Japanese Literary Awards

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Banana Yoshimoto

よしもと ばなな

Yoshimoto Banana

Pen Names: Yoshimoto banan a（Former pen name used from 2003 to 2015）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1964-07-24 （Sendagi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Sendagi, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Essayist, Author
Active Years
1987-
Influenced By
William S. Burroughs, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Truman Capote

Education

Nihon University
College of Art / Department of Literature
Degree: 学士
Period: 1983-1987
Year of Graduation: 1987
Country: Japan

Awards

Kaien Newcomer Literary Prize
1987
Work: Kitchen
Organization: Magazine 'Kaien'
Result: 受賞
Izumi Kyōka Literary Prize
1988
Work: Moonlight Shadow
Organization: Izumi Kyōka Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists
1989
Work: Kitchen / Utakata / Sanctuary
Category: 新人賞
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result: 受賞
Yamamoto Shugoro Prize
1989
Work: TUGUMI
Organization: Yamamoto Shugoro Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Murasaki Shikibu Literary Prize
1995
Work: Amrita
Organization: Murasaki Shikibu Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Bunkamura Dumago Literary Prize
2000
Work: Furin to Nanbei
Organization: Bunkamura Dumago
Result: 受賞
Scanno Prize
1993
Organization: Scanno (Italy)
Result: 受賞
Fendissime Literary Prize (Under-35 category)
1996
Category: 35歳以下部門
Organization: Fendissime (Italy)
Result: 受賞
Maschera d'Argento Prize (Literature)
1999
Category: 文学部門
Organization: Maschera d'Argento (Italy)
Result: 受賞
Capri Prize
2011
Organization: Capri (Italy)
Result: 受賞
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki Prize
2022
Work: Miton to Fubin
Organization: Jun'ichirō Tanizaki Prize Committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kitchen

1987 Novel / Short fiction collection

A collection centered on themes of death, loss and rebirth; it follows protagonists dealing with grief and finding healing.

life and deathrebirthfamilylosshealing
Adaptations
  • [Film] Kitchen / 森田芳光 (1989)
  • [Film] kitchen (Hong Kong/Japan) / イム・ホー (1997)
Translations
  • English: Kitchen — Megan Backus (1993)

Moonlight Shadow

1988 Short novel / Short story

A short work dealing with loss and supernatural occurrences; explores death and rebirth.

lossdeathsupernaturalpremonition / dreams
Adaptations
  • [Film] Moonlight Shadow / エドモンド・ヨウ (2021)
Translations
  • English: Moonlight Shadow — Michael Emmerich (2003)

Goodbye Tsugumi

1989 Novel

A novel about adolescent friendship, family and loss; it vividly portrays delicate human relationships.

youthfriendshiplossfamily
Adaptations
  • [Film] Tsugumi / 市川準 (1990)
Translations
  • English: Goodbye Tsugumi — Michael Emmerich (2002)

Amrita

1994 Novel

A work exploring death, rebirth and spiritual transformation; noted for mystical elements and introspective portrayal.

deathrebirthspiritual transformationmysticism
Translations
  • English: Amrita — Russel F. Wasden (2001)

N. P.

1990 Novel / Short story collection

A collection dealing with literary themes; includes stories that touch on Japanese writers and literary perspectives.

literaturememoryloss
Adaptations
  • [Film] N.P. / リサ・スピリアールト (2020)
Translations
  • English: N. P. — Ann Sherif (1994)

Miton to Fubin

2021 Novel

A recent work that examines life, death and relationships through everyday details; has elements of a short-story collection.

life and deatheveryday detailrelationships

Bibliography

  • Kitchen
  • Moonlight Shadow
  • Goodbye Tsugumi
  • Asleep
  • N. P.
  • Lizard
  • Amrita
  • Furin to Nanbei
  • Miton to Fubin
  • Harbor Light
  • Shitamachi Psychic

Adaptations

  • Kitchen (1989 film, dir. Yoshimitsu Morita)
  • Tsugumi (1990 film, dir. Jun Ichikawa)
  • kitchen (1997 film, dir. Yim Ho)
  • Moonlight Shadow (2021 film, dir. Edmund Yeo)
  • N. P. (2020 film, dir. Lisa Spilliarte)

Translations of Works

  • Kitchen — Megan Backus (English, 1993)
  • Goodbye Tsugumi — Michael Emmerich (English, 2002)
  • N. P. — Ann Sherif (English, 1994)
  • Lizard — Ann Sherif (English, 1995)
  • Amrita — Russel F. Wasden (English, 2001)
  • Asleep — Michael Emmerich (English, 2001)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Approachable, plain-spoken narrationConcise prose rooted in everyday lifePoetic, image-driven descriptions
Recurring Motifs
deathrebirthfamily relationshipsloss and healingdreams / premonitions / past liveseveryday mysteries

Legacy

Since her debut in the late 1980s, she has had a major influence on contemporary Japanese literature, particularly among younger readers. Her distinctive focus on life, death and rebirth and her approachable prose have been widely praised.

In Popular Culture

  • TV program 'Yoshimoto Bakana' (unrelated to the author)
  • YouTube channel 'BANANA TV'
  • Many works have been adapted for film and screen

Trivia

  • Real name: Mahoko Yoshimoto.
  • Her father is critic/poet Takaaki Yoshimoto; her sister is manga artist Haruno Yoiko.
  • She is in a common-law marriage with Hiroyoshi Tabata (a Rolfer).
  • She has a banana tattoo on her right thigh and a Q-Taro tattoo on her left shoulder.
  • She has stated she likes homeopathy.
  • She has said she remembers a past life.
  • She likes video games and once sent a fan letter to game creator Kenji Eno.
  • Official site: http://www.yoshimotobanana.com/