Japanese Literary Awards

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Michael S. Molasky

マイク・モラスキー

Maiku Morasukī

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1956 （St. Louis, Missouri, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English, Japanese
Residence History
St. Louis, Missouri, United States → Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Japanologist, University professor, Author
Active Years
1976-
Affiliations
Connecticut College, University of Minnesota, Hitotsubashi University, Waseda University

Education

University of Chicago
Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations / Japanese literature
Degree: Ph.D.
Year of Graduation: 1994
Country: United States
Ph.D. in Japanese literature

Awards

Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities
2006
Work: Jazz Culture in Postwar Japan
Organization: Suntory Foundation
Result: winner
Art Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
2024
Work: Jazz Piano: From Its History to How to Listen
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Jazz Culture in Postwar Japan: Film, Literature, and the Underground

2005 cultural history / music history

A study of the reception and representation of jazz in postwar Japan, exploring its connections to film and literature and analyzing cultural changes since the American occupation.

postwar culturejazzmemory of occupation
Translations
  • Jazz Culture in Postwar Japan (Japanese edition)

The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa: Literature and Memory

1999 cultural history / memory studies

Examines literature and memory relating to the occupation of Japan and Okinawa, focusing on postwar memory formation and literary representation.

occupationmemoryOkinawan literature
Translations
  • The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa (Japanese translation)

Jazz Piano: From Its History to How to Listen (Vol. 1)

2023 music history / guide

The first volume of a two-part work explaining the history, styles, and listening approaches for jazz piano, introducing performers and performance history.

history of jazzpiano techniqueslistening guide

Jazz Piano: From Its History to How to Listen (Vol. 2)

2023 music history / guide

The second volume continuing the first, covering piano trios and the development of modern jazz with practical listening points.

piano triomodern jazz

Bibliography

  • The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa: Literature and Memory (1999)
  • Jazz Culture in Postwar Japan: Film, Literature, and the Underground (2005)
  • The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa (Japanese translation ed., 2006)
  • That Word, I Object! Humorous US-Japan Cultural Criticism (2007)
  • On Jazz Coffeehouses: Walking Postwar Japanese Culture (2010)
  • Drink and It's the Metropolis: Tokyo's Izakaya (2012)
  • Walking Alone (2013)
  • Japanese Izakaya Culture: Exploring the Charm of the Red Lantern (2014)
  • Jazz Piano: From Its History to How to Listen (Vols. 1 & 2) (2023)
  • Piano Trio: An Introduction to Modern Jazz (2024)

Translations of Works

  • Jazz Culture in Postwar Japan (Japanese edition)
  • The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa (Japanese translation)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
scholarly historical proseaccessible explanatory style
Recurring Motifs
occupation and memorymusic (especially jazz)postwar popular culture

Legacy

An important scholar connecting postwar Japanese cultural history and jazz studies, widely recognized for research on jazz reception and memories of the occupation. He has also contributed to academic exchange between Japan and the U.S. as an educator.

Archives

  • Waseda University Researcher Database (MOLASKY, Mike)

Trivia

  • A big fan of izakaya (Japanese pubs); has written essays on the red-lantern izakaya culture.