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Nunokawa Kakusaemon

ぬのかわ かくざえもん

Nunokawa Kakusaemon

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1901-10-13 （Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan）
Died
1996-01-29 age 94
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Editor, Businessman, Editor, Author, Translator, Visiting lecturer
Active Years
1928-1996
Affiliations
Iwanami Shoten, Kurita Publishing & Sales, Chikuma Shobo, Furendo Gakuen, Kyoritsu Women's University (Visiting Lecturer), Tokyo Woman's Christian University (Visiting Lecturer), Hosei University (Visiting Lecturer), University of Tokyo Newspaper Research Institute (Visiting Lecturer), Japan Publishing Society (Founder & First Chair)
Memberships
Japan Publishing Society, Publishing Ethics Council (Chair)
Influenced By
Nogami Toyoichiro, Abe Nōsei
Influenced
Editors and publishing professionals in Japan

Education

Hosei University
Faculty of Letters / Department of Philosophy
Country: Japan
Studied under Nogami Toyoichiro and Abe Nōsei

Awards

Kikuchi Kan Prize
Work: Chronological Table of One Hundred Years of Japanese Publishing
Organization: Kikuchi Kan Prize Selection Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Chronological Table of One Hundred Years of Japanese Publishing

1968 Publishing history / Chronology

A comprehensive chronology compiling the history of Japanese publishing since the Meiji era; widely used as a reference for publishing history research.

Publishing historyChronologyBibliography

Publishing Rights, Publishing Contracts and Contract Documents

1960 Publishing practice / Copyright

A practical guide addressing publishing contracts, publishing rights, and the drafting and practice of contract documents.

Publishing practiceCopyrightContracts

Publishing (translation)

1958 Translation / Introduction to publishing

Japanese translation (co-translated with Mimasaka Taro) of Stanley Unwin's work introducing the realities of the publishing trade.

TranslationPublishing industry

Around Books

1979 Essays / Editing theory

A collection of essays and reflections on editing and experiences in the publishing industry.

Editing theoryPublishing culture

Bibliography

  • Publishing Rights, Publishing Contracts and Contract Documents (1960)
  • Questions and Answers on Copyright and Publishing Rights (co-authored, 1965)
  • Editing and Production Course (1968)
  • Chronological Table of One Hundred Years of Japanese Publishing (1968)
  • Aspects of Publishing (1975)
  • Around Books (1979)
  • Bibliography of Japanese Publishing 1868-1996 (editorial supervision, 2003)

Translations by Author

  • Publishing (Stanley Unwin) — co-translator (1958)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Practical, methodical proseEditorial approach emphasizing chronological, fact-based organization
Recurring Motifs
Focus on publishing historyTransmission of editorial skillsCollection and preservation of materials

Legacy

Building on his editorial work at Iwanami Shoten, he led Kurita Publishing & Sales and contributed to the reconstruction of Chikuma Shobo, founded the Japan Publishing Society, and left a major legacy in Japanese publishing. His long-collected publishing materials were donated to the National Diet Library and made available as the Nunokawa Collection.

Museums

  • Nunokawa Collection National Diet Library (Tokyo, Japan) Opened in 2004

Academic Societies

  • Japan Publishing Society

Archives

  • Nunokawa Collection (National Diet Library)

Trivia

  • He is known for retrieving the body of philosopher Kiyoshi Miki from Tokyo Detention Center and transporting it to the residence of Seichi Tobata.
  • Attended the old Numazu Middle School (now Shizuoka Prefectural Numazu Higashi High School).
  • Retired from Iwanami Shoten as editorial director in 1956 but remained active in the publishing world thereafter.
  • Donated approximately 25,000 collected publishing-related items to the National Diet Library; the collection was opened as the Nunokawa Collection.