Ariyoshi, Sawako b. January 21, 1931 d. August 30, 1984 Writer. She is considered to be one of the finest of post-war Japanese writers. Although her life was relatively short, she was extremely productive, and completed over 100 short stories, novels, plays, musicals, and movie scripts. She is best known for "The Doctor's Wife" (1966). (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Ito, Sei b. 1905 d. 1969 Writer and literary critic, also known as "Hitoshi Ito." Among his works were "The Road Lit by Snow," "Festival of the Living," "The Phantom Town," and the "History of Japanese Literary Circles." Accused of immorality for his translation of D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover," he wrote a series of articles defending freedom of expression. For his last novel, "Change," he posthumously won the 1970 Shincho Prize for literature. (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Kawai, Suimei b. 1874 d. 1965 Renowned Poet. Born into a family of kimono fabric dealers, he wrote new-style poetry and tanka (31-syllable Japanese poems). He published his first anthology, "Mugenkyu" in January 1901, and his second one, "Toei" in June 1905. Both were mainly filled with poetry form in the seven-five syllable meter fixed form. In 1910, he published his book of free verse, "Kiri." Respected for his efforts to support the work of women poets, he was also named to the National Art Academy in 1937, and became an...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Miyamoto, Yuriko b. 1899 d. 1951 Writer. After moving to the Soviet Union in 1927, she joined the Communist party after returning to Japan in 1931. She was arrested several times for her Marxist ideologies. Among her works were "A Herd of Poor People," "Nobuko," "Women at Work" and "The Two Gardens." (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Ogawa, Mimei b. 1882 d. 1961 Author. Born "Kensaku Ogawa," he is known as "The Father of Japanese fairytale literature" and often though of as "Japan's answer to Hans Christian Andersen." His fairytales all reflect a romanticism and a love of the somewhat unforgiving natural environment of the area. One of his most famous tales is "The Mermaid and the Red Candles." (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Tokuda, Shusei b. 1871 d. 1943 Writer. He is considered one of the three greatest writers from Kanazawa, and wrote in a naturalistic style. He is honored via a monument at the entrance of the lake-observation platform on Mt. Utatsu. The monument was built in 1947 and imitates a mud wall. A quote of from Tokuda is inscribed on a ceramic board. "Sho wo yomazaru koto mikka, tsura ni aka wo shozu toka…" (If you spend three days without reading a book, your face may get filthy…"). (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
Tsuboi, Sakae b. 1900 d. 1967 Children's Author. Her novel "Twenty-Four Eyes" was adapted for the screen by Keisuke Kinoshita in 1954. Among her other best-known works are "The Dress," and "Child Without Mother and Mother Without Child." (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kodaira Cemetery, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan
b. January 21, 1931 d. August 30, 1984