Ibuse Masuji
Masuji Ibuse was a notable Japanese author born on February 15, 1898, in Kamo, Hiroshima Prefecture. He studied at Waseda University in Tokyo, focusing on French literature while being influenced by Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov. Ibuse's literary career began with the publication of his first story, "Yuhei," in 1923, but he gained significant recognition later with works characterized by wry humor and psychological insight, often depicting the lives of villagers and peasants. Notable among his works is the historical novella "Black Rain," which addresses the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima through the experiences of the protagonist, Shizuma Shigematsu. This novel earned him the Noma Prize for Literature and is highly regarded for its poignant portrayal of the effects of war. Throughout his career, Ibuse continued to publish shorter fiction, essays, and autobiographical works until the early 1980s. He passed away on July 10, 1993, at the age of 95, leaving a legacy rich in literary craftsmanship and cultural commentary.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Ibuse Masuji
Author
- Born: February 15, 1898
- Birthplace: Kamo, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
- Died: July 10, 1993
- Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
Biography
Masuji Ibuse was the second son of independent landowning farmers, born February 15, 1898, in Kamo, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. In 1917, he began studying at Waseda University in Tokyo, specializing in French literature—although he was greatly drawn to Russian writers Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov—and also took painting at the Japanese School of Art. He quit school without graduating after professor Noburu Katagami allegedly made homosexual advances.
Ibuse’s first story, “Yuhei” (confinement), published in installments in 1923, gained little notice. However, his later short stories, such as “Koi,” in which he employed a subjective Japanese storytelling technique whereby the narrator and author are one, began to attract attention. By the late 1920’s, thanks to the collections Yofuke to ume no hana: Teihon and Yane no ue no Sawan, and resultant praise from influential critic Kobayashi Hideo, his name had become known, and his work recognized for its wry humor and psychologically astute but sympathetic portrayal of villagers, peasants, fisherman, and other archetypes.
Characteristic of Ibuse’s early works were the historical novella “Waves: A War Diary,” dealing with the defeat of the twelfth Century Heike clan; the short story “Life at Mr. Tange’s,” detailing the exploits of a master and servant in a remote mountain valley; and “Tajinko Village,” which portrayed the daily life of a small community through the eyes of a policeman.
During the military buildup in Japan and the Rising Sun’s depredations in Asia before World War II, Ibuse served as a war correspondent. After war was formally declared, he served in propaganda units of the Japanese army.
From the late 1930’s until the mid-1960’s, Ibuse concentrated primarily on shorter fiction, published in several collections. John Manjiro, the Castaway, His Life and Adventures (winner of the 1938 Naoki Prize) retells the amazing true story of a shipwrecked Japanese fisherman rescued by an American whaler and educated in New Bedford, Massachusetts, before eventually returning to his native village. Other well-known Ibuse stories that have often been reprinted in various editions include the novella “Isle on the Billows,” “Clinic Closed Today,” “The Captain Who Worshipped from Afar,” “The Charcoal Bus,” “Usaburo the Drifter,” “The Inn in Front of the Station,” and “The Bowl-Shaped Castle of Musashi.” One of Ibuse’s best short stories is “Lieutenant Lookeast,” a satire of wartime nationalism in which an insane veteran, unaware the war has ended, commands citizens of a small town, believing they are troops in his unit.
Ibuse’s acknowledged masterpiece is Black Rain, a novel based on historical records, eyewitness accounts, and other documentation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The protagonist, Shizuma Shigematsu, tries to find a husband for his niece, Yasuko, futilely reassuring prospective suitors that the “black rain” (radioactive fallout) has not harmed her. Black Rain was awarded the Noma Prize for Literature and the Order of Cultural Merit. The novel was filmed in 1989, directed by Shohei Imamura (not to be confused with the Ridley Scott-directed movie of the same name and year).
Masuji Ibuse continued to write evocative stories—demonstrating his consummate craftsmanship, skill with dialect and dialogue, and insights into the ordinary—as well as essays and autobiographical works, into the early 1980’s, culminating with his last original published work, the memoir Ogikubo fudoki. He died July 10, 1993, at the age of ninety- five.