"The Power of Our Ancestors: The Fountain of Wisdom" is a program on NHK Educational TV (Tuesdays at 10pm) that teaches us modern wisdom from our historical predecessors. On April 22nd, the program will focus on the couple Yakumo Koizumi and Setsu, who will be the subject of the NHK Asadora drama "Bakebake " scheduled to start this fall and run in the second half of 2025. Yakumo Koizumi(Lafcadio Hearn) wrote the famous book "Kaidan" in Meiji Japan, where no one spoke the same language. Behind this great achievement were Yakumo's extremely sharp hearing and the efforts and talent of his wife Setsu, who became the storyteller...!
The subtitle of the program that day was "Yakumo Koizumi and Setsu: A Couple Who Transcended Cultures with Ghost Stories."Yakumo Koizumi is well known for his stories "Hoichi the Earless" and "Snow Woman." He was fascinated by the world of the Kojiki, came to Japan alone, and took up a position as a teacher in Matsue. His outstanding "hearing" made up for his handicap of not being able to communicate in the language.
He captures the soundscapes of wooden pestles, insects, and Bon Odori dances, which even Japanese people would overlook. His wife, Setsu, helped him with his writing. She collected the original material herself, memorized the contents, and recounted them in her own words, stimulating Yakumo's imagination. What is the wisdom of this internationally married couple who joined hands to overcome the barriers of different cultures?
