Makoto Ōoka

Makoto Ōoka (大岡 信, Ōoka Makoto; February 16, 1931, in Mishima, Shizuoka – April 5, 2017) was a Japanese poet and literary critic. He pioneered the collaborative poetic form renshi in the 1990s, in which he has collaborated with such well-known literary figures as Charles Tomlinson, James Lasdun, Joseph Stanton, Shuntarō Tanikawa and Mikirō Sasaki.

Ōoka's poetry column was published without a break seven days a week for more than 20 years on the front page of Asahi Shimbun, which is Japan's leading national newspaper.

Source:

• 1993: Cultural Prize of the Municipality of Tokyo
• 1993: Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France)
• 1995: Japan Academy of the Arts Prize for poetry and criticism
• 1996: Asahi Prize
• 1996: Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia
• 1997: Cultural Merit Award
• 2002: Japan Foundation Award