Japanese Literary Awards

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Shinkawa Kazue

しんかわ かずえ

Shinkawa Kazue

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1929-04-22 （Yūki, Ibaraki, Japan）
Died
2024-08-10 age 95
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
poet
Active Years
1953-2024
Influenced By
Saijō Yaso
Influenced
Yuriika Suzuki, Masayo Koike, Takako Misaki, Kazuko Takatsuka, Setsuko Miyao

Education

Ibaraki Prefectural Yuki Second High School
Country: Japan
Graduated from a women's high school (historical secondary school)

Awards

Shogakukan Literary Prize
1960
Work: Kisetsu no Hana Poetry Collection
Organization: Shogakukan
Result: 受賞
Muroo Saisei Poets' Award
1965
Work: Autumn in Rome and Other Poems
Organization: Muroo Saisei Poets' Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Gendai Shijin (Contemporary Poets) Award
1987
Work: Hikiwari Mugi-sho
Organization: Contemporary Poets Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Japan Children's Song Award
1992
Work: The Work of Stars
Organization: Japan Children's Song Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Maruyama Yutaka Memorial Contemporary Poetry Prize
1993
Work: From the Garden of Tides (co-authored with Shōzō Kashima)
Organization: Maruyama Yutaka Memorial Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Poetry Museum Prize
1998
Work: In This Morning's Sun
Organization: Poetry Museum
Result: 受賞
Fujimura Memorial Rekitei Prize
1999
Work: Hatahata to Peji ga Mekure... (for body of work)
Organization: Fujimura Memorial Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award (JR Prize)
2000
Work: Always Somewhere
Category: JR賞
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Medal with Purple Ribbon (Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class)
2000
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受章
Gendai Shi Hatan (Contemporary Poetry Hanatsubaki) Award
2007
Work: Remembering Water
Organization: Contemporary Poetry Hanatsubaki Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Maruyama Kaoru Award
2008
Work: Remembering Water
Organization: Maruyama Kaoru Award Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Sleeping Chair

1953 poetry

First poetry collection exploring maternal love and everyday emotions with fresh sensibilities.

motherhoodeveryday lifemetaphor

Autumn in Rome and Other Poems

1965 poetry

A representative work containing poems that make skillful use of metaphor.

lovetravelmemory

Hikiwari Mugi-sho

1986 poetry

A mature collection reflecting delicate portrayals of women's emotions and daily life.

femininityfamilynature

Always Somewhere

1999 children's poetry

A children's poetry collection depicting the world and feelings in gentle language.

childrenimaginationkindness

Remembering Water

2007 poetry

A later important work dealing with memory, time, loss and renewal.

memorytimeloss and renewal

Bibliography

  • Sleeping Chair (1953)
  • Autumn in Rome and Other Poems (1965)
  • Hikiwari Mugi-sho (1986)
  • Always Somewhere (1999)
  • Remembering Water (2007)

Adaptations

  • Numerous songs set to her poems (composers include Nobuyoshi Iinuma and her son Hiroshi Shinkawa)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and affectionate voiceskillful use of metaphor with an accessible tone
Recurring Motifs
motherhoodsea and naturememoryeveryday emotions

Legacy

As one of postwar Japan's leading female poets, she influenced children's poetry and women's poetry for decades. She also contributed to local culture as an honorary citizen of Yūki and honorary director of the Yūki Library.

Museums

  • Yūki Library (Shinkawa Kazue Collection on display) Yūki, Ibaraki, Japan Opened in 2004

Archives

  • Shinkawa Kazue Collection (donated materials at Yūki Library)

Trivia

  • Her son is composer/arranger/keyboardist Hiroshi Shinkawa.
  • Awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class, in 2000.
  • Honorary citizen of Yūki and honorary director of the Yūki Library.