Japanese Literary Awards

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Shuzo Shimada

しまだ しゅうぞう

Shimada Shūzō

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1950-08-18 （Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
tanka poet, Japanese literature scholar, university professor
Active Years
1975-
Affiliations
Aichi Shukutoku University, Editorial committee member, Mahiruno (tanka magazine), Chunichi Shimbun (tanka selection judge)
Memberships
Mahiruno (tanka magazine), Modern Tanka Poets' Association, Jodai Bungakukai (Ancient Japanese Literature Society), Waseda University Kokubungaku Society (student years)
Influenced By
Shoichiro Kubota, Hideo Yoshino
Influenced
Kaori Katsuno, Yukie Goto, Mutsuko Tomita, Chisa Asukai

Education

Yokohama City University
Faculty of Humanities and Sciences / Japanese Literature
Degree: 学士
Year of Graduation: 1975
Country: Japan
Waseda University
Graduate School / Graduate School of Letters
Year of Graduation: 1982
Country: Japan
Left doctoral program before completion

Awards

Nagoya City Arts Encouragement Award
1993
Organization: City of Nagoya
Result: 受賞
Terayama Shuji Tanka Prize
2002
Work: Sisyphus no Asa (The Morning of Sisyphus)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Terayama Shuji Tanka Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Maekawa Samio Prize
2008
Work: Toyo no Aki (Autumn in the East)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Maekawa Samio Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize (Tanka Division)
2009
Work: Toyo no Aki (Autumn in the East)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Wakayama Bokusui Prize
2010
Work: Housyoku Dansouroku (Notes and Fragments)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Wakayama Bokusui Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Choko Prize
2011
Work: Housyoku Dansouroku (Notes and Fragments)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Choko Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Chunichi Tanka Grand Prize
2011
Work: Housyoku Dansouroku (Notes and Fragments)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Chunichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Tanka Kenkyu (Tanka Research) Prize
2020
Work: Iina a Nagashima
Category: 短歌
Organization: Tanka Kenkyu Publishing
Result: 受賞
Regional Cultural Merit Award
2020
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result: 表彰
Ono City Poetry and Literature Prize
2021
Work: Akidotori Komagashu (Autumn Neighbour Mini-Collection)
Category: 短歌
Organization: Ono City
Result: 受賞
Chunichi Cultural Award
2021
Organization: Chunichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Seirou Hika-shu

1991 tanka

Early collection combining classical learning with contemporary tanka.

classical vs contemporaryelegy

Sisyphus no Asa (The Morning of Sisyphus)

2001 tanka

A collection that sharply addresses contradictions of modern society. Winner of the Terayama Shuji Tanka Prize.

critique of consumer societydefamiliarization of everyday life

Toyo no Aki (Autumn in the East)

2007 tanka

A collection that poems about autumn with modern sensibility grounded in deep classical knowledge. Recipient of several literary awards.

seasonsdialogue with classical poetry

Housyoku Dansouroku (Notes and Fragments)

2010 tanka

A collection of fragmentary tanka. Awarded the Wakayama Bokusui Prize and the Choko Prize.

fragmentsreminiscence

Rotai-tei Nocturne

2020 tanka

One of the recent major works. Includes poems on everyday life and music.

musiceveryday life

Akidotonari Komagashu (Autumn Neighbour Mini-Collection)

2020 tanka

Winner of the Ono City Poetry and Literature Prize. Mini-collection capturing autumnal scenes.

autumnminiature song-forms

Bibliography

  • Seirou Hika-shu
  • Riso Hogin-shu
  • Tokai Hyokyoku-shu
  • Modern Master Poems to Read in the Bath
  • On the Formation History of Ancient Waka
  • Introduction to Tanka: Five Stages from Basics to Publishing
  • Shuzo Shimada Anthology
  • Sisyphus no Asa (The Morning of Sisyphus)
  • On 'Women's Songs': A Preliminary Study
  • Toyo no Aki (Autumn in the East)
  • Housyoku Dansouroku (Notes and Fragments)
  • Voices of Return
  • Walking Through Ancient Songs
  • Rotai-tei Nocturne
  • Akidotonari Komagashu (Autumn Neighbour Mini-Collection)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
bold, critical style rooted in classical learningcynical and critical of consumer society
Recurring Motifs
depictions of consumer societyseasonal sensibility (especially autumn)details of everyday life

Legacy

Shuzo Shimada is a poet and scholar whose classical grounding informs incisive critiques of contemporary society. As a university president and multiple-award winner, he has had significant influence on modern tanka poetry.

Academic Societies

  • Jodai Bungakukai (Ancient Japanese Literature Society)
  • Waseda University Kokubungaku Society
  • Modern Tanka Poets' Association

Trivia

  • Served as president of Aichi Shukutoku University from 2011.
  • Reportedly influenced by Hideo Yoshino's 'Kanseishu'.
  • Serves as an editorial committee member of the tanka magazine Mahiruno.