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Tojin Nakaji

なかじ とうじん

Nakaji Tojin

Pen Names: Roto（Used in poetry collection 'Voice of Spring'）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1978-04-15 （Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan → Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan → New York City, New York, United States

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Poet
Active Years
2003-2025
Affiliations
Japan P.E.N. Club
Memberships
Japan Writers' Association
Influenced By
Haruki Murakami
Influenced
Shiori Sato
Nominations
Naoki Prize

Education

Kyushu University
Faculty of Letters / Department of Japanese Literature
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Period: 1996-2000
Year of Graduation: 2000
Country: Japan
Represented the faculty at poetry competitions

Awards

Akutagawa Prize
2015
Work: Song of Dawn
Organization: Japan Literature Promotion Society
Result: 受賞
Tanizaki Jun'ichiro Prize
2020
Work: Journey of Twilight
Organization: Izumi Kyoka Memorial Museum
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Song of Dawn

2014 Novel 320 pages

A coming-of-age novel depicting a young man's struggles and hopes in a rural town.

Coming of ageSelf-discovery
Adaptations
  • [Film] Song of Dawn: The Movie / 山田 太一 (2017)
Translations
  • French edition 'Chanson de l'aube'
  • Spanish edition 'Canción del Amanecer'

Journey of Twilight

2019 Novel 280 pages

Depicts a woman's journey confronting loneliness in the city.

LonelinessRebirth
Adaptations
  • [TV Drama] Journey of Twilight: The Drama / 鈴木 彩 (2021)
Translations
  • English translation 'Journey of Twilight'

Bibliography

  • Poetry Collection 'Voice of Spring'
  • Song of Dawn
  • Journey of Twilight
  • Memory of Snow

Adaptations

  • Film 'Song of Dawn'
  • TV Drama 'Journey of Twilight'

Translations by Author

  • Translation of Sylvia Plath's poetry collection

Translations of Works

  • English translation 'Song of Dawn' by Jane Doe
  • French translation 'Chanson de l'aube' by Pierre Dupont

Style & Themes

Literary Style
LyricalIntrospective
Recurring Motifs
Changing seasonsLoneliness

Legacy

He has been highly regarded both domestically and internationally, bringing a new perspective to contemporary Japanese literature.

Museums

  • Tojin Nakaji Memorial Museum Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan Opened in 2023

Academic Societies

  • Japan Society for Contemporary Literature

Archives

  • University of Tokyo Library

In Popular Culture

  • The protagonist in the drama 'Our Future' is portrayed as a fan of his novels

Quotes

  • Words are mirrors reflecting the landscapes of the heart.
    Source: Interview in 'Literature Afternoon' (2018)
  • Loneliness itself is the fountainhead of creativity.
    Source: Essay 'Door to Creativity' (2020)

Trivia

  • Won the grand prize in a poetry contest while in university.
  • Favorite food is mentaiko (spicy cod roe).