Japan Mystery Literature Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (2008) award
Yasuo Uchida
うちだ やすお
Uchida Yasuo
Pen Names:
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1934-11-15 （Takino-gawa, Tokyo (now Kita-ku, Tokyo), Japan）
- Died
- 2018-03-13 （Tokyo, Japan） age 83
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Kita-ku, Tokyo (birthplace) → Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture (later residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Mystery writer, Novelist, Essayist, Copywriter, Advertising/CM production company executive
- Active Years
- 1980-2018
- Influenced By
- Kyotaro Nishimura, Misa Yamamura
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saitama Prefectural Kawagoe High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Toyo University (left before graduation) | Faculty of Letters | Department of Japanese Literature | — | — | Japan |
Saitama Prefectural Kawagoe High School
Country:
Japan
Graduated from high school
Toyo University (left before graduation)
Faculty of Letters
/ Department of Japanese Literature
Country:
Japan
Did not complete degree (dropped out)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Kodama of the Dead
1980 Mystery / Detective fictionOne of Uchida's early self-published novels; a travel-flavored mystery set in regions including Nagano and Mie.
TravelLocal legendsHuman drama
The Gotoba Legend Murder Case
1982 Mystery / Detective fictionConsidered his commercial debut and the first Asami Mitsuhiko novel; blends historical legend with a contemporary murder mystery.
Historical legendTravel romanceDetective reasoning
The Tengawa Legend Murder Case
Mystery / Detective fictionOne of the more famous Asami Mitsuhiko novels; adapted for television and film.
Legend and mysteryLocal cultureTravel atmosphere
Adaptations
- [Film] The Tengawa Legend Murder Case (film)
Bibliography
- Asami Mitsuhiko series (numerous titles)
- Kodama of the Dead
- The Gotoba Legend Murder Case
- The Tengawa Legend Murder Case
Adaptations
- Asami Mitsuhiko series (long-running TV adaptations on TBS / Fuji TV / TV Tokyo, etc.)
- The Tengawa Legend Murder Case (film adaptation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lyrical, travel-infused proseAccessible detective plotting
- Recurring Motifs
- Local legendsScenic/travel descriptionsHistorical backdrops
Health
-
Minor cerebral infarction (stroke)2015Interrupted serialization and limited writing activity
-
Sepsis2018Deceased in 2018 (direct cause)
Legacy
Best known for the Asami Mitsuhiko travel-mystery series, Uchida was widely popular with total sales exceeding 100 million copies. A museum in Karuizawa commemorates his work; numerous TV and film adaptations broadened his cultural impact.
Museums
- Asami Mitsuhiko Memorial Museum (Uchida Yasuo Foundation) Nagakura, Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan Opened in 2016
Archives
- Collections at the Asami Mitsuhiko Memorial Museum
- NHK Archives — related appearances
In Popular Culture
- Long-running TV adaptations of the Asami Mitsuhiko series (multiple networks)
- Film adaptation of The Tengawa Legend Murder Case
Quotes
-
The scenery encountered on a journey often provides the clues to unravel a mystery.
Source: Interviews / essays (citation needed)
Trivia
- Debuted with a self-published novel, Kodama of the Dead (1980).
- The Asami Mitsuhiko series spawned numerous TV and film adaptations.
- Spent later years in Karuizawa; an Asami Mitsuhiko memorial museum opened there.