Ken Hase

Ken Hase (長谷健, 1904-1957) was a Japanese novelist and children's literature author who won the prestigious 9th Akutagawa Prize in 1939 for his work Asakusa no Kodomo (Children of Asakusa), inspired by his experiences as an elementary school teacher in Tokyo's Asakusa district. Wikidata, English Akutagawa Prize. Born in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, he balanced a teaching career with literary pursuits, founding coterie magazines, evacuating to his hometown during WWII, and later holding positions in the Japan PEN Club; he died in a traffic accident at age 53, with other notable works including Karatachi no Hana and Jashūmon.