MIYAZAWA Kenji and his literary works in Hokkaido and Karafuto (Sakhalin) viewed from culture geology

Abstract

MIYAZAWA Kenji (1896-1933) is one of the most popular literary men (poet and the writer of fairy tales) in Japan. He was born in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, northeast Japan. He was educated in the Department of Geology and Soil Science, the Imperial College of Agriculture and Forestry, located in Morioka City, which lies to the north of Hanamaki City, in the same prefecture. He enrolled in a master’s course in same college. Therefore, many geological terms and concepts that he learned from textbooks could be appeared in his literary works. Also his experiences of geological field excursions gave a unique and positive influence to his literary works. Therefore, his works are the quite right target for culture geology. He travelled Hokkaido three times, which is the northern main island of Japanese archipelago. During his second travel to Hokkaido, he visited furthermore in Karafuto (Sakhalin), the island north of Hokkaido. In this time, he created many eminent poems, which were printed in the first anthology published in 1924. The present writer tries to interpret those works viewed from culture geology in this text.