Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Fukazawa is one of those writers I keep coming back to because he genuinely unsettles me in the best way — a former folk guitarist from rural Yamanashi who somehow wandered into literature and dropped "Narayama Bushiko" on the world like it was nothing. A story about carrying your elderly mother up a mountain to die, told with such flat, matter-of-fact tenderness that you're not sure whether to weep or just sit quietly for a while. He picked up the Chuo Koron newcomer prize in 1956 right out of the gate, and eventually landed the Tanizaki Prize in 1981, which feels right — both awards suit a man who never seemed to be chasing recognition so much as just working through something he needed to say. The guitar-player-turned-novelist angle is not a quirky footnote; it explains everything about his rhythm and his patience with silence.
Overview
Shichiro Fukazawa (1914–1987) was a Japanese author, screenwriter, and guitarist born in Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture. He came to wider attention after winning the Chuo Koron New Writer Award in 1956, and later received the prestigious Tanizaki Jun'ichiro Prize in 1981. Working across literature and music, he maintained a low public profile throughout his career. He passed away on August 18, 1987.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Shichiro Fukazawa
- Name (Japanese)
- 深沢七郎
- Reading
- ふかざわ しちろう
- Born
- January 29, 1914 – August 18, 1987
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Tiger
- Origin
- Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- Author / Novelist / Screenwriter / Guitarist / Musician
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1956 — Chuo Koron New Writer Award
- 1981 — Tanizaki Jun'ichiro Prize
3. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B7%B1%E6%B2%A2%E4%B8%83%E9%83%8E
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q778347
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Shichiro Fukazawa born?
Born January 29, 1914.
When did Shichiro Fukazawa die?
Died August 18, 1987, aged 73.
Where was Shichiro Fukazawa from?
Shichiro Fukazawa was from Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.
What did Shichiro Fukazawa do?
Shichiro Fukazawa worked as Author, Novelist, Screenwriter, Guitarist, Musician.
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