He was born , in
Gifu prefecture. He also used the
pen name . His book of criticism, , helped free novels and dramas from the low opinion that the Japanese had of such literature. Tsubouchi's writings on realism in literature influenced
Masaoka Shiki's ideas about realism in
haiku. Tsubouchi's novel, , was one of the earliest modern novels in Japan. His
Kabuki play was influenced by his studies of both the famous Kabuki and
Jōruri (puppet theater) dramatist
Chikamatsu Monzaemon and
William Shakespeare. The play, in turn, influenced modern Kabuki. He also did a complete translation of the plays of Shakespeare, written in the old-fashion language of Kabuki. His modern play, , incorporating traditional dance and music, was a popular and critical success. The play was a retelling of a familiar Japanese
folk-tale with a
Rip Van Winkle-like protagonist,
Urashima Tarō. Besides Shakespeare, he also translated a number of other works from English into Japanese, including
Sir Walter Scott's and
Bulwer-Lytton's novel . Tsubouchi founded and edited the periodical , which published from 1891 to 1898. Tsubouchi is also noted for the long running ronsō (literary dispute) that he carried on with
Mori Ōgai. The
Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum was named in his honour and houses a large collection of his works. A bronze bust of him was also placed there. ==Works==