Yasunari Kawabata, one of Japan's most famous authors (Muhleman 1706), was born “in Oasaka, [Japan] June 11, 1899” (Bourgion 463). "As a [young] boy, [Kawabata] acquired the name 'master of funerals'" (Muhleman 1706) following the "loss of many near relatives" (Muhleman 1706) including his mother and father (Smith 1052). After graduating from Tokyo Imperial University (Smith 1052) he “founded a literary magazine” (Bourgion 463) which led to the beginning “of a new school of writers [known as] the Neoperceptionists” (Bourgion 463). Then “in 1968 he became the first Japanese author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature” (Davis 2485). “Many Japanese readers reacted with confusion” (Smith 1054) “when Kawabata received the…award” (Smith 1054). This was due to his “experiments with literary techniques of Western origin” (Smith 1055) which the Japanese “found…difficult to understand” (Smith 1055). Although Yasunari Kawabata used a Western literary style (Smith 1055), he captures the essence of the ever-changing cultures and traditions of Japan during his time (Davis 2486). While Kawabata was writing his many literary works, Japan was engaged in World War II. In July 1937, an “undeclared war between China and Japan” broke out (Nish 605), and for many Japanese, this was the beginning of the World War (Daniels 629). Although Kawabata never actively participated in the politics of the time (Aldridge 1345), “Japan's defeat in the Second World War affected him profoundly” (Muhleman 1707). He later tried to include more Japanese culture and traditions in his works (Muhleman 1707). An example of this can be seen in The Silver Fifty-Sen Pieces where he portrays his characters as they lived during the time of Worl...... middle of paper ......uzanne Michele. "Yasunari Kawabata." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. vol. 8. Detroit: Cengage Gale, 1998. Print.Cabell, Charles. Modern Japanese writers. Ed. Jay Rubin. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. 165. Print.Kawabata, Yasunari. “The fifty sen silver pieces.” World literature. Ed. Susan Witting Albert. Trans. Lane Dunlop and J. Martin Holman. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2001. 1400.Muhleman, James V. “Yasunari Kawabata.” Encyclopedia of world authors. 4th ed. Ed. Frank N. Magill. vol. 3. Pasadena: Salem Press, 2004. 1706 – 1707. Print.Nish, Ian and Gordon Daniels. "Japan." The Oxford Companion to the Second World War. Ed. ICB Dear. Oxford University Press, 1995. 605 and 629. Print.Smith, Roland E. “Yasunari Kawabata.” Magill's survey of world literature. Ed. Steven G. Kellman. vol. 3. North Bellmore: Salem Press, 1993. 1052 – 1055. Print.