Nakayama Gishu Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (2011) award
Toko Sawada
さわだ とうこ
Sawada Toko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1977-09-14 （Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist
- Active Years
- 2010-
- Affiliations
- Visiting Professor, Doshisha University
- Memberships
- Japan PEN Club
- Nominations
- Candidate, 3rd Historical Fiction Writers Club Prize (Work Prize) for 'Nichi Rin no Fu' (2014), Candidate, 153rd Naoki Prize for 'Jakuchu' (2015), Candidate, 8th Yamada Futaro Award for 'Kusare Ume' (2017), Candidate, 158th Naoki Prize (for 'Kajou'), 39th Yoshikawa Eiji New Author Prize candidate, 5th High School Naoki Prize candidate (2018), Candidate, 32nd Yamamoto Shugoro Prize (for 'Rakka'); Candidate, 161st Naoki Prize (2019), Candidate, 163rd Naoki Prize for 'Nogaku Monogatari: Chigo Zakura' (2020), Candidate, 9th High School Naoki Prize for 'Hoshi Ochite, Nao' (2022)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doshisha Women's Junior & Senior High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Doshisha University | Faculty of Letters | Major in Cultural History | 学士（文学） | — | Japan |
| Doshisha University Graduate School, Graduate School of Letters | Graduate School of Letters | Master's program (first half of doctoral program) | 修士（文学） | — | Japan |
Doshisha Women's Junior & Senior High School
Country:
Japan
Doshisha University
Faculty of Letters
/ Major in Cultural History
Degree:
学士（文学）
Country:
Japan
Doshisha University Graduate School, Graduate School of Letters
Graduate School of Letters
/ Master's program (first half of doctoral program)
Degree:
修士（文学）
Country:
Japan
Completed master's-level program (first half of doctoral program)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award | — | — | Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award Selection Committee | Winner |
| 2012 | Bookstore-selected Historical Novel Award | — | — | Organizing Committee for the Bookstore-selected Historical Novel Award | Winner |
| 2013 | Jiro Nitta Literary Prize | — | — | Jiro Nitta Literary Prize Selection Committee | Winner |
| 2016 | Historical Fiction Writers Club Prize | — | 作品賞 | Historical Fiction Writers Club | Winner |
| 2016 | Shinran Prize | — | — | Shinran Prize Selection Committee | Winner |
| 2020 | Seiichi Funahashi Literary Award | — | — | Seiichi Funahashi Literary Award Selection Committee | Winner |
| 2021 | Naoki Prize (Naoki Sanjugo Prize) | — | — | Japan Literature Promotion Society (Naoki Prize Committee) | Winner |
Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award
2011
Organization:
Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award Selection Committee
Result:
Winner
Bookstore-selected Historical Novel Award
2012
Organization:
Organizing Committee for the Bookstore-selected Historical Novel Award
Result:
Winner
Jiro Nitta Literary Prize
2013
Organization:
Jiro Nitta Literary Prize Selection Committee
Result:
Winner
Historical Fiction Writers Club Prize
2016
Category:
作品賞
Organization:
Historical Fiction Writers Club
Result:
Winner
Shinran Prize
2016
Organization:
Shinran Prize Selection Committee
Result:
Winner
Seiichi Funahashi Literary Award
2020
Organization:
Seiichi Funahashi Literary Award Selection Committee
Result:
Winner
Naoki Prize (Naoki Sanjugo Prize)
2021
Organization:
Japan Literature Promotion Society (Naoki Prize Committee)
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Nitta Jiro Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (2013) award
Shinran Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 9 (2016) award
Historical Period Writers Club Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (2016) award
Yamada Futaro Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (2017) nominee
Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 39 (2018) nominee
Yamamoto Shugoro Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (2019) nominee
Funahashi Seiichi Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (2020) award
Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 165 (2021) award
Works
Major Works
Debut historical novel; her first published work as a novelist.
historical fictioncharacter study
A historical novel portraying the Buddhist sculptor Jōchō (Tei-chō) and related art-historical themes.
Buddhist historysculptureart history
A historical long-form novel noted for its use of documentary sources and detailed depiction.
archival researchreligion and temples
Jakuchu
2015 Historical fictionA historical novel focused on the Edo-period painter Itō Jakuchū, combining biographical imagination with art-historical themes.
artEdo periodartist's life
A historical novel that engages with Buddhist and temple-related themes.
Buddhismtemplesspirituality
A historical novel exploring characters' fates against the currents of history.
human dramahistorical change
A temple-centered historical novel exploring people's lives; winner of the Seiichi Funahashi Literary Award.
templessanctuarywomen's perspectives
Winner of the Naoki Prize; a long-form historical novel weaving a large-scale narrative.
historyfatereligion
A work themed on Noh theatre, portraying its world through characters such as chigo (child actors).
Noh theatreperforming artstraditional culture
A recent work presenting a historical theme for contemporary readers.
arttraditionpersonal history
Bibliography
- Jakuchu
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- meticulous, research-based descriptionsrestrained, composed proseblend of historical narration and character-driven depiction
- Recurring Motifs
- Buddhism and temple historyNoh theatre and performing artsart (painters and sculptors)historical portrayals of women
Legacy
A novelist recognized for meticulous, source-based historical fiction. She has earned multiple literary awards and gained wide attention after winning the Naoki Prize.
In Popular Culture
- Stage appearance ('After School' / 'Houkago', 2024)
Trivia
- Her mother is the writer Fujiko Sawada.
- She belonged to a Noh (Nogaku) club during university.
- She completed the master's-level program at Doshisha University Graduate School of Letters.
- She has served as a visiting professor at Doshisha University.