was a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

novelist and poet.

Biography

Dan was born in what is now part of Tsuru,

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 787,592 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the n ...

, to a family originally from

Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...

. His father's work required frequent changes of residence, so Dan grew up with his grandparents in

Yanagawa Yanagawa may refer to: * Yanagawa, Fukuoka * Yanagawa, Fukushima * Yanagawa (surname) * Yanagawa (film) {{disambig ...

from age 6 onwards. His parents were divorced when Dan was nine, and he subsequently moved to live with his father in Ashikaga,

Tochigi Prefecture is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,897,649 (1 June 2023) and has a geographic area of 6,408 Square kilometre, km2 (2,474 Square mile, sq mi ...

, where he led a solitary life, walking over hills and fields. In 1928, at age 16, he entered Fukuoka City High School, where he began his literary life by publishing poems, novels and plays in the school magazine. In 1932, he entered the

Tokyo Imperial University The University of Tokyo (, abbreviated as in Japanese and UTokyo in English) is a public university, public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 as the nation's first modern university by the merger of several Edo peri ...

from which he received a degree in economics. After graduation, Dan dedicated himself entirely to writing, and in 1944 won the

Noma Prize The Noma Prizes were established by Shoichi Noma, or in his honor. More than one award is conventionally identified as the ''Noma Prize''. Noma was the former head of Kodansha, the Japanese publishing and bookselling company. Kodansha is Japan's ...

while serving as a newspaper war correspondent. Returning to Japan at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he married his wife Yosoko in Yanagawa. They moved to Tokyo, where he resumed his literary activities and won the prestigious 1950

Naoki Prize The Naoki Prize, officially , is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the ''Bungeishunjū'' magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo. Sponsored by the Society for ...

. During his career, he wrote novels and poetry, and traveled extensively in Japan, Europe, the United States, China, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. He lived in Santa Cruz on the seacoast west of

Torres Vedras Torres Vedras () is a concelho, municipality in the Portugal, Portuguese district of Lisbon (district), Lisbon, approximately north of the capital Lisbon. It is a strong agricultural region thanks to its vineyards, and has an intense commercial ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

, from 1971 to 1972 in a house on a street that now bears his name, Rua Professor Kazuo Dan, Nº 6. After his return to Japan, he retired to the island of Nokonoshima,

Fukuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders ...

. He died from cancer in the

Kyushu University , abbreviated to , is a public research university located in Fukuoka, Japan, on the island of Kyushu. Founded in 1911 as the fourth Imperial University in Japan, it has been recognised as a leading institution of higher education and resear ...

Hospital. His grave is at the Buddhist temple of Fukugon-ji in Yanagawa, Fukuoka. Dan received the 1975

Yomiuri Prize The is a literary award in Japan. The prize was founded in 1949 by the Yomiuri Shimbun Company to help form a "strong cultural nation". The winner is awarded two million Japanese yen and an inkstone. Award categories For the first two years, ...

for ''Kataku no hito''. There is a monument to Dan's memory in Santa Cruz, and another on Nokonoshima Island. In addition, his poetry is engraved on stone alongside the canals of

Yanagawa Yanagawa may refer to: * Yanagawa, Fukuoka * Yanagawa, Fukushima * Yanagawa (surname) * Yanagawa (film) {{disambig ...

. His daughter is the actress

Fumi Dan (born June 5, 1954) is a Japanese actress. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 17th Japan Academy Prize for her role in '' Bloom in the Moonlight''. Her father is the novelist Kazuo Dan and she herself has won awards for her e ...

Notes

References

Biography (Portuguese)

Japan Times, May 24, 2000. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dan, Kazuo 1912 births 1976 deaths University of Tokyo alumni Writers from Yamanashi Prefecture Japanese expatriates in Portugal People from Yamanashi Prefecture 20th-century Japanese novelists Japanese war correspondents Naoki Prize winners Yomiuri Prize winners Deaths from cancer in Japan