Kenjiro Tokutomi, écrivant sous le pseudonyme de Roka Tokutomi, fut un écrivain et philosophe japonais. Ses œuvres, empreintes d'un profond intérêt pour la philosophie, explorent souvent la condition humaine et les quêtes spirituelles. Le style de Tokutomi se caractérise par une profondeur lyrique et introspective qui résonne auprès des lecteurs en quête de sens profonds. Sa correspondance avec Léon Tolstoï souligne sa portée littéraire internationale et ses connexions philosophiques.
The book is a facsimile reprint of a scarce antiquarian work, preserving its historical significance despite potential imperfections like marks and flawed pages. It aims to protect and promote literature by making culturally important texts accessible in high-quality editions that stay true to the original.
The narrative follows Shintaro Kikuchi, a destitute Japanese boy, as he battles for education and personal freedom. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Japan, the story highlights themes of perseverance and the quest for self-improvement. First published in 1901, this novel has gained significant popularity and remains a poignant exploration of societal challenges and the transformative power of knowledge.
First published in 1901 and this English translation in 1970, Footprints in the Snow is one of the most popular novels in modern Japan. It is the story of the struggle of a penniless Japanese boy Shintaro Kikuchi, for education and emancipation. Determined to rebuild the family fortunes after his father's bankruptcy, Shintaro runs away from home in a remote corner of Kyushu, in the hope of making his way in the world. Robbed by pickpockets, he nearly dies of hunger and exhaustion, then after slaving for months as a money-lender’s boy eventually succeeds in reaching a Christian College in Kyoto. A brilliant student, he accepts Christianity enthusiastically, but is also repelled by the arrogance of the Western missionary teachers towards a Japanese colleague that he walks out in protest. At last, four years after leaving home, Shintaro arrives in Tokyo. Yet even in the city of his dreams his life is far from peaceful- Shintaro has to struggle to keep himself at University, to pursue his career as a writer and journalist and in order to marry the girl he loves. The original Japanese title of Footprints in the Snow is Omoide no Ki. Kenjiro Tokutomi ‘s novel is still read in Japan today and more than any other novel conveys what it felt like to be young in the days of Japan’s great transformation from feudal to modern state. This is an interesting read for students of Japanese literature, Asian literature, and literature in general