is a Japanese writer. She has won the

Gunzo Prize for New Writers The is an annual literary prize awarded by Japanese literary magazine ''Gunzo'', published by Kodansha is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayo ...

, the Noma Literary New Face Prize and the

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 ...

, and her work has been adapted for film.

Biography

Shimamoto was born in 1983 in Tokyo, Japan. She made her literary debut in 2001 with her story ''Shiruetto'' (''Silhouette'') while still a student at Tokyo Metropolitan Shinjuku Yamabuki Senior High School, winning the 44th

. Her 2002 novella ''Little by Little'' won the 25th Noma Literary New Face Prize and was nominated for an

Akutagawa Prize The is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. Because of its prestige and the considerable attention the winner receives from the media, it is, along with the Naoki Prize, one of Japan's most sought after literary prizes. History Th ...

, but did not win. Shimamoto was the youngest person to receive the Noma Literary New Face Prize in its history. In 2005 her novel ''Narratage'' was published and became a bestseller in Japan. A year later, Shimamoto dropped out of

Rikkyo University , also known as Saint Paul's University, is a private university, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan. Rikkyo is one of the five MARCH (Japanese universities), MARCH universities, the group of private universities in the Kantō region, Kanto region, toge ...

to pursue her writing full-time. After being nominated for the

four times and the

twice, Shimamoto won the 159th

for her 2018 book ''First Love''. The

committee members were not unanimous in their decision, but finally selected Shimamoto's work after multiple rounds of voting. Shimamoto's novel ''Narratage'' was adapted by director

Isao Yukisada is a Japanese film director from Kumamoto. He served as assistant director on Shunji Iwai's ''Love Letter'', ''April Story'', and '' Swallowtail Butterfly''. Filmography Director * ''Open House'' (1998) * (Sunflower) (2000) * ''A Closing Day' ...

into a 2017 film of the same name starring

Kasumi Arimura , is a Japanese actress. Her television roles have included the young Haruko Amano in the 2013 NHK asadora '' Amachan'' and the lead role in the 2017 asadora '' Hiyokko''. She has also appeared in several films, including '' Flying Colors'', for ...

and

Jun Matsumoto is a Japanese singer, actor, radio host, and model. He is a member of the boy band Arashi, and is Arashi's concert producer as well as production advisor for other groups. He is best known to Japanese television drama audiences for his portraya ...

. Her 2013 novel ''Yodaka no Kataomoi'' (lit. ''The Nighthawk's Unrequited Love''), a story about a woman named Aiko, born with a large blue

birthmark A birthmark is a congenital, benign irregularity on the skin which is present at birth or appears shortly after birth—usually in the first month. Birthmarks can occur anywhere on the skin. They are caused by overgrowth of blood vessels, melanocy ...

on her face, who navigates prejudice as she seeks love, was adapted by director Yūka Yasukawa into a 2022 film of the same name starring

Rena Matsui is a Japanese actress, singer, and novelist. Matsui is a former member of the Japanese idol girl groups SKE48 and Nogizaka46. As a member of the former, she also participated in the main lineup of AKB48's singles. As an actress, she has played r ...

as Aiko. Shimamoto has cited Shuji Terayama as a literary influence.

Personal life

Shimamoto is married to Japanese novelist Yuya Sato.

Awards and honors

* 2001 44th

* 2003 25th Noma Literary New Face Prize * 2018 159th

(2018上)

Works

* ''Shiruetto'' (''Silhouette''),

Kodansha is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayoshi'', ''Morning (magazine), Morning'', ''Afternoon (magazine), Afternoon'', ''Evening (magazine), Eveni ...

, 2001, * ''Ritoru bai ritoru'' (''Little by Little''),

, 2003, * ''Umareru mori'',

, 2004, * ''Issen ichibyō no hibi'', Magajin Hausu, 2005, * ''Naratāju'' (''Narratage''), Kadokawa Shoten, 2005, * ''Kurōbā'', Kadokawa Shoten, 2007, * ''Anata no kokyū ga tomaru made'',

Shinchosha is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in , Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award. Books * Haruki Murakami: '' Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World'' (1985), '' Ute ...

, 2007, * ''Namiuchigiwa no hotaru'', Kadokawa Shoten, 2008, * ''Chica raifu'' (''Chica Life''),

, 2008, * ''Kimi ga furu hi'',

Gentosha is a Japanese publisher, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Gentosha publishes manga magazine '' Comic Birz'', Web comic magazines '' GENZO'', ''SPICA'', '' Comic MAGNA'', literary magazines ''Lynx'', ''papyrus'', as well as business magazine ''GOE ...

, 2009, * ''Arare mo nai inori'', Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2010, * ''Mawatasō no jūnintachi'',

Bungeishunjū is a Japanese publishing company known for its leading monthly magazine '' Bungeishunjū''. The company was founded by Kan Kikuchi in 1923. It grants the annual Akutagawa Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in Japan, as well a ...

, 2010, * ''Andastuando meibī'' (''Understand, Maybe''), Chūō Kōron Shinsha, 2010, * ''Ōkina kuma ga kuru mae ni oyasumi'',

, 2010, * ''Nanao no tame ni'',

, 2012, * ''Bīkyū ren'ai gurume no susume'', Kadokawa Shoten, 2013, * ''Yodaka no kataomoi'',

Shueisha is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Shueisha is the largest publishing company in Japan. It was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The ...

, 2013, * ''Shūmatsu wa kanojotachi no mono'',

, 2013, * ''Reddo'' (''Red''), Chūō Kōron Shinsha, 2014, * ''Tokumeisha no tame no Supika'', Shōdensha, 2015, * ''Inosento'' (''Innocent''),

, 2016, * ''Watashitachi wa gin no fōku to kusuri o te ni shite'',

, 2017, * ''Natsu no saidan'',

, 2018, * ''Fāsuto rabu'' (''First Love''),

, 2018, * ''

Hajimete no is a book collected short stories by Japanese novelists Rio Shimamoto, Mizuki Tsujimura, Miyuki Miyabe, and Eto Mori, which collaborated with Japanese duo Yoasobi to produce and perform the songs based on the novelists' stories under the theme ...

'' ("Watashi Dake no Shoyūsha"), Suirinsha, 2022,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimamoto, Rio 1983 births Living people 21st-century Japanese novelists 21st-century Japanese women writers Naoki Prize winners Writers from Tokyo