Factbook

A Dynamic Compendium of Interesting Japanese Literary and Publishing Facts

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The Nobel Prize committee cited Rudyard Kipling’s writing on the manners and customs of the Japanese when they awarded him his Nobel prize in 1907[UPDATED: 3-1-2023]

Carl David af Wirsén (1842-1912), the Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy that awards the Nobel Prize in literature, cited Rudyard Kipling’s (1865-1936) writings on the manners and customs of the Japanese as an example of Kipling’s distinctive, original and sometimes ironic style of writing when… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Nobel
- On Japan
- Poetry
- Prizes
The Nobel Prize committee cited Rudyard Kipling’s writing on the manners and customs of the Japanese when they awarded him his Nobel prize in 1907 Posted April 1st, 2021 by Richard Nathan
Japan’s ‘first’ Olympic Book, ‘The Fruits of Olympus’, was published in 1940[UPDATED: 3-1-2023]

In 1932 Japan sent a large team of 115 men and 16 women to the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. They performed extremely well, winning 7 gold, 7 silver, and 4 bronze medals. Japan’s success at this Olympics did not just generate nationalistic pride at home;… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Olympics
- Sports
Japan’s ‘first’ Olympic Book, ‘The Fruits of Olympus’, was published in 1940 Posted July 6th, 2021 by Richard Nathan
In 1935 Tatsuzo Ishikawa won the inaugural Akutagawa Literary Prize[UPDATED: 2-17-2023]

Tatsuzo Ishikawa (1905-1985) won the inaugural Akutagawa Prize, one of Japan’s most prestigious literary awards, in 1935 for his novel Sobo (蒼氓), a story about a group of Japanese farmers who plan to emigrate to Brazil and their experience at an immigration office in the… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Kazufumi Shiraishi
- Mitsuyo Kakuta
- Prizes
- Waseda
In 1935 Tatsuzo Ishikawa won the inaugural Akutagawa Literary Prize Posted September 13th, 2022 by Richard Nathan
In the 1940s, studying medicine exempted individuals in Japan from being drafted as soldiers. It’s something that two of Japan’s most talented post-war storytellers did[UPDATED: 2-5-2023]

Japan’s military conscription rules changed as the Second World War progressed. These changes included lowering the age that individuals had to reach before falling into scope for the Japanese wartime draft as well as the cancellation of university student deferments. Students who studied most subjects,… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Medicine
In the 1940s, studying medicine exempted individuals in Japan from being drafted as soldiers. It’s something that two of Japan’s most talented post-war storytellers did Posted December 13th, 2022 by Richard Nathan
Japan’s first magazine, and the first in Asia, dedicated to gay men, Barazoku, was launched in 1971[UPDATED: 1-22-2023]

Japan’s first commercial magazine targeting gay men was launched in 1971. Barazoku, which is thought to have been Asia’s as well as Japan’s first commercial gay magazine, was not just sold in specialist bookshops and clubs. The magazine was distributed by the two major Japanese book… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Industry
- LGBT
- Magazines
Japan’s first magazine, and the first in Asia, dedicated to gay men, Barazoku, was launched in 1971 Posted February 27th, 2020 by Richard Nathan
Yukio Mishima chose his pen name when he was just 16[UPDATED: 11-17-2022]

Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), one of Japan’s most famous writers, chose his pen name when he was just 16. The discovery of a draft of his book Hana Zakari no Mori, The forest in full bloom, has his name, Kimitake Hiraoka, crossed out and the name… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Nobel
- pen names
- Prizes
Yukio Mishima chose his pen name when he was just 16 Posted January 3rd, 2018 by Richard Nathan
In 1968 the Japanese edition of ‘Playboy’ serialised a Yukio Mishima novel[UPDATED: 11-7-2022]

Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) is known for many things including killing himself and being nominated multiple times for the Nobel Prize in Literature and never winning. In his short writing life (around 21 years), Mishima was highly prolific publishing 40 novels, translations including a translation of… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- creative writing
- History
- Magazines
In 1968 the Japanese edition of ‘Playboy’ serialised a Yukio Mishima novel Posted November 7th, 2022 by Richard Nathan
Japan experienced a ‘Bushido’ publishing boom in the early 1900s[UPDATED: 10-13-2022]

Bushido: the Soul of Japan, which US President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), bought copies of for his friends, is still probably the most famous book about samurai ethics and the so-called way of the Japanese warrior gentleman. It was published initially in English in 1900, and… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Samurai
Japan experienced a ‘Bushido’ publishing boom in the early 1900s Posted October 13th, 2022 by Richard Nathan

Factbook

The Nobel Prize committee cited Rudyard Kipling’s writing on the manners and customs of the Japanese when they awarded him his Nobel prize in 1907[UPDATED: 3-1-2023]

Japan’s ‘first’ Olympic Book, ‘The Fruits of Olympus’, was published in 1940[UPDATED: 3-1-2023]

In 1935 Tatsuzo Ishikawa won the inaugural Akutagawa Literary Prize[UPDATED: 2-17-2023]

In the 1940s, studying medicine exempted individuals in Japan from being drafted as soldiers. It’s something that two of Japan’s most talented post-war storytellers did[UPDATED: 2-5-2023]

Japan’s first magazine, and the first in Asia, dedicated to gay men, Barazoku, was launched in 1971[UPDATED: 1-22-2023]

Yukio Mishima chose his pen name when he was just 16[UPDATED: 11-17-2022]

In 1968 the Japanese edition of ‘Playboy’ serialised a Yukio Mishima novel[UPDATED: 11-7-2022]

Japan experienced a ‘Bushido’ publishing boom in the early 1900s[UPDATED: 10-13-2022]

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