Yukio Mishima

Who was Yukio Mishima?

Yukio Mishima is the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka, a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, and film director. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century; he was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize in Literature and was poised to win the prize in 1968 although lost the award to his fellow countryman Yasunari Kawabata, presumably because of his radical right-wing activities. His avant-garde work displayed a blending of modern and traditional aesthetics that broke cultural boundaries, with a focus on sexuality, death, and political change. He is also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état attempt, known as the Mishima Incident.

Mishima was also known for his natural bodybuilding and modelling career. A 1985 biographical film by Paul Schrader titled Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters depicts his life.