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Rei Nakanishi

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Rei Nakanishi
Native name
なかにし 礼
Born(1938-09-02)2 September 1938
Mudanjiang, Manchukuo
Died23 December 2020(2020-12-23) (aged 82)
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationNovelist and songwriter
NationalityJapanese
EducationKudan High School
Alma materRikkyo University
Notable worksKyōdai
Notable awardsNaoki Prize
Website
home page (Japanese)

Rei Nakanishi (なかにし 礼, Nakanishi Rei, 2 September 1938 – 23 December 2020) was a Japanese novelist and songwriter. He won the 122nd Naoki Prize.

Career

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Nakanishi was born Reizō Nakanishi (中西 禮三) in Mudanjiang, Manchukuo. He graduated from Kudan High School in Tokyo and received a degree in French literature from Rikkyo University. He lived in Zushi, Kanagawa.

He first worked on translations of French chanson songs, but while on honeymoon he made the acquaintance of Yujiro Ishihara and became a Japanese popular song (kayōkyoku) writer. He is one of the main lyricists in the world of post-World War II kayōkyoku. He gave the world an extensive collection of works—songs such as "Kyou de owakare" and "Kita sakaba" which became big hits, but also a large proportion of unusual songs. In 1969, his total sales exceeded 10 million records. He has displayed talent in many fields, including concert and stage production, movie performance, singing, composing, translation, novel and essay writing, and cultural broadcasting (as a personality on "Sei! Yangu!" and as a regular on NHK's "N-kyō").

However, behind his showy life, he suffered from difficulties such as heart disease, divorce, and having to repay his elder brother's extensive debts. From those personal experiences came novels such as Kyōdai and Sakura no densetsu. He was a pacifist and desired reconciliation with China and Korea, and this shows in his writing style and speech.

He gave up lyric writing at the end of the Shōwa era and concentrated on opera production and performance and novel and essay writing. Kyōdai was nominated in 1998 for the 119th Naoki Prize. Nagasaki burabura-setsu won the 122nd Naoki Prize in 2000.[1]

Recently, Nakanishi served as a commentator on the Japanese "wide show" Wide! Scramble! on the Asahi Television Network.

Nakanishi died in Tokyo on 23 December 2020, at the age of 82, after suffering a heart attack.[2]

Awarded Songs

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Year Award Song Category Singer
1967 (Showa 42) 9th Japan Record Awards Kiri No Kanatani Lyricist Award Jun Mayuzumi
Koi No Fugue The Peanuts
1968 (Showa 43) 10th Japan Record Awards Tenshi No Yuwaku Japan Record Award Jun Mayuzumi
Dare Mo Inai Vocalist Award Sugawara Yoichi
Kuchitsuke Ga Kowai New Artist Award Kaori Kumi
Ai No Sazanami Special Award Chiyoko Shimakura
1969 (Showa 44) 11th Japan Record Awards Minatomachi Blues Best Vocalist Shinichi Mori
Yoru To Asa No Aida Ni Best New Artist Peter
Ningyō No Ie Vocalist Award Mieko Hirota
1970 (Showa 45) 12th Japan Record Awards Kyou De Owakare Japan Record Award Sugawara Yoichi
Tegami Vocalist Award Saori Yuki
Hatoba Onna No Blues Shinichi Mori
Drift No Zundokobushi General Public Award The Drifters
Showa Onna Blues Lyricist Award Mina Aoe
1971 (Showa 46) 13th Japan Record Awards Ame Ga Yandara Composer Award Yukiji Asaoka
1975 (Showa 50) 17th Japan Record Awards Kokoro No Kori Best New Artist Takashi Hosokawa
1980 (Showa 55) 22nd Japan Record Awards Santa Maria No Inori Gold Award Hideki Saijo
Anata Iro No Manon New Artist Award Yoshimi Iwasaki
1982 (Showa 57) 24th Japan Record Awards Kita Sakaba Japan Record Award Takashi Hosokawa
Gold Award
1989 (Heisei 1) 22nd Japan Lyricist Awards Kaze No Bon Koi Uta Grand Prix Sayuri Ishikawa

References

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  1. ^ "直木賞受賞者一覧" (in Japanese). 日本文学振興会. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Noted Japanese Lyricist, Writer Rei Nakanishi Dies at 82". Nippon.com. 25 December 2020. Archived from the original on 25 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
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