POPULAR LITERATURE (大衆文学) AND GENRE LITERATURE

Modern popular literature in Japan began with historical fiction (時代小説). In

the Meiji era, Tsukahara Jushien (塚原渋柿園 1848-1917) wrote historical fiction
known as magemono (髷物) and Murakami Namiroku (村上浪六 1865-1944) wrote
stories about heroic gangsters (侠客) known as bachibin shosetsu (撥鬢小説). Both
were strongly influenced by the gesaku of the Edo period. Today, these works are
generally said to represent the beginning of Japanese modern popular literature. In
1926, Taishu Bungei (大衆文芸) magazine was launched, featuring historical fiction
writers like Naoki Sanjugo (直木三十五 1891-1934) and Hasegawa Shin (長谷川伸
1884-1963), and the words taishu shosetsu (大衆小説, popular novel) and taishu
bungaku (大衆文学, popular literature) began to be widely used. At that time, the
word taishu shosetsu referred only to historical fiction, and did not include other
popular genres such as mysteries.
The late Taisho and early Showa era were an exciting time for popular literature
in Japan. Historical novels, mysteries, detective stories, adventure stories, and
works of science fiction, fantasy and horror were written in large numbers during
this time. Though some authors wrote in only one genre, many popular writers
wrote works in several. For example, the writer Hasegawa Kaitaro (長谷川海太郎
1900-1935) wrote historical novels under the name Hayashi Fubo (林不忘) and
mystery and crime novels under the name Maki Itsuma (牧逸馬).
Popular literature was mainly published in magazines such as Kodan Kurabu (講
談倶楽部 1911-1962), Shonen Kurabu (少年倶楽部 1914-1962), Shinseinen (新青年
1920-1950), King (キング 1924-1957), and Ooru Yomimono (オール讀物 1930-
present). These magazines were extremely popular. King, in particular, had over
one million readers in the early Showa era. Children’s literature also developed
during the Taisho and early Showa eras, with much of it centering around the
children’s magazine Akai Tori (赤い鳥 1918-1936).

HISTORICAL NOVELS
Historical novels in Japan are classified into two types: rekishi shosetsu (歴史小説,
historical novels) and jidai shosetsu (時代小説, historical fiction novels). Rekishi
shosetsu are more or less accurate accounts of historical events. On the other hand,
jidai shosetsu are fictional accounts of historical figures’ lives, or stories of fictional
characters living in a past era. Rekishi shosetsu did not become widely popular
until after World War II. Most historical works of the Taisho and early Showa eras
are jidai shosetsu, and feature fictional characters or fictionalized accounts of
historical people and events. One of the first popular historical novels was
Dai-Bosatsu Toge (大菩薩峠) by Nakazato Kaizan (中里介山 1885-1944), which was
first published in 1913 (it is a huge work and was not completed until 1941). Many
popular historical novel writers appeared in the 1920s, including Yoshikawa Eiji (吉
川英治), Osaragi Jiro (大佛次郎), Shirai Kyoji (白井喬二 1889-1980), Shimozawa
Kan (子母澤寛 1892-1968), Naoki Sanjugo (直木三十五) and Hasegawa Kaitaro
(using the name Hayashi Fubo). Fictional characters from some of these works,
such as Osaragi Jiro’s Kurama Tengu (鞍馬天狗) and Hasegawa Kaitaro (Hayashi
Fubo)’s Tange Sazen (丹下佐膳), became popular characters in movies.
Some novelists who emerged in the early Showa era had their greatest success
after World War II, such as Kaionji Chogoro (海音寺潮五郎), Yamamoto Shugoro (山
本周五郎) and Yamaoka Sohachi (山岡荘八 1907-1978). Yamaoka is best known for
his 26-volume biography of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康), which was written from
1950 to 1967 and is said to be one of the longest novels in the world.

Famous Writers
1. Yoshikawa Eiji (吉川英治 1892-1962). Yoshikawa Eiji dropped out of elementary
school at age 11 when his father failed in business, and educated himself while he
did various jobs. He worked as a dock worker and a craftsman and started writing
senryu (川柳) poetry, but found little success. He finally decided to become a novelist
when a story he wrote won a prize, and wrote historical novels for newspapers and
magazines printed by the publisher Kodansha (講談社). His novels were so popular
in the 1930s that he became known as “the people’s writer” (国民文学作家). He wrote
fictionalized accounts of the lives of famous Japanese historical figures, or
simplified and re-imagined versions of medieval and pre-modern Japanese works of
historical literature like Heike Monogatari (平家物語), Taiheiki (太平記) and Taikoki.
(太閤記). He also wrote his own versions of Chinese historical works like the
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国志). Though most of his works are not his own
original stories, they were important because, in an age of modernization and
Westernization, they made ordinary Japanese people take a new interest in their
own country’s history. Yoshikawa’s most famous work is Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武
蔵), a fictionalized account of the life of the famous early Edo period swordsman.
Miyamoto Musashi was published in the Asahi Shinbun newspaper, and is said to
have been the most popular newspaper novel in all of Japanese history.
Famous works: Naruto Hicho (鳴門秘帖) 1926
 Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武蔵) 1935-1939
Sangokushi (三国志) 1939-1943
Shinsho Taikoki (新書太閤記) 1939-1941
Shin Heike Monogatari (新・平家物語) 1950-1957
Shihon Taiheiki (私本太平記) 1959-1962

2. Osaragi Jiro (大佛次郎 1897-1973). Osaragi Jiro is best known for his hugely
popular novel series Kurama Tengu, about a fictional warrior of the late Edo period
who hides his face and fights for justice. Kurama Tengu is said to have been one of
the inspirations for the masked superheroes of postwar Japanese television like
Gekko Kamen (月光仮面) and Kamen Rider (仮面ライダー). Many of Osaragi’s
novels were fictionalized accounts of Edo period history and events. For example,
Ako Roshi is based on the Genroku Ako Incident (元禄赤穂事件), Nezumi Kozo
Jirokichi is about the famous Edo thief, and Karasugumi is about the guerilla
organization that operated in Sendai Domain (仙台藩) in the final days of the Edo
period. Though Osaragi is best known for his historical novels, he also wrote some
contemporary works. For example, his novel Kikyo is about postwar Japanese
society. The main character is a Japanese man who has been living abroad for over
10 years and returns to Japan after World War II. Shocked by the destruction and
new postwar attitudes in Tokyo, he travels to Kyoto and Nara in search of the old
Japan he remembers. Osaragi also wrote non-fiction works about Japanese and
French history, and children’s stories which often involved his love of cats.
Famous works: Kurama Tengu (鞍馬天狗) 1924-1965
Teru Hi Kumoru Hi (照る日くもる日) 1926-1927
Ako Roshi (赤穂浪士) 1927-1928
Karasugumi (からす組) 1929
Nezumi Kozo Jirokichi (鼠小僧次郎吉) 1931-1932
Kikyo (帰郷) 1948
Tenno no Seiki (天皇の世紀) 1967-1973 (non-fiction)
left to right: Yoshikawa Eiji, Osaragi Jiro, Kurama Tengu (movie)

3. Kaionji Chogoro (海音寺潮五郎 1901-1977). Unlike most early Showa writers,

Kaionji Chogoro avoided fiction and based his works on historical fact. He played an
important role in moving Japanese historical literature away from jidai shosetsu
(historical fiction) in the direction of rekishi shosetsu (historically accurate novels).
Kaionji made his literary debut in 1934, when he was working as a junior high
school teacher. He won the Naoki Prize in 1936 for his work Tensho Onna Gassen,
about Sen no Rikyu (千利休), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) and the women in their
lives. He had a highly successful career after World War II and became particularly
known for his historical biographies (史伝). Busho Retsuden is a collection of
biographies of 33 famous warriors, while Akunin Retsuden is a collection of
biographies of 24 famous villains in Japanese history. Kaionji also wrote many long
biographies of Japanese historical figures. One of the most famous of these is Ten to
Chi to, about the Sengoku period daimyo (大名) and warrior Uesugi Kenshin (上杉謙
信 ). Because he came from Kagoshima Prefecture, Kaionji was particularly
interested in the local hero Saigo Takamori (西郷隆盛) and wrote many works about
him, including Saigo to Okubo. He began a huge biography of Saigo Takamori in
1961, which remained unfinished at the time of his death. Kaionji’s other life work
was his Nippon series. He intended to write a series of five novels about the lives of
the common people, mainly in Kagoshima, from the late Edo period to the end of
World War II, but only completed three novels. The most famous of these is
Futamoto no Ginnan, which is set in Satsuma at the end of the Edo period.
Famous works: Tensho Onna Gassen (天正女合戦) 1936
Moko Kitaru (蒙古来る) 1953-1954
Taira no Masakado (平将門) 1954-1955
Futamoto no Ginnan (二本の銀杏) 1959-1961
 Busho Retsuden (武将列伝) 1959-1963
Ten to Chi to (天と地と) 1960-1962
Akunin Retsuden (悪人列伝) 1961-1962
Saigo to Okubo (西郷と大久保) 1965-1966
Umi to Kaze to Niji to (海と風と虹と) 1965-1966
Saigo Takamori (史伝『西郷隆盛』) 1961-1977

4. Yamamoto Shugoro (山本周五郎 1903-1967). Yamamoto Shugoro made his debut

as a writer in 1926, but found little success in the 15 years that followed. During
this time, he wrote mainly adventure, detective and samurai stories for children
and young adults under 14 different pen names. Gradually, he began to write more
works for adults. His mainstream success began in 1942 with the historical short
story Aodake and particularly Nihon Fudoki, a series of stories about heroic women
in Japanese history. Nihon Fudoki was chosen for the Naoki Prize in 1943, but
Yamamoto shocked the literary establishment when he declined to accept the
reward. He was chosen for many literary prizes over the course of his career but
refused all of them, saying that the pleasure of his readers was all that he needed.
After World War II, Yamamoto became one of the most successful popular writers in
Japan. He wrote some works based on true historical events such as Momi no Ki wa
Nokotta, which is widely considered to be his masterpiece. The novel is about the
Date Disturbance (伊達騒動), a family dispute within the Date samurai clan (伊達
氏) in Sendai which occurred from 1660 to 1671. Momi no Ki wa Nokotta surprised
readers by depicting Harada Kai (原田甲斐), a central figure in the incident who is
generally viewed as a villain by Japanese historians, as a hero. The novel became a
major bestseller and is famous today as one of the first works of Japanese popular
literature to question the accepted view of history. Most of Yamamoto’s works,
however, were historical fiction. They were stories set in the past, often in the Edo
period, which depict fictional characters and events. Most of them show a strong
dislike of authority and an interest in the common people. Famous works include
Akahige Shinryotan, a series of stories about an ambitious young Edo period doctor
who is disappointed when he is assigned to work at a rural clinic, but gradually
comes to respect the head doctor and the common people who are his patients; and
Sabu, a story of friendship between two artisans in the Edo period. Not all of
Yamamoto’s stories are set in the past. He also wrote contemporary works like
Aobeka Monogatari, about life in a fishing town, Kisetsu no Nai Machi, about life in
a slum, and the mystery series Neboke Shocho. The famous movie director
Kurosawa Akira (黒澤明) was a huge fan of Yamamoto’s work and made several of
his novels, including Akahige Shinryotan and Kisetsu no Nai Machi, into films.
Famous works: Aodake (青竹) 1942
Nihon Fudoki (日本婦道記) 1942-1945
Neboke Shocho (寝ぼけ署長) 1946-1948
Ame Agaru (雨あがる) 1951
Momi no Ki wa Nokotta (樅ノ木は残った) 1954-1958
Akahige Shinryotan (赤ひげ診療譚) 1958
Goben no Tsubaki (五瓣の椿) 1959
Sono Kido o Tootte (その木戸を通って) 1959
Aobeka Monogatari (青べか物語) 1960
Osan (おさん) 1961
Kisetsu no Nai Machi (季節のない街) 1962
Koku Henreki (虚空遍歴) 1961-1963
Sabu (さぶ) 1963
Nagai Saka (ながい坂) 1964-1966

Kaionji Chogoro Yamamoto Shugoro

MYSTERY NOVELS
Crime stories had existed in Japan since the Edo period. However, modern
mystery novels were not widely written in Japan until the Taisho and early Showa
eras. Japanese mystery writers in this period were influenced by the mystery and
horror stories of the American writer Edgar Allan Poe (エドガー・アラン・ポー), the
Sherlock Holmes (シャーロック・ホームズ) detective stories by the Scottish writer
Arthur Conan Doyle (アーサー・コナン・ドイル), and the Arsène Lupin (アルセーヌ・
ルパン) series by the French writer Maurice Leblanc (モーリス・ルブラン).
In the Meiji and Taisho eras, many Western works of literature were translated
into English. In addition to Poe, Doyle and Leblanc, translations of works by the
French writers Victor Hugo (ヴィクトル・ユーゴー), Jules Verne (ジュール・ヴェル
ヌ) and Alexandre Dumas (アレクサンドル・デュマ), as well as the English writer
H.G. Wells (H.G.ウェルズ) and Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (ロバート・ル
イス・スティーヴンソン), had a great influence on Japanese popular literature.
During the Meiji era, the two most important translators of this type of Western
literature were Morita Shiken (森田思軒 1861-1897) and Kuroiwa Ruiko (黒岩涙香
1862-1920). They translated a great many works by Verne, Hugo, Poe, Dumas,
Wells and various other Western authors. In fact, many of these early “translations”
were not actually translations (翻訳) but adaptations (翻案). Because ordinary
people of the Meiji era were not familiar with Western names, objects and culture,
these were changed to Japanese names and objects that normal people could relate
to. Often, the novels were adapted so much that only the basic storyline remained
the same, and the details of the story became completely different.
Kuroiwa Ruiko decided that he wanted to write his own original detective story,
and in 1889 he published the novel Muzan (無惨), the story of two detectives who try
to solve a murder mystery after a man’s body is discovered in a river. Muzan is
considered to be the first modern Japanese mystery. Though the novel was well
received, Ruiko returned to translating and adapting Western novels and never
wrote another original work.
For the next 15 years, there were few developments in Japanese mystery
literature. Instead, the genre of adventure novels (冒険小説), which were influenced
by Western writers like Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas and Robert Louis Stevenson
and were aimed at children and young adults, became popular. Two of the most
important early works in this genre were the 1890 novel Ukishiro Monogatari (浮城
物語) by Yano Ryukei (矢野龍渓 1851-1931) and the Kaitei Gunkan (海底軍艦) series
(1900-1907) by Oshikawa Shunro (押川春浪 1876-1914). Both are nationalistic
stories about futuristic battleships which the Japanese navy invents to defend Asia
and do battle with Western countries. The battleships in these works often have
strange appearances, can fly and travel underwater, and have incredibly powerful
weapons. Ukishiro Monogatari and the Kaitei Gunkan series are now considered to
be the first Japanese works of science fiction.
Japanese mystery novels appeared again in the middle of the Taisho era. One of
the most important mystery writers of this time was Okamoto Kido (岡本綺堂 1872-
1939). Okamoto was mainly a writer of Shin Kabuki (新歌舞伎) plays, but enjoyed
reading Sherlock Holmes stories and wanted to try writing detective novels. He did
not want his novels to be simple imitations of Western works, so he decided to set
his stories in the Edo period and fill them with pre-modern Japanese culture. This
resulted in his highly successful Hanshichi Torimonocho (半七捕物帳) series, which
was published from 1917 to 1937. The stories begin in the Meiji era, where an old
man called Hanshichi is being interviewed by a newspaper reporter about his career
as an okappiki (岡っ引), or unofficial police assistant, during the Edo period. The
setting then shifts to the Edo period, where the young Hanshichi has various
adventures while solving crimes and mysteries. In fact, the real okappiki of the Edo
period were former criminals who became police spies and informants in order to
escape punishment for their crimes. In Okamoto’s stories, however, Hanshichi is
mainly depicted as a hero and master detective. The stories often contain elements
of suspense and horror, and include accurate depictions of the culture and law
enforcement of the late Edo period. Because of this, they are often viewed as a cross
between historical novels and mystery novels. The Hanshichi Torimonocho series
was so popular that a new genre of historical detective stories appeared, including
the Zenigata Heiji Torimono Hikae (銭形平次捕物控) series by Nomura Kodo (野村胡
堂 1882-1963), the Umon Torimonocho (右門捕物帖) series by Sasaki Mitsuzo (佐々木
味津三 1896-1934), the Wakasama Samurai Torimono Techo (若さま侍捕物手帖)
series by Jo Masayuki (城昌幸 1904-1976), the Ningyo Sashichi Torimonocho (人形佐
七捕物帳) series by Yokomizo Seishi (横溝正史), and the Agojuro Torimonocho (顎十
郎捕物帳) and Hiraga Gennai Torimonocho (平賀源内捕物帳) series by Hisao Juran
(久生十蘭).
Many authors also began writing contemporary mystery novels, which were set in
the present and generally more similar to Western mysteries. These modern
mysteries began to appear in the early 1920s, and the 1923 short story Nisen Doka
(二銭銅貨) by Edogawa Ranpo (江戸川乱歩) is generally considered to be the first
important one. Other famous mystery writers of the Taisho and early Showa eras
include Yokomizo Seishi, Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作), Unno Juza (海野十三), Hisao
Juran, Oguri Mushitaro (小栗虫太郎), Koga Saburo (甲賀三郎 1893-1945), Oshita
Udaru (大下宇陀児 1896-1966), Kigi Takataro (木々髙太郎 1897-1969), Hamao Shiro
(濱尾四郎 1896-1935), Kosakai Fuboku (小酒井不木 1890-1929), Ran Ikujiro (蘭郁二
郎 1913-1944), and Hasegawa Kaitaro (using the name Maki Itsuma). These writers
often published their works in Shinseinen ( 新 青 年 ) magazine, whose editors
included the mystery writers Yokomizo Seishi, Morishita Uson (森下雨村 1890-
1965) and Mizutani Jun (水谷準 1904-2001). Contemporary mysteries were often
divided into two categories: honkakumono (本格もの, “regular mysteries”) and
henkakumono ( 変 格 も の , “irregular mysteries”). Honkakumono were detective
novels (探偵小説) similar to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, in which
a murder case is solved by a master detective. Writers often had one recurring
character resembling Sherlock Holmes who appeared in many of their works. For
example, many of Edogawa Ranpo’s works feature the master detective Akechi
Kogoro ( 明 智 小 五 郎 ), many of Yokomizo Seishi’s works feature the detective
Kindaichi Kosuke (金田一耕助), Unno Juza’s mysteries often feature the detective
Homura Soroku (帆村荘六), and Oguri Mushitaro’s mysteries often feature the
detective Norimizu Rintaro (法水麟太郎). On the other hand, henkakumono are
often not mysteries at all, but instead are similar to fantastic literature (幻想文学)
or horror stories. Many of them show the strong influence of Edgar Allan Poe.
Another major influence on mystery novels was eroguro nansensu (エログロナン
センス, “erotic, grotesque, nonsense”), a phenomenon in Japanese art and literature
which occurred in the late Taisho and early Showa eras. As a reaction to the
economic depression, unstable political situation and rising militarism, Japanese
society became increasingly hedonistic and nihilistic. In this social climate, erotic,
grotesque and absurd works of art and literature became popular. In the literary
establishment, “eroguro nansensu” was often used as an insult to criticize novels
which were just shocking or absurd and had no literary value. However, the
phenomenon is evident in Tanizaki Junichiro’s sadomasochistic and erotic early
works, in the grotesque descriptions of work accidents, abuse and illness in
proletarian literature, and in the absurdist works written by some modernist
writers. In popular literature, eroguro nansensu had the greatest influence on
mystery novels, particularly henkakumono, which often have a strong taste for the
macabre (猟奇趣味). Examples include Edogawa Ranpo’s Imomushi (芋虫), about a
woman who derives sexual pleasure from abusing her husband who has no arms or
legs; Unno Juza’s Ikite iru Harawata (生きている腸), about a medical student who
brings a human intestine to life and keeps it as a pet; and Hisao Juran’s Konchuzu
(昆虫図), which examines the various insects which appear in a room where a dead
body is decomposing under the floor.
In addition, some mystery writers like Unno Juza, Hisao Juran, Oguri Mushitaro
and Yumeno Kyusaku wrote works of fantasy, adventure and science fiction. Some
of them wrote works which fit into the “lost world” genre (秘境もの). These include
Hisao Juran’s Chitei Jukoku ( 地 底 獣 国 ), about a strange underground world
inhabited by dinosaurs, and Oguri Mushitaro’s Jingai Makyo (人外魔境), a series of
stories about a Japanese explorer’s adventures in uncharted regions of the world.
Unno Juza is considered the father of contemporary Japanese science fiction, and
wrote many works in this genre. One of his most famous novels in this category is
Juhachiji no Ongakuyoku (十八時の音楽浴), about a futuristic society where a
dictator uses music to brainwash his country’s people.

Famous Writers
1. Edogawa Ranpo (江戸川乱歩 1894-1965). Edogawa Ranpo is the most famous
Japanese modern mystery writer. His pen name “Edogawa Ranpo” is a play on the
name “Edgar Allan Poe.” His debut work Nisen Doka was the first mystery novel
ever published in Shinseinen magazine, and he is generally credited with making
the mystery genre popular in Japan. He is known for his honkakumono featuring
Akechi Kogoro (明智小五郎), a detective similar to Sherlock Holmes who uses logic
and deduction to solve crimes. Famous works involving Akechi Kogoro include
D-zaka no Satsujin Jiken, Shinri Shiken, Yaneura no Sanposha, Kumo-Otoko and
Kurotokage. At the same time, he wrote many henkakumono which have strong
elements of horror or the surreal, including Ningen Isu, Kagami Jigoku, Imomushi,
and Oshie to Tabi suru Otoko. His henkakumono often involve themes of abnormal
sexuality and sadomasochism. From 1936 to 1962, Edogawa wrote a series of
detective stories for children called Shonen Tantei Shirizu (少年探偵シリーズ), in
which Akechi Kogoro and a group of children called the “Boy Detectives Gang” (少年
探偵団) solve crimes by the thief Kaijin Niju Menso (怪人二十面相). The series was
hugely popular and has sold more than 15 million copies up to the present.
Famous works: Nisen Doka (二銭銅貨) 1923
Ni Haijin (二癈人) 1924
D-zaka no Satsujin Jiken (Ｄ坂の殺人事件) 1925
Shinri Shiken (心理試験) 1925
Akai Heya (赤い部屋) 1925
Yaneura no Sanposha (屋根裏の散歩者) 1925
Ningen Isu (人間椅子) 1925
Panorama-to Kitan (パノラマ島奇談) 1926-1927
Kagami Jigoku (鏡地獄) 1926
Issun Boshi (一寸法師) 1926-1927
Inju (陰獣) 1928
Imomushi (芋虫) 1929
Koto no Oni (孤島の鬼) 1929-1930
Oshie to Tabi suru Otoko (押絵と旅する男) 1929
Kumo-Otoko (蜘蛛男) 1929-1930
Ogon Kamen (黄金仮面) 1930-1931
 Kurotokage (黒蜥蜴) 1934
Kaijin Niju Menso (怪人二十面相) 1936

2. Yokomizo Seishi ( 横 溝 正 史 1902-1981). Though Yokomizo Seishi began his

writing career in 1921, he was best known before the war as one of the editors of
Shinseinen magazine, where he worked from 1927 to 1932 and introduced many
important mystery writers to the Japanese public. It was after World War II that he
found huge success with his novels featuring the detective Kindaichi Kosuke (金田
一耕助). Unlike many prewar mystery writers whose stories had strong elements of
the surreal and supernatural, Yokomizo’s mysteries can generally be solved by
logical and rational explanation. His Kindaichi Kosuke novels like Honjin Satsujin
Jiken, Gokumon-to, Yatsuhaka-mura, and Inugami-ke no Ichizoku are considered
classics of the genre and are still imitated by Japanese mystery writers today. He is
also known for his historical mystery series, Ningyo Sashichi Torimonocho.
Famous works: Onibi (鬼火) 1935
Ningyo Sashichi Torimonocho (人形佐七捕物帳) 1938-1960
Kamen Gekijo (仮面劇場) 1938
Honjin Satsujin Jiken (本陣殺人事件) 1946
Chocho Satsujin Jiken (蝶々殺人事件) 1946-1947
Gokumon-to (獄門島) 1947-1948
Kuroneko-tei Jiken (黒猫亭事件) 1947
Yoru Aruku (夜歩く) 1948-1949
Yatsuhaka-mura (八つ墓村) 1949-1951
Inugami-ke no Ichizoku (犬神家の一族) 1950-1951
Joo-bachi (女王蜂) 1951-1952
Akuma ga Kitarite Fue o Fuku (悪魔が来りて笛を吹く) 1951-1953
Mitsukubi-to (三つ首塔) 1955
Akuma no Temari Uta (悪魔の手毬唄) 1957-1959
Kamen Butokai (仮面舞踏会) 1962-1974

3. Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作 1889-1936). Yumeno Kyusaku wrote both as a

novelist and as a journalist for Kyushu Nippo (九州日報) newspaper. He is best
known for his long novel Dogura Magura, about a man who wakes up in a mental
hospital with no memory of past events. He learns that he was used in a medical
experiment and may have been involved in the murders of several people, and
struggles to regain his memories and find out the truth. Dogura Magura is called
one of the “three strangest mystery novels” (三大奇書) in Japan. The story took
Yumeno over 10 years to write, and is incredibly meandering and bizarre. Yumeno’s
works show the influence of surrealism and romanticism, and many can be
classified as fantastic literature (幻想文学). They often explore the line between
reality and madness or the supernatural, and sometimes contain elements of horror
or science fiction. Yumeno’s novels are often written in the form of long monologues
(独白体形式) or letters (書簡体形式). An example of the latter is his famous short
story Binzume no Jigoku (also called Binzume Jigoku). The work consists of three
letters found in bottles, written by a brother and sister who are shipwrecked on a
deserted island.
Famous works: Ayakashi no Tsuzumi (あやかしの鼓) 1926
Inaka no Jiken (いなか、の、じけん) 1927-1930
Binzume (no) Jigoku (瓶詰(の)地獄) 1928
Hito no Kao (人の顔) 1928
Shigo no Koi (死後の恋) 1928
Oshie no Kiseki (押絵の奇蹟) 1929
Shina-mai no Fukuro (支那米の袋) 1929
Kanazuchi (鉄槌) 1929
Inugami Hakase (犬神博士) 1932
Kohri no Hate (氷の涯) 1933
Shojo Jigoku (少女地獄) 1934-1936
Dogura Magura (ドグラ・マグラ) 1935
Akuma Kitosho (悪魔祈祷書) 1936
Ningen Soseji (人間腸詰) 1936

left to right: Edogawa Ranpo, Yokomizo Seishi, Yumeno Kyusaku

4. Unno Juza (海野十三 1897-1949). Unno Juza is best known for his “science fiction
mysteries” featuring the detective Homura Soroku (帆村荘六). The name “Homura
Soroku” is believed to be a play on “Holmes, Sherlock.” While the solutions to
Sherlock Holmes mysteries are usually logical, however, the solutions to Homura
Soroku mysteries are bizarre and involve science fiction. Often, they are less
scientific than grotesque and absurd. Famous Homura Soroku mysteries include
Shindoma, Sekigaisen Otoko, Fushu, Ningenkai and Hae Otoko. Unno was a great
admirer of H.G. Wells, and also wrote many works of pure science fiction like
Juhachiji no Ongakuyoku, Hirumi Fujin no Reizo Kaban, and Daino Shujutsu. He
popularized science fiction with works aimed at children and young adults like
Chikyu Tonan, Kaitei Tairiku, Ukabu Hikoto and Kasei Heidan. Today, he is known
as the father of Japanese science fiction.
Famous works: Shindoma (振動魔) 1931
Sekigaisen Otoko (赤外線男) 1933
Fushu (俘囚) 1934
Ningenkai (人間灰) 1934
Sannin no Soseiji (三人の双生児) 1935
Chikyu Tonan (地球盗難) 1936
Juhachiji no Ongakuyoku (十八時の音楽浴) 1937
Hae Otoko (蠅男) 1937
Hirumi Fujin no Reizo Kaban (ヒルミ夫人の冷蔵鞄) 1937
Kaitei Tairiku (海底大陸) 1937-1938
Ukabu Hikoto (浮かぶ飛行島) 1938
Ikite iru Harawata (生きている腸) 1938
Kasei Heidan (火星兵団) 1939-1940
Daino Shujutsu (大脳手術) 1945

5. Hisao Juran (久生十蘭 1902-1957). In his early career, Hisao Juran wrote
mysteries like Kinro, lost world stories like Chitei Jukoku, or combinations of the
two genres like Azarashi-to. His most famous work from this period is the mystery
Mato. In the story, the Emperor of Annam (安南, today’s Vietnam) disappears while
visiting Tokyo on December 31, 1934, and a police investigator and newspaper
reporter try to solve the mystery. The novel is known for its vivid descriptions of the
city of Tokyo in this era. During the Pacific War, the Japanese government
prohibited the publication of modern mystery novels, but Juran was able to get
around the ban by publishing historical mysteries like Agojuro Torimonocho and
Hiraga Gennnai Torimonocho. He also published a series of girls’ stories called
Kyarako-san at this time. After the war, he had a successful literary career with a
variety of novels like Hamuretto, Yogen, Shin Saiyuki, Suzuki Mondo, and Boshizo.
Famous works: Kinro (金狼) 1936
Kuroi Techo (黒い手帳) 1937
Kohan (湖畔) 1937
Mato (魔都) 1937-1938
Azarashi-to (海豹島) 1939
Chitei Jukoku (地底獣国) 1939
Konchuzu (昆虫図) 1939
Kyarako-san (キャラコさん) 1939
Agojuro Torimonocho (顎十郎捕物帳) 1939-1945
Hiraga Gennai Torimonocho (平賀源内捕物帳) 1940
Hamuretto (ハムレット) 1946
Yogen (予言) 1947
Shin Saiyuki (新西遊記) 1950
Suzuki Mondo (鈴木主水) 1951
Boshizo (母子像) 1954

6. Oguri Mushitaro (小栗虫太郎 1901-1946). Oguri Mushitaro was interested in

both Edo period literature and Western mysticism, and combined these in a dense
writing style which is famous for being difficult to read. He made his debut with the
short story Kanzen Hanzai, a murder mystery set in China which does not feature a
single Japanese character. Oguri chose this location partly because he thought that
the design of Japanese houses made it impossible to set a closed-room murder (密室
殺人) mystery in Japan. His most famous work is Kokushikan Satsujin Jiken, which
like Yumeno Kyusaku’s Dogura Magura is considered one of the “three strangest
mystery novels” (三大奇書). The story is about a large Western-style mansion called
Kokushikan where a number of murders occur after the death of the head of the
family. The detective Norimizu Rintaro (法水麟太郎) tries to solve the case. Though
the basic plot is simple, Kokushikan Satsujin Jiken is so full of obscure references to
psychology, pharmacy, the occult, astrology, music, poetry, religion, history and
mythology that it is considered almost impossible to read. Oguri wrote a series of
works featuring Norimizu Rintaro, including Goko Satsujin Jiken, Sei Arekisei Jiin
no Sangeki, Yumedono Satsujin Jiken, Shitsurakuen Satsujin Jiken,
Oferiya-goroshi, and Ningyo no Nazo Oiwa-goroshi. Later in his career, his writing
style became easier to read and he wrote some novels with a strong element of
adventure, including his series of lost-world stories Jingai Makyo.
Famous works: Kanzen Hanzai (完全犯罪) 1933
Goko Satsujin Jiken (後光殺人事件) 1933
Sei Arekisei Jiin no Sangeki (聖アレキセイ寺院の惨劇) 1933
Yumedono Satsujin Jiken (夢殿殺人事件) 1934
Kokushikan Satsujin Jiken (黒死館殺人事件) 1934
Shitsurakuen Satsujin Jiken (失楽園殺人事件) 1934
Zekkei Bankoku Hakurankai (絶景万国博覧会) 1935
Oferiya-goroshi (オフェリヤ殺し) 1935
Ningyo no Nazo Oiwa-goroshi (人魚謎お岩殺し) 1935
Shiroari (白蟻) 1935
Komo Keisei (紅毛傾城) 1935
Benigara Rakuda no Himitsu (紅殻駱駝の秘密) 1936
Jimushi (地虫) 1937
Aoi Sagi (青い鷺) 1936-1937
Jingai Makyo (人外魔境) 1939-1941
Kaikyo Tenchikai (海峡天地会) 1943

left to right: Unno Juza, Hisao Juran, Oguri Mushitaro

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
For most of Japanese history, the main type of children’s story was folktales called
mukashibanashi ( 昔 話 ). Mukashibanashi were transmitted orally and varied
greatly from region to region. Few attempts were made to write them down until
the Muromachi period, when some mukashibanashi such as Issun Boshi (一寸法師)
and Urashima Taro (浦島太郎) were made into illustrated stories called Otogizoshi
(御伽草子). During the Edo period, mukashibanashi and famous Japanese legends
were published in children’s picture books called akahon (赤本) because of their red
covers.
In the Meiji era, the introduction of Western fairy tales and new Western ideas
about literature in general caused Japanese children’s literature to change. The
father of modern children’s literature in Japan was Iwaya Sazanami (巌谷小波
1870-1933). He originally belonged to the Kenyusha group of writers led by Ozaki
Koyo and wrote sentimental stories of young love, but he decided to become a
children’s writer instead. In 1891 he published the story Koganemaru (こがね丸),
which is considered to be the first modern Japanese children’s story. In 1895, he
launched a magazine for boys called Shonen Sekai (少年世界). In addition to Iwaya,
famous writers like Koda Rohan, Izumi Kyoka, Hirotsu Ryuro, Yamada Bimyo,
Kawakami Bizan, Tayama Katai, Tokuda Shusei, Wakamatsu Shizuko and Morita
Shiken also contributed stories. From 1906, Iwaya also launched a girls’ magazine
called Shojo Sekai (少女世界). In addition to his magazine job, Iwaya published
collections of Japanese mukashibanashi and Western fairy tales which he adapted
himself. The other important figure in Meiji children’s literature was Arimoto Hosui
(有本芳水 1886-1976), who wrote very popular poems for children in the traditional
5-7-5 form.
Children’s literature developed further during the Taisho era thanks to the efforts
of Suzuki Miekichi (鈴木三重吉 1882-1936). Suzuki was an author who originally
wrote novels for adults, but decided to switch to children’s literature after his eldest
daughter was born. He was disgusted by the poor quality of Japanese children’s
literature and wanted to create good stories for his daughter to read. In 1918, he
launched the children’s magazine Akai Tori, and as Iwaya had done, he asked his
famous writer friends for help. The novelists Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Arishima
Takeo, Tanizaki Junichiro and Kikuchi Kan, as well as the poets Kitahara Hakushu
(北原白秋), Takahama Kyoshi (高浜虚子) and Miki Rofu (三木露風), contributed
children’s stories and songs to Akai Tori. The most famous of these is Akutagawa
Ryunosuke’s short story Kumo no Ito. As for Suzuki, he wrote mainly adaptations of
Western fairy tales and Japanese folktales and legends. He is particularly known
for adapting the legends of the 8th century work Kojiki (古事記) into children’s
stories. He wrote only one original children’s story, Poppo no Otecho (ぽっぽのお手帳
1918).
Akai Tori was quite popular and had over 30,000 readers at its peak. The
children’s magazine Kin no Fune (金の船), which was launched in 1919 and changed
its name to Kin no Hoshi (金の星) in 1922, also sold well. The popularity of these
magazines allowed some writers to specialize in children’s literature. While Iwaya
Sazanami and Suzuki Miekichi wrote mainly adaptations, these new authors wrote
their own original stories. They included Ogawa Mimei (小川未明), who wrote the
first modern Japanese collection of original children’s stories, Akai Fune (赤い船), in
1910; and Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉), who became one of the star writers at Akai
Tori with stories like Gongitsune (ごん狐). In the late Taisho and early Showa period,
some proletarian authors also wrote stories for children. The most famous writer of
proletarian children’s stories was Makimoto Kusuro (槇本楠郎 1898-1956).
Today, the most famous prewar children’s writer is Miyazawa Kenji (宮沢賢治),
but he was almost totally unknown during his lifetime. His stories were rejected by
Akai Tori, and those he was able to publish elsewhere were not popular. He only
became famous after his death, thanks to the efforts of the poet Kusano Shinpei (草
野心平).

Famous Writers
1. Ogawa Mimei ( 小 川 未 明 1882-1961). Ogawa Mimei was the first modern
Japanese writer to specialize in original stories for children. His work Akai Fune
was the first collection of original children’s stories to be published in modern Japan.
In the early part of his career, he wrote not only children’s stories but stories for
adults, including Sato yori Amai Tabako, which is considered a precursor to
proletarian literature. In 1926, he declared that he would stop writing novels for
adults and specialize completely in children’s literature. He left behind about 1,000
stories for children, including famous works like Akai Rosoku to Ningyo, Nobara,
Tsukiyo to Megane, Kin no Wa and Tsuki to Azarashi.
Famous works: Akai Fune (赤い船) 1910
Nemui Machi (眠い町) 1914
Kin no Wa (金の輪) 1919
Sato yori Amai Tabako (砂糖より甘い煙草) 1920
Akai Rosoku to Ningyo (赤い蝋燭と人魚) 1921
Tsukiyo to Megane (月夜と眼鏡) 1922
Nobara (野薔薇) 1922
Tsuki to Azarashi (月と海豹) 1925
Aozora no Shita no Harappa (青空の下の原っぱ) 1932

2. Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉 1913-1943). Niimi Nankichi’s mother died when he

was 4 years old, and he became ill with tuberculosis at the age of 20. He showed
great talent for writing from an early age and made his debut as a writer for Akai
Tori when he was just 18 years old. He wrote a number of famous children’s stories
before dying of tuberculosis at the age of 29. He left behind three collections of
children’s stories: Ojiisan no Ranpu (おぢいさんのランプ 1942), Ushi o Tsunaida
Tsubaki no Ki (牛をつないだ椿の木 1943), and Hananoki-mura to Nusubitotachi (花
のき村と盗人たち 1943). His most famous story is Gongitsune, which Niimi wrote
when he was only 17 and is considered to be one of the great classics of modern
Japanese children’s literature. He is also known for stories like Ojiisan no Ranpu
and Tebukuro o Kai ni.
Famous works: Shobo to Kuro (正坊とクロ) 1931
Gongitsune (ごん狐) 1932
Amedama (飴だま) 1933
Dendenmushi no Kanashimi (デンデンムシノカナシミ) 1935
Saigo no Kokyuhiki (最後の胡弓弾き) 1939
Ojiisan no Ranpu (おぢいさんのランプ) 1942
Tebukuro o Kai ni (手袋を買いに) 1943
Ushi o Tsunaida Tsubaki no Ki (牛をつないだ椿の木) 1943
Hananoki-mura to Nusubitotachi (花のき村と盗人たち) 1943

3. Miyazawa Kenji (宮沢賢治 1896-1933). Miyazawa Kenji’s family ran a pawnshop

(質屋), and as a child he felt very guilty when he saw poor farmers coming to his
family’s shop to sell their important possessions. Hoping to help the farmers in his
home region of Iwate Prefecture, he studied agriculture and became a teacher at
Hanamaki Agricultural High School (花巻農学校), but he did not find his work
meaningful and quit his teaching position in 1926. He began to live as a subsistence
farmer and formed the Rasu Farmers Association (羅須地人協会). He worked in the
fields in the daytime and held association meetings at night, where he taught local
farmers about agricultural technology, science, Esperanto, and culture like music,
literature and theater. Miyazawa was also a strong believer in Buddhism and a
vegetarian. He wrote poetry and children’s stories set in the fictional land of Ihatov
(イーハトーブ), which was actually Iwate Prefecture. The name was inspired by the
fact that “Iwate” was written “Ihate” (いはて) in old Japanese. Though his poems
attracted the attention of the poet Kusano Shinpei (草野心平), his children’s stories
met with little success. He used his own money to publish 1,000 copies of his
children’s story collection Chumon no Ooi Ryoriten (注文の多い料理店) in 1924, but
almost none of them sold. He hoped to write for Akai Tori, but the magazine rejected
his stories because they were very different from the types of works they were
publishing. Though he was able to publish a few of his stories elsewhere, they
received little attention, and Miyazawa made a total of only 5 yen in his lifetime
from his children’s stories. He died in 1933 from lung disease just as his work was
starting to get noticed. With the help of Kusano Shinpei, his children’s stories were
published the year after his death in 1934, and this time they received widespread
recognition. His fame gradually grew after that, and today Miyazawa Kenji is
considered to be the greatest Japanese children’s writer. He is also known for his
famous poem Ame ni mo Makezu ( 雨 ニ モ マ ケ ズ , written 1931), which was
discovered and published after his death.
Famous works: Yukiwatari (雪渡り) 1921
Yamanashi (やまなし) 1923
Chumon no Ooi Ryoriten (注文の多い料理店) 1924
Donguri to Yamaneko (どんぐりと山猫) 1924
Karasu no Hokuto Shichisei (烏の北斗七星) 1924
Shishiodori no Hajimari (鹿踊りのはじまり) 1924
Otsuberu to Zo (オツベルと象) 1926
Neko no Jimusho (猫の事務所) 1926
Gusuko Budori no Denki (グスコーブドリの伝記) 1932
Futago no Hoshi (双子の星) 1934
Ginga Tetsudo no Yoru (銀河鉄道の夜) 1934
Kaze no Matasaburo (風の又三郎) 1934
Porano no Hiroba (ポラーノの広場) 1934
Sero Hiki no Goshu (セロ弾きのゴーシュ) 1934
Yodaka no Hoshi (よだかの星) 1934

left to right: Ogawa Mimei, Niimi Nankichi, Miyazawa Kenji

Sources: 安城市中央図書館 website; 青空文庫; Books from Japan website; Hirayama Yuichi,
The Japanese Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (retrieved from the Shoso-in Bulletin website); 久
生十蘭オフィシャルサイト準備委員会 website; Hugo Strikes Back website; 上越教育大学 小
埜裕二 homepage; 上越市立潮陵中学校 website; Kotobank; 松岡正剛の千夜千冊 website; 宮澤
の探偵小説頁 website; 新美南吉記念館 website; お気に入り読書 WEB; 押入れで独り言 blog;
tamiyagi2 のホームページ; 扉を開くとき website; とらぶた小説事務所 website; 上田信道の児
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