Muramatsu Shōfu

Muramatsu Shōfu
Muramatsu Shōfu
Born	21 September 1889(1889-09-21) Shizuoka prefecture Japan
Died	13 February 1961(1961-02-13) (aged 71) Tokyo Japan
Occupation	Writer
Genres	novelist

In this Japanese name, the family name is "Muramatsu".

Muramatsu Shōfu (村松梢風^?) (21 September 1889 - 13 February 1961) was the pen-name of Muramatsu Giichi, a Japanese novelist active during the Showa period of Japan.

Early life

Shōfu was born in Mori Town, Shizuoka prefecture, which was (and is) a very rural district. Unhappy with country life, he moved to Shiba in Tokyo and attended Keio University. However, he spent more of his time in the Tokyo pleasure districts, such as Yoshiwara, rather than in the classroom. His first novel, Kotohime monogatari was based on personal experiences in the brothel district, and appeared in the literary magazine Chuo Koron in 1917. Its success led to his withdrawal from Keio University to start a career as a writer.

Literary career

Although Shōfu produced numerous works of romantic popular fiction, he is best known for his semi-historical biographical novels. His works include Shōden Shimizu Jirochō (1926–1928), about the famous 19th century gangster/folk-hero of the Tokaido, Honchō gajin den ("Biography of an Imperial Court Painter", 1940–1943), Kinsei Meishōden (Biography of Contemporary Master Craftsmen), and Kinsei meishōbu monogatari (1952–1961), which appear serialized in newspapers. A number of novels were also made into movies in the early 1960s, such as Zangiku Monogatari (which appeared in movie form as "The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums")

His son, Muramatsu Takashi, won the Kikuchi Award, and his grandson Muramatsu Tomomi is a winner of the Naoki Award.

Shōfu relocated from Tokyo to Kamakura in 1947, and lived there to his death. He was also a noted amateur master of the classical board game, go.

See also

• Japanese literature
• List of Japanese authors

References

• Muramatsu, Ei. Iro kigen: Onna, onna, mata onna : Maramatsu Shofu no shogai. Saiko Shobo (1989). ISBN 4915612260 (Japanese)
• Nihon Jinmei Daijiten (Japanese Biographical Dictionary) (Kodansha)

Persondata
Name	Muramatsu, Shofu
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	21 September 1889
Place of birth	Shizuoka prefecture Japan
Date of death	13 February 1961
Place of death	Tokyo Japan