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Yamamuro Shizuka

やまむろ しずか

Yamamuro Shizuka

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1906-12-15 （Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan）
Died
2000-03-23 age 93
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan (birthplace) → Iwamurada (now Saku City), Nagano Prefecture, Japan (raised) → Tokyo (worked at Iwanami Shoten and in publishing) → Saku City, Nagano Prefecture (later residence)

Career

Occupations
poet, literary critic, translator, editor, university lecturer
Active Years
1927-2000
Affiliations
Iwanami Shoten, Japan Women's University (lecturer / professor), Bunka Gakuin (lecturer), Magazine 'Kindai Bungaku' (founder / editorial), Saku Cultural Council (chair and related roles)
Memberships
Proletarian Science Research Institute
Influenced By
Abe Jirō, Honda Shūgo, Haniya Yutaka, Jens Peter Jacobsen, Novalis

Education

Toyo University (night division)
Country: Japan
Nihon University (night division)
Country: Japan
Tohoku Imperial University (now Tohoku University)
Faculty of Law and Letters (Department of Aesthetics) / Aesthetics
Degree: 卒業（繰り上げ）
Period: 1939-1941
Year of Graduation: 1941
Country: Japan
Entered to study under Abe Jirō and completed an accelerated graduation

Awards

Hirabayashi Taiko Literary Award
1973
Work: 'Collected Works of Yamamuro Shizuka' (publication-related)
Organization: Hirabayashi Taiko Literary Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award
1975
Work: 'Andersen: A Life'
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers (Mainichi Publishing Culture Award)
Result: 受賞
Kanagawa Cultural Award
1992
Organization: Kanagawa Cultural Award Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Position of Contemporary Literature

1939 literary criticism

A 1939 collection of essays on the state and stance of contemporary literature before the war.

literary criticismessayspolitical and social context

Outside of Time

1967 poetry

A 1967 poetry collection exploring themes of time and existence.

timeexistencememory

Andersen: A Life

1975 biography / literary study

A study and biography of Hans Christian Andersen. Published in 1975; recipient of the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.

biographychildren's literature studiestranslation and reception

Norse Mythology

1982 mythology / folklore

An introduction to Norse mythology, sagas and eddas for Japanese readers; a pioneering work in introducing Icelandic classics to Japan.

Norse mythologyfolktalescultural history

Moomins: Comrades of Moominvalley (translation)

1968 children's literature (translation)

One of Yamamuro's Japanese translations of Tove Jansson's Moomin books; he played a key role in introducing the Moomins to Japanese readers.

children's literaturetranslationNordic culture

Bibliography

  • The Position of Contemporary Literature
  • World Literature (later retitled 'A Short History of World Literature')
  • The Garden of World Literature
  • Schweitzer
  • Andersen
  • At the Boundary of Literature and Ethics
  • Late Fragments
  • The World of Nordic Literature
  • Biography: Mori Ōgai
  • Bible Stories
  • Outside of Time
  • Record of the Ice Island
  • For What
  • Collected Works of Yamamuro Shizuka (6 vols.)
  • From a Plant-like Life
  • Andersen: A Life
  • Notes of Late Autumn
  • On the Rattan Chair: Poems and Recollections
  • The Gods and Fairies of the North
  • Cinderella Tales of the World
  • Notes on Nordic Literature
  • Tales of Viking Kings
  • Diversions of Old Age
  • Yamamuro Shizuka Selected Works (10 vols.)

Translations by Author

  • Niels Lyhne (Jens Peter Jacobsen)
  • The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (Selma Lagerlöf)
  • Complete Fairy Tales of Andersen (Hans Christian Andersen)
  • Moominvalley Companions (Tove Jansson, trans.)
  • Selections of Norse Mythology (various)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise, contemplative prosein translations of children's literature, emphasizes preserving the tone and spirit of the originalexpository and scholarly style with annotation
Recurring Motifs
Nordic region, mythology, sagasnature and local landscapessolitude and reminiscenceexploration of fairy tales and folktales

Health

  • cataract
    晩年（進行）
    Progressive cataract in later life led to decreased vision; in later years his wife assisted with proofreading.

Legacy

A pioneering translator and scholar who introduced Nordic literature and Norse mythology to Japan; known for translations of children's literature and literary criticism. He also served as an educator at institutions such as Japan Women's University and contributed to regional cultural activities.

Museums

  • Yamamuro Collection (Saku City Central Library) Saku City, Nagano Prefecture (inside Saku City Central Library)

Academic Societies

  • Saku Cultural Council

Archives

  • Yamamuro Collection (Saku City Central Library)

In Popular Culture

  • Monument erected in Hanazura Park, Saku City

Trivia

  • In 1982 a fire at his home destroyed about 5,000 volumes and some 2,000 manuscript pages.
  • Former students from his early teaching years reportedly nicknamed him 'Konnyaku-sensei' (Konnyaku Teacher).
  • He belonged to the Proletarian Science Research Institute and was arrested and detained in 1933.
  • While known for translations of Nordic children's literature such as the Moomins and Andersen, he also published many studies on Mori Ōgai, Shimazaki Tōson and Kenji Miyazawa.