Hara Tamiki
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
author
and survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima, known for his works of Atomic bomb literature
.
in 1905. Hara was a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
. While he was a middle school student, Hara became familiar with Russian literature, and also began to write poetry. He particularly admired the poets Saisei Murou and Paul Verlaine
. He graduated from the English literature department of Keio University
, and worked at a professional author from 1935 onwards.
Hara's wife Sadae fell ill in 1939, and died in 1944. He had once said of her, "If I should lose my wife, I would live only one year to leave a collection of sad and beautiful poems behind". A year later, just before the first anniversary of her death, he was exposed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
at his parents' home in Motomachi. These two traumatic experiences became central to his work.
Natsu no Hana (Summer Flowers), his best-known work, for which he was awarded the first Takitaro Minakami Prize, was completed by August 1946 but not published until June 1947. Two further sections of the work were later published: “From the Ruins” (“Haikyou kara”) in 1947, and “Prelude to Annihilation” (“Kaimetsu no joukyoku”) in 1949. In works such as Summer Flowers and Chinkonka (Requiem, 1949), Hara describes and relates his terrifying experience of the atomic bombing. He also produced many poems on the same theme, for which he is perhaps better known in Japan.
Hara's final work, Shingan no kuni (The Land of the Heart's Desire, 1951) could be read as being his suicide note. He committed suicide in Tokyo
on March 13, 1951, by throwing himself in front of an oncoming train. His already fragile mental state had been exacerbated by the outbreak of the Korean War, which seemed to confirm his ongoing presentiment of a dark future in history.
On the monument is inscribed the poem in his last piece of writing, which reads:
The anniversary of Tamiki Hara's death was named Kagenki. A society of the same name was founded in September, 2000, by those who love his literary works. The society hosted an exhibition of materials concerning him to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hara's death in 2001, and has a memorial service in front of his monument every year.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima, known for his works of Atomic bomb literature
Atomic bomb literature
is a literary genre in Japanese literature used to describe writing about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This can include diaries, testimonial or documentary accounts, poetry, drama or fictional works based around the bombings....
.
Biography
Hara was born in HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
in 1905. Hara was a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
. While he was a middle school student, Hara became familiar with Russian literature, and also began to write poetry. He particularly admired the poets Saisei Murou and Paul Verlaine
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
. He graduated from the English literature department of Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
, and worked at a professional author from 1935 onwards.
Hara's wife Sadae fell ill in 1939, and died in 1944. He had once said of her, "If I should lose my wife, I would live only one year to leave a collection of sad and beautiful poems behind". A year later, just before the first anniversary of her death, he was exposed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
at his parents' home in Motomachi. These two traumatic experiences became central to his work.
Natsu no Hana (Summer Flowers), his best-known work, for which he was awarded the first Takitaro Minakami Prize, was completed by August 1946 but not published until June 1947. Two further sections of the work were later published: “From the Ruins” (“Haikyou kara”) in 1947, and “Prelude to Annihilation” (“Kaimetsu no joukyoku”) in 1949. In works such as Summer Flowers and Chinkonka (Requiem, 1949), Hara describes and relates his terrifying experience of the atomic bombing. He also produced many poems on the same theme, for which he is perhaps better known in Japan.
Hara's final work, Shingan no kuni (The Land of the Heart's Desire, 1951) could be read as being his suicide note. He committed suicide in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
on March 13, 1951, by throwing himself in front of an oncoming train. His already fragile mental state had been exacerbated by the outbreak of the Korean War, which seemed to confirm his ongoing presentiment of a dark future in history.
Commemoration
An epitaph to Tamiki Hara was originally built by his friends at the site of Hiroshima Castle. But it became a target for people to throw stones at, the ceramic plate on its front damaged and the copper plate on the back ripped off. So it was remodeled and moved to the present site next to the Atomic Bomb Dome.On the monument is inscribed the poem in his last piece of writing, which reads:
- Engraved in stone long ago,
- Lost in the shifting sand,
- In the midst of a crumbling world,
- The vision of one flower.
The anniversary of Tamiki Hara's death was named Kagenki. A society of the same name was founded in September, 2000, by those who love his literary works. The society hosted an exhibition of materials concerning him to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hara's death in 2001, and has a memorial service in front of his monument every year.
External links
- e-texts of Tamiki's works in Japanese at Aozora bunkoAozora BunkoAozora Bunko is a Japanese digital library. This online collection encompasses several thousands of works of Japanese-language fiction and non-fiction. These include out-of-copyright books or works that the authors wish to make freely available....
. - Tamiki Hara's Notes of the Atomic Bombing