Boss's sword - Kamitsukasashoken

Novelist. Real name Nobutaka. Born in Nara City. Family business: Shinto priest. Dropped out of Osaka Preparatory School. After working as a substitute teacher, in 1897 (Meiji 30), he moved to Tokyo at the recommendation of Sakai Toshihiko and joined the Yomiuri Shimbun. He rose to the position of editor-in-chief and left the company in 1920 (Taisho 9). There, he got to know naturalist writers such as Shimamura Hogetsu, Masamune Hakucho, and Tokuda Shusei, and through Sakai, he became acquainted with socialists such as Kotoku Shusui and Shirayanagi Shuko. This widening circle of friends brought an awareness of society to his style that was not present in naturalist literature. His debut novel, "Ashes" (1908), dealt with the lifestyle of the residents of Meguro, Tokyo, and "Wooden Statue" (1910), with a merchant from the Kansai region as the protagonist, garnered attention. He gained literary fame with "Hamo no kawa" (Hamo skin) (1914), which depicts the life of a female proprietress of a restaurant in Dotonbori, Osaka, and published other fine works over the following year, including "Tenmangu" (1914), "Father's Wedding," "Dajokan," and "Omitsu Sokichi" (1915). He excelled at writing stories depicting the feelings of ordinary people in the Kamigata region. His later masterpieces included the long "Tokyo" tetralogy (1921-1947, unfinished) and "U Shimbun Chronicle" (1933), a play-style account of his experiences during his time at Yomiuri. He became a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1946.

[Masanobu Yoshida]

"Complete Collection of Modern Japanese Literature 31: Shoken Uehara and Other Works" (1968, Kodansha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

小説家。本名延貴(のぶたか)。奈良市生まれ。家業は神主。大阪予備学校中退。代用教員を経て、1897年（明治30）、堺利彦(さかいとしひこ)の勧めで上京し読売新聞社に入社。編集局長にまでなり、1920年（大正9）退社。そこで、島村抱月(ほうげつ)、正宗白鳥(まさむねはくちょう)、徳田秋声(とくだしゅうせい)ら自然主義文学者を知り、堺を介して幸徳秋水(こうとくしゅうすい)、白柳秀湖(しらやなぎしゅうこ)ら社会主義者と交わった。この交友の広がりが、作風に自然主義文学にはない社会への目配りをもたらしている。小説の処女作は『灰燼(かいじん)』（1908）で東京・目黒の住民の生態を扱い、関西の商人が主人公の『木像』（1910）で注目された。大阪道頓堀(どうとんぼり)の料理屋の女将(おかみ)の生活を描いた『鱧(はも)の皮』（1914）で文壇的名声を得、翌年にかけて『天満宮』（1914）、『父の婚礼』、『太政官(だじょうかん)』、『お光壮吉』（1915）など佳作を発表。上方(かみがた)市井人の情調ものが得意であった。その後、力作に長編『東京』四部作（1921～47、未完）と、読売時代の見聞を戯曲風につづった『U新聞年代記』（1933）がある。46年芸術院会員。

［吉田正信］

『『日本現代文学全集31　上司小剣他集』（1968・講談社）』

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