Hirotsu Kazuo
Encyclopedia
was a novelist and literary critic active in the Shōwa period
Japan
.
as the second son of the novelist Hirotsu Ryurō
. He had problems completing middle school due to his complete incompetence in mathematics
. At the time he was also working part-time delivering newspaper
s, and his inability to add often meant that his parents had to make up for the short-fall in his accounts.
he started submitting articles to various literary journals. In 1912, he joined Kasai Zenzō
in establishing his own literary magazine, Kiseki ("Miracle"), to which he contributed short stories and translated works of foreign authors. In 1913, Hirotsu published a translation of Guy de Maupassant
's Une Vie, which marked the beginning of a career of literary criticism
and translation of various European writers.
Hirotsu relocated from Tokyo in Kamakura
, Kanagawa prefecture
from 1916. He moved further down the coast to Atami, Shizuoka
, Shizuoka prefecture
during the Pacific War
, where he had close friends with fellow writer Shiga Naoya
, who was also staying in Atami.
His literary career began with a short story
published in 1917: Shinkeibyo Jidai ("The Neurotic Age"), in which he attacked the nihilism
and moral decadence of contemporary intellectuals. A supporter of leftist politics, he was initially attracted to the Proletarian Literature Movement in the 1930s. During the 1930s he published Futari no Fukomono ("Two Unfortunate People") and Shiji o Daite ("Embracing a Dead Child"), both objective stories, and Yamori ("Gecko") and Nami no Ue ("On the Waves"), which belonged to the I novel
genre.
After World War II
he wrote a number of biographical and autobiographical works, Ano Jidai ("Those Times"), and Nengetsu no Ashiato ("The Footsteps of Time", 1961–1963), which won the 1963 Nomu Prize; however, he devoted 10 years from 1953-1963 writing an obsessively detailed defense of the alleged saboteurs in the controversial Matsukawa incident. This work was published under Izumi e no michi ("The Road to Spring", 1953–1954) and Matsukawa Saiban ("The Matsukawa Trial", 1954–1958).
He died in 1968 at the age of 76. His grave is at the Yanaka Cemetery
, Tokyo.
His daughter Hirotsu Momoko was also a novelist.
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...
.
Early life
Hirotsu was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; 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...
as the second son of the novelist Hirotsu Ryurō
Hirotsu Ryuro
was the pen-name of a novelist in Meiji period Japan. He is credited with the creation of the genre in Japanese literature of . His real name was Hirotsu Naoto.-Early life:...
. He had problems completing middle school due to his complete incompetence in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. At the time he was also working part-time delivering newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, and his inability to add often meant that his parents had to make up for the short-fall in his accounts.
Literary career
However, Hirotsu did show a talent for literature from an early age. While attending Waseda UniversityWaseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
he started submitting articles to various literary journals. In 1912, he joined Kasai Zenzō
Kasai Zenzo
was a Japanese novelist active in Taishō period Japan.-Early life:Kasai Zenzō was born in what is now part of Hirosaki city, Aomori Prefecture, as the eldest son of a rice merchant. His parents died when he was two years old, and he was shuffled to relatives around Hokkaidō and Aomori. He was only...
in establishing his own literary magazine, Kiseki ("Miracle"), to which he contributed short stories and translated works of foreign authors. In 1913, Hirotsu published a translation of Guy de Maupassant
Guy de Maupassant
Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story and one of the form's finest exponents....
's Une Vie, which marked the beginning of a career of literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
and translation of various European writers.
Hirotsu relocated from Tokyo 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 1916. He moved further down the coast to Atami, Shizuoka
Atami, Shizuoka
is a city located in the eastern end of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 39,755 and a population density of 645 people per km². The total area is 61.56 km².-Geography:...
, Shizuoka prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, where he had close friends with fellow writer Shiga Naoya
Shiga Naoya
was a Japanese novelist and short story writer active during the Taishō and Showa periods of Japan.-Early life:Shiga was born in Ishinomaki city, Miyagi prefecture. His father, the son of a samurai, was a banker. The family moved to Tokyo when Shiga was three, to live with his grandparents, who...
, who was also staying in Atami.
His literary career began with a short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
published in 1917: Shinkeibyo Jidai ("The Neurotic Age"), in which he attacked the nihilism
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
and moral decadence of contemporary intellectuals. A supporter of leftist politics, he was initially attracted to the Proletarian Literature Movement in the 1930s. During the 1930s he published Futari no Fukomono ("Two Unfortunate People") and Shiji o Daite ("Embracing a Dead Child"), both objective stories, and Yamori ("Gecko") and Nami no Ue ("On the Waves"), which belonged to the I novel
I Novel
is a literary genre in Japanese literature used to describe a type of confessional literature where the events in the story correspond to events in the author's life. This genre was founded based on the Japanese reception of Naturalism during the Meiji period. Many authors believed form reflected...
genre.
After World War II
World 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 wrote a number of biographical and autobiographical works, Ano Jidai ("Those Times"), and Nengetsu no Ashiato ("The Footsteps of Time", 1961–1963), which won the 1963 Nomu Prize; however, he devoted 10 years from 1953-1963 writing an obsessively detailed defense of the alleged saboteurs in the controversial Matsukawa incident. This work was published under Izumi e no michi ("The Road to Spring", 1953–1954) and Matsukawa Saiban ("The Matsukawa Trial", 1954–1958).
He died in 1968 at the age of 76. His grave is at the Yanaka Cemetery
Yanaka Cemetery
is a large cemetery located north of Ueno in Yanaka 7-chome, Taito, Tokyo, Japan. The Yanaka sector of Taito is one of the few Tokyo neighborhoods in which the old Shitamachi atmosphere can still be felt...
, Tokyo.
His daughter Hirotsu Momoko was also a novelist.