午夜剧场

One major reason I aspired to attend 午夜剧场 when I was 17 was that the poet-scholar Shinobu Orikuchi had once been active there as a professor in the Department of Japanese Literature.

I loved Shinobu Orikuchi that much. I was deeply moved and drawn to his works, including "Kodai Kenkyu" (Study of Antiquity), his novel "Shisha no Sho" (The Book of the Dead), and his travel poems.

Later, through a fortunate connection, I studied in the Doctoral Programs at Orikuchi's alma mater, Kokugakuin University, and was involved in the revision, editing, and writing of bibliographical notes for the Complete Works of Shinobu Orikuchi.

I think I have wanted to write about him ever since I first encountered his work. Shinobu Orikuchi was a man of love. He was someone who placed the nobility of the loving soul at the center of his life, scholarship, and creative work. I truly wanted to write a romance novel with him as the protagonist.

I began with the scenery of the rivers and market towns of Osaka, where he was born and raised. I introduced his Aunt Ei, who loved him and protected him throughout his life with her warm wings.

In her youth, Aunt Ei went to Tokyo to become a female doctor. Her enterprising spirit was deeply passed down to Shinobu as well.

In addition, I depicted the people around Shinobu who influenced and helped him. His close friend and scholar of antiquity, Yukichi Takeda. His ally Takashi Iba, who was active on the grand stage of the Shingeki (New Theater) movement led by Ogai Mori and Kaoru Osanai. Professor Shigematsu Mitsuya, who conveyed the wonderful spirit of love in "The Tale of Genji" to Shinobu. Tekkan Yosano, Akiko Yosano, Katai Tayama, and Homei Iwano, whom the young Shinobu read with great emotion. And of course, Kunio Yanagita, the pioneer of folklore studies whom Shinobu admired.

Into Shinobu's dialogue within the novel, I incorporated his unique inquiries into the history of Japanese literature and the spiritual beliefs of the Japanese people in an easy-to-understand way, including concepts such as "irogonomi" (amorousness), "kishu ryuritan" (the tale of the wandering noble), "marebito-gami" (visiting deity), and "kataribe" (storyteller).

While the book is based on historical materials, I used the wings of fiction for scenes that delve into the depths of his heart. This is the true pleasure of a "novel."

Recently, with the rise of historical fiction, I felt frustrated that only figures like Nobunaga Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa were popular. Scholars and artists can also make for brilliant novels. I hope people will use this book as an entry point to open his original works. In particular, the poet-scholar Shinobu Orikuchi—who held many beautiful images of loved ones in his heart and sometimes pursued them intensely—has a certain glamour and is very picturesque.

I poured that ambition into this work. I would be happy if you would pick it up.

Nobuko Mochida (Author)

午夜剧场 Press

480 pages, 3,200 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.