Naoya Memorial Day (Naoya-ki)

What Is Naoya-ki?

October 21st is "Naoya-ki," the memorial day of novelist Naoya Shiga, known for works such as A Dark Night's Passing, At Kinosaki and The Shopboy's God. Shiga died on October 21, 1971 at the age of 88. Called "the god of the novel," he influenced many Japanese writers, and this is a day to remember him.

A Shirakaba School Master Called "the God of the Novel"

Naoya Shiga was one of the leading novelists of the Shirakaba (White Birch) school, active from the Meiji to the Showa era. His concise, economical prose has long served as a model for other writers.

• Life: Born February 20, 1883; died October 21, 1971
• Birthplace: Ishinomaki in Oshika District, Miyagi Prefecture (now Ishinomaki City)
• Literary circle: One of the leading novelists of the Shirakaba school
• Major works: A Dark Night's Passing, At Kinosaki, The Shopboy's God, Reconciliation, Seibei's Gourds, Akanishi Kakita
• Nickname: "The god of the novel"

"The God of the Novel" and The Shopboy's God

His nickname, "the god of the novel," is also known as a play on the title of one of his best-known works, The Shopboy's God. After moving to Atami in 1948, Shiga wrote less, and his 1969 essay "A Drop of Water from the Nile" was his last literary work. His remains rest at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Read one of his shorter works, such as At Kinosaki
• Revisit a story you read in school, now with an adult's eye
• Savor the opening lines of a classic as a model of concise writing
• Learn about places connected to his works, such as Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo

Brief and Precise: Great Prose Never Fades

Naoya Shiga's prose, which captured scenes and emotions without a wasted word, still draws many readers today. October 21st is a day to remember the great writer and spend some time with his work.