Inoue Hisashi
Encyclopedia
was a leading Japanese
playwright
and writer of comic fiction.
in Yamagata Prefecture
. He lost his father when he was 4 years old and was subsequently sent off to a Lasallian home for children where he received a Christian
baptism
. He graduated from Sophia University
.
After an initial career in radio
, he wrote his first stage play Nihonjin no Heso in 1969 for Theatre Echo. He first gained literary recognition for his satirical
comic plays in the tradition of the Edo period
gesaku
genre.
Inoue has won a very large number of literary awards in the course of his career, including the 67th Naoki Prize
in 1972 for his novel Tegusari Shinju ("Handcuffed Double Suicide"). He followed on this success in 1981 with Kirikirijin
("The People of Kirikiri"), which was awarded both the Yomiuri Literary Prize and the 2nd Japan Science Fiction Award
.
In 1984, he established his own theatre troupe, called Komatsuza, to perform his own plays. These include biographical works on Meiji period
writers Ishikawa Takuboku
and Higuchi Ichiyō, whom he had long admired. In 1988, he completed a comic trilogy: Kirameku seiza, Yami ni saku hana, Yuki ya kon kon, depicting the lives of ordinary people in the Shōwa period
.
Despite his activity with the theatre, Inoue continued to write, winning the 1982 Seiun Award
for Best Novel for Kirikirijin, the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize for Treasury of Disloyal Retainers in 1986, the 27th Tanizaki Prize
for Shanghai Moon in 1991, and the Kikuchi Kan Literary Award for Tokyo Seven Roses in 1999.
In 1984, the Writer's Block Library was opened in Kawanishimachi, Yamagata prefecture, thanks to Inoue's donation of his 100,000 volume book collection.
Inoue served as president of the Japan P.E.N. Club from 2003 to 2007. Chichi to kuraseba, has been translated into the English language
by Roger Pulvers under the title The Face of Jizo.
Inoue had lived in Kamakura, Kanagawa
since 1989. He died of lung cancer
at his home on 9 April 2010 at the age of 75.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and writer of comic fiction.
Biography
Inoue was born in the small town of KawanishiKawanishi, Yamagata
is a town located in Higashiokitama District, Yamagata, Japan. The literal meaning of Kawanishi is "west of the river", and the river refers to the Mogami River....
in Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
. He lost his father when he was 4 years old and was subsequently sent off to a Lasallian home for children where he received a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. He graduated from Sophia University
Sophia University
There are several rankings below related to Sophia University.-General Rankings:The university was ranked 61st in 2010 in the ranking Truly Strong Universities by Toyo Keizai...
.
After an initial career in radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, he wrote his first stage play Nihonjin no Heso in 1969 for Theatre Echo. He first gained literary recognition for his satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
comic plays in the tradition of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
gesaku
Gesaku
is an alternative style, genre or school of Japanese literature. In the simplest contemporary sense, any literary work of a playful, mocking, joking, silly or frivolous nature may be called Gesaku. Unlike predecessors in the literary field, Gesaku writers did not strive for beauty and perfect...
genre.
Inoue has won a very large number of literary awards in the course of his career, including the 67th Naoki Prize
Naoki Prize
The Naoki Prize is a Japanese literary award presented semiannually. The official name is Naoki Sanjugo Prize. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the Bungeishunjū magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo...
in 1972 for his novel Tegusari Shinju ("Handcuffed Double Suicide"). He followed on this success in 1981 with Kirikirijin
Kirikirijin
Kirikirijin 吉里吉里人 is Inoue Hisashi's major satirical novel, challenges the political, cultural and linguistic authority of Tokyo, by depicting the political separation for the Kirikiri people from the rest of Japan...
("The People of Kirikiri"), which was awarded both the Yomiuri Literary Prize and the 2nd Japan Science Fiction Award
Nihon SF Taisho Award
Nihon SF Taishō Award is a Japanese science fiction award. It has been compared to the Nebula Award as it is given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan or SFWJ...
.
In 1984, he established his own theatre troupe, called Komatsuza, to perform his own plays. These include biographical works on Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
writers Ishikawa Takuboku
Ishikawa Takuboku
was a Japanese poet. He died of tuberculosis. Well known as both a tanka and 'modern-style' or 'free-style' poet, he began as a member of the Myōjō group of naturalist poets but later joined the "socialistic" group of Japanese poets and renounced naturalism.-Major works:His major works were two...
and Higuchi Ichiyō, whom he had long admired. In 1988, he completed a comic trilogy: Kirameku seiza, Yami ni saku hana, Yuki ya kon kon, depicting the lives of ordinary people in the Shōwa period
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
.
Despite his activity with the theatre, Inoue continued to write, winning the 1982 Seiun Award
Seiun Award
The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after...
for Best Novel for Kirikirijin, the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize for Treasury of Disloyal Retainers in 1986, the 27th Tanizaki Prize
Tanizaki Prize
The Tanizaki Prize , named in honor of the Japanese novelist Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, is one of Japan's most sought-after literary awards. It was established in 1965 by the publishing company Chūō Kōronsha Inc. to commemorate its 80th anniversary as a publisher...
for Shanghai Moon in 1991, and the Kikuchi Kan Literary Award for Tokyo Seven Roses in 1999.
In 1984, the Writer's Block Library was opened in Kawanishimachi, Yamagata prefecture, thanks to Inoue's donation of his 100,000 volume book collection.
Inoue served as president of the Japan P.E.N. Club from 2003 to 2007. Chichi to kuraseba, has been translated into the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Roger Pulvers under the title The Face of Jizo.
Inoue had lived in Kamakura, Kanagawa
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
since 1989. He died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at his home on 9 April 2010 at the age of 75.
Selected works
- Ame (雨), 1976.
- Buraun kangoku no shiki (ブラウン 監獄 の 四季), Tōkyō : Kōdansha, 1977.
- Jūninin no tegami (十二人 の 手紙), Tōkyō : Chūō Kōronsha, 1978.
- Tanin no chi (他人 の 血), Tōkyō : Kōdansha, 1979.
- Seibo no dōkeshi(聖母 の 道化師), 1981.
- Shikaban Nihongo bunpō (私家版 日本語 文法), Tokyo : Shinchōsha, 1981.
- Hon no makura no sōshi(本 の 枕 草子), Tōkyō : Bungei Shunjū, 1982.
- Kotoba o yomu(ことば を 読む), Tōkyō : Chūō Kōronsha, 1982.
- Shichinin no sakkatachi : intabyū-shū (七人 の 作家たち : インタビュー集), Tōkyō : Doyō Bijutsusha, 1983.
- Moto no mokuami(もと の 黙阿弥), Tōkyō : Bungei Shunjū, 1983.
- Nippon hakubutsushi(他人 の 血), Tōkyō : Asahi Shinbunsha, 1983.
- Inoue Hisashi zen shibai(井上 ひさし 全 芝居), Tōkyō : Shinchōsha, 1984.
- Jikasei bunshō-dokuhon (自家製 文章読本), Tōkyō : Shinchōsha, 1984.
- Fu Chūshingura (不 忠臣蔵), Tōkyō : Shūeisha, 1985.
- Kuni yutaka ni shite gi o wasure (国 ゆたか に して 義 を 忘れ), Tōkyō : Kadokawa Shoten, 1985.
- Fukkoki (腹鼓記), Tōkyō : Shinchōsha, 1985.
- Yonsenmanpo no otoko. Ezo hen (四千万步 の 男. 蝦夷 篇 ), Tōkyō : Kōdansha, 1986.
- Yonsenmanpo no otoko. Izu hen (四千万步 の 男. 伊豆 篇 ), Tōkyō : Kōdansha, 1989.
- Shanhai mūn, (シャンハイ ムーン), Tōkyō : Shūeisha, 1991.
- Nihongo nikki (ニホン語 日記), Tōkyō : Bungei shunjū, 1993.
- Chichi to Kuraseba (The Face of JizoThe Face of Jizois a Japanese play written by Hisashi Inoue.-Plays:* It was performed by Komatsuza as their 34th Play, from September 3 to September 18 in 1994, directed by Hitoshi Uyama, starring by Masayo Umezawa and Kei Suma. Then has been is performed frequently not only all over Japan but also overseas...
) (父と暮せば), Tōkyō, 1994. - Besuto serā no sengoshi (ベスト セラー の 戦後史), Tōkyō : Bungei Shunjū, 1995.
- Hon no unmei (本 の 運命), Tōkyō : Bungei Shunjū, 1997.
- Yonsenmanpo no otoko, Chūkei no ikikata (四千万步 の 男・忠敬 の 生き方), Tōkyō : Kōdansha, 2003.