Quick Facts
Biography
Michiko Yamamoto (山本道子, Yamamoto Michiko, born 4 December 1936) is the pen-name of a Japanese writer of short stories and poetry in Showa and Heisei period Japan. Her real name is Michiko Furuya.
Biography
Yamamoto was born in Nakano, Tokyo and graduated from Atomi University in 1957. Her first three short stories Mahō, Ame no Isu and Betei-san no Niwa appeared in Shinchō magazine in March, July and November 1972 editions, respectively. Rōjin no Kamo was published August 1972 in Fūkei magazine. These four stories later appeared in a collective issue. They were based on three years experience from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, where she had accompanied her husband in 1969. Other collections followed.
She lives in Kamakura, Kanagawa with her husband. The couple has two grown daughters.
Literary awards
- 1972 Yamamoto was awarded prestigious Akutagawa Prize for Betei-san no Niwa (Betty’s Garden). “Betty-san” became the title story for the collection.
- 1973 the Shinchō Prize for New Writers with Mahō (Powers).