Kiyoshi Kiyosawa (清沢 洌 Kiyosawa Kiyoshi, 8 February 1890 – 21 May 1945) was a Japanese journalist and writer who is…
Kiyoshi Kiyosawa (清沢 洌 Kiyosawa Kiyoshi, 8 February 1890 – 21 May 1945) was a Japanese journalist and writer who is most well-known for his wartime diary that was written between 1942 and 1945, but was first published under the name of A Diary of Darkness (暗黒日記) after the war, in 1948, where it caused a sensation. It was first published in the English-speaking world as A Diary of Darkness: The Wartime Diary of Kiyosawa Kiyoshi in 1999. Kiyosawa had a liberal perspective which supported free speech, and as a result most of his diary is dedicated to criticism of the militaristic atmosphere of the Japanese public, the decisions of the military government during the war, and increasing bureaucracy. He was friends with the fellow liberal journalist Tanzan Ishibashi, who appears several times in his diary entries and who would later become the prime minister of Japan.
Famous Japanese People: Critic
Critic: 339 people
Jun Tanaka (田中純, Tanaka Jun; 1890–1966) was a Japanese novelist, playwright and translator. His best known works…
Jun Tanaka (田中純, Tanaka Jun; 1890–1966) was a Japanese novelist, playwright and translator. His best known works include the short story collection Tsuma (Wife). Tanaka was born in Hiroshima and studied English literature at Waseda University. Together with Satomi Ton, Yoshii Isamu and Kume Masao, he helped establish the literary magazine Ningen ("Human").
Yanagi Sōetsu (Japanese: 柳 宗悦; March 21, 1889 – May 3, 1961), also known as Yanagi Muneyoshi, was a Japanese art…
Yanagi Sōetsu (Japanese: 柳 宗悦; March 21, 1889 – May 3, 1961), also known as Yanagi Muneyoshi, was a Japanese art critic, philosopher, and founder of the mingei (folk craft) movement in Japan in the late 1920s and 1930s.
Ryuko Kawaji (川路 柳虹, Kawaji Ryūkō; 1 October 1888 - 9 June 1959) was the pen-name of Kawaki Makoto, a Japanese poet and…
Ryuko Kawaji (川路 柳虹, Kawaji Ryūkō; 1 October 1888 - 9 June 1959) was the pen-name of Kawaki Makoto, a Japanese poet and literary critic active during the Shōwa period of Japan. His Dharma name was Onyōin Metsuyo Chitoku Ryūkō Daikoji (温容院滅与知徳柳虹大居士).
Ichiko Kamichika (神近 市子, Kamichika Ichiko) (June 6, 1888 – August 1, 1981) was a journalist, feminist, writer…
Ichiko Kamichika (神近 市子, Kamichika Ichiko) (June 6, 1888 – August 1, 1981) was a journalist, feminist, writer, translator, and critic. Her birth name was Ichi Kamichika and her pen name was Ei, Yo, or Ou Sakaki (榊 纓). After World War II, Kamichika served in the Japanese House of Representatives as a member of the Japan Socialist Party.
Takitarō Minakami (水上 滝太郎, Minakami Takitarō; 6 December 1887 – 23 March 1940) was the pen-name of Abe Shōzō, a…
Takitarō Minakami (水上 滝太郎, Minakami Takitarō; 6 December 1887 – 23 March 1940) was the pen-name of Abe Shōzō, a Japanese novelist and literary critic active during the Shōwa period of Japan.
Sakutarō Hagiwara (萩原 朔太郎, Hagiwara Sakutarō; 1 November 1886 – 11 May 1942) was a Japanese writer of free verse…
Sakutarō Hagiwara (萩原 朔太郎, Hagiwara Sakutarō; 1 November 1886 – 11 May 1942) was a Japanese writer of free verse, active in the Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan. He liberated Japanese free verse from the grip of traditional rules, and he is considered the "father of modern colloquial poetry in Japan". He published many volumes of essays, literary and cultural criticism, and aphorisms over his long career. His unique style of verse expressed his doubts about existence, and his fears, ennui, and anger through the use of dark images and unambiguous wording. He died from pneumonia aged 55.
Hiratsuka Raichō (平塚 らいちょう, transliterated らいてう according to the historical kana orthography; born Hiratsuka Haru, 平塚…
Hiratsuka Raichō (平塚 らいちょう, transliterated らいてう according to the historical kana orthography; born Hiratsuka Haru, 平塚 明; February 10, 1886 – May 24, 1971) was a Japanese writer, journalist, political activist, anarchist, and pioneering feminist in Japan.
Reikichi Kita (北 昤吉, Kita Reikichi, 21 July 1885 – 5 August 1961) was a Japanese philosopher, educator, political…
Reikichi Kita (北 昤吉, Kita Reikichi, 21 July 1885 – 5 August 1961) was a Japanese philosopher, educator, political commentator, and politician. He served eight terms in the House of Representatives and was a founder of Tama Art University. He also served as Policy Research Council Chairman of the Japan Liberal Party. He was the younger brother of Ikki Kita, one of the main ideologues of the February 26 Incident.
Noburu Katagami (片上 伸, Katagami Noburu; February 20, 1884 – March 5, 1928) was a Japanese literary critic and a…
Noburu Katagami (片上 伸, Katagami Noburu; February 20, 1884 – March 5, 1928) was a Japanese literary critic and a professor of Russian literature at Waseda University. He is also known as Tengen Katagami (片上天絃; later 片上天弦).
Osakazu Nomura (野村 長一, Nomura Osakazu; 15 October 1882 - 14 April 1963), known by his pen name Kodō Nomura (野村 胡堂…
Osakazu Nomura (野村 長一, Nomura Osakazu; 15 October 1882 - 14 April 1963), known by his pen name Kodō Nomura (野村 胡堂, Nomura Kodō), was a Japanese novelist and music critic during the Shōwa era. He also used the pen name Araebisu for his music criticism. He is known for his creation of the fictional detective Zenigata Heiji.
Ikuta Chōkō (生田長江, Ikuta Chōkō; 21 April 1882 - 11 January 1936) was the pen-name of a noted translator, author and…
Ikuta Chōkō (生田長江, Ikuta Chōkō; 21 April 1882 - 11 January 1936) was the pen-name of a noted translator, author and literary critic in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Ikuta Kōji (生田弘治, Ikuta Kōji).
Ishii Hakutei (石井柏亭) (28 March 1882 – 29 December 1958) was a Japanese yōga painter.
Hitoshi Yamakawa (Japanese: 山川 均, Yamakawa Hitoshi; 20 December 1880 – 23 March 1958) was a Japanese socialist…
Hitoshi Yamakawa (Japanese: 山川 均, Yamakawa Hitoshi; 20 December 1880 – 23 March 1958) was a Japanese socialist intellectual, activist, and theorist. He was a central figure in the early Japanese socialist movement and a co-founder of the first Japanese Communist Party in 1922. After breaking with the party a year later, he became the leader of the Rōnō-ha (Labor-Farmer Faction), a dissident group of Marxist thinkers who challenged the Comintern's thesis that Japan required a two-stage revolution. Born in Kurashiki into a family that had lost its wealth and status, Yamakawa developed a strong anti-authoritarian streak and a sense of social alienation during his youth. After dropping out of Dōshisha, a Christian school where he was first exposed to socialist ideas, he was imprisoned for lèse-majesté in 1900. This experience proved transformative, and he emerged a dedicated revolutionary. Yamakawa joined the Japan Socialist Party in 1906 and, under the influence of Kōtoku Shūsui, became a leading advocate of anarcho-syndicalism. Following another prison term after the Red Flag Incident of 1908 and a period of withdrawal, he returned to activism in 1916. The Russian Revolution led him to embrace Leninism, and in 1922 he helped establish the Japanese Communist Party. He developed the doctrine of "Yamakawaism," which called for a mass-based, legal proletarian party rather than a small, secretive vanguard, leading to the dissolution of the first JCP in 1924. In 1927, he led the Rōnō-ha in a definitive split from the JCP, initiating the highly influential "Japanese capitalism debate". Yamakawa and his faction argued that Japan was an advanced capitalist country requiring a direct, one-stage socialist revolution, a position that placed them in direct opposition to both the JCP and the Comintern. After World War II, he helped establish the Socialist Association (Shakai-shugi Kyōkai (社会主義協会)), which became a powerful left-wing force within the new Japan Socialist Party. He remained a major figure in the socialist movement until his death in 1958.
Kuriyagawa Hakuson (廚川 白村; 19 November 1880 – 2 September 1923) was the pen-name of a Japanese literary critic, active…
Kuriyagawa Hakuson (廚川 白村; 19 November 1880 – 2 September 1923) was the pen-name of a Japanese literary critic, active in Taishō period Japan. His real name was Kuriyagawa Tatsuo.
Hakuchō Masamune (正宗 白鳥, Masamune Hakuchō; 3 March 1879 – 28 October 1962), born Tadao Masamune, was a noted Japanese…
Hakuchō Masamune (正宗 白鳥, Masamune Hakuchō; 3 March 1879 – 28 October 1962), born Tadao Masamune, was a noted Japanese critic and writer of fiction, and a leading member of the Japanese Naturalist school of literature.
Yonejirō Noguchi (野口 米次郎, Noguchi Yonejirō; December 8, 1875 – July 13, 1947), also known as Yone Noguchi, was a…
Yonejirō Noguchi (野口 米次郎, Noguchi Yonejirō; December 8, 1875 – July 13, 1947), also known as Yone Noguchi, was a Japanese writer, poet, essayist and literary critic in both English and Japanese. He was the father of sculptor Isamu Noguchi.
Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan…
Hasegawa Manjirō (長谷川 萬次郎, né Yamamoto, 30 November 1875 – 11 November 1969), known by his pen name Hasegawa Nyozekan (長谷川 如是閑), was a Japanese social critic and journalist during the Taishō and Shōwa eras. He was one of the most important and widely read supporters of liberalism and democracy in inter-war Japan.
Usui Kojima (小島 烏水, Kojima Usui; December 29, 1873 – December 13, 1948) was a Japanese author from Yokohama, Japan who…
Usui Kojima (小島 烏水, Kojima Usui; December 29, 1873 – December 13, 1948) was a Japanese author from Yokohama, Japan who authored over 20 books. He was also known for amassing a collection of over 900 ukiyo-e prints and establishing Japan's first mountaineering society.
Tsunashima Ryōsen (綱島 梁川, Tsunashima Ryōsen; May 27, 1873–September 14, 1907) was a Japanese author and philosopher. He…
Tsunashima Ryōsen (綱島 梁川, Tsunashima Ryōsen; May 27, 1873–September 14, 1907) was a Japanese author and philosopher. He was a graduate of Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō. He was originally a rationalist and then became a Christian. He is buried in Tokyo's Zōshigaya cemetery.
Kiryū Yūyū (Japanese: 桐生悠々; May 20, 1873 – September 10, 1941), born as Kiryū Masaji (桐生 政次), was a Japanese journalist…
Kiryū Yūyū (Japanese: 桐生悠々; May 20, 1873 – September 10, 1941), born as Kiryū Masaji (桐生 政次), was a Japanese journalist and activist. He worked as the editor-in-chief for The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun (1910–1914; 1928–1933) and Shin Aichi (now the Chunichi Shimbun; 1914–1924.) He is known for being a "rebellious journalist" for his criticism of the Japanese military and totalitarianism in Japan during the late Taishō and early Shōwa period. Born in Kanazawa, he attended the Fourth Higher School alongside his friend Shūsei Tokuda. During his younger years, he was an aspiring novelist. Shortly before graduating from Tokyo Imperial University, Faculty of Law, he gave up being a novelist following advice from Roan Uchida. He became the editor-in-chief of Shimotsuke Shimbun in 1902 and worked as a journalist for Osaka Mainichi Shimbun and Osaka Asahi Shimbun. He is known for his editorials such as the "Rōshū Daha-ron: Nogi Shōgun no Junshi" and "Kantō Bōkū Dai-enshū o Warau". Shortly after he resigned from The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun in 1933, he launched the bi-monthly magazine Tazan no Ishi, where he published anti-military and anti-fascist articles until his death in 1941. The magazine was heavily censored by the military.
Takayama Chogyū (高山 樗牛; Saitō Rinjirō (斎藤 林次郎) 28 February 1871 – 24 December 1902) was a Japanese writer and literary…
Takayama Chogyū (高山 樗牛; Saitō Rinjirō (斎藤 林次郎) 28 February 1871 – 24 December 1902) was a Japanese writer and literary critic. He influenced Japanese literature in the late Meiji period with his blend of romantic individualism, concepts of self-realization, aesthetics, and nationalism. However, many of Chogyū's works seem cryptic to readers today, due to the archaic style he employed.
Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and…
Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and leader of Shingeki. His real name is Takitaro (滝太郎). He was born in Shimane Prefecture. He graduated from Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō. In 1902 he studied abroad in the United Kingdom and Germany. In 1906, he founded the Bungei Kyōkai (文芸協会) with Tsubouchi Shoyo. He presided over Waseda Bungaku (早稲田文学) and was active in the naturalistic literary movement. In 1913, he established the Geijutsu-za theatre troupe with Sumako Matsui. His main works are Shinbijigaku (新美辞学), Kindai Bungei no Kenkyu (近代文芸之研究) and so on. Shimamura was also a key figure in Henrik Ibsen becoming a key influence in Japanese drama and the Shingeki movement; following a three and a half year stay in Europe and having attended many performances of Ibsen plays, Shimamura returned to Japan in 1905 and declared an "Age of Ibsen" to coincide with increased interest in Ibsen plays within Japan, including Shimamura's own translation of A Doll's House.
Kitamura Tōkoku (北村 透谷; 29 December 1868 – 16 May 1894) was the pen name of Kitamura Montarō (北村門太郎), a Japanese poet…
Kitamura Tōkoku (北村 透谷; 29 December 1868 – 16 May 1894) was the pen name of Kitamura Montarō (北村門太郎), a Japanese poet and essayist. He was one of the founders of the modern Japanese romantic literary movement. Before dawn on 16 May 1894, Tokoku hanged himself in his garden at his home near Shiba Park in Tokyo. His grave is at the temple of Zuisho-ji in Shirokane, Tokyo.
Yamada Bimyō (山田 美妙), born Yamada Taketarō (山田 武太郎; 1868–1910), was a Japanese novelist. Jim Reichert, author of Yamada…
Yamada Bimyō (山田 美妙), born Yamada Taketarō (山田 武太郎; 1868–1910), was a Japanese novelist. Jim Reichert, author of Yamada Bimyō: Historical Fiction and Modern Love, wrote that Bimyō was "one of the most influential literary reformers of the 1880s" who had "an instrumental role" in producing rekishi shōsetsu, the modern form of a Japanese historical novel. According to Reichert, during the 1880s the public perceived Bimyō "to be at the forefront of the literary reform movement, offering a fresh and exciting strategy for reforming Japanese literature." Louis Frédéric, author of the Japan Encyclopedia, wrote that Bimyō was, along with Kōda Rohan, "the most representative authors" of the first modern school of literature to appear in Meiji Japan.
Saitō Masaru (斎藤 賢; 24 January 1868 – 13 April 1904), better known by his pen name Saitō Ryokuu (斎藤 緑雨), was a Japanese…
Saitō Masaru (斎藤 賢; 24 January 1868 – 13 April 1904), better known by his pen name Saitō Ryokuu (斎藤 緑雨), was a Japanese author and critic who lived during the Meiji Era. His Dharma name was Shungyōin Ryokuu Suikaku Koji (春暁院緑雨醒客居士), which was chosen by Kōda Rohan.
Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese…
Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese novelist, poet, and scholar. He is considered one of the greatest writers in modern Japanese history and is often called the first modern novelist of Japan. Sōseki's fiction explored themes of individualism, loneliness, and the conflict between traditional Japanese values and the rapid Westernization of the Meiji era. His major works include I Am a Cat (1905), Botchan (1906), Sanshirō (1908), Kokoro (1914), and his unfinished final novel Light and Dark (1916). Born on the cusp of the Meiji Restoration, Sōseki had a turbulent childhood, having been given up for adoption twice. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and became a scholar of English literature. In 1900, he was sent by the Japanese government to study in London, where he spent two miserable years marked by poverty, racial alienation, and a severe nervous breakdown. Upon his return to Japan, he succeeded Lafcadio Hearn as a lecturer in English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. In 1905, he achieved fame with the publication of the satirical novel I Am a Cat. This success prompted him to begin a prolific writing career, and in 1907, he resigned from his university post to become a full-time author for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, a move that marked the birth of the professional artist in modern Japan. For the rest of his life, Sōseki published a novel a year while also writing poetry and literary criticism. His work is characterized by its psychological depth, its blend of humor and pessimism, and its exploration of the human ego. Throughout his adult life, he suffered from severe stomach ulcers and recurring bouts of mental illness, including paranoid delusions, which deeply affected his work and personal life. Sōseki died from complications of his stomach condition in 1916 at the age of 49, leaving his final novel, Light and Dark, unfinished. His influence on Japanese literature is profound, and he remains one of the country's most beloved and widely read authors. His portrait appeared on the 1,000-yen banknote from 1984 to 2004.
Gotō Toranosuke (23 December 1866 – 12 June 1938), known by his pen name Gotō Chūgai (後藤 宙外), was a Japanese writer and…
Gotō Toranosuke (23 December 1866 – 12 June 1938), known by his pen name Gotō Chūgai (後藤 宙外), was a Japanese writer and literary critic active from the late Meiji through the early Shōwa periods of Japan.
Ishibashi Ningetsu (石橋 忍月, 1 September 1865 – 1 February 1926) was a Japanese writer and literature critic. His…
Ishibashi Ningetsu (石橋 忍月, 1 September 1865 – 1 February 1926) was a Japanese writer and literature critic. His critique "Maihime", on the short story of the same name by Mori Ōgai, was an important dispute in literature during the early Meiji period. He was also among the contributors of Jogaku zasshi, an influential magazine of the Meiji era.
Shiga Shigetaka (志賀 重昂; 15 September 1863 – 6 April 1927) was the editor of the magazine Nihonjin during the Meiji…
Shiga Shigetaka (志賀 重昂; 15 September 1863 – 6 April 1927) was the editor of the magazine Nihonjin during the Meiji period, in which he argued against extreme Westernization (Japanese: 欧化主義).
Tokutomi Sohō (徳富 蘇峰; Japanese pronunciation: [to.kɯ̥.toꜜ.mʲi | soꜜ.hoː], March 14 1863 – November 2 1957), born…
Tokutomi Sohō (徳富 蘇峰; Japanese pronunciation: [to.kɯ̥.toꜜ.mʲi | soꜜ.hoː], March 14 1863 – November 2 1957), born Tokutomi Iichirō (徳富 猪一郎), was a Japanese journalist, publisher and historian. He advocated commoner Europeanism and Europeanization, established Min'yūsha, and launched the magazines Kokumin no Tomo and the newspaper Kokumin Shimbun. He was the older brother of noted author, Tokutomi Roka.
Lieutenant-General Mori Rintarō (森 林太郎; February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), known by his pen name Mori Ōgai (森 鷗外…
Lieutenant-General Mori Rintarō (森 林太郎; February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), known by his pen name Mori Ōgai (森 鷗外; Japanese pronunciation: [mo.ɾʲi (|) oꜜː.ɡai, -ŋai]), was a Japanese Army Surgeon general officer, translator, novelist, poet and father of famed author Mari Mori. He obtained his medical license at a very young age and introduced translated German language literary works to the Japanese public. Mori Ōgai also was considered the first to successfully express the art of western poetry in Japanese. He wrote many works and created many writing styles. The Wild Geese (1911–1913) is considered his major work. After his death, he was considered one of the leading writers who modernized Japanese literature. His continued obstinacy to recognize beriberi as a thiamine deficiency led to the death of more than 27,000 Japanese soldiers.
Miyake Setsurei (三宅 雪嶺; July 7, 1860 – November 26, 1945) was a Japanese philosopher and author. He helped found the…
Miyake Setsurei (三宅 雪嶺; July 7, 1860 – November 26, 1945) was a Japanese philosopher and author. He helped found the Society for Political Education and its magazine Nihonjin (日本人, later known as Nihon Oyobi Nihonjin).
Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator…
Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator, editor, educator, and professor at Waseda University. He has been referred to as a seminal figure in Japanese drama.
Kuga Katsunan (陸 羯南; born Nakata Minoru (中田 実) 30 November 1857 – 2 September 1907) was a Japanese journalist. He…
Kuga Katsunan (陸 羯南; born Nakata Minoru (中田 実) 30 November 1857 – 2 September 1907) was a Japanese journalist. He launched the newspaper Tokyo Dempō and further developed it into the newspaper Nippon, advocating nationalism, and developed speech activities to promote nationalism that criticized Europeanization, in cooperation with the magazine Nihonjin published by Seikyō-sha.
Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His…
Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His real name is Yosaburou Aeba (饗庭與三郎). He was also called "The Master of the Bamboo Hut" (竹の屋主人). He was born in Shitaya Ryuusenji-cho in Taitō Ward, Tokyo. Among his works is his translation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue. He is buried in Somei cemetery in Tokyo.
Kazuhide Uekusa (植草 一秀, Uekusa Kazuhide; born December 18, 1960) is a Japanese economist, economic analyst, former…
Kazuhide Uekusa (植草 一秀, Uekusa Kazuhide; born December 18, 1960) is a Japanese economist, economic analyst, former senior economist at Nomura Research Institute, and chairman of the Three-Nations Research Institute. He was arrested for sexual offenses in 2004 and 2006.
Fumie Wakabayashi (若林 史江, Wakabayashi Fumie; born 7 October 1977, in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is…
Fumie Wakabayashi (若林 史江, Wakabayashi Fumie; born 7 October 1977, in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese stock critic, day trader, and tarento.
Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成, Kawabata Yasunari; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa.ba.ta (|) ja.sɯꜜ.na.ɾʲi], 11 June 1899 – 16…
Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成, Kawabata Yasunari; Japanese pronunciation: [ka.wa.ba.ta (|) ja.sɯꜜ.na.ɾʲi], 11 June 1899 – 16 April 1972) was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the 1968 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and are still widely read.