Nankichi Niimi

Nankichi Niimi was a Japanese author, sometimes known as the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan.
Niimi was born Shōhachi Watanabe in Yanabe, in the city of Handa, Aichi prefecture, on July 30, 1913. He lost his mother when he was four years old. His literary skill was noticeable at an early age. During his elementary school graduation ceremony, he presented a haiku that impressed most people at the ceremony.
At age 18, Niimi moved to Tokyo to enter the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He fell sick with tuberculosis while in Tokyo shortly after graduating, and returned to his hometown. He worked there, first as an elementary school teacher, then as a women's high school teacher. He died at age 29.
Although not prolific, he shows great talent in all of his writings. His works are known for their accuracy and lively depictions of humans. He is also often compared to Kenji Miyazawa. There is a Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum in his birthplace, Handa.

Works

Gon, the Little Fox : This is his most famous work, which he wrote when he was only seventeen years old. This story of an orphaned fox that dies young somewhat parallels his own life.
Buying Mittens : This is another famous work of his.
Grandfather’s Lamp, published 1942
Hananoki Village and the Thieves
A Tale of Ryôkan: a Ball and a Child at a Basin, published 1941
Ushi wo tsunaida tsubaki no ki
''Lie''