Hiroki Takahashi

Hiroki Takahashi is a Japanese novelist known for his war novels. He gained recognition for his debut novel, Finger Bone (2014), which was translated into English and published in 2023. It was nominated for the Akutagawa Prize.

Takahashi was born in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, on December 8, 1979. His father is from Kuroishi, and his mother is from Towada. Due to his parents' work, Takahashi moved frequently across the Kanto region. He graduated from Bunkyo University's Faculty of Literature, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature. After graduation, he worked as a prep school teacher while playing in a rock band.

In 2014, Takahashi made his literary debut with Finger Bone, a story set during World War II. It explores the experiences of a young soldier. Takahashi explained his inspiration for the novel, "I wanted to express the fragility and brutality of youth in war."

Takahashi was nominated three times for the Akutagawa Prize. In 2018, he won the Akutagawa Prize for his novel Ceremonial Fire (Okuribi). This book depicts violent games among junior high school boys in a closing school in Aomori. The novel earned him the first Towada City Citizen's Honor Award in 2018.

Beyond war literature, Takahashi explored various themes in his work. His notable books include Morning Glory Day (2015) and Sunday People (2017). The latter won the Noma Literary New Face Prize. In 2022, his first full-length novel, When the Music Stops, was published. This novel draws from his experience in a rock band during his youth.

Takahashi was an avid shogi player in his youth, even creating a strategy called the "Takahashi System." He once played against the professional shogi player Hifumi Kato but decided to pursue writing after losing the match. Takahashi remarked, "Writing a novel is like playing shogi; both require strategic thinking and patience."

In addition to his novels, Takahashi has written essays and critiques for various publications. His essay "Contemporary Music History B" was serialized in the literary magazine Bungei. He also contributed articles on shogi and music for Asahi Shimbun and other outlets.