Thoughts from Nyokodō

by Takashi Paul Nagai, Gabriele Di Comite (Translator)

Nyokodō, the Place of Love to Yourself , is the tiny six-by-six foot wooden hut where Takashi Nagai spent the last three years of his life, in the heart of the Nagasaki district which had been reduced to ashes by the atomic bomb. In that dwelling he lived in voluntary material and spiritual poverty, confined to a bed by leukemia but in an unstoppable race towards the discovery of the Truth of himself and of life and death.
Thoughts from Nyokodō is now translated from Japanese for the first time. It is the last autobiographical work by Takashi Nagai, which collects letters and short writings that are precious to follow, in family intimacy with him, his steps towards the final encounter with Christ.
"The light of the new morning shines on the devastation of the atomic wasteland. It is the moment when the bell of the big church on the hill rings […] I ask that the sound of the bell becomes louder and louder, that it spreads more and more, that it echoes farther and farther, to awaken men and bring them into the new light, to transform the deserted heath into a wonderful hill in bloom. So that all may dedicate themselves to making this place the city of the civilization of peace" (Takashi Paul Nagai, Thoughts from Nyokodō )

241 pages, Paperback

Published January 22, 2022

Reviews

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book of reflections on various topics of importance to the author, including the recovery of Nagasaki after the atomic bomb of 1945, how he raised his children as a single parent after their mother died, refusing to remarry, and his Catholic faith.

I suspect that the initial audience for the articles and letters compiled in this book was Japanese readers of his time who were already familiar with him, so I would recommend that anyone interested in reading Thoughts from Nyokodo - named after the two-tatami mat hut that he built for himself, with the Japanese name meaning ‘the place of self-love’ - should at least start with reading his classic atomic bomb memoir The Bells of Nagasaki.

That said, this book has some important messages that are timeless and universal. Whether it was his sympathy for Catholics who were being executed within the Soviet Union for their faith - ‘what a great suffering it must be for the soul to be forced to deny the truth and to be forced to believe in something imposed by the government that is not the truth’ - or his call for a ‘real movement for peace, in justice, patience and love, with humility and determination’, Nagai was one of Japan’s most powerful voices in the post-war years for religious freedom and pacifism.

[Audrey Monahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts from Nyokodo is an absolutely beautiful book and was such a joy to read. Takashi used unique descriptions and analogies that made me want to see life through a poet’s eyes. His humility and simplicity jumps off of every page of this book. It was such a blessing getting to know him better through his works and I look forward to reading more.

Takashi Nagai, pray for us!

[Kelly Durocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautiful!!