was a Japanese novelist and songwriter. He won the 122nd Naoki Prize.
Career Nakanishi was born Reizō Nakanishi () in Mudanjiang, Manchukuo. He graduated from Kudan High School in Tokyo and received a degree in French literature from Rikkyo University. He lived in Zushi, Kanagawa.
He first worked on translations of French chanson songs, but while on honeymoon, he made the acquaintance of Yujiro Ishihara and became a Japanese popular song (kayōkyoku) writer. He is one of the main lyricists in the world of post-World War II kayōkyoku. He gave the world an extensive collection of works—songs such as "Kyou de owakare" and "Kita sakaba", which became big hits, but also a large proportion of unusual songs. In 1969, his total sales exceeded 10 million records. He has displayed talent in many fields, including concert and stage production, movie performance, singing, composing, translation, novel and essay writing, and cultural broadcasting (as a personality on "Sei! Yangu!" and as a regular on NHK's "N-kyō").
However, behind his showy life, he suffered from difficulties such as heart disease, divorce, and having to repay his elder brother's extensive debts. From those personal experiences came novels such as Kyōdai and Sakura no densetsu. He was a pacifist and desired reconciliation with China and Korea, and this shows in his writing style and speech.
He gave up songwriting at the end of the Shōwa era, and concentrated on opera production and performance and novel and essay writing. Kyōdai was nominated in 1998 for the 119th Naoki Prize. Nagasaki burabura-setsu won the 122nd Naoki Prize in 2000.
Recently, Nakanishi appeared as a commentator on the Japanese "wide show" Wide! Scramble! on the Asahi Television Network.
Nakanishi died in Tokyo on 23 December 2020, at the age of 82, after suffering a heart attack.
Awarded Songs YearAwardSongCategorySinger1967 (Showa 42)9th Japan Record AwardsKiri No KanataniLyricist AwardJun MayuzumiKoi No FugueThe Peanuts1968 (Showa 43)10th Japan Record AwardsTenshi No YuwakuJapan Record AwardJun MayuzumiDare Mo InaiVocalist AwardSugawara YoichiKuchitsuke Ga KowaiNew Artist AwardKaori KumiAi No SazanamiSpecial AwardChiyoko Shimakura1969 (Showa 44)11th Japan Record AwardsMinatomachi BluesBest VocalistShinichi MoriYoru To Asa No Aida NiBest New ArtistPeterNingyō No IeVocalist AwardMieko Hirota1970 (Showa 45)12th Japan Record AwardsKyou De OwakareJapan Record AwardSugawara YoichiTegamiVocalist AwardSaori YukiHatoba Onna No BluesShinichi MoriDrift No ZundokobushiGeneral Public AwardThe DriftersShowa Onna BluesLyricist AwardMina Aoe1971 (Showa 46)13th Japan Record AwardsAme Ga YandaraComposer AwardYukiji Asaoka1975 (Showa 50)17th Japan Record AwardsKokoro No KoriBest New ArtistTakashi Hosokawa1980 (Showa 55)22nd Japan Record AwardsSanta Maria No InoriGold AwardHideki SaijoAnata Iro No ManonNew Artist AwardYoshimi Iwasaki1982 (Showa 57)24th Japan Record AwardsKita SakabaJapan Record AwardTakashi HosokawaGold Award1989 (Heisei 1)22nd Japan Lyricist AwardsKaze No Bon Koi UtaGrand PrixSayuri Ishikawa
References
External links IMdb entry for Rei Nakanishi IMdb entry for Nagasaki Burabura