Among writers from the Meteorological Agency near Palaceside Building is Jiro Nitta. He wrote many mountain novels—"Kyodenden," "The Solitary Man," "Death Wanderings on Mt. Hakkoda," "The Peak of Sword Mountain"—many filmed. After graduating from Denki Gakko (predecessor of Denki University, once near Palaceside Building; moved to Kita-Senju this April), he joined the Central Meteorological Observatory, later transferred to the Manchukuo Meteorological Observatory, and spent a year in detention after the war.
Publishing once said commissioning "Taro, Jiro, Saburo" guaranteed bestsellers: "Taro" is Ryotaro Shiba, "Jiro" is Jiro Nitta, "Saburo" is Saburo Shiroyama.
Nitta was from Suwa, Nagano; his family grave is at Shoganji in Suwa City. On reddish andesite: "Spring breeze—Jiro's dream still continues."
Yet he has another grave—in Switzerland.
At the earnest wish of Tei Fujiwara. Tei Fujiwara is famous for "Flowing Stars Are Alive," her repatriation experience right after the war. From "capital" Shinkyo in Manchukuo she rode an open freight train south through the Korean Peninsula with three children—a harrowing nonfiction account. One child is Masahiko Fujiwara, author of "The Dignity of a Nation."
Tei wanted a grave in the Swiss Alps too. Near Kleine Scheidegg station, departure point for the Jungfrau railway, a grave was made on a hill. The bronze plaque reads: "Jiro Nitta, Japanese writer who loved the Alps, sleeps here." A mountain novelist's epitaph; visiting Japanese tourists quietly offered wildflowers.