The Kyoto Shimbun
  • Home
  • Kyoto
  • News
  • Biography of Jakucho Setouchi Written by Her Former Secretary
    Jakucho's Heart Revealed to People Close to Her

    13 March 2023 - Kyoto//Tradition/Culture

    "Shukke: Jakucho ni Natta Hi" (Entering the priesthood: The day I became Jakucho)

    "Shukke: Jakucho ni Natta Hi" (Entering the priesthood: The day I became Jakucho)

    A biographical novel of the late Jakucho Setouchi, a writer and Buddhist priest, titled "Shukke: Jakucho ni Natta Hi," which translates to "Entering the priesthood: The day I became Jakucho," has been published. The author Reiko Nagao, who lives in Tokyo, was her secretary. Being a relative of Setouchi, Nagao describes her through the eyes of people who were close to her.

    Nagao's mother is Setouchi's cousin and 11 years younger. Nagao and her family called Setouchi "Haa-chan." For eight years from 1970, they lived on different floors of the same apartment building where Setouchi had her office-cum-home in Tokyo.

    Nagao began helping Setouchi when she was 14 years old. Her love for literature so impressed the writer that she was asked to find materials necessary for her writing. In 1980, she began to take on a secretary-like role, such as organizing manuscripts, and in 1987 she was officially hired as her secretary, a position she held until 2010.

    The biographical novel consists mainly of recollections by Nagao's mother about when Setouchi was ordained, and Nagao's reminiscences of how she began helping her with her work and when the writer was translating the Tale of Genji into modern Japanese. According to Nagao, Setouchi said, "Honestly, I don't know why I became a priest."

    The novel is filled with Setouchi's words that she dropped on a whim, and they intriguingly reveal the late writer's heart to readers.

    (Translated by Mie Hiuzon, Psyche et l’Amour, Inc.)
  • Also in Kyoto//Tradition/Culture:

    Why New 500-yen Coins Cannot Be Used in Vending Machines
    Nor for Some Buses or Parking Lots
    13 March 2023

    Fermentation under way for new sake at Kyoto Pref. brewery
    14 February 2023

    Kyoto Sanga Ensures J1 Survival
    18,000 Spectators at 1-1 Playoff Final against Kumamoto
    6 December 2022

    Men in Their Prime Should Be Cautious about Binge Eating Disorder
    Doctor Warns Depression May Develop Due to Weight Gain
    6 December 2022

    Kabuki signboards under preparation in Kyoto
    6 December 2022

News Archive
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • More...
Categories
  • Sightseeing/Events
  • Temples/Shrines
  • Tradition/Culture
  • Local topics
  • Education/University
  • Business/Company
  • Traffic
  • Gourmet
  • 1min Kyoto
  • Kyoto
  • Shiga
Web site
Introducing Privacy Policy Japanese Site
Copyright © 1995-2023 The Kyoto Shimbun Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
We use cookies for a number of reasons, such as keeping our websites reliable and secure, providing social media features and to analyze the performance of ads. Accept & continue Read More
Privacy Policy