Tatsuji Miyoshi
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
poet
, literary critic, and literary editor
active during the Shōwa period
of Japan
. He is known for his rather lengthy free verse
poetry, which often portray loneliness and isolation as part of contemporary life, but which are written in a complex, highly literary style reminiscent of classical Japanese poetry.
as the eldest son in a large family of modest background. From 1915-1921 he enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army
, first undergoing training at the Osaka Army Cadet School, followed by a tour of duty in Korea
(then under Japanese control
). He left the army in 1921 to enroll in the Third Higher School in Kyoto
, where he majored in literature. Miyoshi had been interested in literature even while still at high school, especially in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche
and Ivan Turgenev
. In 1914, he began to compose his own haiku
verse.
Miyoshi went to Tokyo
to study French literature
at Tokyo Imperial University from 1925-1928. While a student, he made a translation of the full works of the French poet
Charles Baudelaire
's collection Le Spleen de Paris into Japanese
, as well as translations of several French prose writers, which were published in 1929.
and Nakatani Takao in publishing the literary magazine
, Aozora ("Blue Skies"), which gave him a venue to publish his poems such as Ubaguruma ("Pram") and Ishi no ue ("On Stone"), which were favorably received by literary critics, including Hagiwara Sakutaro. Hagiwara joined him in founding the critical journal, Shi to Shiron ("Poetry and Poetic Theory") in 1928.
In 1930, Miyoshi brought out his first major anthology of free verse
, Sokuryo sen (The Surveying Ship). The expressions reminiscent of classical Japanese poetry combined with the intellectualism of his work established his reputation. In 1934 he brought out another anthology, serialized in the literary journal Shiki ("Four Seasons"), together with Hori Tatsuo
and Maruyama Kaoru, and became a central figure in the running of the magazine.
In June 1946, published in the magazine Shinchō the first part of an essay in which he called for Emperor Showa's abdication and, in very harsh terms, accused him of being not only "primary responsible for the defeat" but "bearing responsibility for having been extremely negligent in the performance of his duties". (Herbert Bix, Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan, 2000, p. 606, John W. Dower
, Embracing Defeat, 1999, p. 222)
His output was steady and varied for the rest of his long career. Aside from free verse anthologies, such as Nansoshu ("From a Southern Window") and Rakuda no kobu ni matagatte ("On a Camel's Hump"), he also wrote literary criticism of verse, Fuei junikagetsu and Takujo no hana ("Flowers on a Table"), a collection of essays, Yoru tantan, and a major critique of fellow poet, Hagiwara Sakutarō.
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...
poet
Japanese poetry
Japanese poets first encountered Chinese poetry during the Tang Dynasty. It took them several hundred years to digest the foreign impact, make it a part of their culture and merge it with their literary tradition in their mother tongue, and begin to develop the diversity of their native poetry. For...
, literary critic, and literary editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
active during 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...
of Japan
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...
. He is known for his rather lengthy free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
poetry, which often portray loneliness and isolation as part of contemporary life, but which are written in a complex, highly literary style reminiscent of classical Japanese poetry.
Early life
Miyoshi was born in OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
as the eldest son in a large family of modest background. From 1915-1921 he enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
, first undergoing training at the Osaka Army Cadet School, followed by a tour of duty in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
(then under Japanese control
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
). He left the army in 1921 to enroll in the Third Higher School in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, where he majored in literature. Miyoshi had been interested in literature even while still at high school, especially in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
and Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His first major publication, a short story collection entitled A Sportsman's Sketches, is a milestone of Russian Realism, and his novel Fathers and Sons is regarded as one of the major works of 19th-century...
. In 1914, he began to compose his own haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
verse.
Miyoshi went to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to study French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
at Tokyo Imperial University from 1925-1928. While a student, he made a translation of the full works of the French poet
French poetry
French poetry is a category of French literature. It may include Francophone poetry composed outside France and poetry written in other languages of France.-French prosody and poetics:...
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
's collection Le Spleen de Paris into Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, as well as translations of several French prose writers, which were published in 1929.
Literary career
Miyoshi joined with short-story writer Motojirō KajiiMotojiro Kajii
was a Japanese author in the early Shōwa period of Japan. He left masterpieces of poetic short stories such as "The Lemon", "Winter Days", and "Under the Cherry Trees"...
and Nakatani Takao in publishing the literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
, Aozora ("Blue Skies"), which gave him a venue to publish his poems such as Ubaguruma ("Pram") and Ishi no ue ("On Stone"), which were favorably received by literary critics, including Hagiwara Sakutaro. Hagiwara joined him in founding the critical journal, Shi to Shiron ("Poetry and Poetic Theory") in 1928.
In 1930, Miyoshi brought out his first major anthology of free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
, Sokuryo sen (The Surveying Ship). The expressions reminiscent of classical Japanese poetry combined with the intellectualism of his work established his reputation. In 1934 he brought out another anthology, serialized in the literary journal Shiki ("Four Seasons"), together with Hori Tatsuo
Hori Tatsuo
was a writer, poet, and translator in Showa period Japan.-Early life:Hori was born in Tokyo, and was a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University. While still a student, he contributed translations of modern French poets to a literary journal called Roba, which was sponsored by poet Murō Saisei...
and Maruyama Kaoru, and became a central figure in the running of the magazine.
In June 1946, published in the magazine Shinchō the first part of an essay in which he called for Emperor Showa's abdication and, in very harsh terms, accused him of being not only "primary responsible for the defeat" but "bearing responsibility for having been extremely negligent in the performance of his duties". (Herbert Bix, Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan, 2000, p. 606, John W. Dower
John W. Dower
John W. Dower is an American author and historian.Dower earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies from Amherst College in 1959, and a Ph.D. in History and Far Eastern Languages from Harvard University in 1972, where he studied under Albert M. Craig...
, Embracing Defeat, 1999, p. 222)
His output was steady and varied for the rest of his long career. Aside from free verse anthologies, such as Nansoshu ("From a Southern Window") and Rakuda no kobu ni matagatte ("On a Camel's Hump"), he also wrote literary criticism of verse, Fuei junikagetsu and Takujo no hana ("Flowers on a Table"), a collection of essays, Yoru tantan, and a major critique of fellow poet, Hagiwara Sakutarō.