Kaien Newcomer Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (1993) award
Kodemari Rui
こでまり るい
Kodemari Rui
Pen Names:
Kawataki Kaori（Pen name used for early poetry collections）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1956-03-17 （Bizen, Okayama, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Bizen, Okayama, Japan → Woodstock, New York, USA (resident since 1996)
Career
- Occupations
- poet, novelist, essayist, children's author, translator
- Active Years
- 1982-
- Influenced By
- Takashi Yanase
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doshisha University | Faculty of Law | Department of Law | 学士 | — | Japan |
| Okayama Asahi High School, Okayama Prefecture | — | — | — | — | Japan |
Doshisha University
Faculty of Law
/ Department of Law
Degree:
学士
Country:
Japan
Okayama Asahi High School, Okayama Prefecture
Country:
Japan
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 7th Sanrio 'Poetry and Märchen' Prize | poem(s) | — | Sanrio (Poetry and Märchen editorial) | 受賞 |
| 1993 | KAIEN Newcomer Literary Prize | Otogi-banashi (short work) | — | KAIEN Newcomer Literary Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 2005 | Shimakiyoshi (Shimasei) Love Literature Prize | I Only Want You | 恋愛文学 | Shimasei Love Literature Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Bologna Ragazzi Award (Bologna Children's Book Fair) | Lou and Linden: Trip and House-sitting | 児童図書 | Bologna Children's Book Fair | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Award | A Fine Summer Morning | 児童書 | Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Award Committee | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Japan Children's Book Research Society 3rd Award | A Fine Summer Morning | 児童書 | Japan Children's Book Research Society | 受賞 |
| 2021 | Utsunomiya Children's Award | Our Green Planet | 児童書 | Utsunomiya Children's Award Committee | 受賞 |
7th Sanrio 'Poetry and Märchen' Prize
1981
Work:
poem(s)
Organization:
Sanrio (Poetry and Märchen editorial)
Result:
受賞
KAIEN Newcomer Literary Prize
1993
Work:
Otogi-banashi (short work)
Organization:
KAIEN Newcomer Literary Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Shimakiyoshi (Shimasei) Love Literature Prize
2005
Work:
I Only Want You
Category:
恋愛文学
Organization:
Shimasei Love Literature Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Bologna Ragazzi Award (Bologna Children's Book Fair)
2009
Work:
Lou and Linden: Trip and House-sitting
Category:
児童図書
Organization:
Bologna Children's Book Fair
Result:
受賞
Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Award
2019
Work:
A Fine Summer Morning
Category:
児童書
Organization:
Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Japan Children's Book Research Society 3rd Award
2019
Work:
A Fine Summer Morning
Category:
児童書
Organization:
Japan Children's Book Research Society
Result:
受賞
Utsunomiya Children's Award
2021
Work:
Our Green Planet
Category:
児童書
Organization:
Utsunomiya Children's Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Shimasei Romance Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (2005) award
Shogakukan Children Publishing Culture Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 68 (2019) award
Works
Major Works
Tamatebako
1995 short story collection / fictionFirst fiction collection including award-winning pieces; short stories drawing on post-migration experiences and human relationships.
migrationloveloss and rebirth
I Only Want You
2004 romance novelA passionate novel about two contrasting loves; winner of the Shimasei Love Literature Prize.
love and conflictchoices
Apple Song
2014 historical fictionA grand novel about a woman saved from wartime ruins who becomes a photojournalist in the U.S.; explores Japan–U.S. relations, war and peace.
war and peaceguilt and atonementinternational relations
A Fine Summer Morning
2018 children's bookA gentle story about nature and family. Received multiple children's book awards in 2019 and was published in English.
naturefamilycoming of age
Adaptations
- [radio drama] Apple Song (radio drama) (2017)
Translations
- Kaiseisha English edition (translated by Glenn Sullivan)
Bibliography
- I Want to Sing to My Beloved (poetry, 1982)
- Tamatebako (1995)
- I Only Want You (2004)
- Apple Song (2014)
- A Fine Summer Morning (2018)
Adaptations
- Jouji to Jijou (dramatized, 2024, exclusive on Lemino)
- Apple Song (radio drama, NHK, 2017)
Translations by Author
- Working Moms, Do You Love It? by Catherine Wise Goldman (translation, 1997)
- Cats Know Everything by Nikki Anderson (translation, 1999)
Translations of Works
- A Fine Summer Morning (English translation, Kaiseisha; translated by Glenn Sullivan, 2021)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- lyrical and emotive proseconcise yet rich descriptionsblend of narrative and poetic sensibility
- Recurring Motifs
- sea and skymigration and cross-border relationshipsmother-daughter relationshipscats and nature
Legacy
A prolific author best known for romance novels but active across genres including children's literature and picture books. Praised for major works addressing war and immigration; noted for an international perspective between Japan and the U.S. and a lyrical style.
In Popular Culture
- Several works adapted for TV/streaming and radio
Quotes
-
"I wrote until the meter went off the scale."
Source: Author's social media (about 'Josei Shikkaku') (2021)
Trivia
- A devoted cat lover; many works feature cats.
- Moved to the U.S. in 1992 and has lived in Woodstock, New York.
- First published in 'Poetry and Märchen' at 22; had a long relationship with Takashi Yanase.