Jakucho Setouchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jakucho Setouchi
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Setouchi in 2012
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| Born | Harumi Mitani 15 May 1922 Tokushima, Japan |
| Died | 9 November 2021 (aged 99) Kyoto, Japan |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Genre | Novels |
| Notable works | Kashin, Natsu no Owari, Hana ni Toe, The Tale of Genji |
Jakucho Setouchi (born Harumi Mitani), was a famous Japanese writer, Buddhist nun, and activist. She was born on May 15, 1922, and passed away on November 9, 2021.
Jakucho Setouchi wrote more than 400 novels, many of which were based on real people's lives or historical events. She also created a very popular translation of The Tale of Genji, an ancient Japanese story. Her important work was recognized when she was named a Person of Cultural Merit in 1997 and received the Order of Culture of Japan in 2006.
Contents
Her Early Life and Writing
Jakucho Setouchi was born Harumi Mitani in Tokushima, Japan, on May 15, 1922. Her father was a skilled craftsman who made special wooden objects for Buddhist and Shinto temples. In 1929, her family changed their last name to Setouchi.
She studied Japanese literature at Tokyo Woman's Christian University. In 1943, she married Yasushi Sakai. They moved to Beijing, China, where her husband worked for the Japanese government. Their daughter was born there in 1944.
After World War II, she returned to Japan in 1946. In 1950, her marriage ended, and she began a new chapter in her life. She started writing novels, and her first one was published in a magazine.
In 1957, she won her first writing award for her novel "Qu Ailing, the Female College Student." For a few years, it was hard for her to get her books published.
Focusing on Women's Stories
Later, Setouchi started writing novels about important women from history. These included writers and activists like Kanoko Okamoto and Itō Noe.
In 1963, she won The Women's Literature Prize for her book Natsu no Owari ("The End of Summer"), which became a best-seller. She also wrote essays, such as Ai no Rinri ("The Ethics of Love") in 1968.
Becoming a Nun and Activist
In 1973, Setouchi decided to become a Buddhist nun in the Tendai school of Buddhism. She received her new name, Jakuchō, which means "silent, lonely listening." From 1987 to 2005, she served as the head priestess at the Tendaiji temple in Iwate Prefecture.
Jakucho Setouchi was a strong believer in peace. She became an activist and spoke out against wars, including the Gulf War in 1991 and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She also joined anti-nuclear protests in Fukushima after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. In 2012, she even went on a hunger strike to protest nuclear power. She also spoke against the death penalty.
Later Works and Recognition
In 1992, she received the Tanizaki Prize for her novel Hana ni Toe ("Ask the Flowers"). Her biggest project was translating The Tale of Genji from old Japanese into modern Japanese. This took her six years! The translation was published in ten books in 1998. She believed that Prince Genji in the story helped tell the tales of the women in the royal court. Her translation was incredibly popular, selling over 2.1 million copies by mid-1999. After it was published, she traveled and gave many talks about the book.
In 2006, she was given the Order of Culture of Japan, a very high honor. She also wrote under the pen name "Purple" and even wrote a "cell phone novel" called Tomorrow's Rainbow in 2008. She continued to write and publish in literary magazines, with her novel Inochi ("Life") coming out in 2017.
Jakucho Setouchi passed away from heart failure in Kyoto, Japan, on November 9, 2021. She was 99 years old. Her home temple was in the Sagano area of Kyoto.
Her Important Works
- Joshidaisei Chui Airin ("Qu Ailing, the Female College Student") (1957)
- Natsu no owari ("The End of Summer") (1962), translated by Janine Beichman ISBN: 978-4-77001-746-8
- Kashin ("Center of a Flower") (1963)
- Hana ni toe ("Ask the Flowers") (1992)
- Beauty in Disarray (1993), translated by Sanford Goldstein and Kazuji Ninomiya ISBN: 978-0-80483-322-6
- The Tale of Genji (1998)
Awards and Honors
- 1957 Shinchosha Coterie Magazine Award for Joshidaisei Chui Airin
- 1963 Women's Literature Prize (Joryu Bungaku Sho) for Natsu no Owari
- 1992 Tanizaki Prize for Hana ni Toe
- 1997 Person of Cultural Merit
- 2001 Noma Prize in literature for Basho
- 2006 Order of Culture of Japan
- 2006 International Nonino Prize
See also
In Spanish: Jakuchō Setouchi para niños
