Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Yasumasa Soda

そうだ やすまさ

Sōda Yasumasa

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1930-01-01 （Tokyo, Japan）
Died
2021-01-01 age 91
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
haiku poet, literary critic, dictionary supervisor/editor
Active Years
1949-2021
Influenced By
Kakei Katō, Shūji Terayama

Awards

Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize (Criticism)
2005
Work: Reading the Famous Haiku Collections of the Showa Era
Category: 評論
Organization: Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Koshitsu

haiku collection

A collection of haiku featuring reflections from periods of convalescence and inward observation.

illness/convalescencesolitudeintrospection

Kyo-gan Sho

haiku collection

A collection notable for vivid visual imagery in its haiku.

visionurban lifeobservation of nature

Hyakutō

haiku collection

A collection including haiku that use towers and monument motifs.

monumentstimehistoricity

Bibliography

  • Koshitsu
  • Kyo-gan Sho
  • Hyakutō
  • Reading the Famous Haiku Collections of the Showa Era

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise and lyrical haiku stylea quiet voice often addressing illness and convalescence
Recurring Motifs
illnessconvalescencesolitudeobservation of nature

Health

  • tuberculosis
    若年期（19歳頃）
    Began composing haiku during convalescence at age 19; this period triggered his poetic activity.

Legacy

A haiku poet active from the Showa era onward. Left several haiku collections and was known for supervising haiku reference works; also active as a critic and editor. Received the Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize (criticism) in 2005.

Archives

  • National Diet Library (Japan)

Trivia

  • Began writing haiku while convalescing from tuberculosis at age 19.
  • Won the 5th Yamamoto Kenkichi Literary Prize (criticism) in 2005 for 'Reading the Famous Haiku Collections of the Showa Era'.
  • Supervised multiple haiku reference works for Gakken (Gakushū Kenkyūsha).