Tsuneko Nakazato
Encyclopedia
was the pen-name of a novelist in Showa period
Japan
. Her real name was Nakazato Tsune.
, Kanagawa prefecture
and graduated from the Kanagawa Girls’ Higher School. Her early submissions to literary magazine
s caught the attention of Yokomitsu Riichi
, who encouraged her to develop her literary skills.
, with her short story
Noriai bashi. After World War II
, she came to be known for a number of works addressing the issue of international marriage
, including Mariannu monogatari ("Maryann's Story", 1946) and Kusari ("Chain", 1959), which were drawn from her own daughter's marriage to an American.
In the 1970s and 1980s, her writings gradually evolved away from the psychology of human life to a more symbolic approach, and her novel Utamakura ("Song Pillow", 1973) was awarded the Yomiuri Prize. In 1974, she received the Japan Art Academy Prize, and became a member of that institution in 1983. She was also awarded the Kawabata Yasunari Literary Prize in 1976.
Nakazato was a resident of Zushi, Kanagawa
from 1932 until her death due to colon cancer in 1987. Her grave is at the temple of Engaku-ji
in Kamakura
.
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...
. Her real name was Nakazato Tsune.
Early life
Nakazato was born in Fujisawa cityFujisawa, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 407,731 and a population density of 5,870 people per km². The total area is 69.51 km²-Geography:...
, 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...
and graduated from the Kanagawa Girls’ Higher School. Her early submissions to 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...
s caught the attention of Yokomitsu Riichi
Yokomitsu Riichi
was an experimental, modernist Japanese writer.Yokomitsu began publishing in dōjinshi such as Machi and Tō after entering Waseda University in 1916. In 1923, he published Nichirin , Hae and more in the magazine Bungeishunjū, which made his name popular...
, who encouraged her to develop her literary skills.
Literary career
In 1938, Nakazato became the first woman to win the prestigious Akutagawa PrizeAkutagawa 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...
, with her 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...
Noriai bashi. 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...
, she came to be known for a number of works addressing the issue of international marriage
International marriage
This page is linked to:*Interracial marriage, marriage between two people of differing racial groups*International marriage agency, a business to introduce people of different countries for marriage...
, including Mariannu monogatari ("Maryann's Story", 1946) and Kusari ("Chain", 1959), which were drawn from her own daughter's marriage to an American.
In the 1970s and 1980s, her writings gradually evolved away from the psychology of human life to a more symbolic approach, and her novel Utamakura ("Song Pillow", 1973) was awarded the Yomiuri Prize. In 1974, she received the Japan Art Academy Prize, and became a member of that institution in 1983. She was also awarded the Kawabata Yasunari Literary Prize in 1976.
Nakazato was a resident of Zushi, Kanagawa
Zushi, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 58,793 and a population density of 3,390 persons per km². The total area was 17.34 km².-Geography:...
from 1932 until her death due to colon cancer in 1987. Her grave is at the temple of Engaku-ji
Engaku-ji
right|thumb|A stone carvingNot to be confused with Enryaku-ji in Kyoto., or Engaku-ji , is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa prefecture to the south of 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...
.