Biography
Kawada was born in the plebian Asakusa district of Tokyo as the third son of noted Chinese literature scholar Kawada Oko. He graduated from the Law School of Tokyo Imperial University with a degree in political science in 1907. On graduation, he obtained a job at the headquarters of the Sumitomo zaibatsu.
He wrote a modern translation to the poetry classic Shin Kokin Wakashū, and was active in submitting poetry to various literary magazines. He considered himself to be a disciple of the noted poet Sasaki Nobutsuna. In 1942, he was nominated to the Imperial Academy of the Arts. He was known for his prolific production of poetry on patriotic themes during World War II.
After the war, Kawada was responsible for organizing the annual New Year Poetry Reading ceremony at the Imperial Palace, and as poet laureate he was the selector of the poems to be read by the Crown Prince.
His grave is at the temple of Tokei-ji in Kamakura, Kanagawa.
Read more about this topic: Jun Kawada
Famous quotes containing the word biography:
“Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.”
—James Boswell (1740–95)
“The best part of a writer’s biography is not the record of his adventures but the story of his style.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)
“As we approached the log house,... the projecting ends of the logs lapping over each other irregularly several feet at the corners gave it a very rich and picturesque look, far removed from the meanness of weather-boards. It was a very spacious, low building, about eighty feet long, with many large apartments ... a style of architecture not described by Vitruvius, I suspect, though possibly hinted at in the biography of Orpheus.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)