更新日：2010年7月5日

Kitahara Hakushu

Kitahara Hakushu, tanka and modern verse poet, was born in 1885 in Kyushu. His real name was Ryukichi. His talent was recognized from an early age and he began contributing both tanka verse and longer poems to magazines while he was still in his teens. His long poem, "Zento Kakusei no Fu," received a prize in a competition sponsored by the Waseda Gakuho magazine, and this led to many other of his poems being published. Although he entered Waseda University, he never completed his studies there.

In 1906, he was invited by Yosano Hiroshi (Tekkan) to join his poetry group, Shinshisha (New Poetry), but left after a while to form the coterie, Pan no Kai (Pan Society), where he became acquainted with many other poets and artists. In 1909, he became one of the founding members the literary magazine, Subaru (The Pleiades), where he published his first collection of verses, Jashumon (Heretics). In 1913, he displayed original romanticism in his first collection of tanka verse, Kiri no Hana (Pawlonia Blossoms).

Hakushu helped the children's writer Suzuki Miekichi set up the children's magazine, Akai Tori (Red Bird) and himself contributed many nursery songs. With the publication of the anthology, Tombo no Medama (The Eyes of a Dragonfly), he was recognized as a truly talented writer of children's verse. He also took a great interest in writing the verse for new folk songs.

In 1935, Hakushu founded Tama, a tanka verse magazine, and became known as the spearhead of the fourth stage of the symbolist movement. Among his proteges were Kimata Osamu and Miya Shuji. Hakushu was a prolific writer and his other publications include the verse anthologies, Tokyo Keibutsushi sonota, and Suibokushu (Collection of Ink Drawings); tanka collections, Kuro Hinoki, and Botan no Ki (Peony Tree), and prose poem, Suzume no Seikatsu (A Sparrow's Life).

In 1941, Hakushu brought his family to the Kamakura Kaihin Hotel by the beach and a collection of tanka poems bearing the same name was inspired by this visit. He died the following year at the age of 57.