Children's Biography "The Nightingale's Wind Blows" to be Released by Shogakukan on Wednesday, April 22

[Bibliographic Information] "The Nightingale's Wind Blows -The Story of Chika Ozeki and Modern Nursing-"

Author: Hikaru Tanaka List Price: 1,540 yen (tax included) Scheduled Release Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Format: 46-size (B6), hardcover, 160 pages Publisher: Shogakukan https://www.shogakukan.co.jp/books/09289345

[The Struggle of Japan's First "Nurses"]

The children's biography "The Nightingale's Wind Blows -The Story of Chika Ozeki and Modern Nursing-," based on a true story, will be released by Shogakukan on Wednesday, April 22. The book is set in the turbulent Meiji era, a time of great change in Japan, at the Sakurai Nursing School (now Joshi Gakuin). It depicts women such as Chika Ozeki, Miyabi Suzuki, and Ume Hirose, who paved the way for a new path in nursing in Japan.

While translating Florence Nightingale's books to learn proper nursing knowledge, these women also gained technical skills through clinical training at the Dai-ichi Hospital (now The University of Tokyo Hospital). When a dysentery epidemic spread nationwide, Chika Ozeki traveled with a doctor to a village experiencing a mass outbreak. Ozeki put an end to the incorrect treatment methods used until then, implemented care that was attentive to the hearts of patients and their families, and carried out precise epidemic prevention measures, drastically reducing the mortality rate through the power of nursing. The fact that so many patients' lives were saved through her devoted nursing, based on solid knowledge and experience, was even called a "miracle."

This book is a biography depicting the struggles of these women, who were known as "Japan's Nightingales."

[Chika Ozeki and Miyabi Suzuki: The Motifs for the Protagonists of the NHK First-Half 2026 Serial TV Novel "Kaze, Kaoru"]

This book is a newly written children's biography by Hikaru Tanaka, the author of "Meiji's Nightingale: The Story of Chika Ozeki" (Chuokoron-Shinsha), which served as the original concept for the NHK morning drama "Kaze, Kaoru."

In an era when it was difficult for women to decide their own way of life, Chika Ozeki, Miyabi Suzuki, Ume Hirose, and others chose their own paths and continued to think and act without giving up, even when facing difficulties. It is a book that will stir your heart as you witness these women who never abandoned those who were weak or children in need.

[Five Messages to Convey to Children Through the Life of Chika Ozeki]

1. Choose your own life. 2. Do not give up, even in the face of difficulty. 3. Think about the root cause of problems. 4. Be aware of unconscious bias. 5. Envision a better future.

This moving story, based on a true story, is perfect for book reports or morning reading. We hope you look forward to it.

[Author Profile]

Hikaru Tanaka Born in Tokyo in 1970. Writer and historical sociologist. Ph.D. (Academic). She writes and lectures primarily on themes related to women. Her books include "Meiji's Nightingale: The Story of Chika Ozeki" (Chuokoron-Shinsha), which served as the original concept for the NHK serial TV novel "Kaze, Kaoru," as well as "The Story of Mizu Takahashi: The Cross-dressing Female Doctor Who Lived in the Meiji Era" (same publisher) and "A Social History of Sanitary Products" (KADOKAWA).