Toyohiko Kagawa

Toyohiko Kagawa (1888—1960) is a Japanese reformer, activist, pacifist, poet, and novelist. He was orphaned at age four, and was cared for by American missionaries. Once he declared his faith in Christ, he was disowned by his extended family. In 1909 he moved into a slum in Kobe, Japan, in order to serve the people, but found it hard to make a difference there.

He became active in various reforms, frequently facing rebuke from government authorities, such as being arrested twice in 1921 and 1922 for his part in labour strikes. Similarly, after writing an apology in 1940 to China for Japan’s invasion, he was twice arrested for “antiwar thoughts”.

After WWII, however, he was influential as an advisor to the transitional government, seeing such reforms as the legalization of unions, women’s suffrage, and land redistribution.

Kagawa wrote more than one hundred fifty books, including bestselling novels. He was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and four times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Discovery

I cannot invent new things
Like the airships
Which sail
On silver wings
But today
A Wonderful Thought
In the dawn was given
And the stripes on my robe
Shining from wear
Were suddenly fair
Bright with a Light
Falling from heaven
Gold, Silver and Bronze
Lights from the windows of Heaven
And the Thought was this:
That a Secret Plan
Is hid in my Hand
Big,
Because of this plan,
That God
Who dwells in my hand
Knows this secret plan
Of the things He will do for the world
Using my Hand!

Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Poiema/Cascade), and three anthologies — available through Wipf & Stock. His new book The Role of the Moon, inspired by the Metaphysical Poets, is forthcoming from Paraclete Press.