So Far from the Bamboo Grove

infobox Book |
name = So Far from the Bamboo Grove
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Yoko Kawashima Watkins
cover_artist = Leo & Diane Dillon
country = United States
language = English
series = none
genre = War novel, Autobiographical novel
publisher = HarperTeen
release_date = May 24, 1994
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 192 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-688-13115-8
preceded_by =
followed_by = My Brother, My Sister, and I

"So Far from the Bamboo Grove" is a semi-autobiographical book written by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, a Japanese American writer. It was originally published by Beech Tree in April 1986. A Japanese version of this book is not available while China has banned publication of it. [ http://news.empas.com/show.tsp/20070117n02484 ko icon Empas Article, January 17, 2007]

Watkins's book takes place in the last days of World War II. An eleven-year old Japanese girl, Yoko Kawashima must leave her home in Nanam (now part of Chongjin) of northern Korea with her family to travel south to Pusan to be repatriated to Japan.

Plot

The story begins with Yoko Kawashima (and her mother and sister) living in Nanam, a city in northern Korea. When Korea becomes dangerous, Yoko and her family must return to Japan, hiding from both the Japanese military and the Koreans. Her brother, Hideyo, also tries to flee but he is separated from his family as he is employed at an ammunition factory.

The family experiences a difficult and frightening journey as they make their way to Seoul and to Pusan to take a ferry to Japan.

When Yoko, her sister Ko, and her mother reach Fukuoka, Japan, they travel to Kyoto, as the mother had been educated there. She then leaves for Aomori to seek help from their grandparents. She returns to Yoko and her sister bringing sad news that both of their grandparents are dead. The mother dies on the same day, leaving Yoko and Ko waiting for the eventual return of their brother, Hideyo.

A few months later, Yoko, Ko, and Hideyo are eventually reunited at Maizuru, and Hideyo tells his tale of how he escaped North Korea and made it to Japan.

Historical errors

The book says that Soviet troops first landed in Korea on July 29 1945 when the first Soviet advance into Korea did not take place until August 12 1945. The Soviet Union did not begin its attack against Japanese forces or Japan-held territories until August 9 1945 when it began the invasion of Manchuria.

Controversy

The critics of the book expressed that the book makes no mention of Japanese war crimes, including forced labor and forced prostitution, and portrays Koreans as the antagonists. [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/west/2006/11/fighting_words.html "Bamboo Grove" controversy continues] ] [ [http://starbulletin.com/2007/02/03/news/story04.html State asks schools to weigh in on disputed book] ] [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/12/16/a_matter_of_context/ Boston Globe By Carter Eckert - December 16, 2006] ] Korean American parents have sought to remove the book from the school curriculum since 2006. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/11/12/ban_book_from_class_panel_says/?page=2 Ban book from class, panel says] ] [ [http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2871981 Controversial author stands by story of her war ordeal] JoongAng Daily, February 2, 2007] After the controversy arose in the Greater Boston area, similar efforts in other parts of the U.S. have been successful in removing the book from the curriculum and reading lists. [http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=61889 US: More American schools stop textbook falsifying Korea] ]

Television program "Neukkimpyo" ( _ko. 느낌표 "Exclamation Mark"), which panned the book as an "unhesitant, outrageous distortion", was the first in the South Korean media to report on this matter. "The Chosun Ilbo" and "Yonhap News" said that her father was an officer in Unit 731 and that he was kept in Siberian prison for six years as a result. [ [http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200701/200701180008.html Korean Parents Angry over "Distorted" U.S. School Book] Chosunilbo, January 18, 2007] [ [http://issue.media.daum.net/yokostory/200701/18/yonhap/v15423404.html '요코' 아버지 731부대 최고위 간부 의혹] ko icon] They said to have uncovered documentation of organized evacuation of Japanese families from Manchuria and North Korea to Maizuru Bay, the same route taken by Watkins, under military and medical supervision. [ [http://issue.media.daum.net/yokostory/200701/18/yonhap/v15423403.html `요코이야기' 허구 시사 기록 발견] ]

The author said that she had no intention to disregard the history of South Korea and apologized for any hard feelings felt by Korean readers. She stated her intention was to portray her childhood experiences in a softer way for young readers. She denied the accusations made by the Korean newspapers. [ [http://article.joins.com/article/article.asp?total_id=2625111 `왜곡 아니다 … 한국인에 상처준 건 죄송`] ko icon JOINS Article, February 3 2007]

ee also

*Japanese nationalism
*Japanese-Korean disputes
*Japan-Korea relations
*Korean nationalism

References