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Hama Mitsuo

はま みつお

Hama Mitsuo

Pen Names: Hama Mitsuo（Pen name used for literary works. Real name is Ham(a) Mitsuo (浜 光雄).）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1933-09-20 （Shiojiri, Nagano, Japan）
Died
2011-02-22 （Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan） age 77
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Shiojiri, Nagano, Japan → Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan

Career

Occupations
Children's literature author, Writer, Teacher
Active Years
1970-2011
Affiliations
Shinshu Children's Literature Association (served as chair)

Education

Shinshu University
Faculty of Education
Country: Japan
Completed studies at the Faculty of Education, Shinshu University (exact graduation year unknown).

Awards

Akai Tori (Red Bird) Literary Award
1979
Work: Haru Yokoi
Organization: Akai Tori editorial/related organization
Result: winner
Tsukahara Kenjiro Literary Prize
1983
Work: Renge no Kisetsu
Organization: Tsukahara Kenjiro Prize Committee
Result: winner
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award
1989
Work: The Stationmaster in the Red Anorak
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Portrait of My Mother

1970 Children's literature

Debut work focusing on the emotions surrounding a mother and family, written for young readers.

familycoming of age

Haru Yokoi

1979 Children's literature

A work featuring stories about the arrival of spring and interactions among children.

seasonsfriendshiplocal community

Renge no Kisetsu

1982 Children's literature (short stories)

A short-story collection containing tales set in rural landscapes seen from children's perspectives.

naturelocal folklore

The Stationmaster in the Red Anorak

1989 Children's story

A children's story featuring a stationmaster as the protagonist, notable for its warm character portrayals.

human relationshipscommunity

Bibliography

  • Portrait of My Mother (1970)
  • Saita Saita (1972)
  • Somewhere's Summer (1973)
  • Song of the Defenders (1974)
  • Komori Jizo (1974)
  • Fortress of Soil (1975)
  • The Teacher's Baby (1979)
  • Haru Yokoi (1979)
  • First Star, Shine Again (1979)
  • Pumpkin War (1980)
  • Renge no Kisetsu (1982)
  • They Say Laughing Is Homework (1983)
  • The Soba-making Granny (1984)
  • The White Birch Legend: Teachers of Love (1989)
  • The Stationmaster in the Red Anorak (1989)
  • Selected Shinshu Folktales (1989)
  • Duck, Fly to the Sky! (1989)
  • Excursion Souvenir (1992)
  • Raiden Tameemon (1993)
  • Dawn of the Northern Alps (1994)
  • Beyond the Fog (1996)
  • Tales of Demons (2003)
  • The Fox of Kikyogahara (2005)
  • These People, These Words (2005)
  • Collected Shinshu Folktales: Chushin Volume (2006)
  • King of the Forest: Hachimen Daiou (2008)
  • Pompon Boat (2008)
  • Kasuké the Loyal (2009)
  • White Birch Teacher: Nakaya Isao (2010)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
approachable narrative voicesimple and warm expressionchild-friendly descriptions
Recurring Motifs
nature (mountains, seasons)local folklorefamily and community

Health

  • Pneumonia
    2011年2月（発症・死去）
    Contracted pneumonia in February 2011 and died on February 22, 2011.

Legacy

Hama Mitsuo was a children's literature author based in Nagano Prefecture, known for works rich in local color and nature imagery. He served as chair of the Shinshu Children's Literature Association and contributed to the preservation and popularization of regional folktales and children's stories.

Academic Societies

  • Shinshu Children's Literature Association

Archives

  • National Diet Library (holds works and materials)

Trivia

  • Real name Ham(a) Mitsuo (浜 光雄).
  • Worked as a teacher at a junior high school in Shiojiri; one of his students was Hiroyoshi Usui.
  • Served as chair of the Shinshu Children's Literature Association.