When author and translator Roger Pulvers first arrived in Japan in 1967, he could not read or write the language and asked a friend to recommend "the most beautiful Japanese" literature.
"(The friend) said, well, that's Miyazawa Kenji," Pulvers explained, recalling his struggles as he spent two hours poring over each page.
Pulvers fell in love with the poet's writing. While it helped him to improve his grasp of Japanese, it also prompted him to dedicate his life to bringing Miyazawa's works to a global audience.