Kaoru Kitamura
Encyclopedia
is the pen name of , a popular contemporary Japanese
writer
, mainly of short stories.
in Saitama Prefecture
. He studied literature at Waseda University
in Tokyo
, and was a member of the Waseda Mystery Club while a student there. However, after graduating from Waseda in 1972, he returned to Saitama to become a language teacher at Kasukabe High School, his alma mater. He began his fiction writing career only after teaching for almost twenty years, and stopped teaching in 1993 to devote himself completely to writing once established as an author.
He made his writing debut using a pen name
. Initially, because the unnamed first-person protagonist of his early works was a female college student, and the name Kaoru is gender ambiguous, it was widely speculated that Kitamura was female. This speculation persisted until he revealed his identity upon accepting the Mystery Writers of Japan Award
in 1991.
He made his literary debut in 1989, with the publication of , and has been writing prolifically since then. He won the 44th Mystery Writers of Japan Award
in 1991 for , the 6th Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize
in 2006 for , and the 2006 Baka-Misu Award for the same work. In 2009, after repeated previous nominations, he won the prestigious Naoki Prize
(the 141st) for . His works have been adapted for film, television, and manga
.
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...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, mainly of short stories.
Biography
Kitamura was born in the town of SugitoSugito, Saitama
is a town located in Kitakatsushika District, Saitama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 46,856 and a density of 1,561.87 persons per km². The total area is 30.00 km².Sugito town is 45 minutes north of Tokyo by train...
in Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. He studied literature at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in 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...
, and was a member of the Waseda Mystery Club while a student there. However, after graduating from Waseda in 1972, he returned to Saitama to become a language teacher at Kasukabe High School, his alma mater. He began his fiction writing career only after teaching for almost twenty years, and stopped teaching in 1993 to devote himself completely to writing once established as an author.
He made his writing debut using a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
. Initially, because the unnamed first-person protagonist of his early works was a female college student, and the name Kaoru is gender ambiguous, it was widely speculated that Kitamura was female. This speculation persisted until he revealed his identity upon accepting the Mystery Writers of Japan Award
Mystery Writers of Japan Award
The are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of Japan. They honor the best in crime fiction and critical/biographical work published in the previous year.- MWJ Award for Best Novel winners :...
in 1991.
Works
Kitamura is known as a writer of mysteries, and rather than the detective and crime stories of traditional mystery, his work mainly focuses on the logical resolution of more "ordinary" puzzles and questions encountered in everyday life. He is considered a pioneer of this style of mystery in Japan, called , which has since been taken up by many other writers.He made his literary debut in 1989, with the publication of , and has been writing prolifically since then. He won the 44th Mystery Writers of Japan Award
Mystery Writers of Japan Award
The are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of Japan. They honor the best in crime fiction and critical/biographical work published in the previous year.- MWJ Award for Best Novel winners :...
in 1991 for , the 6th Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize
Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize
The are presented every year by the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. They honor the best in honkaku mystery fiction and critical work published in the previous year.- Honkaku Mystery Grand Prize for Best Novel winners :...
in 2006 for , and the 2006 Baka-Misu Award for the same work. In 2009, after repeated previous nominations, he won the prestigious Naoki Prize
Naoki Prize
The Naoki Prize is a Japanese literary award presented semiannually. The official name is Naoki Sanjugo Prize. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the Bungeishunjū magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo...
(the 141st) for . His works have been adapted for film, television, and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
.
Selected bibliography
| Year | Japanese Title | Series |
| 1989 | series | |
| 1990 | Enshi-san series | |
| 1991 | Enshi-san series | |
| 1992 | Enshi-san series | |
| 1995 | trilogy | |
| 1997 | "Time and Man" trilogy | |
| 1998 | Enshi-san series | |
| 2001 | "Time and Man" trilogy | |
| 2003 | series | |
| 2005 | Becky-san series | |
| 2005 | ||
| 2009 | Becky-san series |
External links
- 夜の蝉 (yoru no semi): Night Locust by Kaoru Kitamura
- Turn (JAPAN 2001) English language review of film adaption of Turn
- http://www.kitamura-tei.com Japanese language fan site
- 北村薫 Japanese language Wikipedia article