Eiki Matayoshi
Encyclopedia
Eiki Matayoshi is, along with Shun Medoruma (目取真俊), one of the most important contemporary writers from Okinawa, a southern prefecture of Japan
.
His novels are always set in the Okinawa archipelague.
Among his first novels, Jōji ga shasatsu shita inoshishi (ジョージが射殺した猪 - "The Wild Boar that George Shot"), published in 1978, was very famous. The novel dealt with a very controversial issue. A soldier of the US occupation forces in Okinawa shot a local man, and during the trial he declared that he mistakenly took him for a wild boar. The novel is inspired by a true story. The US soldier was declared innocent, arousing a big debate among the locals.
Matayoshi became known outside Okinawa thanks to the prestigious Akutagawa Prize
, won in 1995 with his novel Buta no mukui (The Pig's Retribution).
Some of his works are also translated in Western languages:
His novels also inspired two movies:
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
His novels are always set in the Okinawa archipelague.
Among his first novels, Jōji ga shasatsu shita inoshishi (ジョージが射殺した猪 - "The Wild Boar that George Shot"), published in 1978, was very famous. The novel dealt with a very controversial issue. A soldier of the US occupation forces in Okinawa shot a local man, and during the trial he declared that he mistakenly took him for a wild boar. The novel is inspired by a true story. The US soldier was declared innocent, arousing a big debate among the locals.
Matayoshi became known outside Okinawa thanks to the prestigious Akutagawa Prize
Akutagawa Prize
The is a Japanese literary award presented semi-annually. It was established in 1935 by Kan Kikuchi, then-editor of Bungeishunjū magazine, in memory of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa...
, won in 1995 with his novel Buta no mukui (The Pig's Retribution).
Some of his works are also translated in Western languages:
- 1976. Kānibaru tōgyū taikai (カーニバル闘牛大会 - English tr. "The Carnival Bullfight" - posted on 14.10.2009 in "Behold my Swarthy Face" blog http://www.beholdmyswarthyface.com/2009/10/carnival-bullfight-by-matayoshi-eiki.html; tr. by Tom Kain);
- 1996. Buta no mukui (豚の報い - Italian tr.: La punizione del maiale. 2008. Nuoro: Il Maestrale; tr. by Luca Capponcelli and Costantino Pes);
- 1998. Kahō wa umi kara (果報は海から - English tr.: "Fortunes by the sea", 2000, in Molasky Michael e Rabson Steve, eds. Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press; tr. by David Fahy).
- 2002. Jinkotsu tenjikan (人骨展示間 - French tr.: Histoire d'un squelette. 2006. Arles: Philippe Picquier; tr. by Patrick Honnoré).
His novels also inspired two movies:
- 1998. BeatBeat (1998 film)thumb|250pxBeat is a Japanese movie released in Japan in 1998, directed by Amon Miyamoto, set in the 60's in Okinawa. It was screened at critics week at the 1998 Venice film festival...
(ビート). Filmmaker: Miyamoto Amon (宮本亜門, 1958- ). Screened in 1998, at Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
. Original novel: Naminoue no Maria (波の上のマリア - Maria from Naminoue, published in 1998).
- 1999. Buta no mukui. Filmmaker Sai Yōichi (崔洋一, 1949- ), screened in 1999 at Locarno International Film FestivalLocarno International Film FestivalThe Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
(wins Don Quixote award). Original novel: Buta no mukui (The pig's retribution, published in 1996).