Tatsuzō Ishikawa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tatsuzō Ishikawa
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| Born | July 2, 1905 Yokote, Akita Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | January 31, 1985 (aged 79) Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Notable works | Sōbō |
| Notable awards | 1st Akutagawa Prize for Sōbō |
Tatsuzō Ishikawa (石川 達三, Ishikawa Tatsuzō, July 2, 1905 – January 31, 1985) was a famous Japanese writer. He was the very first person to win the important Akutagawa Prize.
About Tatsuzō Ishikawa
Tatsuzō Ishikawa was born in Yokote, in Akita Prefecture, Japan. He grew up in many different places, including the cities of Kyoto and Okayama Prefecture. He started studying literature at Waseda University. However, he left before he finished his degree.
In 1930, Ishikawa traveled from Japan to Brazil. There, he worked on a farm for a while. His experiences in Brazil later inspired his novel Sōbō (蒼氓). This book helped him win the first-ever Akutagawa Prize in 1935.
Writing About War
In December 1937, Ishikawa went to Nanjing as a special reporter. He was sent by the Chūō Kōron publishing company. He arrived in Nanjing in January 1938. This was just weeks after the city had been taken over by the Imperial Japanese Army.
Ishikawa wrote a fictional story called Ikite iru Heitai (生きている兵隊). This story was about the difficult experiences of both soldiers and civilians during the war. Because of its sensitive topic, about a quarter of the book was removed before it was even published. Even so, the magazine it was in was taken off shelves the day it came out.
Ishikawa and his publishers faced legal trouble because of the book. They were accused of "causing disturbance to peace and order." The full version of Ikite iru Heitai was not published until after the war ended, in December 1945. You can read an English version called Soldiers Alive.
Later Life and Achievements
After the war, Ishikawa continued to be a very active writer. In 1969, he received the Kikuchi Kan Prize. This award recognized his important contributions to Japanese literature. He was also an active member of the Japan Art Academy. Tatsuzō Ishikawa passed away in Tokyo in 1985.
Awards and Honors
- 1935 – Akutagawa Prize for his novel Sōbō (蒼氓)
- 1969 – Kikuchi Kan Prize
