Juran Hisao

Jūran Hisao
Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan
Occupation	Writer and journalist
Genre	short stories, popular fiction, stage drama

Jūran Hisao (久生十蘭, Hisao Jūran, 6 April 1902 – 6 October 1957) was the

in Japanese literature. His works reflect his extensive knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and displayed extraordinary skills, and range from mystery tales to humor, and both historical and contemporary settings. His real name was Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, Abe Masao).

Early life

Hisao was a native of

newspaper, he wrote poetry and drama in his spare time.

In 1926, he moved to

.

Career

On returning to Japan, Hisao Jūran obtained a post as an assistant stage director with the New Tsukiji Theater. However, his interests were very broadly based, and he also contributed mystery stories to the magazine Shin Seinen ("New Youth"). His fiction included the dark detective story Kinrō ("Golden Wolf"), which was also the first time he adopted the pen-name of "Hisao Jūran". Several other works followed, and in 1936 he was offered the post of lecturer on the theory of theater at the Department of Literature at Meiji University. In 1937, he joined the Bungakuza theatre company organized by his mentor Kishida. He also began translating works of detective fiction by noted French authors (including Gaston Leroux) into Japanese. The extra income enabled him to purchase a summer home in the resort area of Karuizawa, Nagano.

In 1940, Kishida became a Director of Culture for the

, where he lived until his death.

His short story, Suzuki Mondō, won the 11th Naoki Prize in 1951, and his novelette Boshizo, earlier serialized in the Mainichi Shimbun, gained him first place in a New York Herald Tribune short story contest in 1955.

Hisao Jūran died of esophageal cancer in 1957 at the age of 55. His grave is at the Zaimokuza Reien Cemetery in Kamakura.

See also

• Japanese literature
• List of Japanese authors
• List of people who disappeared mysteriously at sea

References

• Eguchi Yusuke. Hisao Juran. Hakusuiha (1994).
  ISBN 4-560-04316-7
  (Japanese)

External links

• e-texts of works at Aozora Bunko (Japanese site)