Period Novel Grand Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (1997) award
Kesako Matsui
まつい けさこ
Matsui Kesako
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1953-09-28 （Gion, Kyoto, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Kyoto → Tokyo
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Scriptwriter, Director, Critic
- Active Years
- 1997-
- Affiliations
- Shochiku Co., Ltd., Freelance
- Influenced By
- Tetsuji Takechi
- Nominations
- 20th Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers nominee (1999, 'Bakumatsu Adore-san'), 22nd Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers nominee (2001, 'The Woman Called Yatsu no Koman'), 23rd Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers nominee (2002, 'Ichi no Tomi'), 127th Naoki Prize nominee (2002, 'Hidō, Okonau bekarazu'), 128th Naoki Prize nominee (2003, 'Nisemono'), 59th Mystery Writers of Japan Award nominee (2006, 'Ie, Ie ni Arazu')
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seibo Gakuin Junior and Senior High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Waseda University, Faculty of Letters (First Department) | Faculty of Letters (First Department) | Department of Theatre Studies | 文学士 | — | Japan |
| Waseda University Graduate School of Letters | Graduate School of Letters | Theatre Studies | 修士（文学） | — | Japan |
Seibo Gakuin Junior and Senior High School
Country:
Japan
Completed middle and high school education
Waseda University, Faculty of Letters (First Department)
Faculty of Letters (First Department)
/ Department of Theatre Studies
Degree:
文学士
Country:
Japan
Completed undergraduate program
Waseda University Graduate School of Letters
Graduate School of Letters
/ Theatre Studies
Degree:
修士（文学）
Country:
Japan
Completed master's course in Theatre Studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 8th Jidaishōsetsu Taishō (Historical Novel Award) | Nakazō Kyoran | — | Jidaishōsetsu Taishō Executive Committee | winner |
| 2007 | 137th Naoki Prize | Yoshiwara Tebikigusa | — | Naoki Prize Selection Committee | winner |
| 2019 | 4th Watanabe Jun'ichi Literary Prize | Fuyō no Tate | — | Watanabe Jun'ichi Literary Prize Committee | winner |
8th Jidaishōsetsu Taishō (Historical Novel Award)
1997
Work:
Nakazō Kyoran
Organization:
Jidaishōsetsu Taishō Executive Committee
Result:
winner
137th Naoki Prize
2007
Work:
Yoshiwara Tebikigusa
Organization:
Naoki Prize Selection Committee
Result:
winner
4th Watanabe Jun'ichi Literary Prize
2019
Work:
Fuyō no Tate
Organization:
Watanabe Jun'ichi Literary Prize Committee
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 137 (2007) award
Watanabe Junichi Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (2019) award
Works
Major Works
Tōshū Sharaku Sashi
1997 Historical novelA debut historical novel set in Edo that weaves kabuki background into its narrative. Through the lives of actors and townspeople it evokes the atmosphere of the period.
KabukiEdo periodTheatre
Nakazō Kyoran
1998 Historical novelA story centered on the kabuki actor Nakazō, portraying both backstage life and human relationships. The work received high acclaim and won a historical novel award.
KabukiActor's inner lifeEdo society
Adaptations
- [TV drama] Nakazō Kyoran (2000)
Yoshiwara Tebikigusa
2007 Historical novelSet in Edo's pleasure quarter Yoshiwara, this novel portrays the lives and fates of women living there. One of the author's major works and winner of the Naoki Prize.
YoshiwaraWomenRed-light district culture
Fuyō no Tate
2018 Historical novelA historical long novel depicting people from premodern times. It carefully depicts conflicts around power and family and won the Watanabe Jun'ichi Literary Prize.
HistoryFamilyPower
Edo no Yumebiraki
2020 Historical novel / BiographicalA work portraying the first Ichikawa Danjūrō. It depicts the figure within kabuki history while weaving in the cultural circumstances of the time.
Kabuki historyBiographyEdo culture
Bibliography
- Tōshū Sharaku Sashi
- Nakazō Kyoran
- Bakumatsu Adore-san
- The Woman Called Yatsu no Koman
- Ichi no Tomi
- Hidō, Okonau Bekarazu
- Nisemono (Lookalike)
- Nimaime
- Tatsumi-ya Gokoku
- Great Edo Kame Bugyō Diary
- Ginza Kaika Incident Files
- House, Not a House
- Yoshiwara Tebikigusa
- Fireworks at the End: Ginza Kaika Omokage Zōshi
- Sanseisō: Namiki Byōshirō Tanetori-chō
- It's Time to Travel
- If the Road Is Cut Off, Again
- Enchō no Onna
- Seinan no Arashi: Ginza Kaika Omokage Zōshi
- Corridor in a Jar
- Entering Old Age: Kōjimachi Jōraku-an Monthly Notes
- Ryōritsū Ibun (Gastronomic Anecdotes)
- Fuyō no Tate
- Edo no Yumebiraki
Adaptations
- Nakazō Kyoran (TV drama adaptation, 2000)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Detailed descriptions incorporating specialist knowledge of kabukiNarration that emphasizes historical accuracy and researchA style that carefully explores characters' psychology and relationships
- Recurring Motifs
- KabukiYoshiwara (pleasure quarter)GinzaBakumatsu / Edo period
Legacy
She is highly regarded as an author of historical novels that incorporate deep studies of kabuki and Edo culture. A winner of major literary prizes such as the Naoki Prize, she has also contributed to the popularization and explanation of kabuki.
In Popular Culture
- TV drama adaptation of Nakazō Kyoran (2000), starring Ichikawa Danjūrō and Ichikawa Ebizō
- Public-facing activities including appearances and supervision on kabuki introductory programs
Quotes
-
If a marriage is so fragile that changing surnames would make it fall apart, it's better to end it quickly.
Source: Her personal blog (2015)
Trivia
- Born the daughter of a ryōtei (traditional restaurant) in Gion, Kyoto.
- Worked at Shochiku, where she was involved in planning and producing kabuki.
- Studied under Tetsuji Takechi and worked on kabuki adaptations and criticism.
- Made her literary debut in 1997 with 'Tōshū Sharaku Sashi'.