Makoto Ōoka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Makoto Ōoka
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A view of Ooka Makoto Kotoba Museum
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| Native name |
大岡 信
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| Born | February 16, 1931 Mishima, Shizuoka |
| Died | April 5, 2017 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Poet and literary critic |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Literary movement | Renshi |
| Notable works | The Japanese and Mt. Fuji, Uta no saijiki, A Play of Mirrors: Eight Major Poets of Modern Japan |
| Notable awards | Cultural Prize of the Municipality of Tokyo, Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Japan Academy of the Arts Prize for poetry and criticism |
Makoto Ōoka (born February 16, 1931, in Mishima, Shizuoka – died April 5, 2017) was a famous Japanese poet and literary critic. He was known for his creative work with words. Ōoka helped create a special type of collaborative poetry called renshi in the 1990s. He worked with many well-known writers from around the world on these poems.
A Special Kind of Poetry: Renshi
Makoto Ōoka was a pioneer in a unique poetry style called renshi. This is a type of collaborative poetry. It means several poets work together to create one long poem. Each poet adds their own part, building on what others have written.
Ōoka collaborated with many famous writers. Some of these included Charles Tomlinson, James Lasdun, and Shuntarō Tanikawa. This way of writing allowed different voices to come together. It created something new and exciting in the world of poetry.
Writing for Everyone: His Newspaper Column
For more than 20 years, Makoto Ōoka had a special poetry column. It appeared every single day on the front page of the Asahi Shimbun. This is one of Japan's biggest national newspapers.
Imagine having your poems read by millions of people daily! This showed how much people loved his writing. It also helped many people discover and enjoy poetry. His column was a big part of his life's work.
Awards and Recognition
Makoto Ōoka received many important awards for his work. These awards celebrated his talent as a poet and critic. They recognized his contributions to literature in Japan and beyond.
Here are some of the awards he received:
- 1993: Cultural Prize of the Municipality of Tokyo
- 1993: Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France) – This is a special honor from France for artists.
- 1995: Japan Academy of the Arts Prize for poetry and criticism
- 1996: Asahi Prize
- 1996: Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia – A major international poetry award.
- 1997: Cultural Merit Award
- 2002: Japan Foundation Award
These awards show how much Makoto Ōoka's work was valued. He was truly a respected figure in the world of poetry.
