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Masashi Hosoda

ほそだ まさし

Hosoda Masashi

Aliases: 細田マサシ
Pen Names: Masashi Hosoda（Name form used on some publications）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1971-11-18 （Okayama Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Okayama Prefecture (birthplace) → Tottori City (moved there at one week old) → Osaka (youth; part-time work) → Tokyo (moved to Tokyo and worked there)

Career

Occupations
reporter, television presenter/host, broadcast writer, non-fiction writer
Active Years
1997-

Education

Tottori Johoku High School
Year of Graduation: 1990
Country: Japan

Awards

Kodansha Honda Yasuharu Nonfiction Prize
2021
Work: The Man Who Launched Tadayoshi Sawamura into a Vacuum: A Biography of Showa Promoter Osamu Noguchi
Organization: Kodansha
Result: winner
Shogakukan Nonfiction Grand Prize
2024
Work: The Widow of Rikidōzan
Organization: Shogakukan
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

There Was No Sakamoto Ryōma: A Historical Mystery

2012 historical mystery

A work that examines conventional accounts and sources about Sakamoto Ryōma, re-evaluating historical mysteries surrounding him.

re-examination of historymystery

Why Do Musicians Abandon Their Loyal Wives?

2017 non-fiction

A short non-fiction work examining relationships between musicians and their private lives, exploring interpersonal and social backgrounds.

interpersonal relationshipsmusic industry

The Man Who Launched Tadayoshi Sawamura into a Vacuum: A Biography of Showa Promoter Osamu Noguchi

2020 non-fiction; biography 560 pages

A meticulously researched 560-page biography of Showa-era promoter Osamu Noguchi, who shaped the entertainment circuit; the work took about ten years to write.

history of entertainment promotionsShowa-era historypromotion and management

The Widow of Rikidōzan

2024 non-fiction; biography

A biography that traces the later life of Rikidōzan's wife, Keiko Tanaka, shedding light on postwar entertainment history and private life.

pro-wrestling historypostwar Japanbiographical study

The Day Martial Arts Beat Kohaku: Record of the 2003 New Year's Eve Event War

2024 non-fiction; sports history

A non-fiction account of the 2003 New Year's Eve martial-arts event competition and its clash with television, documenting the behind-the-scenes of the events industry.

combat sportsmedia historyevent business

Bibliography

  • There Was No Sakamoto Ryōma: A Historical Mystery
  • Why Do Musicians Abandon Their Loyal Wives?
  • The Man Who Launched Tadayoshi Sawamura into a Vacuum: A Biography of Showa Promoter Osamu Noguchi
  • The Widow of Rikidōzan
  • The Day Martial Arts Beat Kohaku: Record of the 2003 New Year's Eve Event War

Style & Themes

Literary Style
fact-focused prose based on exhaustive reportingdetailed source verification and long-form biographieson-the-ground descriptive non-fiction
Recurring Motifs
entertainment promotersprofessional wrestling and combat sportspostwar popular culture

Legacy

Transitioning from television reporter and writer to non-fiction author, he has been recognized for long-form biographies that deepen the history of entertainment promotions. Recipient of awards such as the Kodansha Nonfiction Prize and the Shogakukan Nonfiction Grand Prize, contributing to studies of postwar event culture.

Trivia

  • Moved to Tottori City one week after birth.
  • Uses the name form "細田マサシ" on some publications.
  • Worked part-time at a Chinese restaurant named "Saiyuki" in Osaka.