Akinori Yaginuma

Akinori Yaginuma

Born 1976 in Kyoto, Yaginuma is a playwright and director and representative of the theater company Karasuma Stroke Rock. He founded the company in 1999 while a student in the Faculty of Literature, Arts and Cultural Studies at Kinki University and has continued creative activities with it since, primarily in the Kyoto area. Yaginuma has been nominated numerous times for the OMS Drama Awards, a contest widely considered the gateway to success for playwrights in the Kansai region of Japan. Through his ongoing writing of short plays and ongoing fieldwork, Yagnuma addresses the realities and issues of contemporary society in a dramatic style that makes abundant use of monologue to depict the thoughts and emotions of his characters. Among Yaginuma’s representative works are the play Fukuinsho (The Gospels) that won the 2003 Kyoto Grand Prix of the 24th Kyoto Theater Festival, and was nominated has a finalist for the 12th OMS Drama Award the following year (2004) in a revised production titled Fukuinsho – Rokkawa-hen (The Gospels – Rokkawa Version) ; Himitsu no Asa, Kuberu Futari (Secret Morning, two thrown on the fire) (Misogeki Hour 2011 Award winner); the Hyohaku no Ie series compilation Hachigatsu, Hato ha Kaeruka (August, will the pigeon return?) (Nominated has a finalist for the 18th OMS Drama Award); Tanpenshu: Adashino no Tsuyu (Short Play Collection: The dew of Adashino), and numerous others. Yaginuma also holds workshops around the country for participants from high school students to the elderly and writes and directs community theater plays.