Japanese Literary Awards

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Fumihiko Gomi

ごみ ふみひこ

Gomi Fumihiko

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1946-01-30 （Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Historian, University Professor, Researcher, Author
Active Years
1971-
Affiliations
University of Tokyo, Kobe University, Ochanomizu University, The Open University of Japan
Memberships
Association for Ancient Studies, The Historical Society of Japan, Shigaku-kai (Historical Society), Historical Research Association

Education

Yamanashi Prefectural Kofu First High School
Period: 〜1964
Year of Graduation: 1964
Country: Japan
Graduated from high school (March 1964)
University of Tokyo, Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters / Department of Japanese History
Degree: 学士
Period: 1964-1968
Year of Graduation: 1968
Country: Japan
Graduated from the Department of Japanese History (1968)
Graduate School, University of Tokyo (Doctoral program)
Doctoral program (left before completion)
Period: 1968-1971
Country: Japan
Left doctoral program before completion (1971)
University of Tokyo
Graduate School / Graduate School of Letters
Degree: 博士（文学）
Period: 1992
Year of Graduation: 1992
Country: Japan
Awarded Doctor of Literature, University of Tokyo (1992)

Awards

Suntory Academic Award
1991
Work: Words and Pictures of the Medieval Period
Organization: Suntory
Result: 受賞
Kadokawa Gen'yoshi Prize
2004
Work: A Medieval History of the Book
Organization: Kadokawa Shoten
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award
2016
Work: Modern Translation: Azuma Kagami (co-ed.)
Organization: Mainichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Yokohama Cultural Award
2017
Organization: City of Yokohama
Result: 受賞
Person of Cultural Merit
2024
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Studies of Society in the Insei Period

1984 History (Japanese Medieval History)

A study focused on the political and social structures of the Insei (cloistered government) period, based on primary sources; analyzes power relations and social ties.

Insei periodPower historySource studies

Words and Pictures of the Medieval Period: What Picture Scrolls Convey

1990 History / Art History

Combines picture scrolls with textual sources to discuss medieval linguistic expressions and visual culture, exploring contemporary society and sensibilities.

Picture scrollsVisual cultureMedieval society

The Method of Azuma Kagami: Fact and Myth in the Medieval Era

1990 Source Studies / Medieval History

Examines the Azuma Kagami from the perspectives of factual record and narrative/myth, discussing methods of medieval historiography and source criticism.

Source criticismMilitary chroniclesMedieval records

A Medieval History of the Book

2003 Cultural History / Bibliography

Traces the circulation, use, and preservation of books in the medieval period from sources, clarifying aspects of knowledge transmission and cultural formation.

BibliographyHistory of knowledgeCultural history

Taira no Kiyomori

1999 Biography / Medieval History

A reinterpretation of the historical figure Taira no Kiyomori in the context of medieval society, portraying his political and cultural roles.

Biographical historySamuraiPolitical history

The Body in Medieval Japan

2006 Cultural History / Social History

A thematic study considering medieval society through bodily concepts, rituals, and bodily representations in performance and religion.

Theories of the bodyReligionPerforming arts

Bibliography

  • Studies of Society in the Insei Period
  • Words and Pictures of the Medieval Period: What Picture Scrolls Convey
  • The Method of Azuma Kagami: Fact and Myth in the Medieval Era
  • The Tale of the Heike: History and Tale
  • A Medieval History of the Book
  • Taira no Kiyomori
  • The Body in Medieval Japan
  • Reading Japanese History through Literature (multi-volume)
  • On the Kamakura Period
  • A Social History of Epidemics

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Source-oriented writingInterdisciplinary perspectiveClear, expository style
Recurring Motifs
Using picture scrolls as cultural-historical keysContrast between samurai/royal power and commoner worldCirculation and reception of books and sources

Legacy

By combining diverse sources—picture scrolls, literary materials, and archaeological findings—he reconstructed medieval Japanese cultural and social history from broad perspectives, exerting significant influence on medieval studies in Japan. As an educator and editor he produced numerous works and contributed to public dissemination through translations and modern-language editions.

Academic Societies

  • Association for Ancient Studies
  • The Historical Society of Japan
  • Shigaku-kai (Historical Society)
  • Historical Research Association

Trivia

  • An essay in 'Studies of Society in the Insei Period' known among students as a provocative discussion of male-male erotic relations in court politics drew attention and debate.
  • After retiring from the University of Tokyo he served as a professor at the Open University of Japan and retired from there in 2016.
  • He co-edited a modern-language edition of Azuma Kagami, which earned the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.