日本の文学賞

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Sukehiro Hirakawa

ひらかわ すけひろ

Hirakawa Sukehiro

プロフィール

性別
男性
生誕
1931-07-11 （Takinogawa (then Kita-Toshima District), Tokyo Prefecture, Japan (now southern Kita Ward, Tokyo)）
国籍
Japan
言語
Japanese, English, French, Italian, German
居住地歴
Takinogawa, Tokyo, Japan → France (study abroad) → Italy (study abroad) → Germany (study abroad) → Fukuoka (Fukuoka Jogakuin University) → Osaka (Otemae University)

経歴

職業
comparative literature scholar, critic, university professor, translator, author
活動期間
1953年〜
所属
The University of Tokyo, Fukuoka Jogakuin University, Otemae University, Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (board member)
所属団体
Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (board member), Nippon Kaigi (involved as a founding/leading signatory in related initiatives)
影響を受けた人物
Dante Alighieri, Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), Natsume Sōseki

学歴

The University of Tokyo, College of Arts and Sciences, French Section
College of Arts and Sciences / General Education Department, French Section
学位: 学士
期間: 1949-1953
卒業年: 1953
国: Japan
Member of the first cohort under the postwar system
The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, Department of Comparative Literature and Culture
Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology / Comparative Literature and Culture
学位: 文学修士
期間: 1953-1961
卒業年: 1961
国: Japan
Studied in France and Italy as a French and Italian government scholar
The University of Tokyo (Doctor of Letters by dissertation)
Graduate school (Humanities) / Comparative Literature and Culture
学位: 文学博士
期間: 1961-1974
卒業年: 1974
国: Japan
Awarded Doctor of Letters in 1974 for the dissertation 'Wakon Yosai no Keifu: Meiji Japan from Inside and Outside'

受賞歴

2nd Kawade Cultural Prize
1967
対象作品: Dante, Divine Comedy (translation)
主催: Kawade Shobo Shinsha (Kawade Cultural Prize)
結果: 受賞
Suntory Academic Prize (Social & Thought category)
1981
対象作品: Works on Lafcadio Hearn
部門: 社会・思想部門
主催: Suntory Academic Prize (Suntory Foundation)
結果: 受賞
42nd Yomiuri Prize for Literature
1991
対象作品: Alessandro Manzoni, The Betrothed (translation)
主催: Yomiuri Shimbun
結果: 受賞
Medal with Purple Ribbon
1998
主催: Government of Japan
結果: 受章
17th Watsuji Tetsurō Cultural Prize
2005
対象作品: Lafcadio Hearn: Colonization, Christianization, and the Opening of Civilization
主催: Watsuji Tetsurō Cultural Prize
結果: 受賞
Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
2006
主催: Government of Japan
結果: 受章
57th Japan Essayist Club Award
2009
対象作品: Arthur Waley: Translator of The Tale of Genji
主催: Japan Essayist Club
結果: 受賞
14th Rennyo Prize
2015
対象作品: Western Views of Shinto: Seeking Japanese Identity
主催: Rennyo Prize (Honganji Cultural Foundation)
結果: 受賞
37th Seiron (Right Opinion) Award
2021
主催: Seiron Award (Sankei Shimbun)
結果: 受賞

受賞・候補エディション

作品

代表作

Poetry of the Renaissance: Castles, Springs and Travelers

1961年 Literary studies

A study on Renaissance poetry based on his master's thesis, discussing aspects of Western classical poetry and its literary contexts.

Renaissancepoetrycomparative literature

Wakon Yōsai Lineage: Meiji Japan from Inside and Outside

1971年 Modern Japanese history / comparative culture

A major work analysing Meiji Japan's encounter with Western civilization from both internal and external perspectives in comparative-cultural terms.

Meiji Restorationcivilizational comparisonmodernization
翻訳
  • English translations/editions available (introduced in foreign academic contexts)

The Shock of the West and Japan

1974年 Comparative cultural history

Discusses the impact of Western civilization on Japanese society and culture from a comparative viewpoint.

Westernizationcultural contactcomparative history

Natsume Sōseki: The Struggle of the Non-Western

1976年 Comparative literature / literary criticism

A study of Natsume Sōseki's thought and works, examining tensions between non-Western perspectives and modern knowledge.

Natsume Sōsekimodern knowledgeEast-West comparison

Dante, Divine Comedy (colloquial translation)

1966年 Translation (classical literature)

A colloquial Japanese translation of Dante's Divine Comedy emphasizing readability; the translation received acclaim and awards such as the Kawade Cultural Prize.

translationDantemedieval literature

Lafcadio Hearn: Colonization, Christianization, and the Opening of Civilization

2004年 History / comparative culture

Examines Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) as a focal point to discuss colonialism, Christianization, and aspects of modern Japan.

Lafcadio Hearncolonialismreligion and culture
翻訳
  • Edited volumes and papers in English available

全著作

  • Poetry of the Renaissance: Castles, Springs and Travelers (1961)
  • Wakon Yōsai Lineage: Meiji Japan from Inside and Outside (1971)
  • The Shock of the West and Japan (1974)
  • Natsume Sōseki: The Struggle of the Non-Western (1976)
  • Dante: Divine Comedy (colloquial translation, 1966; revised/complete editions later)
  • Lafcadio Hearn: The Dream of Escaping the West (1981)
  • Lafcadio Hearn: Colonization, Christianization, and the Opening of Civilization (2004)
  • The Betrothed (Manzoni translation, 1989)
  • Arthur Waley: Translator of The Tale of Genji (2008)
  • The Happiness of Living in Japanese (2014, retitled)

作家による翻訳

  • Dante, Divine Comedy (colloquial Japanese translation)
  • Alessandro Manzoni, The Betrothed (translation)
  • Carlo Goldoni, The Watchful Widow, etc. (translations)
  • Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron (translated/edited)

作品の翻訳

  • The Shock of the West and Japan (English editions/academic publications)
  • Selected works included in English-language edited volumes

作風・主題

文体
Clear prose grounded in comparative-cultural and historical analysisReadable, colloquial approach in translationsBroadly learned, synthetic argumentation
頻出モチーフ
East-West encounter and frictiontranslation and receptionmodernization and identity

評価・遺産

Renowned as a scholar and translator who analysed Japan's encounter with the West from comparative-cultural perspectives and introduced Western classics to Japanese readers. In addition to academic achievements, he is noted for public commentary and involvement in policy-oriented institutes.

豆知識

  • Known for a colloquial Japanese translation of Dante's Divine Comedy that helped renew interest in the work in Japan.
  • Studied in France, Italy and Germany during graduate education and used multilingual skills in scholarship.
  • Served as a board member of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals and engaged in public/political commentary.
  • Recipient of national honors including the Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Order of the Sacred Treasure.