Akiko Hisataka

A Rainbow Bridge Akiko Hisataka

The author Akiko Hisataka, the eldest daughter of martial arts master Kori Hisataka, was born in Manchuria, a puppet state created by Japan in northeastern China and inner Mongolia in 1932 which lasted until 1945, collapsing with the defeat of Japan in World War II. At the time of Manchuria's collapse, all Japanese residents were forced to quickly flee back to Japan. For young Akiko, this was an escape to a country that she had only heard vague stories of and had never seen. The story begins with the author's father leaving Japan, on an ambitious journey across Asia and into the wider world during his youth. This leads into the story of Akiko, her parents, younger siblings and schoolmates. It follows her joyful childhood days, where she dreamed about her parents' home country of Japan while unbeknownst to her, World War II raged on. Her peaceful days came to an abrupt end with Russia's invasion into Manchuria, breaking the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. As a young girl, the author and her family suddenly began their long and dangerous repatriation journey along with the other Japanese residents of Manchuria. During this journey, the Japanese refugees learned of the end of the war and had to come to terms with what had been unthinkable: Japan's defeat. This story is a memoir of the author's childhood days - a peaceful life shockingly changed into a chaotic journey of repatriation - and the inner growth that she experienced throughout these trying experiences.