Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Takada Hiroshi

たかだ ひろし

Takada Hiroshi

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1932-08-24 （Kyoto, Japan）
Died
2015-11-24 age 83
Nationality
Japanese
Languages
Japanese, French
Residence History
Kyoto, Japan → Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan → Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
editor, writer, essayist
Active Years
1955-2015
Affiliations
Kobunsha, Asia Economic Research Institute, Esso Standard Oil (now ENEOS), National Museum of Ethnology (planning committee), Ishikawa Prefectural Kutaniyaki Museum (director)
Memberships
Japan PEN Club, Shogi Pen Club

Education

Ishikawa Prefectural Daishoji High School
Country: Japan
Kyoto University
Faculty of Letters / Department of French Literature
Country: Japan

Awards

Daibutsu Jirō Award
1978
Work: To the Sea of Words
Result: 受賞
Kamei Katsuichirō Award
1978
Work: To the Sea of Words
Result: 受賞
Yomiuri Literature Prize
1990
Work: Meeting Trees
Result: 受賞
Yukiguni Cultural Prize
1995
Result: 受賞
Travel Cultural Prize
1996
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

To the Sea of Words

1978 biography

A biography of Ōtsuki Fumihiko, the compiler of the modern Japanese dictionary 'Genkai'. The book traces his life and achievements and reflects on the relationship between language and culture.

languagelexicographybiographymodern Japanese literary history

Meeting Trees

1989 essays, nature writing

An essay collection focused on trees and forests, written from a contemplative perspective that connects natural observation with everyday life.

naturetreesessaysregional landscapes

Snow — Ko-Kutani

1987 historical novel

A full-length historical novel weaving the history of Ko-Kutani with the culture and landscape of the snowy regions.

historysnowtraditional culture

Island Burn

1997 historical novel

A historical novel depicting the 1785 eruption of Aogashima and the roughly 40-year story of evacuation and return of the island's inhabitants.

islandsnatural disasterhistory

Bibliography

  • To the Sea of Words
  • Life with Books
  • Oh, A Trip!
  • I Return to the Mountains
  • At Fifty, Go!
  • Shadows of Words
  • How to Write Essays
  • Snow Japan, Heart Japan
  • Notes on 'I Am a Cat'
  • Winter Petals: The Life of Ukichiro Nakaya
  • Let's Play
  • Kingdom on the Sea
  • Snow — Ko-Kutani
  • Meeting Trees
  • Cat's Tail
  • Hometown Again
  • Museums with Flowers
  • A Countryman's Life in Tokyo
  • To the Islands: 12 Travel Stories
  • Library of Journeys
  • Travels of Mountains, Rivers and Plants
  • The Day to Return to Sky and Earth
  • Words of Trees, Words of Forests
  • Island Burn

Style & Themes

Literary Style
essayistic proseemphasis on nature descriptionclear and composed narrationbiographical/critical writing
Recurring Motifs
treesforestsislandssnowcatstravellanguage

Health

  • lung cancer
    2015年（死亡）
    Died of lung cancer in 2015. This brought an end to his long writing career.

Legacy

Known for a career as an editor and for a wide range of writings. Winner of major literary prizes for works such as 'To the Sea of Words', he influenced nature essays, travel writing, and historical fiction in Japan.

Museums

  • Ishikawa Prefectural Kutaniyaki Museum Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan
  • Fukada Kyuya Mountain Culture Museum

Academic Societies

  • Japan PEN Club

Trivia

  • Joined Kobunsha in 1955 and began his career as a magazine editor.
  • The PR magazine 'Energy' at Esso (now ENEOS) avoided company PR and adopted a single-theme-per-issue approach; many issues became standalone books.
  • His eldest son, Takada Shohei, is a professional shogi player.
  • Served as chairman of the Shogi Pen Club.
  • Authored around 100 books.