Mokichi Saitō

He later directed Aoyama Hospital, a psychiatric facility. Mokichi studied tanka under Itō Sachio, a disciple of Masaoka Shiki and leader, after his master's death, of the Negishi Tanka Society; Sachio also edited the society's official journal Ashibi. This magazine, due to Sachio's increasing commitment to other literary activities, was subsequently replaced by Araragi in 1908. The publication in 1913 of Mokichi's first collection of tanka, Shakkō ("Red Light") was an immediate sensation with the broader public. The first edition collected the poet's work from the years 1905-1913 and included 50 tanka sequences (rensaku), with the autobiographical "My Mother is Dying" (死にたまふ母, Shinitamafuhaha) being perhaps the most celebrated sequence in the book. Mokichi's career as a poet spanned almost 50 years. In 1950 he received the inaugural Yomiuri Prize for poetry. He received the Order of Culture in 1951. Mokichi was the family doctor of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and may have unknowingly played an indirect role in the latter's suicide. He also wrote philological essays on waka of Kakinomoto no Hitomaro and of Minamoto no Sanetomo.

• Name — Mokichi Saitō • Born — 14 May 1882 • Birthplace — Minamimurayama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan • Died — 25 February 1953 • Place of death — Daikyocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan • Occupation — Waka poet, essayist, psychiatrist • Education — Tokyo Imperial University • Children — * Shigeta Saitō Morio Kita • Relatives — Yuka Saitō (granddaughter) • Notable Works — Red lights (1913) • Awards — Japan Academy Prize (1940) Order of Culture (1951)

Mokichi Saitō is recorded with the occupation literary critic. Recorded with the occupation waka poet. Recorded as poet, psychiatrist, writer and literary critic.