Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Shinya Hishida

ひしだ しんや

Hishida Shinya

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1966-05-13 （Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan

Career

Occupations
screenwriter, playwright, stage director
Active Years
1989-

Education

Takigawa Junior & Senior High School
Country: Japan
Eichi University (now St. Thomas University)
Department of French Literature / French Literature
Period: 1986 - ?
Country: Japan
While enrolled, he passed Yoshimoto Kogyo's new troupe audition (writer category) and began working as a broadcast writer and assistant stage director.

Awards

Ueoka Theater Festival — Script Encouragement Award
1999
Work: Grand Roman
Organization: Ueoka Theater Festival
Result: 受賞 (Winner)
Chikamatsu Monzaemon Award — Excellence Prize
2001
Work: Smoke Always Stings My Eyes
Organization: Chikamatsu Monzaemon Award
Result: 受賞 (Excellence Prize)
57th Yomiuri Literary Prize (Play/Scenario Division)
2006
Work: Powder — Oshiroi
Category: 戯曲シナリオ部門 (Play/Scenario division)
Organization: Yomiuri Shimbun
Result: 受賞 (Winner)
Kobe City Cultural Encouragement Award
2019
Organization: Kobe City
Result: 受賞 (Commendation)

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

HOLDMETIGHT — Hold Me Tight, Stronger

1989 Stage play

An early play written while still at university and first staged at a dance hall in Kobe's Kitano Club. It presents short episodes that explore emotional tensions and interpersonal relationships.

human relationshipsemotional nuance

Chinpira Elegy

1990 Stage play

His theatrical debut as a playwright. Staged at the Shinsaibashi 2-chome Theater, the production (based on an original by Katsura) marked his early professional entry as writer/director.

Kansai theatredebut work

Grand Roman

1999 Play

A major play that won the Script Encouragement Award at the 9th Ueoka Theater Festival. Noted for its theatrical structure and character portrayals.

familyfantasy versus reality

Smoke Always Stings My Eyes

2001 Play

A play awarded the Excellence Prize at the 1st Chikamatsu Monzaemon Award. It was recognized for its delicate depiction of everyday details and interpersonal dynamics.

human dramamemory

Powder — Oshiroi

2006 Play

A play that won the Yomiuri Literary Prize (Play/Scenario Division). It was praised for its theatrical interrogation of appearance vs. interior life and familial relationships.

appearance vs. interiorfamilytheatrical metaphor

Town of Renewal

2009 Novel

A novel about community regeneration and everyday lives. The work was adapted for an NHK television drama of the same name, reflecting the author's cross-media activity.

disaster and recoverylocal community
Adaptations
  • [Television drama] Town of Renewal (2009)

Shinsai Screenwriter: Shinya Hishida

2014 Essay / Non-fiction

A non-fiction work compiling the author's experiences and reflections on writing scripts related to disasters and reconstruction.

disasterscriptwritingreconstruction

Chronicles of the Playhouse

2020 Non-fiction

A nonfiction book recording and reflecting on theatres and playhouses, depicting theatrical history and on-the-ground perspectives.

theatre historytheatre studies

Warm Current

2007 Television drama screenplay

Contributed scripts to the 2007 television drama broadcast on MBS.

television dramafamily

Jiū: Metropolitan Police Special Crimes Investigation Division

2011 Television drama screenplay

Worked on the screenplay for the 2011 TV Asahi drama adaptation, participating in the process of translating the original novel for television.

suspensecrime

G・La・Me! — The Prime Minister's Chef

2016 Television drama screenplay

An example of his television work for TV Asahi; an entertainment drama blending politics and food.

politicsfood culture

Hikikomori Teacher

2021 Television drama (original concept)

Served as the original concept creator for a work broadcast by NHK in 2021.

social issuesisolation

Bibliography

  • HOLDMETIGHT — Hold Me Tight, Stronger (1989)
  • Chinpira Elegy (1990)
  • Grand Roman (1999)
  • Smoke Always Stings My Eyes (2001)
  • Powder — Oshiroi (2006)
  • Town of Renewal (novel) (2009)
  • Shinsai Screenwriter: Shinya Hishida (2014)
  • Chronicles of the Playhouse (2020)
  • Warm Current (TV screenplay) (2007)
  • Gen'ei (TV screenplay) (2008)
  • Otokomae! 2 (TV screenplay) (2009)
  • Jiū: Metropolitan Police Special Crimes Investigation Division (TV screenplay) (2011)
  • G・La・Me! — The Prime Minister's Chef (TV screenplay) (2016)
  • Hikikomori Teacher (original concept) (2021)

Adaptations

  • Town of Renewal (NHK, 2009)
  • Warm Current (MBS, 2007)
  • Jiū: Special Crimes Division (TV Asahi, 2011)
  • G・La・Me! — The Prime Minister's Chef (TV Asahi, 2016)
  • Hikikomori Teacher (NHK, 2021 — original concept)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
social dramahuman dramacontemporary theatredialogue-driven
Recurring Motifs
disaster and reconstructioncommunityeveryday conflictsfood and family

Legacy

A writer active in both plays and television screenwriting. He has been recognized with honors such as the Yomiuri Literary Prize and a Kobe City cultural award, and is known for works addressing social themes such as disaster and community renewal. He has influence in both stage direction and screenwriting.

Trivia

  • Passed Yoshimoto Kogyo's new troupe audition (writer category) while at university.
  • His first stage script (1989) was 'HOLDMETIGHT — Hold Me Tight, Stronger', staged in Kobe.
  • Made his playwright debut in 1990 with 'Chinpira Elegy' (based on an original by Katsura), staged at Shinsaibashi 2-chome Theater.
  • Won the 57th Yomiuri Literary Prize (Play/Scenario Division) in 2006 for 'Powder — Oshiroi'.
  • Received the Kobe City Cultural Encouragement Award in 2019.
  • Has written numerous TV scripts broadcast on networks such as MBS, NHK, TV Asahi and TBS.