No postwar work of Japanese literature expresses the pity and misery of war for children quite like Akiyuki Nosaka's story of a brother and sister left orphaned and homeless, "Hotaru no Haka" ("Grave of the Fireflies"). Published first in 1967, this novella, which won the prestigious Naoki Prize, was made into a heartbreakingly moving anime film in 1988.
The story, partially autobiographical (his own little sister died a week after war's end), is set in Kobe, where Nosaka grew up; and today, Nada Ward has erected a small monument to 14-year old Seita and 4-year-old Setsuko, the brother and sister of the story, who both died there.
"Boku no Bokugo" ("My Dugout") is a lesser known, but no less poignant, portrait of how a child fares in wartime. As in "Grave of the Fireflies," we learn here how a child takes in the awful traumas that befall all civilians in war. On Aug. 30, NHK, in their Listening Library series, broadcasted an English-language reading of "My Dugout," read by Yuko Aotani. (For details on how to access the reading, see below.)
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.