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Higuchi Ichiyō's Real Name: Natsu (Natsuko) Higuchi
history
Higuchi Ichiyō (樋口一葉) 本名: Natsu (Natsuko) Higuchi (樋口奈津 / 夏子)
Answer: Higuchi Ichiyō's real name was Natsu Higuchi (樋口奈津), also recorded as Natsuko (夏子). She was the first major woman writer of modern Japan.
Natsu Higuchi was born on May 2, 1872, in Tokyo. After her father died, she supported her mother and sister by sewing and running a small shop while writing. Her pen name 一葉 (Ichiyō) means "one leaf." The traditional explanation is a pun: Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen, was said to have crossed a river on a single reed leaf, and because he had no legs (お足 o-ashi, which is also slang for money), the name joked about her poverty. This story is tradition, not something we can confirm she wrote.
In a short burst from 1894 to 1896 she wrote her best works, including Takekurabe (Growing Up) and Nigorie (Troubled Waters). She died of tuberculosis on November 23, 1896, aged 24.
Her portrait appeared on the Bank of Japan 5,000-yen note from 2004 to 2024.
FAQ
What does Ichiyō mean? 一葉 means "one leaf."
Was Higuchi Ichiyō on Japanese money? Yes, on the 5,000-yen note from 2004 until the 2024 redesign.