Japanese Literary Awards

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Hiroyuki Agawa

あがわ ひろゆき

Agawa Hiroyuki

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1920-12-24 （Hakushima Kyukencho, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan (registered domicile: Isa, Mine District, Yamaguchi Prefecture)）
Died
2015-08-03 （Yomiuri Land Keiyu Hospital, Tokyo, Japan） age 94
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Hiroshima City, Japan (birth and childhood) → Tokyo, Japan (long-term residence; place of death) → Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan (burial place)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Critic, Essayist, Translator, Biographer
Active Years
1952-2013
Affiliations
Japan Art Academy, Daisan no Shinjin (Third Newcomers, literary group)
Memberships
Member, Japan Art Academy
Influenced By
Naoya Shiga

Education

Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo)
Faculty of Letters / Department of Japanese Literature
Degree: 学士
Country: Japan
Graduated early; thesis on Naoya Shiga

Awards

Yomiuri Literary Prize
1952
Work: Spring Castle
Category: 小説賞
Organization: Yomiuri Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Prize
1960
Work: Nakayoshi Express
Category: 児童文学
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Shinchosha Literary Prize
1966
Work: Yamamoto Isoroku
Organization: Shinchosha
Result: 受賞
Japan Art Academy Prize & Imperial Award
1979
Category: 文芸（小説・戯曲）
Organization: Japan Art Academy
Result: 受賞
Transportation Culture Prize
1983
Organization: Transportation Culture Prize
Result: 受賞
Japan Literary Grand Prize
1987
Work: Shigeyoshi Inoue
Category: 学芸部門
Organization: Japan Literary Grand Prize
Result: 受賞
Person of Cultural Merit
1993
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Government of Japan)
Result: 受章
Noma Literary Prize
1994
Work: Naoya Shiga
Organization: Noma Cultural Foundation
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Prize
1994
Work: Naoya Shiga
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: 受賞
Order of Culture
1999
Organization: Cabinet Office (Government of Japan)
Result: 受章
Marine Literature Award (Special Prize)
1999
Organization: Marine Literature Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Honorary Citizen of Hiroshima Prefecture
1999
Organization: Hiroshima Prefecture
Result: 叙位・栄典
Yomiuri Literary Prize
2001
Work: Gastronomic Notes
Category: 随筆・紀行賞
Organization: Yomiuri Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Honorary Citizen of Hiroshima City
2003
Organization: Hiroshima City
Result: 叙位・栄典
Kikuchi Kan Prize
2007
Organization: Kikuchi Kan Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Spring Castle

1952 Novel

A semi-autobiographical novel set in the early postwar period; awarded the Yomiuri Literary Prize as Agawa's debut work.

war and repatriationfamilynostalgia

Clouds' Tombstone

1956 Novel

A work grounded in Agawa's naval experiences, depicting wartime scenes and the psychology of returning servicemen.

navywartime experiencememory

Yamamoto Isoroku

1965 Biography

A biographical study of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Imperial Japanese Navy, noted for its factual grounding and character portrayal.

biographymilitary historyleadership

Mitsumasa Yonai

1978 Biography

A biography of naval officer and politician Mitsumasa Yonai, based on naval sources and records.

biographynaval historypolitics

Shigeyoshi Inoue

1986 Biography

A biographical study of Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue examining both his life and related naval history.

biographymilitary historycharacter study

Naoya Shiga

1994 Biographical study

A biographical study of Naoya Shiga, Agawa's mentor; the work was critically acclaimed and won literary prizes.

literary historybiographical studyhistory of literature

Gastronomic Notes

2001 Essays

An essay collection on food and culinary culture; awarded the Yomiuri Literary Prize in the essays/travel category.

essaysfood culturetravel writing

Ponkotsu

1960 Novel / Essay

A collection of pieces depicting the dismantling of an old car and related vignettes; the title and phrase contributed to the popularization of the term 'ponkotsu' (junk).

machines and vehicleshumoreveryday life

Bibliography

  • Nen-nen Saisei
  • Spring Castle
  • Legacy of Evil
  • The Life and Works of Naoya Shiga
  • Clouds' Tombstone
  • Night's Wave Sound
  • Please Board Quickly
  • Nakayoshi Express
  • Locomotive Yaemon
  • California
  • Air, Sea and Train Travels
  • Ponkotsu
  • Town of Many Hills
  • Shadows of Fresh Leaves
  • European Express
  • Yamamoto Isoroku
  • Silver Candy
  • Ship's Lantern
  • Dog and Ma-chan
  • Dolphin School
  • Gentleman's Guide to Vehicles
  • Warship Polka
  • Shigeyoshi Inoue
  • Naoya Shiga
  • Gastronomic Notes
  • From the Core of Reeds (essay series)
  • The Emperor's Tears
  • Sushi and Others

Translations by Author

  • The Little Locomotive (Graham Greene) — Japanese translation
  • The Little Co-Operative (Graham Greene) — Japanese translation
  • The Little Roller (Graham Greene) — Japanese translation
  • The Great Railway Bazaar (Paul Theroux) — Japanese translation
  • The Strange Christmas Card (Paul Theroux) — Japanese translation
  • Old Patagonia Express: Central America (Paul Theroux) — Japanese translation

Style & Themes

Literary Style
precise prose with subtle emotionoccasional use of historical kana orthographyconcise, documentary tone (record-like style)
Recurring Motifs
naval and wartime themesvehicles (trains, ships)I-novel like reminiscence and family

Health

  • senility / old age
    晩年（2010年代〜2015年）
    Decline in physical strength in advanced age led to reduced literary activity and eventual retirement announcement (around 2011). Died of senility in 2015.

Legacy

Known for war-related fiction and biographies rooted in his naval experience, as well as essays on vehicles and travel. A disciple of Naoya Shiga, Agawa is regarded as an important postwar record/biographical writer in Japanese literature. He popularized the term 'ponkotsu' through his work and had notable influence as a railway enthusiast and essayist.

Museums

  • Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum) — related notes/tributes Kure, Hiroshima, Japan Opened in 2005

Academic Societies

  • Japan Art Academy

Archives

  • Kyushu University Library (Kyushu University Collection)
  • NHK Archives (related recordings)

In Popular Culture

  • The novel 'Ponkotsu' contributed to the popularization of the term 'ponkotsu' (junk/broken).
  • Anecdotes such as his 'three idiots' remark about the Tokaido Shinkansen became widely known.

Quotes

  • If I had to sum up my 'record' in one sentence: I was born into an ordinary middle-class provincial family, led an unremarkable student life from elementary school through university, served in the navy during the war and tasted some hardships, and soon after the war, thanks to Naoya Shiga's recommendation I entered the literary world and have remained a writer since.
    Source: 'My Record' (Watashi no Rirekisho) — Hiroyuki Agawa
  • (Originally) "I hoped the Shinkansen would not become one of the world's 'three idiots.'"
    Source: Asahi Shimbun (article dated August 10, 1958) (1958)

Trivia

  • The novel 'Ponkotsu' is credited with popularizing the word 'ponkotsu' (junk/broken).
  • His daughter Sawako Agawa is said to have influenced the naming of the Tokaido Shinkansen service 'Nozomi' following his advice.
  • Known as a railway enthusiast and wrote many works about vehicles and travel.
  • Appeared in a Nescafé Gold Blend commercial in 1981.