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Iku Takada

たかだ いく

Takada Iku

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
novelist, writer
Nominations
Nikkei Novel Award (2nd) finalist (2008)

Awards

Osaka Book One Project (Osaka Honma Hon Award) — 1st, Winner
2013
Work: Gin Ni Kan
Organization: Osaka Book One Project Committee
Result: winner
Nikkei Novel Award (2nd) — Finalist
2008
Work: Gin Ni Kan
Organization: Nikkei Publishing Inc.
Result: finalist

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Gin Ni Kan

2009 Historical fiction (jidaigeki) 296 pages

A human drama following Tsuru-no-suke (later Matsukichi), a samurai's son bought with 'two kan of silver' by a Tenma merchant, who grows from an apprentice to a merchant. The novel traces his struggles and innovations with kanten (agar), the creation of thread-agar and yokan, and portrays recovery after fires, merchant pride, craftsmanship and human bonds.

humanitymerchant culture and ethicscraftsmanshipfood and cuisinerecovery and resilience
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] NHK Thursday Jidaigeki "Gin Ni Kan" / 梛川善郎 / 小島史敬 (2014)
  • [Stage (Takarazuka)] Gin Ni Kan - Umagae no Hana Kanzashi - (Takarazuka Snow Troupe) / 谷正純 (2015)
  • [Stage (Shochiku)] Gin Ni Kan (Shochiku production) / 鍛治明彦 (2017)

Bibliography

  • Gin Ni Kan (Gentosha, 2009-06-10, ISBN 978-4-344-01683-5)
  • Gin Ni Kan (Gentosha Bunko, 2010-08-05, ISBN 978-4-344-41532-4)
  • Gin Ni Kan (Haruki Bunko, 2022-11-15, ISBN 978-4-758-44527-6)

Adaptations

  • NHK TV drama 'Gin Ni Kan' (Thursday Jidaigeki, 2014)
  • Takarazuka Revue (Snow Troupe) 'Gin Ni Kan - Umagae no Hana Kanzashi -' (stage, 2015)
  • Shochiku production 'Gin Ni Kan' (stage, 2017)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
warm human-centered storytellingdetailed depiction of Osaka merchant culturecareful attention to food and craftsmanship
Recurring Motifs
kanten (agar / thread-agar)merchant pridefires and reconstructionfood, anko (bean paste) and wagashi (Japanese sweets)

Legacy

Iku Takada is known for historical novels that foreground Osaka merchant and food culture, earning broad readership. 'Gin Ni Kan' drew media attention after publication and became established in popular culture through an NHK TV adaptation and stage productions by Takarazuka and Shochiku.

In Popular Culture

  • NHK 'Gin Ni Kan' TV drama (2014)
  • Takarazuka Revue (Snow Troupe) stage adaptation (2015)
  • Shochiku stage production (2017)
  • Selected by the Osaka Book One Project as its 1st pick, boosting local recognition (2013)

Quotes

  • "You know, Zenjirō, I made a good purchase."
    Source: Gin Ni Kan (2009)

Trivia

  • 'Gin Ni Kan' was shortlisted for the 2nd Nikkei Novel Award (2008).
  • Selected as the first Osaka Book One Project pick by Osaka booksellers (2013).
  • Adapted into an NHK TV drama broadcast in 2014 (9 episodes).
  • Adapted for the stage by Takarazuka Revue (Snow Troupe) in 2015.
  • Staged by Shochiku in 2017.
  • First edition: Gentosha, 2009-06-10, 296 pages, ISBN 978-4-344-01683-5.