Oya Soichi Nonfiction Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 37 (2006) award
Kumiko Kakehashi
かけはし くみこ
Kakehashi Kumiko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1961-09-15 （Kumamoto City, Kumamoto, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Kumamoto City, Kumamoto (birthplace) → Sapporo, Hokkaido (raised / long-term residence) → Tokyo (has lived)
Career
- Occupations
- Non-fiction writer, Editor, Writer
- Active Years
- 1984-
- Influenced By
- Kenji Maruyama
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido University, Faculty of Letters | Faculty of Letters | Department of Japanese Literature | — | 〜1984 | Japan |
Hokkaido University, Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters
/ Department of Japanese Literature
Period:
〜1984
Year of Graduation:
1984
Country:
Japan
Worked part-time at a radio station during university studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Oya Soichi Nonfiction Prize | Chiruzo Kanashiki — Iwo Jima Commander Kuribayashi Tadamichi | — | Oya Soichi Prize Selection Committee | 受賞 |
| 2017 | Yomiuri Literary Prize (Criticism/Biography) | Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge' | 評論・伝記 | The Yomiuri Shimbun | 受賞 |
| 2017 | Kodansha Nonfiction Prize | Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge' | — | Kodansha | 受賞 |
| 2017 | Art Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award) | — | — | Japan Arts Council | 受賞 |
Oya Soichi Nonfiction Prize
2006
Work:
Chiruzo Kanashiki — Iwo Jima Commander Kuribayashi Tadamichi
Organization:
Oya Soichi Prize Selection Committee
Result:
受賞
Yomiuri Literary Prize (Criticism/Biography)
2017
Work:
Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge'
Category:
評論・伝記
Organization:
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Result:
受賞
Kodansha Nonfiction Prize
2017
Work:
Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge'
Organization:
Kodansha
Result:
受賞
Art Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award)
2017
Organization:
Japan Arts Council
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Kodansha Nonfiction Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 39 (2017) award
Works
Major Works
Chiruzo Kanashiki — Iwo Jima Commander Kuribayashi Tadamichi
2005 Non-fiction (War history / Biography)A nonfiction reconstruction of the life of General Kuribayashi and the battle of Iwo Jima based on interviews and archival research.
WarMemoryLeadership's conflicts
Translations
- Has been introduced/translated abroad (details vary by edition)
Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge'
2016 Non-fiction (Biographical)A biographical account of Miho Shimao that explores the intersections of literature, private life, and family memory.
Literary historyFamilyMind and creativity
The Life of Takashi Yanase: Anpanman and Me
2025 Non-fiction (Biography)A biographical nonfiction tracing Takashi Yanase's life, the origins of Anpanman, and his creative trajectory.
BiographyChildren's cultureCreative background
Adaptations
- [Radio reading] Keiko Toda reads Kumiko Kakehashi's 'The Life of Takashi Yanase' (2025)
Bibliography
- Chiruzo Kanashiki — Iwo Jima Commander Kuribayashi Tadamichi (Shinchosha, 2005)
- Love Letters of the Century (Shincho Shinsho, 2008)
- Summer of 1945, I Was a Soldier (Kadokawa, 2009)
- Madwoman — Miho Shimao, Wife of 'Shi no Toge' (Shinchosha, 2016)
- The Life of Takashi Yanase: Anpanman and Me (Bungei Bunko, 2025)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Fact-based reportage styleCareful interviewing and archival reconstructionClear, accessible narrative voice
- Recurring Motifs
- War and memoryIntersection of personal and public historyFamily and trauma
Legacy
Author of numerous nonfiction works grounded in extensive reporting, particularly on war history and biography. Recipient of major awards including the Oya Soichi Nonfiction Prize and Yomiuri Literary Prize, she is highly regarded in contemporary Japanese nonfiction.
Trivia
- Born in Kumamoto, raised in Sapporo from age five.
- After graduating from Hokkaido University, worked as an editor at Sanrio.
- Hobby: railway travel; has published travelogues about abandoned lines.
- Notable works include 'Chiruzo Kanashiki' and 'Madwoman'.