was a Japanese novelist and scholar of Chinese literature in Shōwa period Japan. His wife was fellow writer

Takako Takahashi was a Japanese author. Her maiden name was . Biography Takahashi was born in Kyoto, as the only child of well-to-do parents, with the maiden name of Okamoto. In 1954 she received her undergraduate degree from Kyoto University in French literat ...

Biography

Takahashi was born in Naniwa-ku, Osaka, and was a graduate of

Kyoto University , mottoeng = Freedom of academic culture , established = , type = National university, Public (National) , endowment = ¥ 316 billion (2.4 1000000000 (number), billion USD) , faculty = 3,480 (Teaching Staff) , administrative_staff ...

. While still a student, he contributed to the ''Gendai Bungaku''

literary magazine A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letter ...

. He was encouraged to study the Chinese language and

Chinese history The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the ''Book of Documents'' (early chapter ...

by fellow writer Eiji Yoshikawa. He became a professor at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto in 1959. During the widespread violent student protest movements in the 1960s against the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, Takahashi was an outspoken supporter of the radical student movement. He moved to

Meiji University , abbreviated as Meiji (明治) or Meidai (明大'')'', is a private research university located in Chiyoda City, the heart of Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1881 as Meiji Law School (明治法律学校, ''Meiji Hōritsu Gakkō'') by three Meiji-er ...

briefly in 1966 before returning to Kyoto University in 1967. His novel, ''Hi no utsuwa'' (“Vessel of Sorrow”, 1962), depicts the fall of a university dean from respectability due to his self-centered love affairs. Other works include ''Yuutsu naru Toha'' (“A Melancholy Faction”, 1965) and ''Jashumon'' (“Heretical Faith”, 1965–66). Takahashi died of

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

at the young age of 39. His grave is at the Fuji Reien Cemetery in Shizuoka Prefecture.

References

*Miller, Scott J. ''The A to Z of Modern Japanese Literature and Theater''. Rowman & Littlefield (2010) * Takahashi, Takako. ''Takahashi Kazumi to iu hito: Nijugonen no nochi ni''. Kawade Shobo Shinsha (1997). (Japanese) {{DEFAULTSORT:Takahashi, Kazumi 1931 births 1971 deaths People from Osaka Japanese essayists Kyoto University faculty Kyoto University alumni Deaths from colorectal cancer Deaths from cancer in Japan 20th-century Japanese novelists 20th-century essayists