Akutagawa Prize
1 appearances
Kotaro Samukawa
さむかわ こうたろう
Samukawa Kotaro
Pen Names:
K. Samukawa（Used for short stories and essays）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1978-05-12 （Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japanese
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan → Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, essayist
- Active Years
- 2003-
- Influenced By
- Hiromi Kawakami, Haruki Murakami, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
- Influenced
- Mirai Sato
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University | Faculty of Letters | Department of Japanese Literature | 文学士 | 1997-2001 | Japan |
Waseda University
Faculty of Letters
/ Department of Japanese Literature
Degree:
文学士
Period:
1997-2001
Year of Graduation:
2001
Country:
Japan
Published works in literary circles during studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Seiji Literary Prize | Paper Garden | — | Seiji Literary Association | winner |
| 2019 | Emerging Writer Award | Night Map | — | Japan Contemporary Literature Promotion Association | winner |
Seiji Literary Prize
2015
Work:
Paper Garden
Organization:
Seiji Literary Association
Result:
winner
Emerging Writer Award
2019
Work:
Night Map
Organization:
Japan Contemporary Literature Promotion Association
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Paper Garden
2015 Short story collection 224 pagesA collection of short stories about memory and family, blending the everyday with subtle surrealism.
memoryfamilylossurban life
Adaptations
- [Film] Paper Garden / 山田亮介 (2017)
Translations
- English translation: Paper Garden (2017) — translated by Emma Taylor
Night Map
2018 Novel 310 pagesA novel tracing the lost memories of a city; through the protagonist's journey it illuminates the city's depths.
memorymigrationcityloneliness
Translations
- English translation: Night Map (2021) — translated by Emma Taylor
Bibliography
- Sea Path
- Moment of Light
- Paper Garden
- Night Map
- Distant Window
Adaptations
- Paper Garden (film, 2017; dir. Ryosuke Yamada)
Translations of Works
- Paper Garden — English edition (2017)
- Night Map — English edition (2021)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- restrained, serene proseminute interior description
- Recurring Motifs
- gardensnightold mapswindows
Legacy
Recognized for works focusing on memory and the city, primarily through short fiction. Film adaptations and English translations have brought broader attention; noted for a restrained prose and keen psychological observation.
Academic Societies
- Contemporary Literature Society
Archives
- Kotaro Samukawa Archive (Yokohama City Library)
In Popular Culture
- Since the 2017 film adaptation, his work has been increasingly featured in stage adaptations and literary events.
Quotes
-
A novel is a tool for memory.
Source: Paper Garden (foreword) (2015)
Trivia
- Often listens to classical music while writing
- Gardening is a hobby; gardens frequently appear in his work
- Has a habit of writing early in the morning