Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (1984) award
Yoko Yamaguchi
やまぐち ようこ
Yamaguchi Yoko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1937-05-10 （Nagoya, Aichi, Japan）
- Died
- 2014-09-06 （Tokyo, Japan） age 77
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Nagoya (birthplace) → Ginza, Tokyo (club owner) → Tokyo (lived; died)
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Lyricist, Club owner, TV/radio judge, Radio personality
- Active Years
- 1957-2014
- Affiliations
- Japan Music Writers Association
- Memberships
- Japan Music Writers Association
- Influenced By
- Keitaro Kondo, Minoru Endo
- Influenced
- Yuri-o Matsui, Kazumi Fuyuki
- Nominations
- Mitsugu Onna (Candidate, 89th Naoki Prize), Yajirobee (Candidate, 91st Naoki Prize)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto Women's Junior & Senior High School | — | — | — | 在籍中に中退 | Japan |
Kyoto Women's Junior & Senior High School
Period:
在籍中に中退
Country:
Japan
Left school at age 16 (dropped out)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Naoki Prize | Enka no Mushi / Old Plum | — | Naoki Prize Committee | 受賞 |
| 1984 | Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award | Private Live | — | Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award Committee | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Japan Record Awards (Achievement Award) | — | — | Japan Record Awards Committee | 功労賞 |
Naoki Prize
1985
Work:
Enka no Mushi / Old Plum
Organization:
Naoki Prize Committee
Result:
受賞
Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award
1984
Work:
Private Live
Organization:
Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award Committee
Result:
受賞
Japan Record Awards (Achievement Award)
2014
Organization:
Japan Record Awards Committee
Result:
功労賞
Awards & Nominations
Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 93 (1985) award
Works
Major Works
Half-Dozen Affairs
1981 NovelA collection-like novel focused on human relationships and romance, portraying women's love affairs with both humor and sharpness.
lovehuman relationshipswomen's lives
Private Live
1983 NovelSet in clubs and the music world, it depicts a cast of characters whose private lives intersect with the public sphere. Known as the work that won the Yoshikawa Eiji Newcomer Award.
music industrynightlifehuman drama
Enka no Mushi
1985 NovelA novel set against the enka music world and Ginza nightlife that incisively explores human flaws and obsessions. One of the works awarded the Naoki Prize.
enka music worldGinzadesire and loneliness
Old Plum
1985 NovelA delicate depiction of the lives and memories of women who have aged through time. One of the works awarded the Naoki Prize.
agingwomenreminiscence
Tsubaki Manor
1984 NovelA longer novel about human desire, deception, and the double faces of nightlife. Through Ginza scenes and its characters, it conveys a Showa-era atmosphere.
Ginzaunderworldhuman psychology
Ginza Spring Lights
1987 Novel / Short storiesA collection centered on short stories set in Ginza and bars. It continues her lifelong theme of portraying human relationships in the night city.
Ginzabarshuman sentiment
Bibliography
- Half-Dozen Affairs
- The Landlady
- Private Live
- The Woman Who Dotes
- Tsubaki Manor
- Living in the Depths of Night
- Enka no Mushi
- Old Plum
- Tokyo Love Story
- The Woman Who Talks to Trees
- Ginza Spring Lights
- Shin Shin
- Sound of the Moon
- Winter Lady of Karuizawa
- A Chilling Karuizawa
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Popular-fiction narrative voiceRealistic depictions of Ginza and nightlifeDirect and frank languageIn-depth psychological portraits of characters
- Recurring Motifs
- Ginzabars and clubsmale-female relationshipsshow businessShowa-era urban landscapes
Health
-
Respiratory failure2014年（晩年）Died in hospital in Tokyo on 2014-09-06
Legacy
She is widely known both as a lyricist behind many hit songs and as a novelist who won the Naoki Prize. Her works about Ginza and the music world are considered important portrayals of Japanese popular culture. She also contributed to mentoring younger creators through the Japan Music Writers Association.
Academic Societies
- Japan Music Writers Association
Archives
- NHK Archives (Person Records)
- National Diet Library (collections)
In Popular Culture
- Known in popular music for numerous hit songs she wrote lyrics for
- Widely recognized through roles as a judge on NHK Kouhaku and appearances on TV and radio
Trivia
- Born out of wedlock to a father who ran a ryotei (traditional restaurant) and a mother who worked as a waitress.
- Dropped out of high school at 16 and at one point ran a coffee shop named 'Yoko' in Nagoya.
- Selected as a Toei New Face in 1957 and briefly worked as an actress, but did not continue in the film industry long-term.
- Opened and ran the Ginza club 'Hime', where many regulars later became figures in the entertainment and literary worlds.
- As a lyricist in the late 1960s and early 1970s, wrote many hit songs (e.g., 'Yokohama Tasogare', 'Furusato', 'Yozora').
- As a novelist, won the Naoki Prize in 1985 for 'Enka no Mushi' and 'Old Plum'.
- Her niece is the comedian 'Hi-heel Momoko' (daughter of her elder brother).
- Although she could not drink alcohol, she was an outspoken fan of the Seibu Lions baseball team.
- Died from respiratory failure on 2014-09-06 in Tokyo; posthumously recognized with a merit award at the Japan Record Awards on 2014-12-30.