Hisashi Inoue

1.1. Childhood and Family

Inoue Hisashi was born on November 16, 1934, in what is now part of Kawanishi in Yamagata Prefecture. His father, Shūkichi Inoue, was a literary enthusiast and pharmacist who actively participated in an agrarian reform movement. Shūkichi also founded and led a local drama troupe named "Komatsuza," and his novel `H-maru Denki` (H-maru Legend), written under the pen name Shigeru Komatsu, won an award in 1935. Shūkichi was also involved in contributing to and distributing the proletarian literature magazine `Senki`. Hisashi's mother, Masu, met Shūkichi while working in a hospital and eloped with him, though Hisashi and his two brothers were born out of wedlock. The name "Hisashi" (廈) itself was derived from Xiamen (Amoy), China, the setting of his father's award-winning novel.

When Hisashi was five years old, his father died at the age of 34 from spinal caries. It was later suggested that his father's spinal condition may have been exacerbated by torture he endured during three arrests for his involvement with the Youth Communist League (now the Japan Democratic Youth League). His father's early death profoundly influenced Hisashi's aspiration to become a writer. Following his father's passing, his mother managed the pharmacy, sold black market rice, and ran a beauty salon to support her three children. However, she later began living with a traveling entertainer who became Hisashi's stepfather. Hisashi suffered child abuse at the hands of his stepfather, leading to stress-induced alopecia areata and stuttering. The stepfather eventually absconded with the family's money. During this period in Yamagata, Hisashi found solace in his father's extensive library, reading widely and earning a reputation as a child prodigy.

His mother later located the stepfather in Ichinoseki, Iwate, where he was operating a labor camp. She took over his company, establishing the "Inoue-gumi" construction firm to capitalize on the reconstruction demand following the Ione and Kathleen typhoons. During this time, Hisashi worked part-time as a ticket collector at the Shinsei Movie Theater (now Ichinoseki Cine Plaza), which was operating out of a rented sake brewery. However, the construction business soon failed, and due to severe financial hardship, Hisashi's mother placed him in the "Hikari-ga-oka Tenshien" (Garden of Angels on the Hill of Light), a Lasallian orphanage (now a children's welfare facility) in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. There, dedicated Canadian monks cared for the children, even prioritizing the children's school uniforms over repairing their own tattered habits. The monks' selflessness moved many children, including Hisashi, to receive baptism (Hisashi's Christian name was Maria Joseph, though he later abandoned the faith after moving to Tokyo).

However, accounts from Hisashi's friends and the orphanage director at the time paint a more complex picture, describing the orphanage as a harsh environment rife with arbitrary corporal punishment and bullying. They stated that Hisashi, despite being with his younger brother, did not defend him from bullying and sometimes joined the bullies. This period of his life is depicted in his semi-autobiographical novel `Yonjūichiban no Shōnen` (The Boy of Forty-One). These early experiences of poverty, abuse, and the complexities of human nature significantly shaped his perspective, fostering a deep interest in the lives of ordinary people and a compassionate view towards the poor and weak, themes that would become central to his literary works.

1.2. Education and Early Influences

In 1950, Inoue Hisashi began attending Miyagi Prefectural Sendai Daiichi High School while residing at the orphanage. His experiences during this time formed the basis for his semi-autobiographical novel `Aoba Shigereru` (Green Leaves Flourishing). During high school, he was a member of the newspaper club, and his classmates included the constitutional scholar Yōichi Higuchi, with actor Bunta Sugawara being a year his senior. Despite his intellectual curiosity, his academic performance suffered due to his intense focus on reading, movies, and baseball.

After failing entrance exams for Tohoku University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, he was waitlisted at Waseda University and accepted into Keio University's Library Science Department, but could not afford the tuition. In 1953, he enrolled in the German Literature Department of Sophia University's Faculty of Letters, having been recommended by a priest from the orphanage. He commuted to Sophia University from the Lasallian monastery in Yoyogi-Uehara. However, his lack of interest in German and dwindling funds led him to take a two-year hiatus from his studies. During this period, he worked as an administrative clerk at the National Kamaishi Sanatorium in Kamaishi, Iwate. Inspired by the nurses, he aspired to become a doctor, but failed the entrance exams for the medical faculties of Tohoku University and Iwate Medical University.

In 1956, he returned to Sophia University, enrolling in the French Department of the Faculty of Foreign Studies. He later recounted spending the 150.00 K JPY he saved from his work in Kamaishi on red-light districts within two months. While still a student, he began his literary career by writing scripts for the Asakusa French Theater, a striptease venue in Tokyo. This theater was known for featuring hour-long vaudeville performances before and between strip acts, serving as a training ground for many renowned comedians, including Kiyoshi Atsumi. His experiences during this period were later fictionalized in his novel `Mokkinpotto Shi no Atoshimatsu` (The Fortunes of Father Mockinpott).

The end of World War II in 1945, when Inoue was just 11 years old, profoundly shaped his philosophical outlook. He reflected on the war with a self-reflective attitude, recalling how he believed he would die in the conflict. The war's abrupt end with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki offered him a new perspective on the world, making him realize his individual powerlessness to effect change. He viewed the atomic bombs not merely as an attack on the Japanese but as an assault on "the entire human existence" and a stark reminder of the modern world's inability to escape nuclear weapons. This experience fostered a strong anti-war sentiment that became a recurring theme in his writing.

2.1. Early Career: Radio and Theatre

After graduating from Sophia University in 1960, Inoue Hisashi began his career as a broadcast writer. In 1961, he married Yoshiko Nishidate, who worked at an advertising agency, and adopted her surname, Uchiyama, which he used as his legal name until 1986. They had three daughters between 1963 and 1965.

His early work in radio included writing scripts for `X-Man` (1960) for TBS Radio, `Moguccho Chibiccho Konnichiwa` (1962) for NHK Radio 1, and `Kirikiri Dokuritsu su` (1964) for NHK Radio 1, which served as a precursor to his acclaimed novel `Kirikirijin`. He also wrote `Bun to Fun` (1969) for NHK Radio 1, which he later adapted into a novel in 1970.

In television, Inoue co-wrote the popular puppet show `Hyokkori Hyotanjima` (Madcap Island) with Morihisa Yamamoto, which aired on NHK General TV from April 1964 for five years. This show became a national sensation, though its broadcast was controversially cut short due to protests from the postal service over a fictional island where all citizens were postal workers. He also contributed to other children's television programs, including `Ninja Hattori-kun` (1966) and `Ninja Hattori-kun + Ninja Kaiju Jippō` (1967) under the pen name Hanzō Hattori, as well as `Pyunpyunmaru` (1967, 1970), co-scripted as Enrico Trizoni. In 1970, he co-wrote `Nekojara City no 11-nin` with Morihisa Yamamoto and Tadaaki Yamazaki for NHK General TV, which also faced protests for its perceived anti-establishment themes and ended after three years.

Inoue was also a prolific writer of comedy scripts, notably creating many skits for the popular comedy trio Tenpuku Trio. His formal entry into playwriting began in 1969 when he wrote `Nihonjin no Heso` (The Japanese Navel) for Theatre Echo, a troupe led by Kazuo Kumakura, who had been a voice actor in `Hyokkori Hyotanjima`. This play marked a significant shift towards his career as a full-fledged playwright.

2.2. Playwriting and Theatre Company

Inoue Hisashi's career as a playwright was prolific and highly influential. He quickly gained literary recognition for his satirical comic plays, which often drew inspiration from the Edo period `gesaku` genre. His dedication to theatre led him to establish his own theatre troupe, "Komatsuza," in January 1983, with the specific aim of staging his own works. Komatsuza's inaugural performance, `Zutsuu Katakori Higuchi Ichiyō` (Headache, Stiff Neck, Ichiyō Higuchi), debuted on April 5, 1984. The company also published a pamphlet called "theza," which featured prefaces, postscripts, and scenarios of his plays.

Inoue's dramatic works often explored Japanese history and culture through a humanistic lens. His biographical plays centered on literary figures he admired, such as `Nakimushi Namaiki Ishikawa Takuboku` (Crybaby, Impudent Takuboku Ishikawa, 1986) and `Taiko Tataite Fue Fuite` (Beat the Drum, Play the Flute, 2002), which was based on the later years of writer Fumiko Hayashi and earned him the Tsuruya Nanboku Drama Award and the Mainichi Art Award.

He developed several notable play series, including the "Shōwa Shomin-den" (Common People of Showa) trilogy, which depicted the lives of ordinary people during the Shōwa period. This trilogy comprised `Kirameku Seiza` (Sparkling Constellation, 1985), `Yami ni Saku Hana` (Flowers Blooming in Darkness, 1987), and `Yuki ya Konkon` (Snow, Snow, 1987). Another significant collection was the "Edo Trilogy," consisting of `Yabuhara Kengyō` (Yabuhara the Blind Masseuse, 1973), `Ame` (Rain, 1976), and `Kobayashi Issa` (1979). Later in his career, he created the "Tokyo Saiban Sanbusaku" (Tokyo Trials Trilogy), which critically examined the Tokyo Trials through `Yume no Sakeme` (The Rift in Dreams, 2001), `Yume no Namida` (Tears of Dreams, 2003), and `Yume no Kasabuta` (Scab of Dreams, 2006).

Other major plays include `Dōgen no Bōken` (Dogen's Adventure, 1971), `Tenpō Jūninen no Shakespeare` (Shakespeare in Tenpo 12, 1974), `Chichi to Kuraseba` (Living with My Father, 1994), which was later adapted into the film `The Face of Jizo`, and `Musashi` (2009), a collaboration with Yukio Ninagawa that was performed by Komatsuza and Horipro. Despite his prolific output, Inoue was famously a slow writer, often causing delays in performances, for which he sometimes personally compensated losses, as was the case with his play `Puzzle`. At the time of his death, he had several uncompleted works, including `Ki no Ue no Guntai` (Army in the Tree), a play about the Battle of Okinawa planned for July 2010, and a new Bunraku script based on Ihara Saikaku's work, requested by Toyotake Sakidayū.

2.3. Novel and Prose Writing

Inoue Hisashi's contributions to Japanese literature extended significantly beyond playwriting to include a distinguished body of novels and essays. His prose works are characterized by his unique narrative style, linguistic dexterity, and keen social observations.

His novel `Tegusari Shinju` (Handcuffed Double Suicide) earned him the prestigious 67th Naoki Prize in 1972, marking a major turning point in his literary recognition. He followed this success with `Kirikirijin` (The People of Kirikiri) in 1981, a work inspired by Leicester Hemingway's New Atlantis. `Kirikirijin` was highly acclaimed, receiving both the Yomiuri Literary Prize and the 2nd Japan Science Fiction Award in 1982, as well as the 13th Seiun Award for Best Novel in the Japanese Long Fiction category. This novel is particularly noted for its sharp humor and intricate wordplay.

Other significant novels include `Fu Chūshingura` (Disloyal Retainers, 1985), which won the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize in 1986 for its portrayal of the Forty-seven Ronin incident from an unconventional perspective. `Shanghai Moon` (1991) was awarded the 27th Tanizaki Prize, and `Tokyo Seven Roses` (1999) received the 47th Kikuchi Kan Prize.

Inoue's extensive bibliography of novels also includes `Bun to Fun` (1970), `Mokkinpotto Shi no Atoshimatsu` (1972), `Aoba Shigereru` (1973), `Yonjūichiban no Shōnen` (The Boy of Forty-One, 1973), `Don Matsugoro no Seikatsu` (1975), `Shin Tōkaidō Gojūsantsugi` (1976), `Gi Genshijin` (1976), `Shinshaku Tōno Monogatari` (1976), `Jūnin no Tegami` (1978), `Tanin no Chi` (1979), `Geta no Ue no Tamago` (1980), and `Ichi Shūkan` (2010), among others. Several of his novels, such as `Nihonjin no Heso`, `Aoba Shigereru`, `Don Matsugoro no Seikatsu`, `Chichi to Kuraseba`, and `Tōkeiji Hanadayori`, have been adapted into films or television dramas.

His essay collections provided insights into his thoughts on language, culture, and society. Notable works include `Katei Kōron` (Family Arguments, 1974-1975), `Buraun Kangoku no Shiki` (Four Seasons of Brown Prison, 1977), `Shikaban Nihongo Bunpō` (Personal Edition Japanese Grammar, 1981), `Jikasei Bunshō-dokuhon` (Homemade Reading Comprehension, 1984), `Nihongo Nikki` (Japanese Diary, 1993-1996), `Hon no Unmei` (The Fate of Books, 1997), and `Asakusa Furansu-za no Jikan` (Time at Asakusa French Theater, 2001). He also wrote children's literature, such as `Lion to Soft Cream` (1983) and `Aesop Kabushikigaisha` (Aesop Co. Ltd., 2005).

A testament to his dedication to literature and knowledge, Inoue donated his massive 100,000-volume book collection to his hometown of Kawanishi, Yamagata, leading to the establishment of the "Writer's Block Library" (Chihitsudō Bunko) in 1984. These books contained his personal annotations, demonstrating his thorough engagement with every volume.

2.4. Work in Television and Anime

Beyond his prolific work in plays and novels, Inoue Hisashi also made significant contributions to Japanese television and anime, showcasing his versatility across different media formats.

He was a renowned lyricist for several popular anime theme songs. His notable works include the theme songs for `Himitsu no Akko-chan` (1969), `Hans Christian Andersen Stories` (`Mr. Andersen`, 1971), and `Moomin` (1969). He also penned the lyrics and screenplay for the animated film `The Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots` (1969).

In television, Inoue wrote for various dramas. He was a screenwriter for the daily children's puppet show `Hyokkori Hyōtanjima` (Madcap Island), which aired from 1964 to 1969. He also wrote for `Nekojara City no 11-nin` (1970). His other television screenplays include `Kokugo Gannen` (The First Year of National Language, 1985), which was broadcast as a five-episode series on NHK General TV and later adapted into a stage play. He also wrote `Tsuki Naki Misora no Tenbo Ichiza` (Tenbo Troupe in the Moonless Sky, 1986), a 15-episode series for NHK General TV.

His early career also involved writing for radio, with `X-Man` (1960) being one of his notable radio plays. These diverse creative outputs demonstrate his ability to craft narratives and engage audiences across a wide range of popular media.

6.1. Family and Relationships

Inoue Hisashi was married twice. His first wife was Yoshiko Nishidate, a stage actress and political activist. They married in 1961, and Inoue adopted her surname, Uchiyama, which he used as his legal name until 1986. Together, they had three daughters. His third daughter, Maya Ishikawa, later became the representative of the Komatsuza theatre company.

His second wife was Yuri Yonehara, the sister of essayist and translator Mari Yonehara, and daughter of Arika Yonehara, a senior member of the Japan Communist Party. They had one son together.

The dynamics within his first family were complex. His daughter Maya Ishikawa described both her father and mother, Yoshiko, as individuals with strong personalities who rarely compromised. Their marital arguments were known to be intense and public, and they preferred that their children not intervene. Initially, Hisashi did not resort to violence against his children. Maya noted that Yoshiko served as an "excellent producer and manager" for Hisashi, even massaging his swollen feet when he was engrossed in writing. However, as Hisashi struggled with his writing, he began to physically abuse Yoshiko. Maya recounted instances where editors would even encourage the abuse, telling Yoshiko to "get hit two or three more times." Yoshiko, in turn, endured the violence, viewing it as part of the creative process necessary for her husband to produce his works.

The establishment of Komatsuza was a shared dream for Hisashi and Yoshiko, but Maya observed that their paths began to diverge during this period. Yoshiko started to perceive Hisashi as arrogant, believing that the creation of great works justified any inconvenience or trouble. The cancellation of Hisashi's play `Puzzle` due to his notorious delays caused Yoshiko immense distress, caught between her role as a writer's wife and the burden of disappointing those involved.

The marriage ended in divorce in June 1986, following the revelation of Yoshiko's affair with Komatsuza stage director Tokuo Nishidate. Yoshiko had moved out of the family home in 1985. Maya attributed her mother's fatigue from balancing her roles, her experience with menopause, and Hisashi's demanding nature as contributing factors to the marital breakdown.

6.2. Domestic Violence Allegations

The allegations of domestic violence against Inoue Hisashi, primarily brought forth by his former wife, Yoshiko Nishidate, and corroborated by his daughter, Maya Ishikawa, present a critical perspective on his personal conduct alongside his celebrated public achievements.

Yoshiko Nishidate detailed the abuse she suffered in her 1998 book `Shura no Sumu Ie` (House Where Asuras Dwell). She vividly described injuries such as "cracked ribs and left collarbone, a ruptured eardrum, full-body bruising. My face was like a swollen rubber ball. Blood gushed from my ears and nose..." Interestingly, Inoue himself had previously alluded to his domestic violence in essays like `Katei Kōron` (Family Arguments) before their divorce.

His daughter, Maya Ishikawa, in her 1998 book `Gekitotsu Kazoku: Inoue-ke ni Umarete` (Clashing Family: Born into the Inoue Family), provided context to these events. While stating that her father initially did not physically abuse his children, she confirmed that as his writing became more challenging, he began to inflict violence upon her mother. She noted that editors sometimes even encouraged this behavior, telling Yoshiko to "get hit two or three more times." Maya observed that her mother endured these assaults, seemingly viewing them as a necessary part of the creative process for her husband's work. The strain of managing Komatsuza and the cancellation of the play `Puzzle` due to Hisashi's delays further exacerbated tensions, causing Yoshiko significant distress. Maya also suggested that her mother's fatigue from balancing her roles, her experience with menopause, and Hisashi's demanding nature contributed to the marital breakdown.

However, there were also counter-allegations. Yasuhisa Yazaki, a witness, claimed that Yoshiko was not a passive victim and that she also engaged in violent acts, such as "biting, scratching, throwing objects, and not letting go once she bit."

Inoue Hisashi's public response to these allegations was largely one of silence and dismissal. He continued to hold public offices and engage in public activities without addressing the claims, and the issue largely faded from public discourse without significant pursuit. Yoshiko Nishidate's book, however, highlighted how publishers allegedly protected Hisashi due to his status as a popular author.

The family dynamics remained complex even after the divorce. While Maya Ishikawa reconciled with her father and eventually became the representative of Komatsuza, her elder sister, Tsuki, who had previously held that position, was reportedly not invited to Hisashi's deathbed, nor was his second daughter, Aya, invited to his funeral. This suggested a complicated and shifting family landscape.

In contrast, Hisashi's second wife, Yuri Inoue, stated in an essay published in the July 2010 issue of `Bungeishunjū` that she and Hisashi rarely had arguments during their marriage. Years later, in her 2018 book `Kazoku Sensō: Uchi Yori Hidoi Ie wa Nai!?` (Family War: No House Worse Than Ours!?), Yoshiko Nishidate revealed that despite their acrimonious divorce, she and Hisashi continued to have late-night phone calls for over two decades, joking and behaving like close friends. She reflected that this long period might have been necessary to "purify their mutual hatred" and expressed her sincere wish for Hisashi's works to be read and appreciated by future generations.

6.3. Residences, Travels, and Interests

Inoue Hisashi resided in Ichikawa, Chiba during the 1970s before moving to Kamakura, Kanagawa, in 1989, where he lived until his death.

Despite a strong aversion to air travel, Inoue was fascinated by the city of Bologna, Italy, which he visited in 2004, and later chronicled in his book `Bologna Kiko` (Bologna Travelogue). His international travels also included a visit to Australia in 1976, where he served as a visiting professor in the Japanese Department at the Australian National University at the invitation of playwright and translator Roger Pulvers. In the 1980s, he traveled to New York City to discuss a potential Broadway adaptation of a story he planned to write about Miyamoto Musashi, though this project did not materialize.

Inoue had a passion for mystery novels and subscribed to `Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine`. He often stated that most of his own plays were structured like mysteries, and that works he designed with a mystery plot rarely failed. He also held a keen interest in the Esperanto language, having been deeply engrossed in it for a period. His play `Ihatovo no Gekkiressha` (Ihatovo's Play Train) even features Kenji Miyazawa giving Esperanto lessons.

A devoted fan of professional baseball, Inoue was a long-time supporter of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, having followed the team since its days as the Kokutetsu Swallows. He famously vowed eternal support after praying for Takao Sato to win Rookie of the Year in 1952, and Sato indeed did. He also supported the Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Pacific League.

Inoue was known for his strong reactions to criticism. He once famously threatened a literary critic with a duel after the critic incorrectly described `Kirikirijin` as a parody of Kenzaburō Ōe's work, emphasizing the importance of factual accuracy in literary analysis.

He maintained friendships and professional relationships with many prominent figures in Japanese arts and letters. These included Morihisa Yamamoto, his co-writer on `Hyokkori Hyotanjima`; directors such as Kōichi Kimura, Tamiya Kuriyama, Hitoshi Uyama, and in his later years, Yukio Ninagawa; and fellow novelists like Kenzaburō Ōe and Yasutaka Tsutsui, with whom he shared a mutual respect and a penchant for humor. He greatly admired Ryōtarō Shiba, with whom he co-authored `Kokka, Shūkyō, Nihonjin` (Nation, Religion, Japanese People). He also had a renewed friendship with his high school senior, Bunta Sugawara, to whom he entrusted the film rights for `Kirikirijin` for nearly 30 years, though the film was never made. Manga artist Hiroshi Motomiya was a long-time neighbor and friend, and illustrator Shōji Yamato was a frequent collaborator whose distinctive caricature of Inoue, emphasizing his buck teeth, became widely recognized.

8.1. Plays

• `Nihonjin no Heso` (日本人のへそ) (1969, Theatre Echo) - Later adapted into a film in 1977.
• `Hyōri Gennai Gōkassen` (表裏源内蛙合戦) (1970, Theatre Echo)
• `Jūippiki no Neko` (十一ぴきのネコ) (1971, Theatre Echo)
• `Dōgen no Bōken` (道元の冒険) (1971, Theatre Echo)
• `Chinyaku Seisho` (珍訳聖書) (1973, Theatre Echo)
• `Yabuhara Kengyō` (藪原検校) (1973, Gōgatsusha/Seibu Theatre) - Part of the "Edo Trilogy" with `Ame` and `Kobayashi Issa`.
• `Tenpō Jūninen no Shakespeare` (天保十二年のシェイクスピア) (1974, Seibu Theatre)
• `Sore Kara no Bun to Fun` (それからのブンとフン) (1975, Theatre Echo) - A stage adaptation of his own novel `Bun to Fun`.
• `Taiko Don Don` (たいこどんどん) (1975, Gōgatsusha) - A stage adaptation of his novel `Edo no Yūdachi`.
• `Yotsuya Kaidan` (四谷諧談) (1975, Geinōza)
• `Ame` (雨) (1976, Gōgatsusha/Seibu Theatre)
• `Asakusa Kiyoshi Den` (浅草キヨシ伝) (1977, Geinōza)
• `Hanako-san` (花子さん) (1978, Gōgatsusha)
• `Hinoura Hime Monogatari` (日の浦姫物語) (1978, Bungakuza)
• `Shimijimi Nihon Nogi Taishō` (しみじみ日本・乃木大将) (1979, Geinōza)
• `Kobayashi Issa` (小林一茶) (1979, Gōgatsusha)
• `Ihatovo no Gekkiressha` (イーハトーボの劇列車) (1980, Mitsukoshi Theatre/Gōgatsusha)
• `Karai Sanwa` (唐来参和) (1982, Shabondama-za) - A stage adaptation of his novel of the same name by Shōichi Ozawa.
• `Kokugo Jiken Satsujin Jiten` (国語事件殺人辞典) (1982, Shabondama-za)
• `Keshō` (化粧) (1982, Chijinkai)
• `Wagahai wa Sōseki de Aru` (吾輩は漱石である) (1982, Shabondama-za)
• `Keshō Nimaku` (化粧 二幕) (1982, Chijinkai)
• `Moto no Mokuami` (もとの黙阿弥) (1983, Shochiku)
• `Ukauka Sanjū, Chorochoro Shijū` (うかうか三十、ちょろちょろ四十) (1983, Gekidan Wakakusa)
• `Bashō Tsuyabune` (芭蕉通夜舟) (1983, Shabondama-za)
• `Zutsuu Katakori Higuchi Ichiyō` (頭痛肩こり樋口一葉) (1984, Komatsuza)
• `Kirameku Seiza` (きらめく星座) (1985, Komatsuza) - Part of the "Shōwa Shomin-den" trilogy.
• `Kokugo Gannen` (國語元年) (1986, Komatsuza)
• `Nakimushi Namaiki Ishikawa Takuboku` (泣き虫なまいき石川啄木) (1986, Komatsuza)
• `Hana Yori Tango` (花よりタンゴ) (1986, Komatsuza)
• `Kinema no Tenchi` (キネマの天地) (1986, Shochiku)
• `Yami ni Saku Hana` (闇に咲く花) (1987, Komatsuza) - Part of the "Shōwa Shomin-den" trilogy.
• `Yuki ya Konkon` (雪やこんこん) (1987, Komatsuza) - Part of the "Shōwa Shomin-den" trilogy.
• `Inu no Adauchi` (イヌの仇討) (1988, Komatsuza)
• `Ningen Gōkaku` (人間合格) (1989, Komatsuza)
• `Shanghai Moon` (シャンハイムーン) (1991, Komatsuza)
• `Aru Yaeko Monogatari` (ある八重子物語) (1991, Shochiku)
• `Nakamura Iwagorō` (中村岩五郎) (1992, Chijinkai)
• `Manzana, Waga Machi` (マンザナ、わが町) (1993, Komatsuza)
• `Chichi to Kuraseba` (父と暮せば) (1994, Komatsuza) - Later adapted into a film in 2004.
• `Mokuami Opera` (黙阿彌オペラ) (1995, Komatsuza)
• `Kamiyachō Sakura Hoteru` (紙屋町さくらホテル) (1997, New National Theatre, Tokyo)
• `Binbō Monogatari` (貧乏物語) (1998, Komatsuza)
• `Rensa-gai no Hitobito` (連鎖街のひとびと) (2000, Komatsuza)
• `Keshō Nidai` (化粧二題) (2000, Komatsuza)
• `Yume no Sakeme` (夢の裂け目) (2001, New National Theatre, Tokyo) - Part of the "Tokyo Trials Trilogy."
• `Taiko Tataite Fue Fuite` (太鼓たたいて笛ふいて) (2002, Komatsuza)
• `Inu no Adauchi Aruiwa Kira no Ketsudan` (イヌの仇討あるいは吉良の決断) (2002, Opera Theatre Konnyakuza)
• `Ani Otōto` (兄おとうと) (2003, Komatsuza)
• `Yume no Namida` (夢の泪) (2003, New National Theatre, Tokyo) - Part of the "Tokyo Trials Trilogy."
• `Mizu no Tegami` (水の手紙) (2003, National Cultural Festival Yamagata 2003)
• `Sanyūtei Enshō to Kokontei Shinshō` (三遊亭圓生と古今亭志ん生) (2005, Komatsuza)
• `Hakone Gōra Hoteru` (箱根強羅ホテル) (2005, New National Theatre, Tokyo)
• `Yume no Kasabuta` (夢の痂) (2006, New National Theatre, Tokyo) - Part of the "Tokyo Trials Trilogy."
• `Watashi wa Dare Deshō` (私はだれでしょう) (2007, Komatsuza)
• `Romansu` (ロマンス) (2007, Komatsuza/Sis Company)
• `Little Boy, Big Taifoon: Shōnen Kuden-tai 1945` (リトル・ボーイ、ビッグ・タイフーン～少年口伝隊一九四五～) (2008, Japan P.E.N. Club)
• `Musashi` (ムサシ) (2009, Komatsuza/Horipro)
• `Kumikyoku Gyakusatsu` (組曲虐殺) (2009, Komatsuza/Horipro)
• `Uma: Uma ni Notte Kono Yo no Soto e` (うま -馬に乗ってこの世の外へ-) (2022) - Unpublished play.

8.2. Novels and Children's Literature

• `Bun to Fun` (ブンとフン) (1970, Asahi Sonorama)
• `Mokkinpotto Shi no Atoshimatsu` (モッキンポット師の後始末) (1972, Kōdansha)
• `Tegusari Shinju` (手鎖心中) (1972, Bungeishunjū)
• `Aoba Shigereru` (青葉繁れる) (1973, Bungeishunjū) - Adapted into a film of the same name by Kiichi Okamoto.
• `Yonjūichiban no Shōnen` (四十一番の少年) (1973, Bungeishunjū)
• `Isamu Yori Yoroshiku` (イサムよりよろしく) (1974, Bungeishunjū)
• `Itoshi no Brigitte Bardot` (いとしのブリジット・ボルドー) (1974, Kōdansha)
• `Oretachi to Taihō` (おれたちと大砲) (1975, Bungeishunjū)
• `Gōrōsha` (合牢者) (1975, Bungeishunjū)
• `Don Matsugoro no Seikatsu` (ドン松五郎の生活) (1975, Shinchōsha) - Adapted into a film of the same name by Shinichi Nakata.
• `Asakusa Torigoe Azuma Toko` (浅草鳥越あずま床) (1975, Shinchōsha)
• `Nihon Teishu Zukan` (日本亭主図鑑) (1975, Shinchōsha)
• `Shin Tōkaidō Gojūsantsugi` (新東海道五十三次) (1976, Bungeishunjū)
• `Gi Genshijin` (偽原始人) (1976, Asahi Shinbunsha)
• `Shinshaku Tōno Monogatari` (新釈遠野物語) (1976, Chikuma Shobō)
• `Kiiroi Nezumi` (黄色い鼠) (1977, Bungeishunjū)
• `Jūnin no Tegami` (十二人の手紙) (1978, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Father Goose Dai 1-shū` (ファザー・グース 第1集) (1978, Seidōsha)
• `Sasoritachi` (さそりたち) (1979, Bungeishunjū)
• `Gisaku-sha Meimeiden` (戯作者銘々伝) (1979, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Tanin no Chi` (他人 の 血) (1979, Kōdansha)
• `Hanaishi Monogatari` (花石物語) (1980, Bungeishunjū)
• `Kigeki Yakushatachi` (喜劇役者たち) (1980, Kōdansha)
• `Geta no Ue no Tamago` (下駄の上の卵) (1980, Iwanami Shoten)
• `Kirikirijin` (吉里吉里人) (1981, Shinchōsha)
• `Tsuki Naki Misora no Tenbō Ichiza` (月なきみそらの天坊一座) (1981, Shinchō Gendai Bungaku)
• `Nippon Hakubutsushi` (にっぽん博物誌) (1983, Asahi Shinbunsha)
• `Lion to Soft Cream` (ライオンとソフトクリーム) (1983, Hisakata Child)
• `Shisha Gonyū Satsujin Jiken` (四捨五入殺人事件) (1984, Shinchō Bunko)
• `Hanzai Chōsho` (犯罪調書) (1984, Shūeisha Bunko)
• `Fu Chūshingura` (不忠臣蔵) (1985, Shūeisha)
• `Mokkinpotto Shi Futatabi` (モッキンポット師ふたたび) (1985, Kōdansha Bunko)
• `Edo Murasaki Emaki Genji` (江戸紫絵巻源氏) (1985, Bungeishunjū Bunko)
• `Haradrum Ki` (腹鼓記) (1985, Shinchōsha)
• `Bakurō Hachijūhachiden` (馬喰八十八伝) (1986, Asahi Shinbunsha)
• `Yonsenmanpo no Otoko Ezo-hen` (四千万歩の男 蝦夷篇) (1986, Kōdansha)
• `Yakyū Mōdōken Chibi no Kokuhaku` (野球盲導犬チビの告白) (1986, Jitsugyō no Nihon Sha)
• `Nain` (ナイン) (1987, Kōdansha)
• `Yonsenmanpo no Otoko Izu-hen` (四千万歩の男 伊豆篇) (1989, Kōdansha)
• `Tasogare Yakuza Blues` (たそがれやくざブルース) (1991, Kōdansha Bunko)
• `Hyakunen Sensō` (百年戦争) (1994, Kōdansha Bunko)
• `Waga Tomo Frois` (わが友フロイス) (1999, Nesco)
• `Tokyo Sebun Rōzu` (東京セブンローズ) (1999, Bungeishunjū)
• `Aesop Kabushikigaisha` (イソップ株式会社) (2005, Chūō Kōron Shinsha)
• `Kyōden-ten no Tabakoire Inoue Hisashi Edo Shōsetsu-shū` (京伝店の烟草入れ 井上ひさし江戸小説集) (2009, Kōdansha Bungei Bunko)
• `Ichi Shūkan` (一週間) (2010, Shinchōsha) - Unfinished.
• `Glowbe-gō no Bōken Fuzoku Utopia Shotō Kōkaiki` (グロウブ号の冒険 附ユートピア諸島航海記) (2011, Iwanami Shoten) - Unfinished.
• `Ōgon no Kishidan` (黄金の騎士団) (2011, Kōdansha) - Unfinished.
• `Tōkeiji Hanadayori` (東慶寺花だより) (2011, Bungeishunjū) - Later adapted into the film `Kakekomi Onna to Kakedashi Otoko`.
• `Ippun no Ichi` (一分ノ一) (2011, Kōdansha) - Unfinished.
• `Neppū Itaru` (熱風至る) (2022, Genkishobō) - Unfinished.

8.3. Essays

• `Katei Kōron` (家庭口論) (1974-1975, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Buraun Kangoku no Shiki` (ブラウン監獄の四季) (1977, Kōdansha)
• `Shōdan Shōhatsu Taidanshū` (笑談笑発 対談集) (1978, Kōdansha Bunko)
• `Parody Shigan Essay-shū 1` (パロディ志願 エッセイ集1) (1979, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Fūkei wa Namida ni Yusure Essay-shū 2` (風景はなみだにゆすれ エッセイ集2) (1979, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Jack no Shōtai Essay-shū 3` (ジャックの正体 エッセイ集3) (1979, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Samazama na Jigazō Essay-shū 4` (さまざまな自画像 エッセイ集4) (1979, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Shikaban Nihongo Bunpō` (私家版日本語文法) (1981, Shinchōsha)
• `Seibo no Dōkeshi Essay-shū 5` (聖母の道化師 エッセイ集5) (1981, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Kotoba o Yomu` (ことばを読む) (1982, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Sekai` (井上ひさしの世界) (1982, Hakusuisha)
• `Hon no Makura no Sōshi` (本の枕草紙) (1982, Bungeishunjū)
• `Jikasei Bunshō-dokuhon` (自家製文章読本) (1984, Shinchōsha)
• `Aa Maku ga Agaru Inoue Shibai ga Dekiru Made` (ああ幕があがる 井上芝居ができるまで) (1986, Asahi Shinbunsha, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Okureta Mono ga Kachi ni Naru Essay-shū 6` (遅れたものが勝ちになる エッセイ集6) (1989, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Akutō to Yūrei Essay-shū 7` (悪党と幽霊 エッセイ集7) (1989, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Kome Kōza` (井上ひさしのコメ講座) (1989-1991, Iwanami Booklets)
• `Yaa Ogenki Desu ka` (やあおげんきですか) (1989, Shūeisha Bunko)
• `Kome no Hanashi` (コメの話) (1992, Shinchō Bunko)
• `Dōshitemo Kome no Hanashi` (どうしてもコメの話) (1993, Shinchō Bunko)
• `Nihongo Nikki` (ニホン語日記) (1993-1996, Bungeishunjū)
• `Shinu no ga Kowaku Naku Naru Kusuri Essay-shū 8` (死ぬのがこわくなくなる薬 エッセイ集8) (1993, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Bungaku Gōtō no Saigo no Shigoto Essay-shū 9` (文学強盗の最後の仕事 エッセイ集9) (1994, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Gaki Daishō no Ronri Essay-shū 10` (餓鬼大将の論理 エッセイ集10) (1994, Chūō Kōronsha)
• `Miyazawa Kenji ni Kiku` (宮沢賢治に聞く) (1995, Nesco, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Nihongo Sōdan` (井上ひさしの日本語相談) (1995, Asahi Bungei Bunko)
• `Bestseller no Sengoshi` (ベストセラーの戦後史) (1995, Bungeishunjū)
• `Higuchi Ichiyō ni Kiku` (樋口一葉に聞く) (1995, Nesco, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Hon no Unmei` (本の運命) (1997, Bungeishunjū)
• `Engeki Nōto` (演劇ノート) (1997, Hakusui U Books)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Nōgyō Kōza` (井上ひさしの農業講座) (1997, Ie no Hikari Kyōkai, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Dazai Osamu ni Kiku` (太宰治に聞く) (1998, Nesco, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Kikuchi Kan no Shigoto` (菊池寛の仕事) (1999, Nesco, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Monogatari to Yume Taidanshū` (物語と夢 対談集) (1999, Iwanami Shoten)
• `Waga Jinsei no Jikokuhyō` (わが人生の時刻表) (2000, Shūeisha Bunko)
• `Yonsenmanpo no Otoko Chūkei no Ikikata` (四千万歩の男 忠敬の生き方) (2000, Kōdansha)
• `Asakusa Furansu-za no Jikan` (浅草フランス座の時間) (2001, Bungeishunjū Nesco, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Nihongo wa Nanatsu Tōri no Niji no Iro` (日本語は七通りの虹の色) (2001, Shūeisha Bunko)
• `Wagahai wa Nameneko de Aru` (吾輩はなめ猫である) (2001, Shūeisha Bunko)
• `Inoue Hisashi to 141-nin no Nakamatachi no Sakubun Kyōshitsu` (井上ひさしと141人の仲間たちの作文教室) (2001, Shinchō Bunko)
• `Nihongo Kansatsu Nōto` (にほん語観察ノート) (2002, Chūō Kōron Shinsha)
• `Ate ni Naru Kuni no Tsukurikata Futsū-jin no Hokori to Sekinin` (あてになる国のつくり方 フツー人の誇りと責任) (2002, Kōbunsha, co-authored with Seikatsusha Daigakkō Kōshijin)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Dairen Shashin to Chizu de Miru Manshū` (井上ひさしの大連 写真と地図で見る満州) (2002, Shogakukan, co-authored with Komatsuza)
• `Inoue Hisashi Collection` (井上ひさしコレクション) (2005, Iwanami Shoten)
• `Fufufu` (ふふふ) (2005, Kōdansha)
• `Inoue Hisashi no Kodomo ni Tsutaeru Nihonkoku Kenpō` (井上ひさしの子どもにつたえる日本国憲法) (2006, Kōdansha)
• `Eiga o Tazunete Taidanshū` (映画をたずねて 対談集) (2006, Chikuma Bunko)
• `Bologna Kiko` (ボローニャ紀行) (2008, Bungeishunjū)
• `Waga Jōhatsu Shimatsuki Essay-sen` (わが蒸発始末記 エッセイ選) (2009, Chūō Kōron Bunko)
• `Fufufufu` (ふふふふ) (2009, Kōdansha)
• `Inoue Hisashi Zen Senpyō` (井上ひさし全選評) (2010, Hakusuisha)
• `Nihongo Kyōshitsu` (日本語教室) (2011, Shinchō Shinsho)
• `Fukai Koto o Omishiroku Sōsaku no Genten` (ふかいことをおもしろく 創作の原点) (2011, PHP Kenkyūjo)
• `Shonichi e no Tegami: "Tokyo Saiban Sanbusaku" no Dekiru Made` (初日への手紙:「東京裁判三部作」のできるまで) (2013, Hakusuisha)

8.4. Broadcast and Anime Scripts

• `X-Man` (Xマン) (1960, former TBS Radio) - Radio play.
• `Moguccho Chibiccho Konnichiwa` (モグッチョチビッチョこんにちは) (1962, NHK Radio 1) - Radio play.
• `Kirikiri Dokuritsu su` (吉里吉里独立す) (1964, NHK Radio 1) - Radio play, precursor to `Kirikirijin`.
• `Hyokkori Hyotanjima` (ひょっこりひょうたん島) (1964-1969, NHK General TV) - Co-written with Morihisa Yamamoto.
• `Ninja Hattori-kun` (忍者ハットリくん) (1966) - Live-action TV series, credited as Hanzō Hattori. Also wrote the theme song lyrics.
• `Ninja Hattori-kun + Ninja Kaiju Jippō` (忍者ハットリくん+忍者怪獣ジッポウ) (1967) - Credited as Hanzō Hattori.
• `Pyunpyunmaru` (ピュンピュン丸) (1967, 1970) - Co-scripted with Morihisa Yamamoto as Enrico Trizoni.
• `Moomin` (ムーミン) (1969) - Wrote lyrics for `Moomin no Theme`.
• `Himitsu no Akko-chan` (ひみつのアッコちゃん) (1969) - Wrote lyrics for `Himitsu no Akko-chan` and `Suki Suki Song` (co-written with Morihisa Yamamoto).
• `Bun to Fun` (ブンとフン) (1969, NHK Radio 1) - Radio play, novelized in 1970.
• `Nekojara City no 11-nin` (ネコジャラ市の11人) (1970, NHK General TV) - Co-written with Morihisa Yamamoto and Tadaaki Yamazaki.
• `Andersen Monogatari` (アンデルセン物語) (1971) - Wrote lyrics for the opening song `Mr. Andersen`.
• `Mokkinpotto Shi no Atoshimatsu` (モッキンポット師の後始末) (1972) - Adapted into the continuous drama `Boku no Shiawase` for Fuji Television (1973-1973).
• `Kokugo Gannen` (國語元年) (1985, NHK General TV) - Broadcast as part of the `Drama Ningen Moyō` series, later adapted into a stage play.
• `Tsuki Naki Misora no Tenbō Ichiza` (月なきみそらの天坊一座) (1986, NHK General TV) - Broadcast as part of the `Ginga TV Shōsetsu` series.

8.5. Collaborations and Other Works

• `Nagagutsu o Haita Neko` (長靴をはいた猫) (1969) - Children's book, co-authored with Morihisa Yamamoto.
• `Banpaku Wanpaku March` (バンパク ワンパク マーチ) (1970) - Theme song for the Sumitomo Pavilion at Expo '70, lyrics by Inoue, music by Makoto Wada.
• `Kanatsubo Oyaji Koi Datte Hiki` (金壺親父恋達引) (1972) - Bunraku work written for NHK Radio, televised in 1973, and first staged at the National Bunraku Theatre in 2016.
• `Inoue Hisashi Kontoshū` (井上ひさしコント集) (1974) - Collection of comedy scripts.
• `Tenpuku Trio no Cont` (てんぷくトリオのコント) (1973-1977) - Comedy scripts for Tenpuku Trio.
• `Hisashi Shōji Kōdan Jiten` (ひさし・章二巷談辞典) (1981) - Co-authored with Shōji Yamato.
• `Tsuki no Parody Daizenshū` (月のパロディ大全集) (1984) - Co-authored with Saiichi Maruya.
• `Hana no Parody Daizenshū` (花のパロディ大全集) (1984) - Co-authored with Saiichi Maruya.
• `Hoshi no Parody Daizenshū` (星のパロディ大全集) (1984) - Co-authored with Saiichi Maruya.
• `Kuni Yutaka ni Shite Gi o Wasure` (国ゆたかにして義を忘れ) (1985) - Co-authored with Kōhei Tsuka.
• `Kokutetsu o Kangaeru` (国鉄を考える) (1986) - Co-authored with Mitsuharu Itō.
• `Utopia Sagashi Monogatari Sagashi` (ユートピア探し 物語探し) (1988) - Co-authored with Kenzaburō Ōe and Yasutaka Tsutsui.
• `"Nihonkoku Kenpō" o Yominaosu` (「日本国憲法」を読み直す) (1994) - Co-authored with Yōichi Higuchi.
• `Haikei Mizutani Yaeko Sama Ōfuku Shokan` (拝啓水谷八重子様 往復書簡) (1995) - Correspondence with Yaeko Mizutani.
• `Kokka, Shūkyō, Nihonjin` (国家・宗教・日本人) (1996) - Dialogue with Ryōtarō Shiba.
• `Shin Nihon Kyōsantō Sengen` (新日本共産党宣言) (1999) - Dialogue with Tetsuzō Fuwa.
• `Hanashikotoba no Nihongo` (話し言葉の日本語) (2003) - Co-authored with Oriza Hirata.
• `Chiisana Hibana` (小さな火花) (1982) - Lyrics for the Beijing Japanese School song, music by Ikuma Dan.
• School songs for Kawanishi Town schools (Kawanishi Town First Junior High School, Kawanishi Town Second Junior High School, Kawanishi Town Kawanishi Junior High School).
• `Kamaishi Shiritsu Kamaishi Shōgakkō` (釜石市立釜石小学校) - Lyrics for Kamaishi City Kamaishi Elementary School song, music by Seiichirō Uno.
• `Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko` (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ) (1994) - Contributed research materials to the film, credited as "cooperation."
• `Inoue Hisashi no Bologna Nikki` (井上ひさしのボローニャ日記) (2004, NHK-BS) - Documentary.