Who is Yukio Mishima? Parents, Nationality, Height, Net Worth



Known for movies



Yukio Mishima was a Japanese author, poet, and playwright who was considered one of the most important Japanese writers of the 20th century. He was born Kimitake Hiraoka on January 14, 1925, in the Tokyo district of Shibuya. His father was Azusa Hiraoka, a government official, and his mother, Shizue Hiraoka, was a homemaker. Mishima had an older sister, Noriko, and a younger brother, Chiyuki. Mishima’s childhood was largely happy and uneventful. He was a bright student and an avid reader, and he developed a lifelong love of the theater.

Mishima began writing fiction in his teens, and his first story was published when he was just 19 years old. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1947 with a degree in law. Mishima’s first novel, Confessions of a Mask, was published in 1949. The book was an instant success, and Mishima became a celebrity. He followed up with a string of critically acclaimed novels, including The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (1956), The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1963), and The Sea of Fertility (1965-1970).

In 1968, Mishima founded the Tatenokai (“Shield Society”), a private militia dedicated to the preservation of traditional Japanese values. On November 25, 1970, Mishima and four members of the Tatenokai staged a coup d’état at the Japan Self-Defense Forces headquarters in Tokyo. The group took hostages and demanded that the emperor rescind his order to allow Japanese troops to be sent to fight in Vietnam. When their demands were not met, Mishima committed seppuku (ritual suicide) and was beheaded by one of his followers. His death shocked and horrified the nation.

Mishima’s novels, plays, and essays continue to be widely read and studied. His work is noted for its beautiful prose, its psychological insight, and its examination of the contradictions between traditional Japanese values and Westernization. Mishima’s life and death are as famous as his work, and he remains one of the most enigmatic and controversial figures in Japanese history.

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia