Eiji Yoshikawa

Eiji Yoshikawa was a Japanese historical novelist. Among his best-known novels are revisions of older classics. He was mainly influenced by classics such as The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Genji, Water Margin and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, many of which he retold in his own style. As an example, Yoshikawa took up Taiko's original manuscript in 15 volumes to retell it in a more accessible tone and reduce it to only two volumes. His other books also serve similar purposes and, although most of his novels are not original works, he created a huge amount of work and a renewed interest in the past. He was awarded the Cultural Order of Merit in 1960, the Order of the Sacred Treasure and the Mainichi Art Award just before his death from cancer in 1962. He is cited as one of the best historical novelists in Japan.

11 August 1892

Born on the same birth date (11 August 1892): Hugh MacDiarmid

Born on the same birth day (11 August): Adolph M. Christianson • Bob Mothersbaugh • Bubba Crosby • Daniel Poohl • Don Boyd • Frederick Haldimand • Gregoria Mariska Tunjung • Ian McDiarmid • Jah Wobble • Lenka Juríková • Moyuka Uchijima • Nigel Martyn • Patrick Joseph McGovern • Peter Eisenman • Raymond Leppard • Spyros Gogolos • Steve Wozniak • William W. Chapman • Yashpal Sharma (cricketer)

Born in the same month (August 1892): Abraham Wachner • Alfred Lunt • Charles Vanel • Hal Foster • Hugh MacDiarmid • Jack L. Warner • Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji • Louis de Broglie • Otto Messmer