The Life of Osamu Dazai

Overview

Osamu Dazai (1909-48) was one of Japan's preeminent modern novelists. Born in wealthy circumstances that he later rejected, Dazai drew attention as a writer when he was 26 for Flowers of Buffoonery. His life was turbulent and controversial. While still a student, he started living with a geisha. After he married, he kept a mistress. He battled addiction and finally committed suicide. Dazai's books never go out of fashion. Even today, more than 60 years after his death, Dazai continues to be popular among young people. Some of his major works are: No Longer Human; Run, Melos!; Return to Tsugaru; and The Setting Sun. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, we look at the life of Osamu Dazai, a troubled author who nevertheless wrote some of Japan's most enduringly popular literature.