24. Lafcadio Hearn

Today, I write about “The man who loved Japan”.
His name is Patrick Lafcadio Hearn.
1890, he visits Japan as a newspaper reporter at 40 years old.
However, he quits the work of the newspaper reporter immediately.
He gets the work of the English teacher in Matsue-shi, Shimane-ken.
Then, he meets Setsu Koizumi and marries.
Setsu Koizumi talked old stories of Japan to him.
He was interested in the story of “the ghost story” very much.

Then, they move to Kumamoto, Kobe, and Tokyo.
Six years after a visit to Japan,
He becomes Japanese and changes the name into “Yakumo Koizumi”.
He announces some book.
There was “Kwaidan” ( the ghost story) in that.
“Hoichi the Earless”,”snow woman” and others.
This book is English.
It is translated into Japanese afterwards.
This book becomes famous in Japan.
And he becomes famous.
1904, he dies from 54 years old.

He looked at old Japan.
Then, Japan developed.
Old Japan is gradually lost.

I live in the country.
There is still old Japan.
I may be lucky.

If you can’t find items you’re looking for, please feel free to contact me.
I will find item which you want. He becomes a lecturer of Tokyo Imperial University.

Thank you.

Bid Agent in “Yahoo Japan auction”
Kazuyoshi Kawahara
kaw8456@salsa.ocn.ne.jp