HERUN no KOKORO - Letters to Sentaro Nishida
We present some letters written by Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) held by Shimane University Library and other related institutions.
About This Gallery
Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) is well known as a writer who introduced Japan to the world through works such as “Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan” and “Kwaidan.”
Upon arriving in Japan in 1890 (Meiji 23), Hearn lost his job at the news agency. To make ends meet, took his first teaching position at the age of 40. Building on his experience as a newspaper reporter and his self-taught, extensive knowledge, Hearn demonstrated his talent as a teacher through his interactions with the simple, sincere people of Matsue, his new posting. He was affectionately known as "Herun-Sensei"(Sensei means teacher) by his students at the time.
The person known to have supported Hearn's life in Matsue, both professionally and personally, was Sentaro Nishida. He was the vice-principal of Shimane Prefectural Middle School, where Hearn was assigned, and was 27 years old when they met. Though frail in body, he was known for his sincere character and enjoyed great respect within the education community. In recent years, there has been renewed movement in his hometown of Matsue City to honor his achievements.
This gallery, coinciding with a exhibition at Shimane University Library, presents the letters from Hearn held by related institutions (Shimane University Library, Hiroshima University Library). These letters convey Hearn's deep respect for Nishida alongside his stance as an educator. They are also notable for their candid expressions of Hearn's feelings about life in Japan. While relatively few of Nishida’s letters have survived, this exhibition includes two addressed to Hearn, currently held by the Matsue City Central Library.
※Using the language menu in the upper-right corner of the screen, you can switch between the Japanese translation and the original English text for the letters and the explanatory text.
※画面右上の言語切替メニューで、解説文の他、書簡については日本語訳・元の英文の切り替えができます。
<Acknowledgments>
The Japanese translations of the letters were provided by Masao Tsunematsu (Professor Emeritus, Shimane University), primarily using the texts included in “Letters between Lafcadion Hearn and Sentaro Nishida” (Yakumo-kai, 2020). We also extend our gratitude to Hiroshima University Library and Matsue City Central Library for their cooperation in making digital images of their held materials available. We express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Tsunematsu and all the individuals and institutions who provided their support.
Regarding the letters in our collection, you can find both English and Japanese translations on the dedicated page.
The Letters from Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo)
This section introduces the letters primarily sent by Hearn to Nishida, organized by the location where Hearn lived.
※Click the tab below to view the letter and explanation for each period.
1. Matsue : Meeting Sentaro Nishida
In 1890, Hearn came to Japan as a correspondent for an American news agency but lost his job shortly thereafter. He asked Professor Chamberlain of Tokyo Imperial University to find him work. The job he got to make a living was as an English teacher at a rural junior high school in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.
In July 1890 (Meiji 24), Hearn signed a contract to become a teacher at Shimane Prefectural Middle School and Normal School in Matsue. He arrived in Matsue by steamship on August 30 of that same year. Arriving at the Tomita Inn in Zaimokucho (present-day Suetsugu Honmachi, Matsue City), where he would stay for some time, Hearn met Nishida Sentaro for the first time that very day.
Nishida Sentaro, who served as vice-principal of the ordinary middle school, supported the foreign teacher Hearn—who must have often felt bewildered by life in an unfamiliar land—both professionally and personally. His sincere character made him the person Hearn most respected and trusted in every way, a fact clearly conveyed in the preserved letters.
Because Nishida was in poor health, he does not seem to have sent many letters to Hearn. Although his diary (Nishida Sentaro Nikki) contains numerous entries about Hearn, revealing the depth of their friendship.
Though it was Hearn's first time standing at the lectern, his lack of teaching experience proved an advantage and he earned the students' respect through his unique teaching methods. He rejected Western-style education and rote memorization of textbooks, instead enthusiastically conducting practical lessons like English conversation, composition, and listening comprehension to nurture emotion and imagination. He was also an outstanding teacher who always worried about his students' health and their inadequate diets, cherishing deep affection and trust in his relationships with them.
Letters from Hearn : The Matsue Period
Hiroshima University Library ※The full English text and Japanese translation are available on the original site.
Hiroshima University Library ※The full English text and Japanese translation are available on the original site.
Information on the Dedicated Page
The images, English text, and Japanese translations featured in this gallery are also available for viewing on the dedicated page published by Shimane University Library. If you wish to view only the letters in a list format, please use this page as well.
■Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn) handwritten letters Image and Text
https://da.lib.shimane-u.ac.jp/virtual-exhibition/hearnletters/index.html
Related Links (Image Archive Site for Lafcadio Hearn-Related Materials)
■Shimane University Library Digital Archive
https://da.lib.shimane-u.ac.jp/content/ja
■Digital Archives of Hiroshima University Library
https://dc.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/da/ja
■Matsue City Library(Lafcadio Hearn's handwritten manuscripts and letters)
https://www.lib-citymatsue.jp/contents/?page_id=22154
■University of Toyama Library(The Lafcadio Hearn Library)
https://www.lib.u-toyama.ac.jp/chuo/hearn/hearn_index.html
■Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum(Collection.)
Gallery created by Shimane University Library
This is a gallery created on JAPAN SEARCH by the Shimane University Library (as of October 2025). Please take a look.
※Japanese Only
■桑原羊次郎の欧米美術行脚～日英博覧会を中心に～
https://jpsearch.go.jp/gallery/libshimane_u-wkl7RdnDJw
■桑原文庫「展覧会目録」の世界