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Yuko Yamaguchi

やまぐち ゆうこ

Yamaguchi Yūko

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1916-10-22 （Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan）
Died
2000-01-03 age 83
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Hiroshima → Tokyo

Career

Occupations
Children's literature author, Novelist, Peace activist
Active Years
1969-2000
Affiliations
Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo), Japan Democratic Literary League

Education

Hiroshima Jogakuin Senmon Gakko (Hiroshima Jogakuin College)
Country: Japan
Dropped out

Awards

Takiji-Yuriko Prize
1982
Work: Wild Roses of the Wasteland
Organization: Takiji-Yuriko Prize Committee
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Scarf Is Blue

1969 Children's literature

Published in 1969. A collection of children's stories portraying everyday life and the growth of children with a gentle perspective.

coming-of-agefamilyfriendship

Mother's Wild Chrysanthemums

1974 Children's literature

A children's work focusing on the bond between mother and child; it carefully depicts family life and everyday scenes.

motherhoodfamilymemory

Picture Book: The Angry Jizo

1979 Picture book / Children's literature

A picture book based on folktale material. 'The Angry Jizo' deals with themes of compassion and forgiveness and has seen multiple editions as well as stage and animation adaptations.

folktalecompassionforgiveness
Adaptations
  • [Puppet animation] Okori Jizo (1983)
  • [Stage (shadow play)] Okori Jizo (performed by Kakashi-za) (1986)

Doll Marie

1980 Children's literature

A children's story centered on a doll. Deals with child psychology and imagination.

imaginationchildrenloss and renewal

Wild Roses of the Wasteland

1981 Novel

A novel set against the background of atomic bomb experience; it portrays human bonds, recovery, and social issues. It won the 14th Takiji-Yuriko Prize in 1982.

atomic bombingrecoverysocial critiquewomen's lives

When the Mizuki Buds Sprout

1984 Fiction

A work depicting inner lives and renewal set against contemporary society.

renewalpersonal conflictsociety

The Sea, Far Away

1988 Fiction

A novel about family, memory, and characters longing for distant places.

memoryfamilynostalgia

The Human Chain (2 volumes)

1989 Novel / 2 volumes

A two-volume novel themed around human relationships and social chains.

chainscommunityresponsibility

The Fire of Hiroshima

1988 Children's book / Work addressing the bombing of Hiroshima

A work written to convey the experience and memory of the bombing to children; intended to pass on Hiroshima's memory.

atomic bombingheritage of memorypeace education

Short Stories: Shot on a Midsummer Day (editor/collection)

1995 Short story collection (co-edited)

A short story collection on the theme of the atomic bomb and its aftermath; edited by the 'Atomic Bomb and Literature' group.

atomic bombmemoryliterary activism

Short Stories: Even if There's No Flower in the Bamboo Tube (editor/collection)

1997 Short story collection (co-edited)

Another short story collection centered on the atomic bomb theme; published as a collaborative editorial contribution.

atomic bombcitizen testimonyliterary activity

Bibliography

  • The Scarf Is Blue (1969)
  • Mother's Wild Chrysanthemums (1974)
  • Picture Book: The Angry Jizo (1979)
  • Doll Marie (1980)
  • Wild Roses of the Wasteland (1981)
  • Okori Jizo (Shin Nihon Shuppansha edition, 1982)
  • The Fire of Hiroshima (1988)
  • When the Mizuki Buds Sprout (1984)
  • The Sea, Far Away (1988)
  • The Human Chain (2 volumes, 1989)
  • Short Stories: Shot on a Midsummer Day (co-ed., 1995)
  • Short Stories: Even if There's No Flower in the Bamboo Tube (co-ed., 1997)

Adaptations

  • Puppet animation 'Okori Jizo' (1983), produced by Tsubasa Productions
  • Shadow-play / stage 'Okori Jizo' performed by Kakashi-za (from c. 1986)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
realistic and precise descriptiongentle narration for children's workssocially engaged, testimonial style
Recurring Motifs
Hiroshima and atomic bombing experiencemotherhood and familyrebirth and memorypeace and anti-nuclear advocacy

Health

  • Atomic bomb survivor (Hiroshima)
    1945年8月6日以降
    Her experience as a survivor of the atomic bombing became a central theme in her writing and led to involvement in anti-nuclear and peace movements.

Legacy

A writer known for works based on Hiroshima's atomic bombing experience and for long-standing involvement in the anti-nuclear movement. She wrote both children's literature and adult fiction, contributing to peace education and the preservation of memory.

Academic Societies

  • Japan Democratic Literary League

Archives

  • National Diet Library author record
  • VIAF: 260445221
  • WorldCat / OCLC record

In Popular Culture

  • Shadow-play performances of 'Okori Jizo' by Kakashi-za
  • Puppet animation adaptation ('Okori Jizo')

Trivia

  • Born in Hiroshima and a survivor of the atomic bombing.
  • Won the 14th Takiji-Yuriko Prize in 1982 for the novel 'Wild Roses of the Wasteland'.
  • Served as an officer (director/representative) of the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs and was active in anti-nuclear movements.
  • Was one of the initiators for the 'Fire of the A-bomb' monument in Ueno Park, Tokyo.
  • Attended Hiroshima Jogakuin Senmon Gakko but did not graduate.