Shigeru Tonomura

Kanji of his real name was 外村 茂, but it was same reading as the pen name.

Tonomura was born into a conservative merchant's family in Shiga Prefecture and raised by devout parents who believed in Pure Land Buddhism.

After graduation from the University of Tokyo with a degree in economics, he took over the family business as a wholesale cotton merchant.

His house in Gokashōkondō-chō, Higashiōmi, is now a museum that reflects Ōmi Province merchant life.

In 1933, Tonomura handed over control of the business to his brother and began to write seriously.