Mikirō Sasaki

is a Japanese poet and travel author, winner of the 2003 Yomiuri Prize for travel essays. Sasaki won the award for his book Ajia kaidō kikō: umi wa toshi de aru (A Travel Journal of the Asian Seaboard, 2002). He has published more than a score of poetry collections and travel books. His Demented flute: selected poems, 1967-1986 was published in English in 1988. In 2012, his poetry collection Ashita(Tomorrow) won the 2012 Sakutarō Hagiwara Prize, one of the most prestigious prizes in the world of Japanese poetry. He was a Part-time Lecturer in music literature at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Music.

Biography Sasaki was born in Tenri in Nara, grew up in Fujiidera in Osaka, Japan,

Professionally, he was the senior editor of the collected works of Chūya Nakahara, which were published between 2000 and 2004, and he lectured at various liberal arts and music colleges and universities through 2007. Sasaki sat for several years on the selection committee for the Chuya Nakahara Prize. He frequently represents Japanese poetry overseas at international poetry festivals and other events. He is also an accomplished photographer.

Awards 1988 the 10th Suntory Foundation "Cultural Award" for his work on Chūya Nakahara 1990 special award for screenplay at Grand Prix Golden Prague 1992 the 22nd Jun Takami Award for his collection of poems entitled The Honey-Hunter, published the previous year 2003 the 55th Yomiuri Literature Prize in travel literature for A Travel Journal of the Asian Seaboard 2012 the 20th Sakutaro Hagiwara Prize for his poetry collection Ashita (Tomorrow)