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Makoto Ōoka

おおおか まこと

Ōoka Makoto

Aliases: Makoto Ooka

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1931-02-16 （Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan）
Died
2017-04-05 age 86
Nationality
Japanese
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
poet, literary critic, columnist
Active Years
1952-2017

Awards

Cultural Prize of the Municipality of Tokyo
1993
Organization: Municipality of Tokyo
Result: 受賞
Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
1993
Organization: French Ministry of Culture
Result: 受賞
Japan Academy of the Arts Prize (for poetry and criticism)
1995
Organization: Japan Academy of the Arts
Result: 受賞
Asahi Prize
1996
Organization: Asahi Shimbun Company
Result: 受賞
Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings
1996
Organization: Struga Poetry Evenings
Result: 受賞
Cultural Merit Award
1997
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受賞
Japan Foundation Award
2002
Organization: Japan Foundation
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Japanese and Mt. Fuji

1984 essays / poetry

An essayistic and poetic exploration of Mount Fuji and its cultural significance to the Japanese people.

natureculturesymbolism

Uta no saijiki

1985 poetry / seasonal anthology

A collection that pairs poems with seasonal notes, presenting Japanese seasonal sensibilities through verse.

seasonsnatureeveryday life

A Play of Mirrors: Eight Major Poets of Modern Japan

1987 poetry criticism

A critical study of eight major modern Japanese poets, examining their works and poetics.

poeticscomparative literaturemodern poetry

A String Around Autumn: Selected Poems, 1952–1980

1988 poetry (selected poems)

A selected poems volume covering 1952–1980, showing the development of his early to mid career.

memoryseasonspersonal history

What the Kite Thinks: A Linked Poem

1994 renshi / linked poetry

A collaborative linked poem created with international poets, exemplifying his work in collaborative renshi.

dialoguecollaborationcross-linguistic exchange

Bibliography

  • The Japanese and Mt. Fuji (1984)
  • Uta no saijiki (1985)
  • A Play of Mirrors: Eight Major Poets of Modern Japan (1987)
  • The World of Sam Francis (1987)
  • A String Around Autumn: Selected Poems, 1952–1980 (1988)
  • Gustave Moreau Caste of Dreams (1988)
  • Elegy and the Benediction: Selected Poems 1947–1989 (1991)
  • The Colors of Poetry: Essays on Classic Japanese Verse (1991)
  • A Poet's Anthology: The Range of Japanese Poetry (1994)
  • What the Kite Thinks: A Linked Poem (1994)
  • Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets (1995)
  • The Poetry and Poetics of Ancient Japan (1997)
  • Dans l'océan du silence (1998)
  • Oriori no Uta: Poems for all seasons (2000)
  • Love Songs from the Man'yoshu: Selections from a Japanese Classic (2000)
  • Voix d'Argile: Fance Franck (2001)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
conversational and lyrical poetic voiceclear, comparative-cultural approach in criticismpractitioner of collaborative linked poetry (renshi)
Recurring Motifs
seasons and saijiki (seasonal almanac)nature (notably Mount Fuji)memory and personal historylinguistic exchange and dialogue

Legacy

Makoto Ōoka was one of postwar Japan's leading poets and critics. Through his long-running Asahi Shimbun column and pioneering work in international collaborative renshi, he popularized poetry and advanced cross-cultural literary exchange. He received numerous honors and deepened understanding of modern Japanese poetry through criticism and translation.

Museums

  • Ooka Makoto Kotoba Museum Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan

Archives

  • Makoto Ōoka materials (held at Kotoba Museum)

Trivia

  • He published a daily poetry column on the front page of the Asahi Shimbun for more than 20 years without interruption.
  • He practiced collaborative renshi with poets from Japan and abroad, promoting international poetic exchange.