A recently discovered letter written by novelist Nagai Kafu shortly after the end of the war is providing a rare glimpse of his postwar hardships, experts and his publisher said Wednesday.
Kafu (1879-1959) is known for his lyrical portrayals of urban culture in the early 20th century, particularly the geisha and other denizens of the entertainment districts.
In the letter, dated Aug. 17, 1946, Kafu asks an acquaintance for a futon, saying his own was very dirty. The letter was addressed to the widow of kabuki actor Ichikawa Sadanji, a close friend of his who died in 1940, and asks for Sadanji's futon as a "memento."