Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 99 (1988) award
Masaaki Nishiki
にしき まさあき
Nishiki Masaaki
Aliases:
鈴木 正昭
Pen Names:
Masaaki Nishiki（Birth name Suzuki Masaaki; used 'Masaaki Nishiki' as a pen name for literary activities.）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1940-05-25 （Born in Niigata Prefecture; raised in Nishiki Village, Semboku, Akita Prefecture (now Semboku City), Japan）
- Died
- 2023-12-05 （Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (hospital)） age 83
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Niigata Prefecture (birthplace) → Nishiki Village, Semboku, Akita Prefecture (now Semboku City; raised) → Tokyo, Japan (worked as magazine editor) → Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture (later years)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Non-fiction writer, Magazine editor
- Active Years
- 1980-2023
- Affiliations
- Magazine House (formerly Heibon Publishing), Japan PEN Club, Japan Adventure Writers Club (founding proponent), Japan Literary Promoting Association (councilor), NHK International Broadcasting Council (member)
- Memberships
- Japan Adventure Writers Club, Japan PEN Club, Mystery Writers of Japan
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akita Prefectural Akita High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Waseda University | Faculty of Education | Social Studies | — | — | Japan |
Akita Prefectural Akita High School
Year of Graduation:
1959
Country:
Japan
Waseda University
Faculty of Education
/ Social Studies
Country:
Japan
Dropped out
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Japan Non-Fiction Award (Newcomer Prize) | Okhotsk Spy Ship | 新人賞 | Japan Non-Fiction Award | 受賞 |
| 1988 | Naoki Prize (99th) | Frozen Eyes / The Woman of Hashima | — | Naoki Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 1995 | Nitta Jiro Literary Prize (14th) | Dreamlike Mountain Journey | — | Nitta Jiro Literary Prize | 受賞 |
| 2000 | Shibata Renzaburo Award (13th) | Give My Regards to Yume-san | — | Shibata Renzaburo Award | 受賞 |
Japan Non-Fiction Award (Newcomer Prize)
1980
Work:
Okhotsk Spy Ship
Category:
新人賞
Organization:
Japan Non-Fiction Award
Result:
受賞
Naoki Prize (99th)
1988
Work:
Frozen Eyes / The Woman of Hashima
Organization:
Naoki Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Nitta Jiro Literary Prize (14th)
1995
Work:
Dreamlike Mountain Journey
Organization:
Nitta Jiro Literary Prize
Result:
受賞
Shibata Renzaburo Award (13th)
2000
Work:
Give My Regards to Yume-san
Organization:
Shibata Renzaburo Award
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Nitta Jiro Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (1995) award
Shibata Renzaburo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 13 (2000) award
Works
Major Works
Okhotsk Spy Ship
1980 Non-fiction (non-fiction novel)Debut work. Based on reporting about fishing vessels ('repo ships') involved in assisting U.S. military deserters in Hokkaido; won a newcomer prize in a non-fiction award but contains fictionalized elements and was described as a 'non-fiction novel'.
aftermath of warmodern historyresearch-based documentary
Frozen Eyes
1988 Historical fiction / Biographical novelA novel themed on Viktor Stalhin. Together with 'The Woman of Hashima', it won the 99th Naoki Prize. Noted for meticulous research, character portrayals, and exploration of historical shadows.
biographical portraitespionage/historymemory and guilt
Adaptations
- [TV drama] Frozen Eyes
Snakehead
1985 Crime fiction / AdventureA fictional work addressing transnational networks and criminal organizations, portraying the darker aspects of international human flows.
crimemigration / human smugglinginternational relations
Adaptations
- [Film] China Shadow / 柳町光男
- [Musical (based on the novel)] Hong Kong Rhapsody (musical)
Dreamlike Mountain Journey
1994 Travelogue / Non-fictionA travelogue-style work about mountains and journeys, combining in-depth reporting with descriptions of nature and people.
nature and travelcharacter observationmemory
Give My Regards to Yume-san
1999 Biography / Historical novelA biographical work on the life of Konoe Fumitaka. The book carefully portrays the subject's life and won the 2000 Shibata Renzaburo Award.
biographymodern historypower and the individual
Bibliography
- Okhotsk Spy Ship
- Keep Away from the Horizon: A 12,000km Dash Across Australia
- Sealing the Nightmare: The Abortion Ward of the Medical Unit
- The Prime Minister's Office Tunnel
- Wait Until the Fog Clears
- Aurora Connection
- Okhotsk Express (retitled 'Frozen Fireworks')
- Snakehead
- When I Look Back, the Savannah
- Memories of Green Grass
- A Letter from Cape Town
- Those Who Cannot Escape
- Frozen Eyes
- You Aren't a Man If You Don't Do Something
- 'Happiness' Line: The Last Train
- Empty Fame
- The Assassin of Franklin Roosevelt
- Target
- Nanda Devi
- Cyrus's Paradise — The Paradise Within My Heart
- Chou-Han Border
- Spy Futabatei Shimei
- Dreamlike Mountain Journey
- Owl's Morning — Yamamoto Isoroku and the European Intelligence Network
- Driftwood (short stories)
- Mock Sun of the Ice Sea
- Walking with a Dog
- Give My Regards to Yume-san: The Life of the Last Noble, Konoe Fumitaka
- My Heart Disappears into the Southern Seas
- Unknown Where He Goes: The Life of Opium King Satomi Hajime
- Winter Azalea: The 1921 Assassination Plot Against Crown Prince Hirohito
- Teacher Yōan, You've Been Summoned!
- Sun Yat-sen's Woman
- A Scene of Dreams — Two 'Misora Hibari' and the Showa of the Third Generation
- Death in Paradise Valley (short stories)
- Welcome to Pearl Harbor
- Gamow War Chronicle
- The Wandering Ballerina: The Legendary Dancer Choi Seung-hee Lost in the Northern Darkness
- Life: The Fun Starts Now
- The Pale Blue Courtesan
Adaptations
- Frozen Eyes (TV drama, Nippon TV)
- Sealing the Nightmare (TV drama, Fuji TV)
- China Shadow (film; based on 'Snakehead')
- Hong Kong Rhapsody (musical; based on 'Snakehead')
- Bird's Song (NHK serialized drama; based on 'Okhotsk Express')
- Ikoku no Oka (Shiki Theatre Company musical; based on 'Give My Regards to Yume-san')
Translations by Author
- Zorge: The Torn Spy (translation of Robert Wymant)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Documentary-like prose based on meticulous researchA 'non-fiction novel' approach that blurs the line between fact and fictionAccessible, popular-novel narrative tone
- Recurring Motifs
- espionage / spiesmilitary history / modern historyadventure and travelindividual memory and guilt
Health
-
Septic shock2023年12月（死因）Died of septic shock in hospital on 2023-12-05
Legacy
He was acclaimed for prolific works grounded in meticulous research and non-fictional techniques focusing on history and espionage, receiving major awards including the Naoki Prize. Several of his works were adapted for television, film and stage; retrospective exhibitions have been held in his native region.
Museums
- Masaaki Nishiki Exhibition — Gazing into the Shadows of History Semboku, Akita Prefecture, Japan Opened in 2014
Academic Societies
- Japan PEN Club
- Japan Adventure Writers Club
Archives
- National Diet Library of Japan
- Waseda University Library (related materials)
- Semboku City Library (materials from the Masaaki Nishiki exhibition)
In Popular Culture
- Several works were adapted into TV dramas, films, and stage productions, introducing him to popular audiences
- Retrospective exhibitions and regional honors were held in his native Semboku City
Trivia
- Birth name: Suzuki Masaaki (wrote under the name Masaaki Nishiki)
- Debut 'Okhotsk Spy Ship' won a non-fiction newcomer prize but contained fictional elements and was called a 'non-fiction novel'
- His spouse was actress Sachiko Kuwahara
- In 1983 he was one of the founding proponents of the Japan Adventure Writers Club
- Winner of the 99th Naoki Prize (1988)