今日は日本文学を愛する人なら知っている「桜桃忌」です。
1948年6月19日——作家・太宰治の遺体が、東京・玉川上水で発見されました。そしてこの日は、奇しくも太宰治の39回目の誕生日でもありました。
「恥の多い生涯を送ってきました」——「人間失格」の冒頭の一文は、太宰自身の告白であり、時代を超えて若者の心をつかみ続けています。今日は、今もなお愛され続けるこの文豪の、波乱に満ちた生涯をお届けします。
6月19日の記念日まとめ
6月19日の主な記念日・出来事
・桜桃忌（太宰治の誕生日・遺体発見の日）——1948年6月19日、太宰治（享年38歳）の遺体が発見された。この日は彼の誕生日でもある
・元号の日——645年6月19日（旧暦）、日本初の元号「大化」が定められた日
・ベースボール記念日——1846年6月19日、公式記録に残る史上初の野球の試合がアメリカ・ニュージャージー州で行われた
・朗読の日——「ろう（6）ど（十）く（9）」の語呂合わせ。NPO日本朗読文化協会が制定
・理化学研究所設立記念日（1917年）——日本初の基礎・応用研究機関として東京に設立
・京都府開庁記念日（1868年）——明治維新後、京都府が開設された日
・ロマンスの日——「ロ（6）マンティ（1）ック（9）」の語呂合わせ
「誕生日と命日が同じ日」——太宰治という人
太宰治（本名・津島修治）は1909年6月19日、青森県北津軽郡金木村（現・五所川原市）に生まれました。大地主の家の6男として生まれ、幼少期は不自由なく育ちますが、内面では常に深い孤独と自己嫌悪を抱えていました。
東京帝国大学（現・東京大学）在学中から小説を書き始め、やがて「走れメロス」「斜陽」「人間失格」など、今も読み継がれる名作を次々と発表します。
しかし——太宰の人生は、常に「死」の影がつきまとっていました。
📚 太宰治の4度の自殺未遂
・1929年（20歳）：東大在学中に睡眠薬で初めての未遂
・1930年（21歳）：銀座の女給・田部あつみと鎌倉・七里ヶ浜で心中を図る（田部は死亡、太宰は助かる）
・1935年（26歳）：雑誌の編集者と縊死を図るも失敗
・1937年（28歳）：薬物中毒による昏睡状態
・1948年（38歳）：愛人・山崎富栄と玉川上水で入水心中——6日後の6月19日に遺体発見
「恥の多い生涯を送ってきました」——「人間失格」の最初の一文。これが太宰自身の告白なのか、虚構なのか——どちらとも受け取れるから、今も読者の心を揺さぶり続けます。
三島由紀夫にバッサリ、でも才能は誰もが認めた
太宰治には毀誉褒貶がありました。同時代の作家たちの評価を見ると、その振れ幅の大きさがわかります。※「毀誉褒貶」とは、人をほめたりけなしたりすること、つまり良い評価と悪い評価の両方を受けることを意味する四字熟語
文豪たちの太宰評
・三島由紀夫（辛口）：「冷水摩擦と器械体操、規則的な生活で治るはず」「治りたがらない病人には本物の病人の資格はない」——バッサリ
・井上靖（絶賛）：「もし文学者のオリンピックがあったら日本代表は太宰治以外いない」
・志賀直哉（複雑）：戦後の若者が太宰ファンになったことを「嫉妬した」と語った
・ファンたち：没後70年以上たった今も、三鷹・禅林寺に毎年多くの人が参拝
「暗い」「問題児」「ダメ人間」——そんな言葉がつきまとう太宰ですが、彼の作品が持つ「自意識の過剰さ」と「言葉の美しさ」は、時代を超えて共鳴し続けています。特に孤独を感じる若者の心に、太宰の文章は深く刺さります。
「桜桃忌」——誕生日と命日が同じ日という運命
1948年6月13日、太宰は愛人の山崎富栄と玉川上水に入水しました。遺体が発見されたのは、その6日後の6月19日——太宰の39回目の誕生日でした。
「桜桃忌」の名前の由来
・「桜桃忌」と名付けたのは：太宰と同郷の青森出身作家・今官一
・名前の由来：①太宰が死の直前に書いた短編小説「桜桃」のタイトルから ②6月はさくらんぼの季節 ③「太宰の人生の艶やかさと儚さが桜桃に重なる」
・最初の桜桃忌：翌1949年、太宰の友人たちが「禅林寺で偲ぶ会を」と提案して始まった
・現在：毎年6月19日、東京・三鷹市の禅林寺に全国から太宰ファンが参拝。さくらんぼを供える
誕生日と命日が同じ日——それはまるで、太宰自身が望んでそう設計したかのようです。「生まれた日に死んだ」という事実が、太宰という人物の物語に最後の一筆を加えています。
元号の日——645年、日本初の元号「大化」が生まれた
645年6月19日（旧暦）——中大兄皇子（後の天智天皇）が、大化の改新とともに日本初の元号「大化」を定めました。「元号の日」の由来です。
元号についての豆知識
・日本初の元号：「大化」（645年〜650年）
・元号の総数：令和まで248の元号
・最も長く続いた元号：昭和（1926〜1989年・62年間）
・最も短かった元号：「暦仁」「弘安」など——わずか数ヶ月のものも
・2019年5月1日：「平成」から「令和」へ。天皇在位中の改元は202年ぶりだった
・元号制度があるのは現在、世界で日本だけ
「令和」は645年から数えて248番目の元号です。1400年近く、日本人は時代に名前をつけ続けてきました。
まとめ——6月19日は「生と死が交差する日」
太宰治にとって、6月19日は「生まれた日」であり「逝った日」でもあります。その矛盾した運命が、「人間失格」という作品の矛盾した魅力と重なります。今日は太宰の本を一冊、手に取ってみてはいかがでしょうか。
まとめ
- 6月19日は桜桃忌——1948年、太宰治（享年38歳）の遺体が玉川上水で発見された。奇しくも39回目の誕生日
- 太宰は生涯に4度の自殺未遂を重ね、5度目に命を落とした
- 「恥の多い生涯を送ってきました」——「人間失格」の書き出しは、今も若者の心を揺さぶり続ける
- 三島由紀夫に「冷水摩擦で治る」と酷評され、井上靖に「日本代表はこの人しかいない」と絶賛された
- 「桜桃忌」の名は、死の直前の短編「桜桃（さくらんぼ）」にちなむ。現在も毎年三鷹・禅林寺でファンが集う
- 6月19日は元号の日——645年、日本初の元号「大化」が制定された。248番目の元号が「令和」
- 1846年6月19日、世界初の公式野球試合がニュージャージー州で行われた（ベースボール記念日）
最後まで読んでくださってありがとうございました😊
今日は太宰治の言葉をひとつ、心に留めてみてください。「生まれてきてよかった」と思える日も、「恥の多い生涯だ」と感じる日も、どちらも等しく「生きている」証拠です。
オジーは、父親を自死で亡くしているので自殺は容認は出来ませんが、人にはそれぞれの事情や生き方があることも経験してきました。でもやはり1人で悩んだ結果死に至る人が無くなる世の中を切に願っています。
では、よい一日をお過ごしください。
see you soon.
What Day Is June 19th? “Mine Has Been a Life of Shame” — The Author Whose Birthday and Death Day Fall on the Same Date, and Why People Still Come to Visit Him
For anyone who loves Japanese literature, today is known as Ōtōki — “Cherry Day,” the memorial day of author Osamu Dazai.
On June 19th, 1948, the body of writer Osamu Dazai was found in the Tamagawa Canal in Tokyo. And by a twist of fate that feels almost too meaningful to be coincidence, that day was also his 39th birthday.
“Mine has been a life of shame.” The opening line of No Longer Human continues to reach across decades and land in the chests of young readers who feel, somehow, that it was written for them. Today, let’s walk through the remarkable and turbulent life of this author — who is still deeply loved.
June 19th Commemorative Days at a Glance
Main Events & Commemorative Days on June 19th
· Ōtōki / Cherry Day (Osamu Dazai’s birthday and the day his body was found) — June 19th, 1948: Dazai’s body was discovered; also his birthday
· Era Name Day (Gengō no Hi) — June 19th, 645 (old lunar calendar): Japan’s first era name, “Taika,” was established
· Baseball Day (Bēsubōru Kinenbi) — June 19th, 1846: the first recorded official baseball game was played in New Jersey, USA
· Reading Aloud Day (Rōdoku no Hi) — Wordplay on “rō (6) do (10) ku (9)”; established by Japan’s Reading Culture Association
· RIKEN Founding Day (1917) — Japan’s first institution for basic and applied research was established in Tokyo
· Kyoto Prefecture Opening Day (1868) — Kyoto Prefecture was officially established after the Meiji Restoration
· Romance Day — Wordplay on “Ro (6) manti (1) kku (9)” (ロマンティック = romantic)
“Birthday and Death Day on the Same Date” — The Life of Osamu Dazai
Osamu Dazai (born Shūji Tsushima) was born on June 19th, 1909, in Kanagi Village, Aomori Prefecture (now Goshogawara City) — the sixth son of a wealthy landowner. His childhood was materially comfortable, but inside, he carried a deep and persistent sense of isolation and self-contempt.
He began writing fiction while studying at Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo), and went on to produce the novels and stories that remain among the most widely read in Japanese literature — Run, Melos!, The Setting Sun, No Longer Human.
But throughout his life, the shadow of death was never far.
Dazai’s Four Suicide Attempts
· 1929 (age 20): first attempt, with sleeping pills, while at university
· 1930 (age 21): attempted double suicide at Shichiri Beach in Kamakura with a woman named Tabe Atsumi — she died; Dazai survived
· 1935 (age 26): another attempt, with an editor, this one also survived
· 1937 (age 28): drug overdose; lost consciousness
· 1948 (age 38): entered the Tamagawa Canal with his companion Tomie Yamazaki — their bodies were found six days later, on June 19th
“Mine has been a life of shame.” Is this confession or fiction? The reason No Longer Human continues to shake readers is precisely because it’s impossible to say for certain — and that uncertainty is what makes it feel true.
Mishima Was Brutal; Everyone Else Recognized the Genius
Dazai inspired sharply divided opinions among his contemporaries. The range of responses is revealing.
What Other Authors Said About Dazai
· Yukio Mishima (harsh): “Cold-water rubbing, calisthenics, and a regular schedule — that would fix it.” “A person who doesn’t want to get better has no right to call themselves a genuine invalid.” — no punches pulled
· Yasushi Inoue (admiring): “If there were an Olympics for literary writers, Japan’s only representative could be Osamu Dazai.”
· Naoya Shiga (complicated): reportedly said he “felt jealous” that so many young people after the war became Dazai fans
· His readers: more than 70 years after his death, people still come every year to his grave at Rinsenji Temple in Mitaka
“Gloomy.” “A problem child.” “A failure.” These words have followed Dazai’s reputation — but the quality that makes his work transcend generations is the combination of hyper-consciousness and the sheer beauty of his sentences. They reach young people who feel isolated in a way that very few writers can.
“Ōtōki” — The Memorial Day That Falls on His Birthday
On June 13th, 1948, Dazai and his companion Tomie Yamazaki entered the Tamagawa Canal together. Their bodies were found six days later — on June 19th — Dazai’s 39th birthday.
How “Ōtōki” Got Its Name
· Named by: Kan’ichi Kon, a writer from Aomori — Dazai’s home prefecture — who had known him personally
· Three reasons for the name “Ōtōki” (Cherry Day):
① The short story Dazai had written just before his death was titled “Ōtō” (Cherries)
② June is the season when cherries ripen
③ “The luminous beauty and fragile impermanence of cherries felt like Dazai himself”
· The first Ōtōki gathering: in 1949, the year after his death, friends proposed meeting at Rinsenji Temple to remember him
· Today: every June 19th, Dazai fans from across Japan gather at Rinsenji Temple in Mitaka, bringing cherry offerings
Birthday and death day on the same date — as though Dazai himself had designed it that way. “He died on the day he was born” is the kind of detail that belongs in one of his own stories. It is the final brushstroke on the portrait of his life.
Era Name Day — In 645, Japan Named Its First Era
On June 19th, 645 (by the old lunar calendar), Prince Naka no Ōe — later Emperor Tenji — established Japan’s first official era name as part of the Taika Reform: “Taika” (大化), meaning “Great Transformation.” This is the origin of Era Name Day.
Era Names — Quick Facts
· Japan’s first era name: “Taika” (645–650)
· Total number of era names to date: 248, up to and including “Reiwa”
· Longest-lasting era name: Shōwa (1926–1989, 62 years)
· Shortest era names: some lasted only a matter of months (e.g., “Ryakunin,” “Kōan”)
· May 1st, 2019: “Heisei” ended; “Reiwa” began — the first era change during a living emperor’s reign in 202 years
· Today: Japan is the only country in the world that still uses an era name system
“Reiwa” is the 248th era name in Japan’s history — counting from Taika in 645. For nearly 1,400 years, the Japanese people have been giving names to their times.
Closing Thoughts — June 19th Is a Day Where Life and Death Intersect
For Osamu Dazai, June 19th was the day he came into the world — and the day he left it. That contradictory fate mirrors the contradictory appeal of No Longer Human. Today might be the day to pick up one of his books.
Summary
- June 19th is Ōtōki (Cherry Day) — in 1948, Dazai’s body was found at the Tamagawa Canal; it was also his 39th birthday
- Dazai made four suicide attempts during his lifetime before dying at 38
- “Mine has been a life of shame” — the opening of No Longer Human still strikes readers at their core
- Mishima dismissed him bluntly; Inoue called him Japan’s only possible literary Olympic representative; Shiga said he was jealous of how many young people became Dazai fans after the war
- “Ōtōki” takes its name from the short story Dazai wrote just before his death — every year, fans gather at Rinsenji Temple in Mitaka with cherry offerings
- June 19th is also Era Name Day — Japan’s first era name, “Taika,” was established in 645; “Reiwa” is the 248th
- On June 19th, 1846, the first officially recorded baseball game in history was played in New Jersey (Baseball Day)
Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end 😊
Today, take a moment with one of Dazai’s words. Whether you feel “I’m glad to be alive” or “what a shameful life this has been” — both are equally proof that you are here, living. And that matters.
Since I lost my father to suicide, I cannot condone it, but I have also learned through experience that everyone has their own circumstances and ways of life. Nevertheless, I sincerely hope for a world where no one loses their life as a result of struggling alone.
Have a wonderful day.
See you soon.
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