Toson Shimazaki (1872-1943) was born in Nagano and studied at Meiji Gakuin University. Taught at a girls' school, but had to resign after falling in love with a student. At this time it became known in literary circles as a romantic poet of the "new style". He returned to teaching as a professor of English at Komoro and already married, he moved to Tokyo in 1906, the year he published his first novel, The Broken precept, reaping an overwhelming success and exhausting five editions that year. His works are characterized by their autobiographical tone: Haru (1908), Ie (1910-1911). After the death of his wife and a scandalous affair with a niece, Toson moved to Europe. On his return published "A New Life" (Shinsei, 1918), a repentant confession for his lewd behavior. He died of a heart attack in 1943 leaving an unfinished work, Tōhō no mon ("The Eastern Gate").