Hisako Nakamura

Hisako Nakamura (Japanese: 中村久子, 1897–1968) was a Japanese author, artist, and performer. Due to a childhood infection caused by frostbite, Nakamura lost both her hands and feet by the age of three. As an adult, she was featured in sideshow exhibitions showing her distinct needlework and knitting abilities. In later years, Nakamura became an accomplished and acknowledged calligraphist, doll-maker, and author, as well as a leading figure in Shin Buddhism.

Early life Hisako Nakamura was born in 1897 in Takayama City, in the Gifu prefecture of Japan. Her father, Eitaro Kaminari, was a tatami maker and her mother, Aya Kaminari, was a traditional doctor of herbology and external medicine. At the age of three, Nakamura developed frostbite from the cold temperatures in Takayama City, which progressed into gangrene, causing her to have both her hands and feet amputated. Nakamura grew up in poverty and faced discrimination from her community due to her physical condition and appearance. Nakamura says of the encounter in her memoir, "When we work at something in which we put all our heart, there is neither ocean nor national boundary. The sacred and true mind of beings overcomes many obstacles in life--that is what I learned then." The two met two more times after this initial meeting, and their friendly bond continued.

At age forty-two, Nakamura encountered the Tannisho, which served as her spiritual awakening. The Jodo Shinshu teachings of Buddhism introduced a new and important path to her life, and through this realization, she decidedly rejected the advice to accept her situation passively. She began to live life with "boundless compassion that not only shouldered the burdens of her life as its ultimate concern, but provided the energy and strength for her to live each day positively and vigorously. Nakamura became known for her deep-seated faith and was a traveling and well-requested lecturer for the religion. She studied Buddhist books and publishing her own articles recounting her own experiences and Shin teachings.

Death and legacy Nakamura died in 1968 at her home in Takayama City. The memorial of her death is celebrated by her family members and by members of the Buddhist community who knew her and remember her. Her lectures and work in the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist community are still celebrated and acknowledged widely.

Selected works

Books

Τhe Hands and Feet of the Heart