Celebrating Kenji: An Evening of Poetry, Prose and Music

Readings and Music

December 12, 2023

The author of Japan’s most enduring modern classic Night on the Milky Way Train and visionary poet Miyazawa Kenji passed away in September 1933. Since then, his reputation has only grown both in Japan and overseas. His most famous poem, Strong in the Rain, provided comfort and solace for tens of thousands of victims of the Great Eastern Earthquake and tsunami that struck Kenji’s home region, Tohoku, in March 2011.

Kenji’s acclaimed translator, author and film director Roger Pulvers will be joined by Brisbane-based musician Michael Keen for this evening of readings from some of Kenji’s most beloved stories and poems. Michael Keen will be playing the keyboard.

Join us for this unique celebration of the life and work of the author who said, “Individual happiness cannot be attained until people all over the world are happy as well.”

Drinks and light refreshments will be provided. All readings will be in English.

About the speaker

Roger Pulvers

Roger Pulvers is an acclaimed author, playwright, theatre and film director, and translator. He was assistant to director Oshima Nagisa on Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, has published some sixty books in English and Japanese and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Miyazawa Kenji Prize, the Noma Award for the Translation of Japanese Literature, the Order of the Rising Sun and the Order of Australia (AM).