Lafcadio Hearn: The Man Who Loved Japan

Lafcadio Hearn was a writer.
In Japan, people call him Koizumi Yakumo.

He was born in Greece in 1850.
His father was Irish, and his mother was Greek.

He grew up in Ireland, and he often felt lonely.
Because of this, he liked stories, old legends, and ghost tales.

A Boy Who Loved Stories

When Hearn was young, he did not have a happy family life.
He lived with relatives and felt alone.

But he loved to read and listen to stories.
He liked stories about spirits, nature, and mystery.
These stories stayed in his heart for a long time.

A New Life in America

When he was 19 years old, Hearn went to the United States.
He lived in cities like Cincinnati and New Orleans.

There, he worked as a newspaper writer.
He wrote about people, places, and cultures.
He liked learning about different ways of life.

New Orleans had many old traditions and stories.
This made Hearn very happy.

Finding Japan

In 1890, Hearn came to Japan.
At first, he came to write news stories.

But Japan felt very special to him.
He loved the quiet towns, nature, and old customs.
He felt calm and peaceful there.

He became an English teacher in Matsue, a town by the sea.
Matsue was known for gods, legends, and beautiful water.

A Family and a New Name

In Matsue, Hearn married a Japanese woman named Setsu.
She told him many old stories and ghost tales.

Hearn listened carefully and wrote them in English.
Later, he became a Japanese citizen.
He chose a new name: Koizumi Yakumo.

Telling Japan’s Stories to the World

Hearn wanted to save Japan’s old stories.
He was worried they might disappear.

He wrote books like
Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan
and
Kwaidan.

In these books, he shared ghost stories and legends.
One famous story is Mimi-nashi Hōichi.

His English was gentle and musical.
Many Japanese people still enjoy his stories today.

A Writer Who Built a Bridge

In 1904, Hearn died in Tokyo.
But his stories are still alive.

He showed the world a kind and quiet Japan.
He listened with respect and wrote with love.

Today, we still read his words.
They help people from different countries understand each other.

Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum (Matsue, Shimane)

Yaizu Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum (Yaizu, Shizuoka)