Science Fiction Writers Gathered at Sukiyabashi, Ginza - Literary Space in the Late 1970s

Science Fiction Writers Gathered at Sukiyabashi, Ginza - Literary Space in the Late 1970s

The year 1977 was a turning point in Japan, when the country's rapid economic growth came to an end and the country was anxious about the shadow of affluence after the oil shock. The focus of science and technology was shifting from space exploration and nuclear power to the advent of the information society, and people's views of the future were shaking dramatically. Under these circumstances, science fiction literature began to play a role not only in praising science but also in critiquing society and people. Against this backdrop, Sakyo Komatsu, Ryo Hanmura, Yasutaka Tsutsui, and Ryu Murakami, who had just won the Akutagawa Prize, gathered at bars in Ginza and Sukiyabashi. Komatsu had become a national author with "Sinking of Japan," while Hanmura had demonstrated the entertainment value of historical revision with "Sengoku JSDF," Tsutsui had made his presence felt with his social satire and experimental writing style, and Murakami had joined the new generation. Their gat
herings were not mere drinking parties, but cultural salons where they talked about the future and stimulated each other's creativity, sometimes with behind-the-scenes publishing stories and industry rumors. The night in Ginza was truly a place that transcended generations. Ginza nights were truly a "creative site" where writers of different generations shared the changing times and envisioned stories that depicted the future.