Montse Watkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Montse Watkins
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Montse Watkins, Tokyo, 1994, with the translation of Kenji Miyazawa's Night Train in the Milky Way just off her Luna Books publishing house print. Photo: Chelo Alvarez-Stehle
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Montse Watkins Pedra
August 27, 1955 Barcelona
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| Died | November 25, 2000 (aged 45) Kamakura, Japan
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| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Journalist, writer, editor, translator |
Montse Watkins (born August 27, 1955, in Barcelona, Spain – died November 25, 2000, in Kamakura, Japan) was a Spanish journalist, writer, and translator. She lived in Japan from 1985 until her death in 2000. Most of her important work happened in Japan.
Montse worked as a reporter for news agencies like Efe and Avui. She also wrote for El Mundo newspaper. She was known for studying the lives of nikkei. These are people of Japanese descent who moved to Japan for work, often without knowing the language or culture. Montse was one of the first people to translate Japanese books directly into Spanish. She chose works by important authors like Kenji Miyazawa, Natsume Sōseki, Osamu Dazai, and Toson Shimazaki.
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About Montse Watkins
Montse Watkins Pedra was born in Barcelona, Spain, on August 27, 1955. Her father, Esteban Watkins Lafuente, worked for the Catalan Football Federation. Her mother, María Teresa Pedra Gil, managed their home. Montse had a younger sister named Maite. When Montse was three, her family moved to the Horta neighborhood in Barcelona.
Montse went to a school run by nuns. She was very smart and good at learning languages. Later, she studied Agricultural Engineering. She also studied Philology, which is the study of language and literature.
In March 1985, Montse traveled to Japan. She wanted to learn about Japanese language and culture. She once said she was looking for adventure, inspired by the beautiful Japan she saw in movies. She stayed in Japan for the rest of her life and never went back to Spain.
For three years, she studied Japanese at a famous school in Tokyo. During this time, she started translating books. One of her first translations was Ginga tetsudō no yoru by Kenji Miyazawa. She published it in 1994 as Tren nocturno de la Vía Láctea (Night on the Galactic Railroad). She published it through Luna Books, her own publishing company in Tokyo. She was the first person to both translate and publish Japanese literature directly into Spanish.
Her Work as a Journalist
In 1988, Montse started working for the Spanish news agency Efe in Tokyo. She worked there for seven years. After that, she became a reporter for the Catalan newspaper Avui. She continued to work with them for the rest of her life. She also wrote for the newspaper El Mundo.
In 1991, Montse met Tomi Okiyama, who became her partner. He was part of a group that helped Latin American workers. This meeting changed Montse's life. She became very interested in the lives of Latin American workers in Japan. Many of these workers were of Japanese descent. They came to Japan starting in 1989 because of new immigration rules. Montse wrote two important reports about these workers. She was a pioneer in this area of research too.
In 1992, her essay "Coming Back to Japan: The Nikkei Workers" was published. It appeared in a magazine called AMPO Japan-Asia Quarterly Review.
Luna Books and Her Columns
In 1994, Montse started her own publishing company, Luna Books. Through Luna Books, she published her own translations and those of other experts. She also published journalistic essays and fiction books. The Japan Foundation helped fund some of these publications.
In October 1995, she started writing a column called Octavo día (Eighth day). It was for a Spanish-language newspaper in Japan called International Press - En español. This newspaper was for the Latin American community. Later, her column changed its name to A vista de pájaro (Bird’s-eye view). She wrote this column regularly until October 2000. She passed away from cancer in a hospital in Kamakura the next month. She also wrote for other Spanish-language newspapers in Japan, like Musashi and Kyodai.
A journalist and filmmaker named Chelo Alvarez-Stehle is writing a book about Montse's life. She is also making a documentary film called "Montse Watkins: Kamakura Tales".
Montse's Books
After starting Luna Books, Montse became very active as a writer, translator, and editor. She wrote two journalistic essays about Latin Americans in Japan. She also wrote two collections of short stories and a book of traditional legends. She translated eleven literary works. She also published a collection of stories by Latino authors living in Japan.
Fiction Books by Montse
- El portal rojo (The red gate). This book has three short stories set in Japan. It was published in 1994. It was also published in Portuguese and Japanese.
- Las gafas rotas (The broken glasses). This is a short novel from 1996. It makes fun of life in modern Japan. It was also published in Portuguese and Japanese.
- Leyendas de Kamakura (Kamakura legends). This book from 1998 is a collection of old stories. It features samurais, old monks, and magical animals.
Non-Fiction Books by Montse
- Pasajeros de un sueño. Emigrantes latinoamericanos en Japón (A dream’s passengers. Latin American migrants in Japan). This detailed report from 1995 is about Latin American workers arriving and settling in Japan. It was also published in Portuguese and Japanese.
- ¿El fin del sueño? Latinoamericanos en Japón (The end of the dream? Latin Americans in Japan). This report from 1999 also covers Latin American workers in Japan. It was published in Portuguese and Japanese.
Books Edited by Montse
- Encuentro (Encounter). This book from 1997 is a collection of stories. It was written by Latino authors living in Japan.
Montse's Translations
Montse Watkins was a pioneer in translating Japanese literature directly into Spanish.
- Tren nocturno de la Vía Láctea (Ginga tetsudō no yoru) (Night on the Galactic Railroad), by Kenji Miyazawa. This book from 1994 also includes two other stories by the author. It was also published in Portuguese.
- El dragón (The Dragon). Short stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Published in 1995.
- Historias mágicas (Magical stories). Ten short stories and a poem by Kenji Miyazawa. Published in 1996.
- Soy un gato (Wa-ga-hai wa neko de aru) (I Am a Cat), selected chapters, by Natsume Sōseki. Published in 1996.
- Historias misteriosas (Mysterious stories). Short stories by Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn). Published in 1996.
- El precepto roto (Hakai) (The Broken Commandment). A novel by Shimazaki Tōson. Published in 1997.
- La linterna de peonía y otras historias misteriosas (The peony lantern and other mystery stories). Short stories by Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn). Published in 1998.
- El ocaso (Shayō) (The Setting Sun). A novel by Osamu Dazai. Published in 1999.
- Indigno de ser humano (Ningen shikkaku) (No Longer Human). A novel by Osamu Dazai. Published in 1999.
- El mesón con muchos pedidos (Chūmon no ooi ryōriten) (The hectic inn), by Kenji Miyazawa. Montse translated this with Elena Gallego Andrada. Published in 2000.
- Almohada de hierba (Kusamakura) (Grass Pillow). A novel by Natsume Sōseki. Montse started this translation, but it was finished by Shigeko Suzuki after Montse passed away. Published in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Montse Watkins para niños
