Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Yuuji Ikegaya

いけがや ゆうじ

Ikegaya Yuuji

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1970-08-16 （Fujieda, Shizuoka, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Fujieda, Shizuoka (birthplace) → Tokyo (work/residence)

Career

Occupations
Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Neuroscientist, Author, University Professor
Active Years
1993-
Affiliations
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, CiNET / Brain-Information Communication Fusion Center (related)
Memberships
Japanese Pharmacological Society, Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Japan Neuroscience Society, The Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence, Society for Neuroscience (SfN)

Education

The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Degree: 学士
Period: 1989-1993
Year of Graduation: 1993
Country: Japan
Entered and graduated at top of class
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Laboratory of Pharmacological Actions
Degree: 博士（薬学）
Period: 1993-1998
Year of Graduation: 1998
Country: Japan
PhD dissertation: "Abnormal formation of hippocampal neural circuits by epileptic-like hyperactivity"
Columbia University (Visiting Researcher)
Biological Sciences (visiting researcher)
Period: 2002-2005
Country: United States
Served as visiting researcher

Awards

Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Research Vision Division Award
2004
Organization: Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Result: 受賞
Konica Minolta Imaging Science Encouragement Award
2006
Organization: Konica Minolta
Result: 受賞
Academic Encouragement Award, Japanese Pharmacological Society
2006
Organization: Japanese Pharmacological Society
Result: 受賞
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award
2013
Organization: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Result: 受賞
Japan Academy Prize for Academic Encouragement
2013
Organization: The Japan Academy
Result: 受賞
Nakakazu Tsukahara Memorial Award
2015
Organization: Tsukahara Memorial Foundation
Result: 受賞
Setsuro Ebashi Award
2017
Result: 受賞
Kobayashi Hideo Prize
2024
Work: The Brain Exists to Make Dreams Come True
Organization: Kodansha
Result: 受賞
Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Award
2025
Organization: Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Result: 受賞
Young Scientists' Award, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
2008
Organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Hippocampus

2005 Popular science

A popular-science book explaining hippocampus function and memory research in accessible terms.

hippocampusmemoryneural circuits
Translations
  • Chinese translation
  • Korean translation

The Over-Evolved Brain

2007 Popular science

Discusses traits of the human brain from an evolutionary perspective and their behavioral consequences.

evolutioncognitive biasbehavior

The Brain Has Strange Habits

2012 Popular science

Explains habitual patterns of the brain that appear in everyday thought and behavior, with examples.

behavioral sciencecognitioneveryday brain

How to Build an Exam-Ready Brain

2002 Education / Study skills

Guidance on study methods that leverage brain function for high school and exam preparation.

study methodseducationmemory

The Brain Exists to Make Dreams Come True

2024 Essay / Science

A recent work discussing how brain mechanisms relate to human desires and goal attainment. Winner of the Kobayashi Hideo Prize.

goal achievementmotivationbrain mechanisms

Bibliography

  • Improve Your Memory (Kodansha Bluebacks, 2001)
  • Study Methods from Modern Neuroscience (Nagase, 2002)
  • How to Build an Exam-Ready Brain (Nagase, 2002)
  • Hippocampus (Asahi Shuppansha, 2005)
  • The Over-Evolved Brain (Asahi Shuppansha, 2004)
  • The Brain Has Strange Habits (Fusosha, 2012)
  • Simple Brain, Complex "Self" (Asahi Shuppansha, 2009)
  • The Brain Exists to Make Dreams Come True (Kodansha, 2024)

Translations of Works

  • Many works have been translated into Chinese and Korean

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Accessible, example-rich popular science proseLogical explanations informed by active research experience
Recurring Motifs
memory and hippocampuslearning and educationmechanisms of cognition

Health

  • Congenital prosopagnosia
    生涯（幼少期から）
    Has difficulty recognizing faces and matching faces to names; publicly disclosed the condition.

Legacy

A neuroscientist highly regarded for both academic research and popular writing. Contributed broadly to science communication through numerous high-impact papers and bestselling popular books.

Academic Societies

  • Japanese Pharmacological Society
  • Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
  • Japan Neuroscience Society
  • The Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence

Trivia

  • Was poor at multiplication tables and kanji in elementary school, but excelled academically from junior high onward and entered/graduated University of Tokyo at top of class.
  • Has publicly disclosed congenital prosopagnosia.
  • Many popular books have been translated into Chinese and Korean.