Miki Taku
Encyclopedia
was the pen-name of a Japanese poet and novelist in Showa period
Japan
. His real name was Tomita Miki.
, grew up in Manchukuo
. He returned to Japan in 1946, and graduated in 1959 from Waseda University
where he majored in Russian literature
. During college he wrote poems and reviews for literary magazine
Bungaku soshiki, and after graduation formed part of the poetry circle around Han ("Inundation").
Miki's principal works include the poetry collection Tokyo gozen sanji (3 AM in Tokyo, 1966), the fairy tale Horobita kuni no tabi ("Travels in a Ruined Country", 1969); and Hogeki no ato de ("After the Bombardment", 1973), which contains the Akutagawa Prize
-winning story Hiwa ("Finch").
His novels include Furueru shita ("With Quivering Tongue", 1974), Karera ga hashirinuketa hi ("The Day They Went the Distance", 1978), Gyosha no aki ("The Charioteer in Autumn", 1985), and Koguma-za no otoko ("The Man from the Little Dipper", 1989). He has also written literary criticism
(Kotoba no suru shigoto, "The Work Words Do", 1975), essays (Tokyo bishiteki hokō, "Microscopic Strolls Through Tokyo", 1975), and a work of juvenile fiction, (Potapota, "Drip, Drip", 1984).
The poem "Genealogy," translated from the Japanese by Whang Insu, appears in the text One World of Literature (1993) by Shirley Geok-lin Lim and Norman A. Spencer.
In 2007, he was nominated to the Japan Art Academy
.
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. His real name was Tomita Miki.
Biography
Miki was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; 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...
, grew up in Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
. He returned to Japan in 1946, and graduated in 1959 from 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...
where he majored in Russian literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
. During college he wrote poems and reviews for literary magazine
Literary 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...
Bungaku soshiki, and after graduation formed part of the poetry circle around Han ("Inundation").
Miki's principal works include the poetry collection Tokyo gozen sanji (3 AM in Tokyo, 1966), the fairy tale Horobita kuni no tabi ("Travels in a Ruined Country", 1969); and Hogeki no ato de ("After the Bombardment", 1973), which contains the Akutagawa Prize
Akutagawa Prize
The is a Japanese literary award presented semi-annually. It was established in 1935 by Kan Kikuchi, then-editor of Bungeishunjū magazine, in memory of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa...
-winning story Hiwa ("Finch").
His novels include Furueru shita ("With Quivering Tongue", 1974), Karera ga hashirinuketa hi ("The Day They Went the Distance", 1978), Gyosha no aki ("The Charioteer in Autumn", 1985), and Koguma-za no otoko ("The Man from the Little Dipper", 1989). He has also written literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
(Kotoba no suru shigoto, "The Work Words Do", 1975), essays (Tokyo bishiteki hokō, "Microscopic Strolls Through Tokyo", 1975), and a work of juvenile fiction, (Potapota, "Drip, Drip", 1984).
The poem "Genealogy," translated from the Japanese by Whang Insu, appears in the text One World of Literature (1993) by Shirley Geok-lin Lim and Norman A. Spencer.
In 2007, he was nominated to the Japan Art Academy
Japan Art Academy
is the highest ranking artistic organization in Japan. The Academy discusses art-related issues, advises the Minister of Education on art-related issues, and promotes art is the highest ranking artistic organization in Japan. The Academy discusses art-related issues, advises the Minister of...
.
Major prizes
- 1967 H-Shi Prize, for Tokyo gozen sanji
- 1970 Takami Jun Prize, for Waga kidi rando (Our kiddy land)
- 1973 Akutagawa PrizeAkutagawa PrizeThe is a Japanese literary award presented semi-annually. It was established in 1935 by Kan Kikuchi, then-editor of Bungeishunjū magazine, in memory of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa...
, for Hiwa (Finch) - 1984 Noma Jido Bungei Prize (Noma Juvenile Literary Prize), for Potapota (Drip drip)
- 1986 Hirabayashi Taiko Prize, for Gyosha no aki (Autumn of the driver)
- 1997 Tanizaki PrizeTanizaki PrizeThe Tanizaki Prize , named in honor of the Japanese novelist Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, is one of Japan's most sought-after literary awards. It was established in 1965 by the publishing company Chūō Kōronsha Inc. to commemorate its 80th anniversary as a publisher...
for Roji - Geijutsu Sensho Monbu Daijin Prize