Gunzo Newcomer Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 50 (2007) excellent work
Naoki Hirokoji
ひろこうじ なおき
Hirokoji Naoki
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1972 （Okazaki, Aichi, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist
- Active Years
- 2007-
- Nominations
- 143rd Akutagawa Prize nominee ("Uchi ni Kaerou", 2010), 146th Akutagawa Prize nominee ("Machinaka", 2012)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | 学士 | — | — |
—
Degree:
学士
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize | — | — | Gunzo (literary magazine) | 優秀作 |
Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize
2007
Organization:
Gunzo (literary magazine)
Result:
優秀作
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Let's Go Home
2010 Short story collectionA collection of short stories depicting fragments of everyday life and homecoming, focusing on regional town life, family and work.
familynostalgiaeveryday liferegional life
From Moneylender to Writer
2012 Essays / MemoirAn essay collection recounting his varied work experiences and his path to becoming a writer.
workmemoircareer change
Kiyo and This Night
2014 Novel / FictionA work that delves into characters' inner lives through detailed depictions of human relationships and local community.
human dramacommunity
The Season That Will Come: Nagoya Taxi Stories
2017 Linked short story collectionA linked short story collection set in Nagoya, centered on taxi drivers and passengers, exploring urban landscapes and human compassion.
workurban lifehumanityNagoya
I Drank Good Sake Today Again: A Bartender's Awamori Apprenticeship
2020 EssayEssays recounting experiences as a barman and anecdotes related to training with awamori (Okinawan distilled spirit).
alcoholprofessionapprenticeshipawamori
Riding the Hokutosei
2021 FictionA piece evoking travel sentiment and human stories set aboard the Hokutosei sleeper train.
traveltrainsmemories
That Taxi on a Certain Day
2024 Short story collectionA recent collection of short stories centered on taxis, depicting the intersecting lives of drivers and passengers.
taxisworkhuman relationships
Bibliography
- Let's Go Home
- From Moneylender to Writer
- Kiyo and This Night
- The Season That Will Come: Nagoya Taxi Stories
- I Drank Good Sake Today Again: A Bartender's Awamori Apprenticeship
- Riding the Hokutosei
- That Taxi on a Certain Day
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- A restrained style depicting everyday life in regional citiesRealistic depiction that emphasizes dialogueNarration mixing humor and pathos
- Recurring Motifs
- taxis and driverswork and employmentalcohol and drinking scenesregional (Nagoya / Mikawa) settings
Legacy
Recognized as a writer who depicts working-class life and everyday detail in the Nagoya / Aichi region; noted for winning a Gunzo New Writers' Prize excellence award and for multiple Akutagawa Prize nominations.
Trivia
- After high school he pursued music and worked in many jobs (hotel staff, taxi driver, route salesperson, etc.; more than 10 occupations).
- Debuted as a writer after receiving an excellence award at the 50th Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize in 2007 for "だだだな町、ぐぐぐなおれ".
- Was nominated for the Akutagawa Prize in 2010 (143rd) and 2012 (146th).