Nankichi Niimi (新美 南吉 Niimi Nankichi?, July 30, 1913–March 22, 1943) is a Japanese author, also sometimes known as the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan. Niimi was born in Yanabe, Handa Aichi on July 30 1913. He lost his mother when he was only four years old. His skill in literature can be seen already in an early age. During the graduation from his elementary school, he wrote a haiku that impressed most people at the ceremony.
- The Dandelion
- So Many Days Trampled
- Today’s Flower
At age 18 Niimi went to Tokyo to enter Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He fell sick with tuberculosis while in Tokyo shortly after graduated from the university, and returned to his hometown. He worked first as an elementary school teacher, then as a women's high school teacher there. He died at age 29. Although number of his works is not large, he shows great talent in all of them. His works are known for its accurate and lively depiction of humans, and he is also often compared to Kenji Miyazawa. There is a Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum in his birthtown Handa.
Works
(Some are given only with the Japanese title)
- Gon, the Little Fox (Japanese: ごんぎつね): This is his most famous work is, which he wrote when he was only seventeen years old. This story of an orphaned fox that dies young also is somewhat a parallel for his own life.
- Buying Mittens (Japanese: 手袋を買いに): This is another famous work of him.
- Grandfather’s Lamp (Japanese: おぢいさんのランプ), published 1942
- Hananoki Village and the Thieves (Japanese: 花のき村と盗人たち)
- A Tale of Ryôkan: a Ball and a Child at a Basin, published 1941
- Ushi wo tsunaida tsubaki no ki (Temporary Translation: A camellian tree to which a cow was tethered)
- Lie (Japanese: うそ)
See also
External links
- e-texts of Niimi Nankichi's works at Aozora bunko (in Japanese)
- Synopsis of Hananoki Village and the Thieves (English)
- Synopsis of Grandfather's Lamp (English)
- Japan Mint: 2007 Coin Set with the story of Gon, the Little Fox
