Akiko Itoyama

Akiko Itoyama (絲山秋子, Itoyama Akiko, born in Setagaya, Tokyo on November 22, 1966, now living in Takasaki, Gunma) is a Japanese novelist. She has won the Akutagawa Prize, the Kawabata Yasunari Prize, and the Tanizaki Prize, and her work has been adapted for film.

Akiko Itoyama
Native name
絲山秋子
Born (1966-11-22) November 22, 1966
Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
OccupationWriter, novelist
LanguageJapanese
NationalityJapanese
Alma materWaseda University
GenreFiction
Notable works
  • It's Only Talk
  • Oki de matsu
Notable awards

Biography

After graduation from Shinjuku High School and Waseda University, she worked as a saleswoman for a major household equipment company and, as is common in Japanese corporate life, was transferred several times to various localities. Treatment for cyclic psychosis led to her writing.[1]

Her works, which focus on human relations, have been nominated for and received literary awards. She was recipient of the 96th Bungakukai New Face Award and a nominee for the 129th Akutagawa Prize for her first volume, It's Only Talk (イッツ・オンリー・トーク), in 2003. The book was later adapted into the 2005 Ryūichi Hiroki film It's Only Talk. Itoyama won the Akutagawa Prize in January 2006 for her short story "Oki de matsu".[2] An English translation of her "Oki de matsu" appeared in the April 2007 issue of Words Without Borders under the title "Waiting in the Offing."[3] Her book Tōbō kusotawake (逃亡くそたわけ, In Pursuit of Lavender) was adapted into a 2007 film starring Minami Hinase.[4] An English version of the book, translated by Charles de Wolf, was published in 2013 under the title In Pursuit of Lavender.[5]

An English translation of It's Only Talk was published by The Japan Times in March 2009. In 2010 her novel Bakamono (ばかもの, Fools) was adapted into a film by Shusuke Kaneko.[6] In 2016 Itoyama won the 52nd Tanizaki Prize for her 2015 book Hakujō (薄情, Heartless).[7]

She has been praised for her ability to describe provincial scenery and represent regional accents and dialects, reflecting the characters' image, even though she was brought up in Tokyo. She explains that she learned them through repeated company transfers all over Japan.

Recognition

Bibliography

Books in Japanese
  • Ittsu onrī tōku (イッツ・オンリー・トーク, It's Only Talk), Bungeishunjū, 2004, ISBN 9784163226309 (won the 96th Bungakukai New Face Award, nominated for the 129th Akutagawa Prize)
  • Umi no sennin (海の仙人, Sea Hermit), Shinchosha, 2004, ISBN 9784104669011 (nominated for the 130th Akutagawa Prize, also won the Minister of Education and Science's Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists, in book form)
  • Fukurokōji no otoko (袋小路の男, Dead End Street Man), Kodansha, 2004, ISBN 9784062126182 (won the 30th Kawabata Yasunari Prize)
  • Tōbō kusotawake (逃亡くそたわけ, In Pursuit of Lavender), Chuokoron Shinsha, 2005, ISBN 9784120036149 (nominated for the 133rd Naoki Prize and New Face Award of the 27th Noma Prize for Literature)
  • Sumōru tōku (スモールトーク, Small Talk), Nigensha, 2005, ISBN 9784544040999
  • Nīto (ニート), Kadokawa Shoten, 2005, ISBN 9784048736435
  • Oki de matsu (沖で待つ, Waiting in the Offing), Bungeishunjū, 2006, ISBN 9784163248509 (won the 134th Akutagawa Prize)
  • includes 勤労感謝の日 Kinrō kansha no hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day), nominated for the 131st Akutagawa Prize
  • Bakamono (ばかもの, Fools), Shinchosha, 2008, ISBN 9784104669035
  • Ririku (離陸, Takeoff), Bungeishunjū, 2014, ISBN 9784163901220
  • Hakujō (薄情, Heartless), Shinchosha, 2015, ISBN 9784104669073

Selected works in English
  • "Waiting in the Offing," trans. Charles de Wolf, Words Without Borders, April 2007 issue[3]
  • It's Only Talk, trans. Raquel Hill, The Japan Times, 2009, ISBN 9784789013475
  • In Pursuit of Lavender, trans. Charles de Wolf, Anthem Press, 2013, ISBN 9780857280466

References
  1. Kawakatsu, Miki. "A Vigorous New Voice in Japanese Fiction" (PDF). Japanese Book News. No. 48. Japan Foundation. p. 16. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  2. "Itoyama gets Akutagawa; Higashino receives Naoki". The Japan Times. January 18, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  3. Itoyama, Akiko (April 1, 2007). "Waiting in the Offing". Words Without Borders. Translated by de Wolf, Charles. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  4. "福岡のみのもんたに、熊本はばってん登場　『逃亡くそたわけ』九州にて待望の公開！". CinemaCafe.net (in Japanese). October 9, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  5. Lange, Hanna (January 25, 2014). "In Pursuit of Lavender". The Japan Times. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  6. Schilling, Mark (December 24, 2010). "'Bakamono (Fools)'". The Japan Times. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  7. "谷崎賞、中央公論文芸賞贈呈式「小説の良さ、未来へ」絲山秋子さんら喜びの声". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 18, 2016. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  8. "芸術選奨歴代受賞者一覧（昭和25年度～）" (PDF). Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  9. "川端康成文学賞　過去の受賞作品" [Kawabata Yasunari Prize Previous Winning Works] (in Japanese). Shinchosha. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  10. "芥川賞受賞者一覧" [Akutagawa Prize Recipient List] (in Japanese). 日本文学振興会. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  11. "谷崎潤一郎賞受賞作品一覧" [List of Tanizaki Prize Award Winners] (in Japanese). Chuokoron-Shinsha. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
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