Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: writer

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Chikamatsu Monzaemon

近松門左衛門
alternative words: Monzaemon Chikamatsu
keywords: famous person , kabuki , theater , writer
related topics: Edo period , Kabuki , Bunraku , Ronin
related web sites: http://www.sonoda-u.ac.jp/chikamatsu/ , http://www.kosaiji.org/chikamatsu/ , http://www.kosaiji.org , http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~soyama/menu.htm
explanation: Born in 1653 in a samurai family of Fukui prefecture. As his father became a ronin, he worked as servant in a Kyoto's aristocrat and learnt to write. Becoming a popular scenario writer at the age 30, he worked most of time for Takemoto Gidayu's bunraku theater and Sakata Tojuro's kabuki theater. His favorite theme is men and women who suffer from a rigid social structure such as "Sonezaki shinju", "Meido no hikyaku", "Shinju ten no amijima". He died in 1724.

Fujiwara no Sadaie

藤原定家 藤原定家
alternative words: Fujiwarano Sadaie, Fujiwara no Teika, Fujiwarano Teika
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Heian period , Kamakura period , Shin kokinshu
related web sites: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~sg2h-ymst/yamatouta/sennin/teika.html , http://www3.justnet.ne.jp/~mononoke/home.htm
explanation: Poet of the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Born in 1162 as a son of Fujiwara no Toshinari, another poet. Since he participated to an imperial poetry party at the age 17, his reputation had never ceased to spread and he was appointed by Gotoba joko to a compiler of "Shin kokinshu" in 1201. His style, "ushin", i.e. "aesthetic sensibility" had strongly influenced the poetry of the next generation. His diary, Meigetsuki is an excellent source to learn aristocrat's life of the epoch. He died in 1241.

Hiraga Gennai

平賀源内
alternative words: Gennai Hiraga
keywords: famous person , scholar , writer
related topics: Edo period , Rangaku , Edo , Tanuma Okitsugu , Ronin
related web sites: http://www.look-kagawa.com/wnn-c/wnn5/gennai.htm , http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~marusan/kankopage/kanko8.htm
explanation: Born in 1729 in a low ranking samurai family of Shikoku. He followed first Dutch and medical studies (Rangaku) at Nagasaki, then went to Edo to become a botanist. Unable to follow the rigid feudal system, he became ronin but people was really surprised by his invention such as thermometers and electric devices. He was once engaged by Tanuma Okitsugu to prospect Japanese natural resources. He also wrote some Joruri plays. After having killed someone during a dispute, he died in prison in 1779.

Ihara Saikaku

井原西鶴 西鶴
alternative words: Saikaku Ihara, Saikaku, Iharasaikaku
keywords: famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Edo period , Haiku
related web sites: http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/cozy-p/saikaku.html
explanation: Born in 1642 in a wealthy merchant family of Osaka. First, he traveled over Japan and wrote many haiku poems. In 1682, by publishing "Koshoku ichidai otoko", a novel about a man who spent his life in erotic activities, he became a popular writer. His other master works are: "Koshoku gonin onna", "Koshoku ichidai onna", "Nihon eidaigura" etc. His novels well described the habits and mentality of rising merchant class who gave a great importance to money and sex. He died in 1693.

Ki no Tsurayuki

紀貫之
alternative words: Kino Tsurayuki, Tsurayuki Kino, Tsurayuki
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Kokinwakashu , Heian period , Waka
related web sites: http://tourism.rikkyo.ac.jp/yasujima/kikoubun/sugata/
explanation: Poet and bureaucrat of Heian period. Born in a family of middle class bureaucrat in 872. Talented in waka (Japanese poems), he became the leading compiler of Konkinshu in 905 and added Kokinwakashu jo which is the first known critic work on Japanese poems. Then, he was nominated to the governor of Kochi prefecture in 930. The diary written during his return trip to Kyoto in 935, Tosa diary (Tosa nikki), is an initiator of pure Japanese style prose. He died in 945.

Kobayashi Issa

小林一茶 一茶
alternative words: Issa Kobayashi, Issa
keywords: famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Edo period , Haiku
related web sites: http://www.threeweb.ad.jp/logos/ainet/issa.html , http://www2j.biglobe.ne.jp/~sim_g/his_life.htm
explanation: Born in 1763 in a farmer of north Nagano. After the death of his mother, unable to live with the stepmother, he was sent by father to Tokyo at the age 15 for an apprenticeship. There, he learnt haiku poems from Nirokuan Chikua. After the death of Chikua, he inherited his school and traveled the western Japan to master his haiku. After the death of his father, he disputed the heritage with the stepmother and her children. His main haiku anthology is Oragaharu (my spring). He died in 1827.

Matsuo Basho

松尾芭蕉 芭蕉
alternative words: Basho Matsuo, Matsuo Bashou, Bashou Matsuo, Basho, Bashou
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Haiku , Edo period
related web sites: http://www.bashouan.com/psBashou.htm , http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~hirobe/basyou/index.htm , http://www.ese.yamanashi.ac.jp/~itoyo/basho/basho.htm , http://133.67.71.133
explanation: Poet and travel writer of the early Edo period. Born in a samurai family of Mie prefecture in 1644, he learned Haiku first at Kyoto then Tokyo. There, he established gradually his own style and became a popular Haiku teacher. Unsatisfied with his fame, he spent the most of his advance ages in journeys. Nozarashi kiko (1684) related his journey in Kinki region, while Okuno hosomich (1689), in Tohoku region. He died in 1694 at Osaka when ready to depart to western Japan.

Otomo no Yakamochi

大伴家持 家持
alternative words: Otomono Yakamochi, Ootomo no Yakamochi, Otomo Yakamochi, Yakamochi
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , statesman , writer
related topics: Nara period , Manyoshu , Waka , Kokushi
related web sites: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~sg2h-ymst/ , http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~takata/hokuriku/manyouyukari/manyou.yakamochi.htm
explanation: Waka poet and statesman of Nara period, born as a son of the prestigious Otomo family around 618. During his stay as provincial governor (Kokushi) in different regions, he made many waka poems. In 682, due to a putsch of Hikami no Kawatsugi, he lost job but soon pardoned and became a minister (Chunagon). After his death in 785, he lost again his honor due to an assassination of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu. Yakamochi is well known as one of the major contributors of Manyo anthology.

Yosa Buson

与謝蕪村 谷口蕪村 蕪村
alternative words: Buson Yosa, Buson, Taniguchi Buson
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , writer
related topics: Edo period , Haiku
related web sites: http://busons.hoops.livedoor.com , http://www.nime.ac.jp/~saga/busonj.html
explanation: Born in 1716 in Osaka. He went to Tokyo before age 20 to learn haiku from Hayano Hajin. After his death, he traveled Kanto and Tohoku region for 10 years. In 1751, he went back to Kyoto and began to work on Chinese style pictures (Bunjinga) by collaborating with Ikeno Taiga, another master of Bunjinga. In 1766, he returned back to haiku activity, proposing a revival of Basho style, then surpassed it with a modern freshness. He died in 1783. Buson Shichibushu is a compilation of his haiku poems.

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