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Yusuke Kakuhata

かくはた ゆうすけ

Kakuhata Yusuke

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1976-02-05 （Ashibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Ashibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan → Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan

Career

Occupations
Non-fiction writer, Explorer, Journalist
Active Years
2001-
Influenced By
Hideyuki Takano, Ken Kaikō

Education

Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics
School of Political Science and Economics
Country: Japan
Entered Keio University but left and later enrolled at Waseda University (as reported).

Awards

Kaikō Ken Nonfiction Award
2010
Work: The Five-Mile Void: Challenging the World's Largest Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge (Tibet)
Organization: Kaikō Ken Memorial Association
Result: Winner
Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize
2011
Work: The Five-Mile Void
Organization: Ōya Sōichi Prize Committee
Result: Winner
Umesao Tadao Mountain and Exploration Literature Prize
2011
Work: The Five-Mile Void
Organization: Umesao Tadao Prize Committee
Result: Winner
Nitta Jirō Literary Prize
2012
Work: The Yeti Came from the Other Side
Organization: Nitta Jirō Prize Committee
Result: Winner
Kodansha Non-Fiction Award
2013
Work: Where Is Agluka? The Arctic Seen by Franklin's Expedition (All 129 Dead)
Organization: Kodansha
Result: Winner
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award (Book Review Prize)
2015
Work: Explorer's Daily Book
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: Winner
Yahoo! News Honya Taisho (Non-fiction Book Grand Prize)
2018
Work: Polar Night Journey
Organization: Yahoo Japan / Honya Taisho
Result: Winner
Ōbutsu Jirō Prize
2018
Work: Polar Night Journey
Organization: Ōbutsu Jirō Prize Committee
Result: Winner
Ashibetsu City Honor Award
2013
Organization: Ashibetsu City
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Five-Mile Void: Challenging the World's Largest Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge

2010 Non-fiction

A narrative of exploration in the Yarlung Tsangpo (Tsangpo) Gorge in Tibet, documenting fieldwork and reflections on the uncharted canyon.

ExplorationUncharted territoriesEncounters with nature

The Yeti Came from the Other Side

2011 Non-fiction

A reportage blending field investigations and local testimonies related to the Yeti.

FolkloreLegendsInvestigative reporting

Where Is Agluka? The Arctic Seen by Franklin's Expedition

2012 Non-fiction

Delves into Franklin's expedition and Arctic voyages, exploring archival material to portray the tragedies and history of polar exploration.

Polar explorationHistorical reexaminationDisaster and survival

Polar Night Journey

2018 Non-fiction

A record of a trek across the Arctic Circle on foot, with reflections on the boundaries between nature and humanity encountered during the journey.

Polar regionsSolitudeSurvival

Bibliography

  • The River's Sigh, The Sea's Breath: Report on Kurobe River Dam Sediment Disposal
  • The Five-Mile Void
  • The Yeti Came from the Other Side
  • Explorer: The Melancholy of 36
  • Where Is Agluka?
  • Explorer's Daily Book
  • Drift
  • The Traveler's Technique of Expression
  • The Explorer at 40
  • Polar Night Journey
  • New Theory of Adventure
  • The Explorer and Penelope-chan
  • I Won't Climb Everest
  • The Mountain There: On Marriage and Adventure
  • The Thinking of Hunting
  • The Naked Land Vol.1: Hunting and Wandering
  • The Naked Land Vol.2: The Beginning of Dog-sledding
  • The Impurity of Writing
  • Mountains Without Maps
  • I Want to Sleep in Places Without Maps (co-authored)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Immersive reportageBlend of documentation and personal reflection
Recurring Motifs
Exploration and encountersHarshness of polar natureSolitude and personal limits

Legacy

Recognized as a fieldwork-driven nonfiction explorer-author, he has influenced contemporary adventure literature and polar studies; widely awarded and noted by younger explorers and journalists.

Trivia

  • Born into a family that ran a supermarket in Ashibetsu (family business: Kakuhata Store).
  • Was a member of Waseda University's exploration club during the period around the murder of expedition members in Peru.
  • In 2011 he completed a 1600 km trek across the Arctic on foot.
  • Has received several nonfiction literary awards (Kaikō Ken, Ōya Sōichi, Kodansha Non-Fiction, etc.).