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Takehisa Fukumoto

ふくもと たけひさ

Fukumoto Takehisa

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1942-04-21 （Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist
Active Years
1978-

Education

Doshisha University
Faculty of Law
Country: Japan

Awards

Dazai Osamu Prize
1978
Work: Train-Play Ceasefire
Organization: Chikuma Shobo
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Train-Play Ceasefire

1978 Novel

A work portraying a child with intellectual disabilities and the surrounding family, which won the Dazai Osamu Prize in 1978 and marked his start as a published author.

familychildren with intellectual disabilitiessocial issues

The Weaver Master

1981 Novel

A novel set among textile craftsmen and the world of weaving.

occupationregional lifework

Aizu Women's War Chronicle

1983 Historical novel

A historical novel set in the Aizu region told from a woman's perspective; later reissued in paperback.

historywomenregional history

Summer of the Lake Children

1988 Novel

A coming-of-age and family story set in a regional lakeside community.

coming-of-agefamilynature

Family Triangle

1992 Novel

A novel exploring familial conflict and reconciliation through a three-way relationship.

familyconflictrecovery

The Racing Family

1998 Novel

A long-form novel that uses relay racing (ekiden) and sport as a backdrop to examine family and individual struggles and challenges.

sportsfamilychallenge

Niijima Jo and His Wife

1983 Biographical novel

A biographical novel about Doshisha University founder Niijima Jo and his wife; adapted for television in 1985.

biographyhistoryreligion
Adaptations
  • [Television drama] Women's Struggle - Aizu and Kyoto (1985)

The Tongue Sword Runs: Novel — Yokoi Shōnan

2001 Historical novel

A historical novel depicting the life and thought of Bakumatsu intellectual Yokoi Shōnan.

historyintellectual historybiography

Bibliography

  • Shinjun
  • Train-Play Ceasefire
  • The Weaver Master
  • Aizu Women's War Chronicle
  • Niijima Jo and His Wife
  • Earth's Poet: Miyakajima Yoshiko
  • Summer of the Lake Children
  • Family Triangle
  • The Racing Family
  • The Tongue Sword Runs: Novel — Yokoi Shōnan
  • Last Run: Tokyo International Women's Marathon
  • Bushū Kawagoe: The Ties Boat Disturbance
  • Novel: Niijima Ya e — The Brave Woman, Last Prayer

Adaptations

  • Women's Struggle - Aizu and Kyoto (based on 'Niijima Jo and His Wife')

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realist, concise narrationSometimes incorporates reportage and documentary techniques
Recurring Motifs
familybiographical treatment of historical figuresregionalism and occupation

Legacy

Takehisa Fukumoto launched his literary career after winning the Dazai Osamu Prize in 1978 and is known for works about family, disability, regional life, and biographies of historical figures. His writings on Niijima Jo and Niijima Ya e gained renewed attention around NHK's Taiga drama 'Yae no Sakura', contributing to his standing among readers and researchers.

Archives

  • National Diet Library
  • Doshisha University Archives

In Popular Culture

  • Reprints and renewed interest in his works linked to NHK Taiga drama 'Yae no Sakura'

Trivia

  • Born in Kyoto City.
  • Graduated from Doshisha University Faculty of Law.
  • Debuted after winning the 14th Dazai Osamu Prize in 1978 for 'Train-Play Ceasefire'.
  • Debut work: 'Shinjun' (1968).
  • Has written many biographical novels about Niijima Jo and Niijima Ya e.