Junichiro Tanizaki
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
author, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature
, and perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki
. Some of his works present a rather shocking world of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions; others, less sensational, subtly portray the dynamics of family life in the context of the rapid changes in 20th-century Japanese society. Frequently his stories are narrated in the context of a search for cultural identity in which constructions of "the West
" and "Japanese tradition
" are juxtaposed. The results are complex, ironic, demure, and provocative.
, Tokyo
, where his father owned a printing press
, which had been established by his grandfather. In his Yōshō Jidai (Childhood Years, 1956) Tanizaki admitted to having had a pampered childhood. His family's finances declined dramatically as he grew older until he was forced to reside in another household as a tutor. Tanizaki attended the Literature Department of Tokyo Imperial University but was forced to drop out in 1911 because of his inability to pay for tuition.
which he helped found. In his early years Tanizaki became infatuated with the West and all things modern. In 1922 he went so far as to move to Yokohama
, which had a large expatriate population, living briefly in a Western-style house and leading a decidedly bohemian
lifestyle. This outlook is reflected in some of his early writings.
Tanizaki's name first became widely known with the publication of the short story
Shisei (The Tattooer) in 1910. In the story, a tattoo
artist inscribes a giant spider on the body of a beautiful young woman. Afterwards, the woman's beauty takes on a demonic, compelling power, in which eroticism
is combined with sado-masochism. The femme-fatale is a theme repeated in many of Tanizaki's early works, including Kirin (1910), Shonen ("The Children", 1911), Himitsu ("The Secret," 1911), and Akuma ("Devil", 1912).
Tanizaki's other works published in the Taishō period
include Shindo (1916) and Oni no men (1916), which are partly autobiographical. Tanizaki married in 1915, but it was an unhappy marriage and in time he encouraged a relationship between his first wife, Chiyoko, and his friend and fellow writer Haruo Satō. The psychological stress of this situation is reflected in some of his early works, including the stage play Aisureba koso (Because I Love Her, 1921) and his novel Kami to hito no aida (Between Men and the Gods, 1924). Nevertheless, even though some of Tanizaki's writings seem to have been inspired by persons and events in his life, his works are far less autobiographical than those of most of his contemporaries in Japan.
He had a brief career in Japanese silent cinema working as a script writer for the Taikatsu film studio. He was a supporter of the Pure Film Movement
and was instrumental in bringing modernist themes to Japanese film. He wrote the scripts for the films Amateur Club (1922) and A Serpent's Lust (1923) (based on the story of the same title by Ueda Akinari
, which was, in part, the inspiration for Mizoguchi Kenji's 1953 masterpiece Ugetsu monogatari). Some have argued that Tanizaki's relation to cinema is important to understanding his overall career.
Tanizaki's reputation began to take off when he moved to Kyoto
after the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake. The loss of Tokyo's historic buildings and neighborhoods in the quake triggered a change in his enthusiasms, as he redirected his youthful love for the imagined West and modernity into a renewed interest in Japanese aesthetics and culture, particularly the culture of the Kansai
region comprising Osaka
, Kobe
and Kyoto
. His first novel after the earthquake, and his first truly successful novel, was Chijin no ai
(Naomi, 1924-25), which is a tragicomic exploration of class, sexual obsession, and cultural identity. Inspired by the Osaka dialect, he wrote Manji
(Quicksand, 1928–1929), in which he explored lesbianism, among other themes. This was followed by the classic Tade kuu mushi
(Some Prefer Nettles, 1928–29), which depicts the gradual self-discovery of a Tokyo man living near Osaka, in relation to Western-influenced modernization and Japanese tradition. Yoshinokuzu (Arrowroot, 1931) alludes to Bunraku and kabuki theater and other traditional forms even as it adapts a European narrative-within-a-narrative technique. His experimentation with narrative styles continued with Ashikari (The Reed Cutter, 1932), Shunkinsho (A Portrait of Shunkin, 1933), and many other works that combine traditional aesthetics with Tanizaki's particular obsessions.
His renewed interest in classical Japanese literature culminated in his multiple translations into modern Japanese of the eleventh-century classic The Tale of Genji
and in his masterpiece Sasameyuki (A Light Snowfall, published in English as The Makioka Sisters
, 1943–1948), a detailed characterization of four daughters of a wealthy Osaka merchant family who see their way of life slipping away in the early years of World War II. The Makiokas live a remarkably cosmopolitan life, with European neighbours and friends without suffering the cultural-identity crises common to earlier Tanizaki characters. When he began to serialize it, the editors of Chūōkōron
were warned it did not contribute to the needed war spirit and, fearful of losing supplies of paper, cut off the serialization.
Tanizaki again emerged into literary prominence, winning a host of awards, and was until his death regarded as Japan's greatest contemporary author. He was awarded the Order of Culture
by the Japanese government in 1949 and in 1964 was elected to honorary membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to be so honoured.
His first major post-war work was Shōshō Shigemoto no haha (General Shigemoto's Mother, 1949–1950), with a moving restatement of the common Tanizaki theme of a son's longing for his mother. The novel also introduces the issue of sexuality in old age, which would reappear in Tanizaki’s later works, such as Kagi (The Key
, 1956). Kagi is a lurid psychological novel, in which an aging professor arranges for his wife to commit adultery in order to boost his own sagging sexual desires.
Tanizaki's characters are often driven by obsessive erotic desires. In one of his last novels, Futen Rojin Nikki (Diary of a Mad Old Man, 1961–1962), the aged diarist is struck down by a stroke brought on by an excess of sexual excitement. He records both his past desires and his current efforts to bribe his daughter-in-law to provide sexual titilation in return for Western baubles.
Tanizaki died of a heart attack
in Yugawara, Kanagawa
, south-west of Tokyo, on 30 July 1965, shortly after celebrating his 79th birthday.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
author, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature
Japanese literature
Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan...
, and perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki
Natsume Soseki
, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
. Some of his works present a rather shocking world of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions; others, less sensational, subtly portray the dynamics of family life in the context of the rapid changes in 20th-century Japanese society. Frequently his stories are narrated in the context of a search for cultural identity in which constructions of "the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
" and "Japanese tradition
Culture of Japan
The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America...
" are juxtaposed. The results are complex, ironic, demure, and provocative.
Biography
Early life
Tanizaki was born to a well-off merchant class family in NihonbashiNihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, where his father owned a printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
, which had been established by his grandfather. In his Yōshō Jidai (Childhood Years, 1956) Tanizaki admitted to having had a pampered childhood. His family's finances declined dramatically as he grew older until he was forced to reside in another household as a tutor. Tanizaki attended the Literature Department of Tokyo Imperial University but was forced to drop out in 1911 because of his inability to pay for tuition.
Early literary career
Tanizaki began his literary career in 1909. His first work, a one-act stage play, was published in a literary magazineLiterary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
which he helped found. In his early years Tanizaki became infatuated with the West and all things modern. In 1922 he went so far as to move to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, which had a large expatriate population, living briefly in a Western-style house and leading a decidedly bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
lifestyle. This outlook is reflected in some of his early writings.
Tanizaki's name first became widely known with the publication of the short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
Shisei (The Tattooer) in 1910. In the story, a tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
artist inscribes a giant spider on the body of a beautiful young woman. Afterwards, the woman's beauty takes on a demonic, compelling power, in which eroticism
Eroticism
Eroticism is generally understood to refer to a state of sexual arousal or anticipation of such – an insistent sexual impulse, desire, or pattern of thoughts, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love...
is combined with sado-masochism. The femme-fatale is a theme repeated in many of Tanizaki's early works, including Kirin (1910), Shonen ("The Children", 1911), Himitsu ("The Secret," 1911), and Akuma ("Devil", 1912).
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
include Shindo (1916) and Oni no men (1916), which are partly autobiographical. Tanizaki married in 1915, but it was an unhappy marriage and in time he encouraged a relationship between his first wife, Chiyoko, and his friend and fellow writer Haruo Satō. The psychological stress of this situation is reflected in some of his early works, including the stage play Aisureba koso (Because I Love Her, 1921) and his novel Kami to hito no aida (Between Men and the Gods, 1924). Nevertheless, even though some of Tanizaki's writings seem to have been inspired by persons and events in his life, his works are far less autobiographical than those of most of his contemporaries in Japan.
He had a brief career in Japanese silent cinema working as a script writer for the Taikatsu film studio. He was a supporter of the Pure Film Movement
Pure Film Movement
The was a trend in film criticism and filmmaking in 1910s and early 1920s Japan that advocated what were considered more modern and cinematic modes of filmmaking. Critics in such magazines as Kinema Record and Kinema Junpo complained that existing Japanese cinema was overly theatrical...
and was instrumental in bringing modernist themes to Japanese film. He wrote the scripts for the films Amateur Club (1922) and A Serpent's Lust (1923) (based on the story of the same title by Ueda Akinari
Ueda Akinari
Ueda Akinari or Ueda Shūsei was a Japanese author, scholar and waka poet, and a prominent literary figure in 18th century Japan...
, which was, in part, the inspiration for Mizoguchi Kenji's 1953 masterpiece Ugetsu monogatari). Some have argued that Tanizaki's relation to cinema is important to understanding his overall career.
Period in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
after the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake. The loss of Tokyo's historic buildings and neighborhoods in the quake triggered a change in his enthusiasms, as he redirected his youthful love for the imagined West and modernity into a renewed interest in Japanese aesthetics and culture, particularly the culture of the Kansai
Kansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
region comprising Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
and Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. His first novel after the earthquake, and his first truly successful novel, was Chijin no ai
Naomi (novel)
is a Japanese novel by Japanese writer Jun'ichirō Tanizaki . Writing of the novel began in 1924, and from March to June, published the first several chapters of the serial. Four months later, the periodical started to publish the remaining chapters...
(Naomi, 1924-25), which is a tragicomic exploration of class, sexual obsession, and cultural identity. Inspired by the Osaka dialect, he wrote Manji
Quicksand (novel)
is a novel by the Japanese author Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. It was written in serial format between 1928 and 1930 for the magazine Kaizō. The last of Tanizaki's major novels translated into English, it concerns a four-way bisexual love affair between upper-crust Osakans.-Title:The Japanese title, Manji,...
(Quicksand, 1928–1929), in which he explored lesbianism, among other themes. This was followed by the classic Tade kuu mushi
Some Prefer Nettles
is a 1929 novel by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki.-Themes:Considered one of Tanizaki’s most successful novels, Tade kuu mushi is rife with thematic elements which pervade the story and make for fascinating points of discourse.-East vs West:...
(Some Prefer Nettles, 1928–29), which depicts the gradual self-discovery of a Tokyo man living near Osaka, in relation to Western-influenced modernization and Japanese tradition. Yoshinokuzu (Arrowroot, 1931) alludes to Bunraku and kabuki theater and other traditional forms even as it adapts a European narrative-within-a-narrative technique. His experimentation with narrative styles continued with Ashikari (The Reed Cutter, 1932), Shunkinsho (A Portrait of Shunkin, 1933), and many other works that combine traditional aesthetics with Tanizaki's particular obsessions.
His renewed interest in classical Japanese literature culminated in his multiple translations into modern Japanese of the eleventh-century classic The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
and in his masterpiece Sasameyuki (A Light Snowfall, published in English as The Makioka Sisters
The Makioka Sisters (novel)
is a Japanese novel written by Tanizaki Jun’ichirō. It has been called, “the greatest cosmopolitan novel since the Meiji Restoration”.The novel follows the lives of the Makiokas, a wealthy Osaka family, from the autumn of 1936 to April, 1941, focusing on the family’s attempts to find a husband for...
, 1943–1948), a detailed characterization of four daughters of a wealthy Osaka merchant family who see their way of life slipping away in the early years of World War II. The Makiokas live a remarkably cosmopolitan life, with European neighbours and friends without suffering the cultural-identity crises common to earlier Tanizaki characters. When he began to serialize it, the editors of Chūōkōron
Chuokoron
is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly Japanese literary magazine is a monthly...
were warned it did not contribute to the needed war spirit and, fearful of losing supplies of paper, cut off the serialization.
Postwar period
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Tanizaki again emerged into literary prominence, winning a host of awards, and was until his death regarded as Japan's greatest contemporary author. He was awarded the Order of Culture
Order of Culture
The is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...
by the Japanese government in 1949 and in 1964 was elected to honorary membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to be so honoured.
His first major post-war work was Shōshō Shigemoto no haha (General Shigemoto's Mother, 1949–1950), with a moving restatement of the common Tanizaki theme of a son's longing for his mother. The novel also introduces the issue of sexuality in old age, which would reappear in Tanizaki’s later works, such as Kagi (The Key
The Key (Tanizaki novel)
The Key , is a novel written by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki in 1956. The story was translated into English by Howard Hibbett and published by Vintage International Books.-Synopsis:...
, 1956). Kagi is a lurid psychological novel, in which an aging professor arranges for his wife to commit adultery in order to boost his own sagging sexual desires.
Tanizaki's characters are often driven by obsessive erotic desires. In one of his last novels, Futen Rojin Nikki (Diary of a Mad Old Man, 1961–1962), the aged diarist is struck down by a stroke brought on by an excess of sexual excitement. He records both his past desires and his current efforts to bribe his daughter-in-law to provide sexual titilation in return for Western baubles.
Tanizaki died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Yugawara, Kanagawa
Yugawara, Kanagawa
is a town located in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 26,729 and a density of 655 persons per km²...
, south-west of Tokyo, on 30 July 1965, shortly after celebrating his 79th birthday.
Legacy
Many of Tanizaki's works are highly sensual, a few particularly centered on eroticism, and virtually all are laced with wit and ironic sophistication. Though he is remembered primarily for his novels and short stories, he also wrote poetry, drama, and essays.Selected works
| Year | Japanese Title | English Title | Notes |
| 1910 | Shisei |
The Tattooer | |
| 1913 | Kyōfu |
Terror | |
| 1918 | Kin to Gin |
Gold and Silver | |
| 1919 | Fumiko no ashi |
Fumiko's Legs | |
| 1921 | Watakushi |
The Thief | |
| 1922 | Aoi hana |
Aguri | |
| 1924 | Chijin no Ai |
Naomi Naomi (novel) is a Japanese novel by Japanese writer Jun'ichirō Tanizaki . Writing of the novel began in 1924, and from March to June, published the first several chapters of the serial. Four months later, the periodical started to publish the remaining chapters... |
a.k.a. A Fool's Love |
| 1926 | Tomoda to Matsunaga no hanashi |
"Tomoda and Matsunaga's Story" | |
| 1926 | "Aotsuka no Hanashi" |
"Mr. Bluemound Mr. Bluemound is a novel by the Japanese author Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. This short story was written in 1926. He influenced by Plato's Theory of Forms. This novel has feature of Tanizaki's Aestheticism.-Plot:... " |
|
| 1928– 1930 |
卍 Manji |
Quicksand Quicksand (novel) is a novel by the Japanese author Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. It was written in serial format between 1928 and 1930 for the magazine Kaizō. The last of Tanizaki's major novels translated into English, it concerns a four-way bisexual love affair between upper-crust Osakans.-Title:The Japanese title, Manji,... |
Several film adaptations (1964, 1983, 1998 & 2006) Manji (film) 卍 is the title of several Japanese films based on the Japanese novel Quicksand written by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki in 1928.The theme is homosexuality between women. It was filmed in 1964, 1983, 1998 and 2006 in Japan.-Story:... |
| 1929 | Tade kuu mushi |
Some Prefer Nettles Some Prefer Nettles is a 1929 novel by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki.-Themes:Considered one of Tanizaki’s most successful novels, Tade kuu mushi is rife with thematic elements which pervade the story and make for fascinating points of discourse.-East vs West:... |
|
| 1931 | Yoshino kuzu |
Arrowroot | |
| 1932 | Ashikari |
The Reed Cutter | |
| 1933 | Shunkinshō |
A Portrait of Shunkin | Film adaptation Shunkinsho (film) Shunkinsho, or A portrait of Shunkin is a film based on a short story by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki . It stars Momoe Yamaguchi and Tomokazu Miura. It was made in 1976. The director was Katsumi Nishikawa... Opera adaptation Shunkinsho (opera) , "A Portrait of Shunkin", is an opera by Minoru Miki, with Japanese libretto by .It premiered in Tokyo on 24 November 1975. It was composed earlier that year... |
| In'ei Raisan |
In Praise of Shadows In Praise of Shadows is an essay on Japanese aesthetics by the Japanese author and novelist Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. It was translated into English by the academic students of Japanese literature Thomas Harper and Edward Seidensticker.-Publication:... |
Essay on aesthetics Aesthetics Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste... |
|
| 1935 | Bushukō Hiwa |
The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi | |
| 1936 | Neko to Shōzō to Futari no Onna |
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women | |
| 1943– 1948 |
Sasameyuki |
The Makioka Sisters The Makioka Sisters (novel) is a Japanese novel written by Tanizaki Jun’ichirō. It has been called, “the greatest cosmopolitan novel since the Meiji Restoration”.The novel follows the lives of the Makiokas, a wealthy Osaka family, from the autumn of 1936 to April, 1941, focusing on the family’s attempts to find a husband for... |
Film adaptation The Makioka Sisters (film) is the name of three films based on the serial novel of the same name by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. The third of these films, released in 1983, is the most famous. It was directed by Kon Ichikawa.-The Sisters:... |
| 1949 | Shōshō Shigemoto no haha |
Captain Shigemoto's Mother | |
| 1956 | Kagi |
The Key The Key (Tanizaki novel) The Key , is a novel written by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki in 1956. The story was translated into English by Howard Hibbett and published by Vintage International Books.-Synopsis:... |
Film adaptation |
| 1957 | Yōshō Jidai |
Childhood Years: A Memoir Childhood Years: A Memoir is a book written by the Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki. It uses an informal essay style to look back on his early life in Tokyo. It was originally published in serial form in the literary magazine Bungeishunjū between April 1955 and March 1956.... |
|
| 1961 | Fūten Rōjin Nikki |
Diary of a Mad Old Man | Film adaptation |
Some works published in English
- Naomi. Trans. Anthony Chambers. Vintage Press (2001). ISBN 0375724745
- The Key & Diary of a Mad Old Man. Trans. Howard Hibbert. Vintage Press (2004). ISBN 1400079004
- Seven Japanese Tales Trans. Howard Hibbett. Vintage Press (1963). ISBN 0679761071
- The Gourmet Club Trans. Anthony Chambers and Paul McCarthy. Kodansha International (2001). ISBN 4770029721
- The Makioka Sisters. Trans. Edward SeidenstickerEdward SeidenstickerEdward George Seidensticker was a noted scholar and translator of Japanese literature. He was particularly known for his English version of The Tale of Genji , which is counted among the preferred modern translations...
. Vintage Press (1995). ISBN 0679761640 - Some Prefer Nettles. Trans. Edward Seidensticker. Vintage Press (1995). ISBN 0679752692
- Quicksand. Trans. Howard Hibbett. Vintage Press (1995). ISBN 0679760229
- A Cat, a Man, and Two Women. Trans. Paul McCarthy. Kodansha International (1992). ISBN 4770016050
- The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi and Arrowroot. Trans. Anthony Chambers. Vintage Press (2003). ISBN 0375719318
- Childhood Years: A Memoir. Trans. Paul McCarthy. Harper Collins in association with Kodansha International (1990). ISBN 0006544509
- The Reed Cutter and Captain Shigemoto's Mother. Trans. Anthony Chambers. Knopf, 1993.
- In Praise of Shadows. Trans. Edward Seidensticker and Thomas Harper. Leete's Island Books, 1977.
Further reading
- Boscaro, Adriana, et al., eds. Tanizaki in Western Languages: A Bibliography of Translations and Studies. University of Michigan Press (1999). ISBN 0939512998
- Boscaro, Adriana and Anthony Chambers, eds. A Tanizaki Feast: The International Symposium in Venice. University of Michigan Press (1994). ISBN 0939512904
- Chambers, Anthony, The Secret Window: Ideal Worlds in Tanizaki's Fiction. Harvard University Asia Centre (1994). ISBN 0674796748
- Gessel, Van C. Three Modern Novelists. Kodansha International (1994). ISBN 4770016522
- Ito, Ken Kenneth. Visions of Desire: Tanizaki's Fictional Worlds. Stanford University Press (1991). ISBN 0804718695
- Jansen, Marius B.Marius JansenMarius Berthus Jansen was an American academic, historian, and Emeritus Professor of Japanese History at Princeton University....
(2000). The Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University PressHarvard University PressHarvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
. 10-ISBN 0674003349/13-ISBN 9780674003347; OCLC 44090600 - Keene, DonaldDonald KeeneDonald Lawrence Keene is a Japanologist, scholar, teacher, writer, translator and interpreter of Japanese literature and culture. Keene was University Professor Emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature at Columbia University, where he taught for over fifty years...
. Dawn to the West. Columbia University Press (1998). ISBN 0231114354.