5 Pairs of Shoes
Encyclopedia
5 Pairs of Shoes was a series of essays of travel literature
written by Yosano Tekkan, and following 4 students, named Mokutaro Kinoshita, Kitahara Hakushu
, Hirano Banri and Yoshii Isamu
published in 1907 in a Tokyo newspaper. It aroused an interest in culture related to Southeast Asia and Christianity, since all of the authors became famous poets.
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
written by Yosano Tekkan, and following 4 students, named Mokutaro Kinoshita, Kitahara Hakushu
Kitahara Hakushu
is the pen-name of ', a Japanese tanka poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. He is regarded as one of the most popular and important poets in modern Japanese literature.-Early life:...
, Hirano Banri and Yoshii Isamu
Yoshii Isamu
was a Japanese tanka poet and playwright writer active in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. Attracted to European romanticism in his youth, his later works were more subdued.-Early life:Yoshii Isamu was born in the elite Takanawa district Tokyo...
published in 1907 in a Tokyo newspaper. It aroused an interest in culture related to Southeast Asia and Christianity, since all of the authors became famous poets.
Generals and significance
- In 1907, five persons, men of poems, travelled in northern KyushuKyushuis the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
and published 29 essays in a newspaper Tokyo 26 Shimbun in TokyoTokyo, ; 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...
, in 1907. The writers were not identified in the newspaper. It was not only interesting, but also attracted its readers to the importance of culture related Southeast Asia and Christianity. More important was the fact that these five men of letters became very famous in Japanese literary world.
A Visit to Amakusa and Otemoyan: Essays of Interest
- On August 9, They travelled on foot for a distance of 32 km to Oe-mura, AmakusaAmakusaAmakusa is a series of islands belonging to Japan, off the west coast of Kyushu . The biggest of the Amakusa islands is Shimoshima Island, 26.5 miles long and 13.5 miles in extreme width...
, Kumamoto. They stayed at Takasagoya Inn. - On August 10, they met French catholic father Frederic Louis Garnier,(1860-1941） who preached Catholic in AmakusaAmakusaAmakusa is a series of islands belonging to Japan, off the west coast of Kyushu . The biggest of the Amakusa islands is Shimoshima Island, 26.5 miles long and 13.5 miles in extreme width...
in the Meiji periodMeiji periodThe , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
to early Showa periodShowa periodThe , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
. - On August 29, they were invited to a party in a Japanese restaurant on Lake Ezu, Kumamoto and enjoyed a boat cruise. Several newspapermen attended the party. In the essay, the whole song of otemoyanOtemoyanOtemoyan is a Japanese folk song from Kumamoto Prefecture. It is played by mass performers dancing in the streets of Kumamoto in the summer. It is usually accompanied by shamisen, taiko drums and other percussion, and the Japanese used has a southern Kumamoto accent. -Origin:Originally, it was a...
sung by a girl was recorded.