Yukio Mishima.

Yukio Mishima was born in Tokyo in 1925 to Shizue and Azusa Hiraoka. He attended the University of Tokyo, where he studied law and politics. His first short story was published when he was a first-year student, marking the beginning of his literary career. Reared in a traditional Japanese household, Mishima was influenced by both Japanese and Western literature, including European and Russian works.

In 1949, Mishima published his first full-length novel Confessions of a Mask, an autobiographical exploration of homosexuality and nationalism that became a classic of modern Japanese fiction. He continued to write prolifically, producing plays, poetry, essays, and more novels, including The Temple of the Golden Pavilion and Patriotism. Mishima also ventured into film, acting in Afraid to Die 1960, Patriotism 1966, which he also directed, Black Lizard 1968, and Tenchu! 1969. In 1968, he founded the Shield Society, a private militia of 100 men dedicated to the samurai code of Bushido.

Mishima married Yoko Sugiyama in 1958 and later Yoshiko Tsuruoka. He had two children: Noriko and Iichirō Hiraoka. Self-conscious about his height of 1.55 m, Mishima took up bodybuilding and became adept, even moving a coin on his abdomen without using his hands. When arranging his marriage, he stipulated that his bride must not be interested in his work and must not be taller than him.

Mishima’s dramatic suicide in 1970 brought him international notoriety and sparked debate about his political and artistic legacy. His works continue to be studied and admired worldwide. He received numerous awards, including the Yomiuri Prize, the Kishida Theatre Award, and a star on the Playwrights’ Sidewalk. A museum dedicated to his life and work was erected at Yamanakako village in Yamanashi Prefecture. Mishima is most remembered for his literary masterpieces and his shocking act of ritual suicide.