Kaoruko Himeno

Kaoruko Himeno (姫野 カオルコ, Himeno Kaoruko) is a Japanese writer. She has been nominated five times for the Naoki Prize and won the 150th Naoki Prize for her novel Showa Dog (昭和の犬, Showa no inu). Two of her novels have been adapted for film.

Kaoruko Himeno
Native name	姫野 カオルコ
Born	1958 (age 64–65) Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Occupation	Writer, novelist, essayist
Language	Japanese
Alma mater	Aoyama Gakuin University
Genre	Fiction Novel Essay
Notable works	Junan Tsu, i, ra, ku Haruka at 80 Real Cinderella Showa no inu
Notable awards	Naoki Prize
Website
himenoshiki.com

Early life and education

Himeno was born in 1958 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.^[1] She moved to Tokyo and graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University, then worked part-time at a gallery so she could return frequently to Shiga Prefecture and help with her father's illness.^[2]

Career

At age 32 Himeno made her fiction debut in 1990 with her comedic novel Hito yonde mitsuko (ひと呼んでミツコ, People Call Her Mitsuko).^[3] More novels and essay collections followed, including the 1991 essay collection Ren'aidekinai shokubutsugun (恋愛できない食物群), the 1992 novel Shikaku kankei (四角関係), and the 1995 essay collection Busu no kuse ni! (ブスのくせに!). Himeno's novel Junan (受難, The Passion), a story about a woman in a convent who grows a talking face near her genitals after asking God for help, was published in 1997 and shortlisted for the Naoki Prize.^[4] Junan was later adapted into a 2013 film of the same name starring Mayuko Iwasa.^[5]

In 2003 her novel Tsu, i, ra, ku (ツ, イ, ラ, ク, C,R,A,S,H), a story that follows young girls from second grade through first loves and sexual experiences, was nominated for the Naoki Prize.^[6] Tsu, i, ra, ku was later adapted into one segment of the 2005 anthology film female (フィーメイル) starring Kyōko Hasegawa.^[7] Her 2005 novel Haruka eiti (ハルカ・エイティ, Haruka at 80) and 2010 novel Riaru shinderera (リアル・シンデレラ, Real Cinderella) were also nominated for the Naoki Prize in their respective years, but did not win.^[8][9] In 2009 Himeno collaborated with manga artist Ebine Yamaji to create the book Shimi (青痣(しみ)).

After being nominated five times for the Naoki Prize, Himeno won the 150th Naoki Prize for her semi-autobiographical 2013 novel Showa Dog (昭和の犬, Showa no inu).^[10] Himeno was exercising at the gym at the time of the announcement and had to rush to the press conference in her tracksuit, which she joked about with reporters in her interviews.^[11][12][13]

Recognition

• 2014 150th Naoki Prize (2013下)^[14]

Film adaptations

• female (フィーメイル), 2005^[15]
• Junan (受難, Passion), 2013^[16]

Works

• Hito yonde mitsuko (ひと呼んでミツコ, People Call Her Mitsuko), Kodansha, 1990, ISBN 9784062047852
• Garasu no kamen no kokuhaku (ガラスの仮面の告白), Shufunotomo, 1990, ISBN 9784079358255
• Ren'aidekinai shokubutsugun (恋愛できない食物群), Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1991, ISBN 9784620308166
• Shikaku kankei (四角関係), Kodansha, 1992, ISBN 9784062060592
• Busu no kuse ni! (ブスのくせに!), Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1995, ISBN 9784620310886
• Junan (受難, The Passion), Bungeishunjū, 1997, ISBN 9784163168401
• Tsuiraku (ツ, イ, ラ, ク, C,R,A,S,H), Kadokawa Shoten, 2003, ISBN 9784048734936
• Haruka eiti (ハルカ・エイティ, Haruka at 80), Bungeishunjū, 2005, ISBN 9784163243405
• (with Ebine Yamaji) Shimi (青痣(しみ)), Fusosha, 2009, ISBN 9784594059392
• Showa no inu: Pasupekutivu kiddo (昭和の犬:Perspective kid, Showa Dog: Perspective Kid), Gentosha, 2013, ISBN 9784344024465

References

1. "Authors: Kaoruko Himeno". Books from Japan. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
2. 泉, 彩子 (May 28, 2014). "姫野カオルコさん（小説家）の「仕事とは？」". Recruit Magazine (in Japanese). Retrieved August 3, 2018.
3. "直木賞受賞！姫野カオルコさん独占インタビュー". zakzak (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. February 9, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
4. "The Passion". Japan Society. July 18, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
5. "映画『受難』の予告編公開、女性器から罵倒する人面瘡＆岩佐真悠子の全裸疾走も". Cinra.net (in Japanese). October 18, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
6. "Tsu, i, ra, ku (F-a-l-l)" (PDF). Japan Foundation. December 1, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
7. "エロスをテーマに監督5人がコラボ。「female／フィーメイル」". Eiga.com News (in Japanese). May 10, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
8. "娘を愛せない母―姫野カオルコさん". Nikkei Woman Online (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. February 12, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
9. "第143回芥川賞は赤染晶子氏『乙女の密告』、直木賞は中島京子氏『小さいおうち』が受賞". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. July 15, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
10. "Three women win Akutagawa, Naoki literary awards". The Japan Times. January 17, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
11. "直木賞作家・姫野カオルコ氏、ジム帰りジャージ姿で喜び会見". Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. January 16, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
12. "姫野カオルコ：念願の直木賞　次は「ベストジャージースト賞作家」宣言　会見詳報". MANTAN Web (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. January 17, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
13. "急きょスーツを…芥川賞・直木賞の贈呈式". News 24 (in Japanese). Nippon TV. February 21, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
14. "直木賞受賞者一覧" (in Japanese). 日本文学振興会. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
15. "female　フィーメイル". Allcinema.net (in Japanese). Retrieved August 3, 2018.
16. "受難". Allcinema.net (in Japanese). Retrieved August 3, 2018.