Kenji Miyazawa was born into wealth from a family pawnshop business. He often clashed with his father, viewing their profits from impoverished farmers as exploitative. This early conflict fueled his deep compassion for the rural poor.

He became an agricultural school teacher, using unconventional methods focused on nature. He taught students outdoors through hands-on demonstrations of principles like heat and temperature. His eccentric approach, bewildering to some, reflected his dedication to experiential learning and the natural world.

Driven by empathy for farmers' struggles, he resigned to labor in the fields alongside them. Initially perceived as a spoiled outsider lacking practical skills, he endured skepticism and occasional sabotage. Despite physical exhaustion and distrust, he persisted. He shared knowledge on fertilizer techniques and taught literature and art during evening gatherings, demonstrating his commitment to improving their lives through education and solidarity.

Personal relationships deeply shaped him. His sister Toshi offered emotional support during family conflicts; her prolonged illness and death profoundly affected him, with her final request for fresh snow becoming a recurring memory. His friendship with Kanai Hosaka deteriorated; though they shared early dreams and creative sparks—like Kenji composing "Telegraph Poles on a Moonlit Night" during their walks—Kanai later rejected Kenji's idealism as naive.

Kenji experienced intense hallucinations and visions, triggered by stress or strain. These included surreal images like skeletal corpses in water, trains emerging from the ground, and fantastical sequences with birds and winged figures. Reflecting his inner turmoil, grief for Toshi, and creative process, these visions influenced works like *Night on the Galactic Railroad*. His poetry, including parts of "Spring and Asura" and "Ame ni mo Makezu," offered personal solace and public encouragement during hardship.

Throughout his life, despite poverty, illness, and lack of recognition for his writing, Kenji maintained his principles. He continued creating poetry and stories conveying themes of resilience, interconnectedness, and finding beauty amid suffering.