Night on the Galactic Railroad and Other Stories from Ihatov — Kenji Miyazawa

Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933) is one of Japan's most beloved writers and poets, known particularly for his sensitive and symbolist children's fiction. This volume collects stories that focus on Miyazawa's love of space and his use of the galaxy as a metaphor for the concepts of purity, self-sacrifice, and faith, which were near and dear to his heart. "The Nighthawk Star" follows a lowly bird as he struggles to transform himself into something greater, a constellation in the night sky; "Signal & Signal-less" depicts a pair of star-crossed train signals who dream of eloping to the moon; and "Night on the Galactic Railroad," Miyazawa's most famous work, tells the story of two boys as they journey upon a train that traverses the Milky Way, learning the true meaning of friendship, happiness, and life itself along the way.