Katai Tayama, born in 1872, is well known for his contributions to Japanese naturalism and his part in the creation of the Japanese "I novel," or "shishosetsu." These novels reflect the author's feelings through the feelings, actions and thoughts of the protagonist. Although his stories were published, he worked as a copyist for a living translating European works into Japanese. As a result, Western influence shows through in his writing. Katai was raised in poverty, as he grew up without a father, who was killed in the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. Tayama died in 1930.Work Cited
Ortabasi, Melek. 23 May, 2001, University of Washington; "Competing Conceptions of Modern Selfhood: Native Ethnologist Yanagita Kunio and the Meiji-Taisho Literary Community."
"Futon 2000, Le Serpent à Plumes: Deux récits traduits du Japonais par Amina Okada suivi de Un Soldat et Une botte d'Oignons."