Milky Way Railroad (Rock Spring Collection of Japanese Literature)

Teased by his friends and alone on a hilltop, young Kenji is suddenly swept aboard a magical train bound for the Milky Way. Representing the soul's passage to heaven, the train is a passage from this life to the next. Kenji meets many of the newly departed on his journey, but only he will be allowed to return to Earth, where he dreams of being reunited with his father. Miyazawa uses a wealth of literary, scientific, and religious allusion to depict a universe that is sad yet miraculous. A classic in Japan for its original and artful evocation of a young boy's yearnings, this is a book of great wisdom that teaches acceptance and compassion.