Niimi Nankichi (July 30, 1913–March 22, 1943) was a Japanese author best known as the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan.

Born in Yanabe, Handa, Aichi, Niimi lost his mother at just four years old. His talent showed early—during his elementary school graduation, he recited a haiku that struck everyone in attendance:

At 18, he moved to Tokyo to study at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. After graduating, tuberculosis forced him back home, where he worked as an elementary and later high school teacher. He died at 29, never becoming prolific, but everything he wrote displayed remarkable skill. His work is known for sharp, vivid characterizations and human observation—qualities that have led readers to compare him frequently with Kenji Miyazawa. His birthplace, Handa, now hosts the Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum.