Issun Boshi The One Inch Boy

Illustrated by: Mayumi Otero, Illustrated by: Raphael Urwiller

Tiny and brave—these are the two most striking characteristics of Issun Bôshi. His mother had longed to have a child for so many years that she finally added “even if it is a very small one” to her wish. When the elderly couple did in fact bear a son, he turned out to be only one inch high. He was thus called Issun Bôshi, Japanese for one-inch boy.

Although his parents raised him very lovingly, Issun Bôshi realized one day that he would not grow any taller. He then left his home to set off on a jour­ney to find his place in the world. Because he saw himself as a swordfighter, a samurai, he made sure to take along the right equipment: a needle was his sword, a soup bowl was his boat, and a chopstick was its rudder.