HOUSEMASTER ORGANIZED A GROUP OF SOME 80 STUDENTS TO SCALE THE MOUNTAIN.
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EVERYONE READY? OUR FIRST GOAL IS MT. IWATE SHRINE. BRIGHT AND EARLY TOMORROW
Y EE
MT. IWATE SHRINE
FINALLY THERE IT WASSUNRISE FROM THE SUMMIT OF MT. IWATE.
A AAY!
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS HOPELESS IN GYM CLASS, KENJI PROVED A STRONG CLIMBER. HE HAD FOUND HIS ELEMENT.
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I HAVE FOUND MY WAY IN LIFE. THE FIRST PAGE OF THE TANNIJO* CONTAINS THE ENTIRETY OF MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. NOT THAT I UNDERSTAND IT ALL, BUT MAYBE ABOUT 80 PERCENT. I RECITE THE NEMBUTSU REGULARLY. BECAUSE OF THE BUDDHA, I DONT FEAR FOR MY LIFE. IN MY HEART, I AM READY FOR DEATH. I DONT FEAR GHOSTS OR SPIRITS, FOR THE BENEVOLENT BUDDHA, LIKE A SHADOW, IS ALWAYS PRESENT, PROTECTING THOSE WHO CHANT THE NEMBUTSU. EVEN HOONJI TEMPLE, WITH ITS 500 FRIGHTFUL RAKAN STATUES, DOESNT SCARE ME. AND IM NOT AFRAID TO CLIMB MT. IWATE ALONE AT NIGHT. IN ADDITION TO LETTERS LIKE THIS, EVERY MONTH, WITHOUT FAIL, KENJI INFORMED HIS FATHER OF HIS EXPENDITURES IN MINUTE DETAIL.
WELL, HES BECOME AN ADHERENT OF THE JODO SHINSHU SECT, THANK HEAVEN.
HA
HA HA
33
HE HAS ONLY ONE TRUE FRIEND, MT. IWATE. HE DOESNT NEED ANYONE ELSE. SAME AS ALWAYS. WHERES MIYAZAWA?
BY THIS TIME KENJI HAD REACHED THE SUMMIT OF MT. IWATE EIGHT TIMES, AND THE THIRD OR FOURTH STATIONS MORE TIMES THAN HE COULD REMEMBER.
HE COLLECTS BUDDHIST STATUES, OF ALL THINGS, AND EVEN CARVES THEM HIMSELF.
HE EVEN CARVED THE MOUNTAINS SILHOUETTE ON HIS DESK. HE GOT HELL FOR THAT.
GEE, THANKS.
34
NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT
CHUOKORON? NO WAY!
I SAW HIM READING RALPH WALDO EMERSON AND CHUOKORON, THE LITERARY MAGAZINE.
ONE OF HIS LITTLE ECCEN TRICITIES WAS A HABIT OF STASHING HIS DIRTY LAUNDRY IN THE CLOSET.
BESIDES BUDDHISM, KENJI ALSO STUDIED HYPNOTISM AND QUIET MEDITATION SEIZAHO.
35
Z ZZ
NOW, TOSHI, YOUVE FALLEN INTO A DEEP SLEEP. YOU CAN NO LONGER OPEN YOUR EYES.
BLNK
Z ZZ
TEE
HEE
A GRAND DISPLAY OF MAPLE BRANCHES, THATS WHAT OUR ROOM IS GONNA DO.
36
HEY, THATS POISON IVY!
NOT TO WORRY.
INCREDI BLE!!!!
R O ARR
RR
O HH
H!!!
CREAK
CLATTER
37
I HAD A RUNIN WITH SOME POISON IVY. WHAT ON EARTH?
FWFEWOO
FATHER?
38
WHAT IS THAT???
FOR THE SCHOOL EXCURSION IN HIS FOURTH YEAR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, STUDENTS WERE TAKEN ON A BOAT RIDE DOWN TO THE MOUTH OF THE KITAKAMIGAWA RIVER. ON THE WAY, THEY CLIMBED A SMALL HILL.
......
KENJI HAD NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN BEFORE. WE STOOD TOGETHER ON THE HILL, A MYSTERY SPREAD BEFORE US, THE VAST SALTY SEA. HOW DIFFERENT FROM DESCRIPTIONS HEARD THE REALITY OF IT IN THE SETTING SUN, WAVES RISING FROM THE SCALY DEPTHS, HEAVING DEEP DARK BLUE, THE EAST STRETCHING TO INFINITY. I KNEW IT WAS JUST THE OCEAN, BUT MY HEART SAID SOMETHING ELSE, SEEING THE WAVES RACING, CRASHING TOWARD THE SHORE.
39
MIYAZAWA ONLY GOT A 30 IN GYM CLASS, BUT HE GETS PERFECT SCORES IN MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. IN HIS FIFTH YEAR IN MID DLE SCHOOL, IN A CLASS OF EIGHTYEIGHT, KENJI WAS RANKED SIXTIETH. HIS AVERAGE SCORE WAS ALSO A LOW SIXTY.
AH!
E IN R EF UG T R A E K A T I T US SU THE LO
HES A WIMPY LITTLE BOOKWORM WHO DOESNT KNOW WHAT HE DOING, THATS WHAT I SAY!
40
SECOND, HE BECAME DEEPLY INVOLVED IN BUDDHISM. THERE WERE SEVERAL REASONS FOR KENJIS PLUMMETING GRADES.
FIRST, THERE WAS HIS INFATUATION WITH MT. IWATE, WHICH HE CLIMBED MUCH MORE THAN HE SHOULD.
THIRD, HE BECAME PASSIONATELY INVOLVED IN THINKING ABOUT LIFE AND IN WRITING POETRY, ALL THE WHILE KEEPING A DIARY CRAMMED WITH AN UNRULY MIX OF SHORT PROSE AND POETRY.
OK BO XT TE
YO, KENJI!
HEY!
FUTURE LIFE
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SUTRAS DUE TO ITS BREVITY AND PROFUNDITY. SEE HTTP://WWW4.BAYAREA.NET/~MTLEE FOR VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS AND FOR A DISCUSSION OF ITS MEANING.
41
O OOO
KENJ
I
H!!!
DESPITE HIS TERRIBLE GRADES, KENJI MANAGED TO GRADUATE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MIYAZAW
BAAAANG
S
SIR DE
SELF
RI T
CE N CIE
N SE
ITY L I SIB
NS O C
CA TIO
IN SPITE OF HIS GRADES, KENJIS LAST YEAR IN MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVIDED THE RICH SOIL NEEDED FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS INNER BEING. DURING THIS PERIOD HE WROTE 230 TANKA POEMS.*
* A TRADITIONAL FORM OF JAPANESE POETRY WRITTEN IN LINES OF FIVE, SEVEN, FIVE, SEVEN, SEVEN SYLLABLES. SEE WRITING AND ENJOYING HAIKU: A HANDS-ON GUIDE (JANE REICHHOLD, KODANSHA INTERNATIONAL) FOR A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF TANKA AS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH.
PI
INSTINCT
U ED