A Japanese author of historical novels, he is particularly known for RyÅma Coming to Us. He also created the KaidÅ wo Yuku travel essay series, which was published in more than one thousand installments.
He began his career as a Journalist with the Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan's major newspapers.
He received the Naoki Prize for his 1959 novel Fukuro no Shiro.
He grew up in Osaka, Japan. He later married Fukuda Midori.
He and Artist Takashi Murakami are both renowned Japanese cultural figures.
