Toshio Shimao An outstanding Japanese writer, one of the largest modernist writers in Japan of the 20th century. Date of Birth: 18.04.1917 Country: Japan

1. Biography of Tosio Simao
2. Early Life and Education
3. Career and Literary Achievements
4. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Tosio Simao

Tosio Simao was an outstanding Japanese writer and one of the greatest modernist authors of 20th century Japan. He was a recipient of the Noma Prize and other prestigious literary awards in Japan. His works revolved around themes such as dreams, war, madness, and the everyday life of families. During his mature period, Simao skillfully incorporated surrealist imagery into autobiographical descriptions of ordinary life, transcending its boundaries. His early works were experimental and often structured based on the logic of dreams. His most famous work is the collection of stories titled "The Sting of Death."

In addition to his literary works, Simao's creative legacy includes dream journals, cultural studies of the southern islands of Japan (known as "Japanesia" in his own terminology), and literary criticism. His works have not been translated into Russian.

Early Life and Education

Tosio Simao was born in the suburbs of Yokohama and grew up in a large family. He was the eldest child and had three younger brothers and two sisters. In 1924, he started attending middle school in Yokohama. Due to the Great Kanto Earthquake, he was transferred to another school in Hyogo Prefecture in November 1925.

Even in his early years, Simao showed an interest in literature and participated in school literary clubs and journals. In 1930, he began studying at the Kobe Commercial School. After graduating in 1935, he spent a year preparing for further entrance exams while continuing to pursue his passion for literature and actively participating in various literary circles.

During this time, Simao developed an interest in Russian literature and started studying the Russian language. He immersed himself in the works of Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Lermontov, and Gogol. After completing his studies in March 1939, Simao continued his education in international trade at the Nagasaki Commercial School. He joined a literary circle called "LUNA," edited by poet Masao Nakagiri, while studying there. In April 1936, he enrolled in the school.

Career and Literary Achievements

Simao's literary career began during his time at the university. In 1940, he entered the Faculty of Law and Literature at Kyushu University, majoring in economics. The following year, he transferred to the Department of Humanities on the same faculty, specializing in the history of the Far East. During his university years, he became close friends with Junzo Shono, who was a year below him.

In 1943, Simao completed his university course early and joined a preparatory school to become a reserve member of the Japanese Navy. It was during this time that he self-published his first book, "Childhood" (limited to 70 copies), and developed a close relationship with poet Shizuo Ito through his friendship with Shono.

Simao participated in various literary circles, including "Radiance," which also included prominent writers such as Hiroyuki Agawa, Kureo Manabe, and Taro Naka. In 1944, during the Pacific War, he was assigned as the commander of a kamikaze boat squadron and sent to the Amami Islands as part of a Japanese special assault unit. However, he did not participate in any combat due to the end of the war.

After the war, Simao worked as a teacher at a primary school in Amami as part of his post-war assignment. It was during this time that he married Mihoko Simao. He later moved to Kobe with his family and began working at the Foreign Language University. In Kobe, he co-edited the literary circle "Viking" with Masaharu Fuji.

Simao later moved to Tokyo, where he co-founded the journal "Contemporary Critique" with philosopher Takaaki Yoshimoto, critic Takeo Okuno, and poet Takayuki Kiyooka. However, his life in Tokyo was disrupted due to his wife's severe mental illness caused by his infidelity. In an attempt to make amends, Simao initially lived with Mihoko in a psychiatric hospital and then, at her request, decided to return to Amami.

Later Life and Legacy

Upon returning to Amami, Simao continued his literary and teaching activities. Influenced by Mihoko and her relatives, who were Catholics, he converted to Catholicism in 1956 at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Amami. During his years on the Amami Islands, Simao thoroughly studied and reinterpreted the cultural heritage of the archipelago, contributing to its revival and the establishment of an education system during the post-war reconstruction. He initiated the creation of the Amami Prefectural Library and served as its first director.

In 1976, Simao stepped down from his position as the director of the library and moved with his family to Ibusuki City in Kagoshima Prefecture, where he briefly worked at the Women's Junior College of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1977, he moved to Tsukasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, where he lived until 1983 before returning to Kagoshima, where he spent his final years.

Simao passed away on November 12, 1986, without regaining consciousness after suffering a brain hemorrhage. His early post-war works indirectly reflected his wartime experiences. The theme of madness, resulting from his wife Mihoko's mental illness triggered by Simao's infidelity, was most prominently explored in his autobiographical work "The Sting of Death" (1960-1977), which is considered his magnum opus.

In addition, Simao coined the term "Japanesia," which represents the uniqueness of Amami and the Ryukyu Islands, in over 200 essays. In 1999, a documentary film titled "Dolce, Tenderly" was directed by Alexander Sokurov, dedicated to Simao and his widow. "The Sting of Death" was also adapted into a film by director Kohei Oguri in 1990.

Throughout his career, Simao received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Prize for Post-War Literature for "Departure from the Lonely Island" in 1950, the Ministry of Education Award for his story "The Sting of Death" in 1961, and the Tanizaki Prize for "Day by Day" in 1977. He was also awarded the Yomiuri Prize, the Great Japanese Literary Award, and the Noma Prize for his cycle of works in "The Sting of Death" in 1977.