Kasai Zenzō

Kasai Zenzō (葛西善蔵) was a Japanese novelist active in Taishō period Japan.

Early life
Kasai Zenzō was born in what is now part of Hirosaki city, Aomori prefecture, as the eldest son of a rice merchant. His parents died when he was two years old, and he was shuffled to relatives around Hokkaidō and Aomori. He was only able to receive a primary school education. His relatives were resolved that he should become a Buddhist priest, but he moved to Tokyo at the age of 15 in order to find work, and to pursue a literary career. After working as an employee of a railroad, and as a forester, he saved up enough money to take classes at Toyo University and Waseda University, he met aspiring author Hirotsu Kazuo, and ended up as a disciple of author Tokuda Shusei. He studied philosophy, literature and English literature, but dropped out of school when he felt that he had learned enough (and when his money ran out).

Literary career
In 1912, Kasai joined Funaki Shigeo and Hirotsu Kazuo in founding a new literary magazine, Kiseki ("Miracle"), and contributed various works to it. Kasai wrote novels in an autobiographical naturalist style, which was a forerunner of the "I novel". In 1918, he published Ko o tsuretete ("With Children in Tow") in the Waseda Bungaku magazine, which gained him wide recognition. In his novels, he described his struggles against poverty, illness, alcoholism, and loneliness. His major works include Kanashiki chichi ("Mourning Father", 1912), Akuma ("Devil", 1912), and Kohan Nikki ("Lakeside Diary", 1924).

He lived in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture for many years, due to the presence of many fellow writers, and because the sea air was considered healthier for his weak lungs. He died in Tokyo at the age of 41 after a long struggle against tuberculosis. His grave is at the temple of Kencho-ji in Kamakura.