Yamazaki Hodai
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese tanka
poet active in Showa period
Japan
. His verses characterized by the skilful use of colloquial language.
city Yamanashi Prefecture
. He was interested in literature from childhood, and began writing tanka and short stories for newspapers and magazines just after completing elementary school. In 1939, he moved to Yokohama
. While living with his sister, he published (at his own expense) a mimeographed version his first poetry anthology Banshō kuriawase ("At All Cost").
Hōdai was conscripted
into the Imperial Japanese Army
1941 and, and in 1943 was blinded in his right eye during combat; his left eye was also badly affected.
, he resumed his creative activities, financing the publication of a tanka collection, Hōdai, in 1955. The work drew the attention of famed poet Yoshino Hideo
, who took Hōdai in as his disciple. In 1971, he joined Okabe Keiichiro and others in bringing out the literary magazine
Kanshō ("Temperate").
His other works include the anthologies Ubaguchi, Korogi and Kashō, and a collection of essays, Aojiso no hana (Shiso flower). He died in 1985 at the age of 70. A society in his honor was founded after his death and it continues to publish a magazine devoted to the study of his works.
Hōdai lived in Kamakura
, Kanagawa prefecture
from 1972 until his death, staying in a 4.5 tatami
mat room lent to him by a friend, the proprietor of a local Chinese restaurant. His grave is in his home town of Kofu, Yamanashi, but a memorial stone dedicated to Hōdai is located in the grounds of the temple of Zuisen-ji
in Kamakura.
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
poet active in Showa 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...
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...
. His verses characterized by the skilful use of colloquial language.
Early life
Hōdai was born in KōfuKofu, Yamanashi
is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had a estimate population of 197,540, with 85,794 households. The total area is 212.41 km².-History:Kōfu's name means "capital of Kai Province"...
city Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
. He was interested in literature from childhood, and began writing tanka and short stories for newspapers and magazines just after completing elementary school. In 1939, he moved to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. While living with his sister, he published (at his own expense) a mimeographed version his first poetry anthology Banshō kuriawase ("At All Cost").
Hōdai was conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into 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...
1941 and, and in 1943 was blinded in his right eye during combat; his left eye was also badly affected.
Literary career
After the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he resumed his creative activities, financing the publication of a tanka collection, Hōdai, in 1955. The work drew the attention of famed poet Yoshino Hideo
Yoshino Hideo
was a tanka poet in Shōwa period Japan.-Early life:Yoshino was born in Takasaki city, Gumma prefecture. He enrolled in Keio University's school of Economics, but was forced to quit school when he developed tuberculosis...
, who took Hōdai in as his disciple. In 1971, he joined Okabe Keiichiro and others in bringing out 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...
Kanshō ("Temperate").
His other works include the anthologies Ubaguchi, Korogi and Kashō, and a collection of essays, Aojiso no hana (Shiso flower). He died in 1985 at the age of 70. A society in his honor was founded after his death and it continues to publish a magazine devoted to the study of his works.
Hōdai lived in Kamakura
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...
, Kanagawa prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
from 1972 until his death, staying in a 4.5 tatami
Tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
mat room lent to him by a friend, the proprietor of a local Chinese restaurant. His grave is in his home town of Kofu, Yamanashi, but a memorial stone dedicated to Hōdai is located in the grounds of the temple of Zuisen-ji
Zuisen-ji
is a Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect in Nikaidō's near Kamakura, Japan. During the Muromachi period it was the family temple of the Ashikaga rulers of Kamakura : four of the five kubō are buried there in a private cemetery closed to the public and first kubō Ashikaga Motouji's is also known...
in Kamakura.