Roka-ki (Tokutomi Roka Memorial Day)
Historical AnniversariesLast updated:
What Is Roka-ki?
September 18th is "Roka-ki," the death anniversary of novelist Tokutomi Roka, a leading figure of Meiji and Taisho-era literature, who died at age 58 at Ikaho Hot Spring in Gunma Prefecture on this day in 1927.
The Author Who Made His Name with "Hototogisu"
Tokutomi Roka, younger brother of the journalist and thinker Tokutomi Sohō, took a different path from his brother and carved out his own place in the history of Meiji-era literature.
- Life: Born in 1868 in Minamata, Higo Province (now Kumamoto Prefecture), he died on September 18, 1927. His real name was Tokutomi Kenjirō
- Best-known work: Widely recognized for "Hototogisu" (Cuckoo, also translated as "Nami-ko"), a tragic novel about a young woman whose life is cut short by tuberculosis
- Place of death: He passed away at age 58 at Ikaho Hot Spring in Gunma Prefecture, where he had gone to recuperate. Ikaho holds the "Roka Festival" on the anniversary of his death, September 18, the first day of the Ikaho Festival (September 18–20)
An Author Who Never Stopped Watching Nature and Life
Having established himself as a writer with the huge success of "Hototogisu" and the essay collection "Nature and Man" (Shizen to Jinsei), Roka became deeply influenced by Tolstoy and visited him in Russia in 1906. After returning, he moved to Kasuya on the outskirts of Tokyo (now Setagaya Ward), where he lived a semi-agricultural life while continuing to write. His former home and grave are now open to the public as the metropolitan park "Roka Koshun-en."
How to Mark the Day
- Read "Hototogisu" or other works by Tokutomi Roka
- Visit "Roka Koshun-en" in Setagaya, Tokyo
- Compare the lives and outlooks of Tokutomi Roka and his brother, Tokutomi Soho
- Revisit Meiji- and Taisho-era literature with fresh eyes
A Story of Sorrow and Beauty, Read Across Generations
Roka-ki is a day to remember the life of one of Meiji literature's defining authors. On September 18th, consider quietly revisiting the fleeting, beautiful story told in "Hototogisu."