Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
Yukio Togawa
とがわ ゆきお
Togawa Yukio
Pen Names:
Yukio Togawa（Used as a pen name identical to his real name）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1912-04-15 （Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan）
- Died
- 2004-05-01 （Tokyo, Japan） age 92
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Saga (birthplace) → Raised in Wakamatsu and Yahata (now Kitakyushu), Fukuoka Prefecture → Tokyo (lived and worked)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Children's literature author, Journalist, Non-fiction writer
- Active Years
- 1937-2004
- Affiliations
- Japan Animal Welfare Society, World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (WWF Japan), Elsa Nature Conservation Society, Savanna Club (Friends of East Africa), Japan Karate Shoto-kai
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takachiho (private) middle school | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Old Yamagata High School (aimed for Tohoku University paleontology) | — | Intended paleontology | — | — | Japan |
Takachiho (private) middle school
Country:
Japan
Graduated middle school; further details uncertain
Old Yamagata High School (aimed for Tohoku University paleontology)
Intended paleontology
Country:
Japan
Withdrew due to health problems
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Naoki Prize | The Takayasu Dog Story | — | Naoki Prize Selection Committee | 受賞 |
| 1962 | Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award | Animal Stories for Children | — | Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award Committee | 受賞 |
| 1977 | Arts Promotion Prize, Minister of Education's Award | Collected Animal Literature of Yukio Togawa | — | Agency for Cultural Affairs / Arts Promotion Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 1980 | Purple Ribbon Medal | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 1986 | Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
Naoki Prize
1954
Work:
The Takayasu Dog Story
Organization:
Naoki Prize Selection Committee
Result:
受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award
1962
Work:
Animal Stories for Children
Organization:
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Arts Promotion Prize, Minister of Education's Award
1977
Work:
Collected Animal Literature of Yukio Togawa
Organization:
Agency for Cultural Affairs / Arts Promotion Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Purple Ribbon Medal
1980
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class
1986
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Takayasu Dog Story
1954 Animal literatureA novel depicting the author's relationship with a Takayasu dog he once kept; praised for its precise observation and animal knowledge.
Human-animal bondNature described from careful observation
Gaou (The Fang King) Story
1956 Animal literature / AdventureA long work centered on fierce beasts and dogs, depicting hunting and relations with the wild; notable for detailed animal-ecology depictions.
HuntingMan and the wild
Adaptations
- [TV anime] Gaou: The Brave of Daisetsuzan (1978)
The Iriomote Cat — The Mystery of the 'Living Fossil' Found on Remote Iriomote Island
1972 Non-fiction / ZoologyA reportage-style book explaining the mystery of the Iriomote cat based on specimens he obtained on Iriomote Island.
Species discoveryField researchWildlife conservation
Bibliography
- The Takayasu Dog Story (1954)
- Gaou Story (1956)
- Journey to the Wild (1961-1966)
- Animal Stories for Children (1967-1969)
- The Iriomote Cat (1972)
Adaptations
- Those Who Live at the Edge of the Earth (film, 1960)
- Spy: Nakano School (film, 1964)
- The Dragon of Macau (film, 1965)
- Gaou: The Brave of Daisetsuzan (TV anime, 1978)
Translations by Author
- Otter Story: My Friend Mizibil (co-translator, 1963)
- Tiger (co-translator, 1980)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realistic, observation-based descriptionDetailed depiction of animal ecology
- Recurring Motifs
- Dogs and wild beastsHunting and huntersHuman-animal relationshipsConservation and ecology
Legacy
Contributed to establishing serious animal literature in Japan, praised for realistic, observation-based depictions of animals. He was involved in the discovery of the Iriomote cat through specimen acquisition and left an impact in both literature and wildlife conservation.
Academic Societies
- Japan Animal Welfare Society
- World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (WWF Japan)
- Elsa Nature Conservation Society
- Savanna Club (Friends of East Africa)
Archives
- Held in the National Diet Library (Japan)
In Popular Culture
- TV anime 'Gaou: The Brave of Daisetsuzan' (1978) based on Gaou story
- Several works adapted for film and television
Trivia
- He obtained a specimen of the Iriomote cat on Iriomote Island and contributed to the species' discovery.
- As a karate practitioner he studied under Gichin Funakoshi and Yoshitaka Funakoshi and participated in Japan Karate Shoto-kai.
- His daughter Kumi Togawa served as chairperson of the Tiger & Elephant Protection Fund (JTEF).