Japanese Literary Awards

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Makate Asai

あさい まかて

Asai Makate

Aliases: 金井智恵子
Pen Names: Makate Asai（Pen name derived from her grandmother Makate Niizato (from Okinawa)）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1959-08-15 （Habikino, Osaka, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Habikino, Osaka (birthplace) → Osaka (residence)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Copywriter, Founder / Producer (planning/production company)
Active Years
2008-
Influenced By
Jakob von Uexküll (A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans / 'The World of Living')
Nominations
1st High School Naoki Prize (2014) — nominee for 'Love Song', 21st Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Prize (2015) — nominee for 'The O-Matsutake Incident', 5th Japan Medical Novel Award (2016) — nominee for 'Yabu I Furakoko-do'

Education

Konan Women's University
Faculty of Letters / Department of Japanese Literature
Degree: 学士（文学）
Country: Japan
Graduated from Konan Women's University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Japanese Literature

Awards

Shosetsu Gendai Long-form New Writers' Prize (Encouragement Prize)
2008
Work: Even the Fruit, Even the Flower
Category: 奨励賞
Organization: Shosetsu Gendai (Kodansha)
Result: 受賞
Booksellers' Choice Historical Novel Award
2013
Work: Love Song
Organization: Booksellers' Choice Historical Novel Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Naoki Sanjugo Prize
2014
Work: Love Song
Organization: Naoki Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞
Oda Sakunosuke Prize
2014
Work: Oranda Saizuru
Organization: Oda Sakunosuke Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞
Tokuma Bunko Award (Standard Category)
2015
Work: Siebold's Gardener
Category: 定番部門
Organization: Tokuma Bunko
Result: 受賞
Osaka Honma Book Award
2015
Work: Sukatan
Organization: Osaka Honma Book Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Prize
2016
Work: Kurara
Organization: Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Funahashi Seiichi Literary Prize
2017
Work: Fukubukuro
Organization: Funahashi Seiichi Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Chuo-Koron Literary Award
2018
Work: Clouds Above, Clouds Below
Organization: Chuo-Koron Literary Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Shiba Ryotaro Prize
2018
Work: Akudamaden
Organization: Shiba Ryotaro Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Osaka Cultural Award (Literature)
2018
Category: 文学
Organization: Osaka Prefecture
Result: 受賞
Shinran Prize
2020
Work: Goodbye
Organization: Shinran Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Arts Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education)
2021
Work: Rui
Organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Result: 受賞
Shibata Renzaburo Prize
2021
Work: Rui
Organization: Shibata Renzaburo Prize Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Even the Fruit, Even the Flower

2008 Historical novel

Debut novel, revised from a piece published in a literary magazine at Osaka Literature School. Set in the Edo period, it depicts the lives and human relationships of merchants and commoners.

Edo periodHuman empathyMerchant life

Chanchara

2010 Historical novel

A historical novel set in Edo; it carefully depicts characters' subtleties and social details.

EdoHuman drama

Sukatan

2012 Historical novel

A work mixing humor and human warmth, featuring a cast of characters centered around Osaka.

OsakaHumorEnsemble cast

Siebold's Gardener

2012 Historical novel

Focuses on the gardener of Philipp Franz von Siebold, portraying cultural exchange and personal conflicts.

Cultural exchangeArtisansEdo period

Nukemairu

2012 Historical novel

A story depicting people and events from the late Edo to the Meiji period.

Late EdoMeijiPeriod of transition

Love Song

2013 Historical novel

A historical novel about Nakajima Utako, delicately portraying a woman's life and romance.

Women's historyRomanceBiographical elements

Oranda Saizuru

2014 Historical novel

A work that portrays characters against a background of foreign culture and trade.

TradeCross-cultural contactEdo period

The O-Matsutake Incident

2014 Historical novel

A period novel about a commotion over matsutake mushrooms, depicting social interests and human relationships.

Food cultureCommotionCommon people

Yabu I Furakoko-do

2015 Historical novel

Centers on town doctors, depicting medicine and human emotions; it was nominated for a medical novel award.

MedicineOccupationHumanity

Kurara

2016 Historical novel

Depicts the life and artistry of Katsushika Oei, sensitively portraying a female painter and her work.

Art historyWomenCreation

The Worst Shogun

2016 Historical novel

A historical novel centered on Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, examining power and policy impacts.

Political historyTokugawaBiographical history

Nokorimono

2016 Historical novel

Depicts era and people through multiple perspectives.

Ensemble dramaHistorical setting

Rakuyō (Setting Sun)

2016 Historical novel

A novel incorporating Meiji Jingu and Meiji-period scenes to portray societal change.

Meiji eraFaithTransition

Silver Cat

2017 Historical fiction / Short fiction

A collection of short and long pieces using the cat as a symbolic motif.

Animal motifSymbolismHuman relationships

Fukubukuro

2017 Historical novel

A linked set of stories where everyday life and strange tales intersect; winner of the Funahashi Seiichi Literary Prize.

Everyday lifeStrange talesEnsemble

Clouds Above, Clouds Below

2018 Historical novel

A long novel following a slice of modern history, depicting the intersections of society and individuals; winner of the Chuo-Koron Literary Award.

Modern historySociety and the individual

Akudamaden

2018 Historical novel

About the Tatsumiya incident; explores the virtues and vices of characters within their historical context. Winner of the Shiba Ryotaro Prize.

IncidentMoralityMerchant house

Fallen Flowers Rampage

2019 Historical novel

Set in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter, it portrays human desires and sorrows.

YoshiwaraPleasure quartersHuman drama

Goodbye

2019 Historical novel

A novel with biographical elements about Ōura Kei; winner of the Shinran Prize.

BiographyReligionModern era

Rondo

2020 Historical novel

A work about Izawa Ranja, depicting relationships and the turns of fate.

BiographicalFateCharacter history

Rui

2020 Historical novel

A biographical-style novel centered on Mori Rui; its prose and character depiction earned multiple awards.

BiographyCharacter portrayal

White Light

2021 Historical novel

A novel portraying Yamashita Rin, carefully depicting conflicts between society and individuals.

WomenSocietyBiography

Botanica

2022 Historical novel / Biography

A biographical novel about botanist Makino Tomitarō, linking natural history and personal portrait.

BotanyBiographyNatural history

Morning Star, Night Star

2023 Historical novel

A novel about Kusano Jokichi (Jiyutei Hotel), depicting era through the lives of its characters.

Biographical historyHotelCustoms

Secret Garden

2024 Historical novel

The latest long novel about Kyokutei Bakin, approaching literary figures from the late Edo to modern periods.

Kyokutei BakinLiterary biographyEdo to modern transition

Bibliography

  • Even the Fruit, Even the Flower
  • Chanchara
  • Sukatan
  • Siebold's Gardener
  • Nukemairu
  • Love Song
  • Oranda Saizuru
  • The O-Matsutake Incident
  • Yabu I Furakoko-do
  • Kurara
  • The Worst Shogun
  • Nokorimono
  • Rakuyō (Setting Sun)
  • Silver Cat
  • Fukubukuro
  • Clouds Above, Clouds Below
  • Akudamaden
  • Fallen Flowers Rampage
  • Goodbye
  • Rondo
  • Rui
  • White Light
  • Botanica
  • Morning Star, Night Star
  • Secret Garden

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Blends historical facts with fictionDetailed psychological portrayal of charactersAccessible narrative voice with lyrical touches
Recurring Motifs
Perspectives of artisans and workersWomen's livesLocal / common people's historyPlants and nature

Legacy

She is a leading contemporary writer of historical fiction, receiving numerous literary awards and praised for meticulous historical and character portrayals.

In Popular Culture

  • Appeared in Morioka Bunshigeki (2023)
  • Performed in 'Nanigeni Bunshigeki 2024' production 'After School' (2024)

Quotes

  • The origin of 'Makate' is: 'If it can be understood, I want to know.'
    Source: Ryukyu Shimpo (interview) (2014)
  • She cites Jakob von Uexküll / Kriszat's 'A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans' (The World of Living) as a book that changed her life.
    Source: Interview (2014)

Trivia

  • Birth name: Chieko Kanai.
  • Pen name derived from her grandmother Makate Niizato.
  • Graduated from Konan Women's University, Department of Japanese Literature.
  • Worked as a copywriter in an advertising production company, then founded the planning/production company 'Anbaibou'.
  • Debuted with 'Even the Fruit, Even the Flower', receiving the encouragement prize of the Shosetsu Gendai Long-form New Writers' Prize.