Miura Misyo Writes about Happy Years with His Wife

Japanese writer Miura Ayako is well known for her bestseller novel “the Freezing Point” here in Korea. His husband Miura Misyo recently revealed his deep feelings towards his wife in a book titled “My Wife, Miura Ayako” (published by Tuyoung Media).

The book is about the couple’s love and life together – from the moment they first met each other through their 30 years marriage. It delivers to readers such warm and lasting feelings of love and care, which are hard to find these days.

It was June 18 1955 when Misyo first met Ayako, “a day I will never forget” the author writes. At that time, Ayako was suffering from tuberculosis that continued for almost 9 years and chronic infection on the backbone that had developed 3 years ago. She was so weak that she could hardly walk around by herself. After returning from their third date, he prayed.

“God, I am willing to give up my life for her. Please save her from her illnesses.”

Soon they got married. They were a poor but happy couple. He looked back those days as “happy moments in a small room.” Their humble home was always filled with verses.

Running a small neighborhood grocery store, Ayako built her dream of being a writer. She started her writing career in 1964 when Asahi Shimbun introduced “the Freezing Point” in 1964. Misyo, then, quit his job to help his wife busy with writing and lecturing. He thought, “It didn’t matter who took care of our house as long as we could be of help to each other.”

When Ayako’s failing health stopped her from working proactively, he helped her writing by dictating what she said. Misyo writes that he never expressed his own opinion about Ayako’s novels or essays.

He recollected that he thought for a moment “We might die together on the same day,” during their wedding. His wife, however, died in 1999 leaving him behind. Still, he feels certain that they are “one in spirit.”

Yi-Young Cho lycho@donga.com