Sawako Ariyoshi | |
|---|---|
| 有吉佐和子 (ありよし さわこ） | |
 Sawako Ariyoshi in Shufu to seikatsu, April 1960 | |
| Born | January 20, 1931 Masagocho, Wakayama City |
| Died | August 30, 1984 (aged 53) |
| Resting place | Kodaira Metropolitan Cemetery |
| Nationality |  Japan |
| Education | Foundation degree |
| Alma mater | Tokyo Woman's Christian University, Sarah Lawrence College |
| Occupation(s) | Novelist, Playwright, Director, Impresario |
| Notable work |
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| Spouse | Jin Akira |
| Children | Ariyoshi Tamao |
| Awards |
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Sawako Ariyoshi (有吉 佐和子 Ariyoshi Sawako, 20 January 1931 – 30 August 1984) was a Japanese writer, known for such works as The Doctor's Wife and The River Ki. She was known for her advocacy of social issues, such as the elderly in Japanese society, and environmental issues. Several of her novels describe the relationships between mothers and their daughters. She also had a fascination with traditional Japanese arts, such as kabuki and bunraku. She also described racial discrimination in the United States, something she experienced firsthand during her time at Sarah Lawrence, and the depopulation of remote Japanese islands during the 1970s economic boom.