Abstract:
Children’s Poetry was widespread throughout Japan at the time of the modern education reform. Many authors of children’s poetry and songwriters are well known up until now. Their literary works are widely read and studied. After World War II, Japan was in an era of high economic growth however during that time many problems arose concerning the environment and competition in education. Poetry was used in elementary school textbooks, to teach the children about the importance of their surroundings. Children learned to think and use their imagination. In 1990-2000, an era of information and technology, there were many problems regarding bullying and truancy in school. This period, which was called “the Lost Decade”, caused the younger generation to lose interest in their aspirations and dreams. The poetry in textbooks at the time was used for teaching grammar, reading and writing as had been done with textbooks in the past. Despite this the real emphasis was in terms of content, they represented the value of life and society. After the year 2000, the Educational regulations were revised to suit a borderless economic society. Poetry for children that appeared in textbooks at the time, reflected the people who were facing disappointment and seeking emotional support. Poetry motivates children to learn to observe and find happiness in their environment. It can be said that children’s poetry is not only the language of the culture that adults try to pass down to the next generation, but also a way in which to explore questions related to the instability in everyday life, and stimulate the readers to look for answers.