Good to see Mishima get a mention here. Japan's celebrity Buddhist, Setouchi Jakucho, sadly no longer with us, once told me that Mishima turned up to Kawabata's house to congratulate him on the Nobel, clutching a bottle of sake so tight with anger and regret that his knuckles had gone white. He knew that Kawabata's win had just killed off his own chances of the prize...
Murakami didn’t, but a Norwegian would
Good to see Mishima get a mention here. Japan's celebrity Buddhist, Setouchi Jakucho, sadly no longer with us, once told me that Mishima turned up to Kawabata's house to congratulate him on the Nobel, clutching a bottle of sake so tight with anger and regret that his knuckles had gone white. He knew that Kawabata's win had just killed off his own chances of the prize...
I knew something had been going on with him the last few years but hadn't really figure out what it was. Thanks for filling in the gaps!