Tokyo: Tae Hitoto, a descendant of the influential Yen family from Japanese colonial Taiwan, has embarked on a literary journey to reconnect with her Taiwanese roots. Born in Taipei in 1970 to a Taiwanese father and Japanese mother, Hitoto moved to Japan at the age of 11. Her connection to Taiwan waned after her father’s death when she was 14. It wasn’t until the 2012 release of her nonfiction book “Box My Child,” a tribute to her father, that she began exploring her Taiwanese heritage.
According to Focus Taiwan, Hitoto’s renewed interest in her paternal lineage inspired her to dive deep into her family’s history. As of 2024, she has authored two nonfiction books and four travel books, all of which highlight Taiwan. Her debut novel, “The Blue Flower,” is her latest endeavor to honor her father. Though written in Japanese, the novel premiered in Taiwan in July with a Chinese translation, and the Japanese edition is set for release in 2026.
Hitoto shared insights about her creative journey in an interview with CNA. Her novel centers on three women who, after discovering photos of their deceased fathers, explore their family histories. Their quest reveals tales from Taiwan’s White Terror era, a period of intense political repression and violence. The novel’s characters are inspired by real-life figures, including Hitoto herself and her father.
In 2009, Hitoto stumbled upon a box of her father’s possessions while renovating their family home in Tokyo. The discovery included photos, notes, and a diary that hinted at untold stories of his past. This prompted her to investigate her family’s decline during the Kuomintang’s rise to power and their forced land surrender.
Hitoto’s father studied in Japan but returned to Taiwan during the tumultuous 228 Incident in 1947, before sneaking back to Japan two years later. Hitoto’s understanding of her father’s experiences has been pieced together from the limited clues he left behind.
“The Blue Flower” symbolizes the pursuit of elusive ideals-a theme Hitoto discovered on the back of one of her father’s photos. In the novel’s afterword, she expresses her desire to comprehend her parents’ experiences and to vividly portray their lives.
Despite the weight of her family’s past, Hitoto finds joy and pride in uncovering her history. She emphasizes the importance of facing historical pain to grasp Taiwan’s present-day reality. Her work aims to bridge cultural gaps between Taiwan and Japan, a mission she furthers by serving as a goodwill ambassador for Tainan.
Hitoto’s primary audience is Japanese readers, whom she hopes will gain a deeper understanding of Taiwanese history through her storytelling. “It’s a story not just about my family, but also about all Taiwanese families,” she said, highlighting her commitment to sharing these narratives with the world.