Ichou no mi（The Ginkgo Nuts）
【Masterpieces of Modern Japanese Literature㉜】
By Kenji Miyazawa
Narrated by Nana Nagao
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A short story by Kenji Miyazawa
“The very crown of the sky was bitterly cold—cold as steel, tempered and set hard. Stars crowded every corner of it. Yet far to the east, the heavens had already begun to shimmer with a strange, gentle radiance, soft as the petals of a bellflower.Beneath that dawning light, far higher than any bird of the day would ever fly, sharp splinters of frost rode the wind, rustling sara-sara-sara-sara as they drifted toward the south.So pure was the air that even that faint whisper reached the ears of the lone ginkgo tree on the hill.All the ginkgo nuts awoke at once. A shiver ran through them—today, without doubt, was the day of their journey. They had known it for some time, and the two crows who had come at yesterday’s twilight had said so as well.”
This audiobook is a new recording of the “Reading Timeless Story Series” that was performed at the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature on November 9, 2024.
Author : Kenji Miyazawa
Narrator : Nana Nagao
Produced by：Koé no Shoten
Special Thanks：Shigoto, Inc.
Listening Length：00:08:57
Release Date：2025/9/2
＊For how to listen, pricing, purchase methods, payment options, and more, please check each distribution site.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1896 – 1933
Born in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture. While attending Morioka Higher School of Agriculture and Forestry, he began writing short poems and prose for literary magazines. In 1921, he moved to Tokyo, working as a type engraver while writing children’s stories. That same year, he returned to his hometown upon hearing of his younger sister’s illness. While serving as a teacher at the agricultural school, he wrote many works. In 1924, he published his poetry collection Haru to Shura （ “Spring and the Demon”）and his children’s story collection Chūmon no Ōi Ryōriten（”The Restaurant of Many Orders”）. After retiring from the agricultural school, he founded the Rasuchijin Kyōkai, also called the “Rasu Farmers Association”), dedicating himself to local activities in agriculture and the arts. During his lifetime, he remained almost unknown, passing away at the age of 37 due to illness. After his death, many of his works, including Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru（”Night on the Galactic Railroad”）,Kaze no Matasaburō （”Matasaburō of the Wind”）,Porāno no hiroba （Porano Square）, Yodaka no Hoshi（”The Nighthawk Star”）, and Ame ni mo makezu（”Be not Defeated by the Rain”）, were published.