Iwao Yamamoto
Professor Emeritus at Ritsumeikan University. Specializes in Japanese American and Canadian literature. Major works include co-authored Reading Contemporary European Literature (Yuhikaku, 1985), co-edited Anthology of Japanese American Literary Magazines, 22 volumes in total and 1 supplement (Fuji Shuppan, 1997-1998), co-authored Postwar Japanese Canadian Society and Culture (Fuji Shuppan, 2003), co-edited Japanese Culture in North and South America (Jinbun Shoin, 2007), and co-translated Collected Works of Hisae Yamamoto: Seventeen Characters and 18 Other Pieces (Nagundo Phoenix, 2008).
(Updated January 2011)
Stories from This Author
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States – Part 9/9
Oct. 21, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 8>> 4. The significance of "NY Bungei" One of the significances of NY Bungei is that in the history of Japanese-language literature, it was the only literary coterie magazine published on the East Coast. The history of Japanese and Japanese-Americans in New York, the economic and cultural center of America, is by no means new. However, they have been extremely passive in terms of literary activities. It is fair to say that the history of Japanese-American literature is the …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 8/9
Oct. 14, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 7>> (3) Criticisms and essays Karl Yoneda has written nine essays and critiques, which are characterized by his reflections on his life, his anti-war, peace and anti-racism stances, and his love for his family. In "Anecdotes from a Visit to Japan" (No. 7) and "My Rafu Days" (No. 10), he looks back on his life as a Marxist and labor activist, and in "Koto Shusui's Years in America" ​​(No. 9), he records the activities of a group of Japanese …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 7/9
Oct. 7, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 6>> Mario Hanae worked at the Japanese Consulate in New York and was later transferred to the Japanese Consulate in Peru. He has written seven novels and plays. His works can be divided into those related to the Pacific War, those depicting the relationship between the first and second generation Japanese, and those dealing with the Japanese community in South America. "The Acrobat" (No. 2) and "The End of the Curse" (No. 5) depict the fatal impact that the …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 6/9
Sept. 30, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 5>> (2) Creation (part 2) Nishi Shigeki (real name Nishioka Shigeyuki) (1916-1989) was one of 2,262 Japanese who were forcibly relocated from Latin American countries to the United States by the US government as prisoner exchange personnel during the Pacific War. Born in Ehime Prefecture, he moved to Peru relying on his brother-in-law, and in 1944 was suddenly arrested and interned in a camp in Texas, USA. After the war, he was released on parole from the camp while …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 5/9
Sept. 23, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 4>> Akitani Ichiro (1909-) is a Christian second-generation Japanese immigrant. Born in San Francisco, he was sent to Japan at the age of six. While studying at Kwansei Gakuin, he was strongly influenced ideologically by Uchimura Junya (Uchimura Kanzo's younger brother), Kawakami Jotaro (later chairman of the Japan Socialist Party), and Kagawa Toyohiko. In 1931, fearing conscription, he returned to the United States, and during the war he taught at the Army Japanese Language School and worked for the …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 4/9
Sept. 16, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 3>> 3. Contents of "NY Bungei" (1) Creation (part 1) Abe Yoshio and Akitani Ichiro played central roles in the editing and publication of NY Bungei, but they were also important in its creative writing, so I would like to provide an overview first of the work of these two authors, and then of the work of other members of the same group. Abe Yoshio (1911-1981) was born in Portland, Oregon, and moved to his father's hometown of Okayama …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 3/9
Sept. 9, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 2>> The ratio of original works to the works published in the first issue was overwhelmingly high, with few critiques, essays, poems, or tanka. This was the characteristic of NY Bungei, and it would remain so until the end. Karl Yoneda and Mita Eto contributed works. Karl Yoneda is a second generation American who is well known in Japan as a labor activist. Mita Eto is the pen name of Kamiyama Heihachi. He is the only son of Kamiyama …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 2/9
Sept. 2, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 1>> 2. The launch of NY Bungei and its subsequent developments NY Bungei was first published in 1955 and ceased publication with the 11th issue in 1975. The editors and publishers Abe Yoshio (issues 1-5) and Akitani Ichiro (issues 6-11) played a central role in the founding and continued publication of the magazine. Both were second-generation Japanese who returned to America after the war and resettled in New York. Abe was 44 and Akitani was 46 when NY Bungei …
NY Bungei, the only literary magazine on the East Coast of the United States - Part 1/9
Aug. 26, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Introduction In 1955, NY Bungei was launched in New York. This was 10 years before Southern California Bungei was launched in Los Angeles. The third issue described it as "America's only literary magazine published in New York." This was the first full-fledged literary magazine to be published in postwar America. Little is known about Japanese-language literary activities in New York. It was unclear whether such activities even existed. Neither "History of Japanese in America" ​​(1940) nor "Centennial History of Japanese …
Heart Mountain Bungei, a literary magazine of poetry and essays - Part 5/5
June 24, 2011 • Iwao Yamamoto
Part 4>> (5) Other There are a total of 25 poems, but most of them are simple and there are very few highly polished works. This may be because they were not blessed with good mentors. Apart from Yoshiaki (Iwamuro Yoshiaki) who published six works, almost each person wrote one poem. Most of the poems sing of seasonal scenery, but there are also many poems that sing of the sadness and sorrow of life in the internment camps, nostalgia for …
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