Okamoto Kido was a Japanese novelist and playwright born in Tokyo, Japan. His real name was Okamoto Keiji (岡本啓二). He was a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts.

At the age of three, he began studying classical Chinese texts under his father's guidance, and at nine, he began learning Chinese poetry. He also learned English from his uncle and foreign exchange students at the embassy. After graduating from Hirakawa Elementary School, he entered Tokyo Prefectural Middle School, where he aspired to become a playwright. Instead of entering the First Higher School after graduation, he joined the Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun newspaper in 1890. He worked as a journalist for 24 years, including at Chuo Shimbunsha and Eiri Nichinichi Shimbun, until 1913. During the Russo-Japanese War, he also worked as a war correspondent in Manchuria. He married Kojima Ei, the daughter of a geisha from the Uwajima domain.

While working as a journalist, he began writing theater reviews and social exploration articles. In 1891, he published the novel "Takamatsu Castle" in the Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun. In 1896, he published his first play, "Shishinden," in the Kabuki Shinpo newspaper.

From 1913 onwards, he focused on his career as a writer. He left behind 196 plays in his lifetime. In 1916, he serialized novels simultaneously in the Kokumin Shimbun and Jiji Shimpo newspapers.

He visited Europe and the United States in 1918, which some say influenced a change in his writing style. He lost his home and collection of books (including diaries) in Kojimachi during the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1, 1923, and took refuge in the home of Rokufuku Nozaki, a disciple, before moving to Azabu and then Hyakunincho the following year. In 1930, he founded the monthly magazine "Butai" to nurture young talent. In 1937, he became the first artist to be appointed as a member of the Art Academy from the theatrical world.

His adopted son, Okamoto Keiichi, was the founder of the publishing company "Seiunsha," named after Kido's work "Seiundo Kidan."

He passed away from bronchitis and lung infiltration at his home in Kamimeguro in 1939.

(Source: Japanese = Wikipedia || Translation = kisskh) Edit Biography