Arthur Morrison (1863-1945) is known as an English novelist who described the lives of the poor in the East End of London realistically around the turn of the century. His major works are “Tales of Mean Streets”, “A Child of the Jago”, “The Hole in the Wall”, etc. Although Morrison never went to Japan, he was also a keen collector and scholar of Japanese art (Japanese woodcut prints and paintings). Morrison wrote “The Painters of Japan” in 1911 which was regarded as indispensable contribution to Japanese art studies for around fifty years. His collections of Japanese prints and paintings which his studies of Japanese art were based upon have become parts of Japanese art collections at the British Museum. This essay examines how Arthur Morrison developed his interests and studies on Japanese prints and paintings through the contacts with Japanese people in London, such as Kumagusu Minakata, Kanzan Shimomura, Tokuboku Hirata and his friendship with W. E. Henley, Harold Parlett, Laurence Binyon. This essay also focuses on what Morrison gained personally from his studies of Japanese art, particularly Japanese prints (Ukiyoe) and his contacts and friendship with Japanese people in London. Through my study of Morrison's analogy between the Ukiyoe painters in the history of Japanese art and himself as regards their subjects, methods, etc., it can be concluded that Morrison might have received stronger influence from Japanese art than what is usually thought.

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Professor Minoru Umegaki and Mr. Sobei Arakawa were the two teachers of the greatest importance to the writer. The writer, though not taught by these teachers either in high school or in university, was greatly influenced by them when he was young.
At first the writer was very interested in the loan words of foreign origin. After reading books by Professor Umegaki and Mr.Arakawa, the two greatest authorities on the words of foreign origin, the writer knew that they had both been given the Okakura prize when they were in their early forties.
However, after consulting available dictionaries and glossaries, the writer was unable to find even a mention of the Okakura prize, or the past winners of the prize.
Based on careful research of the editor's columns, of the past issues of THE RISING GENERATION, the well-known magazine for English literature and English education, the writer explains how the Okakura prize was begun in memory of Yoshisaburo Okakura, a famous scholar and teacher of English. The writer also lists winners of the Okakura prize and Okakura prize for English education.
It is a pity that these two prizes were discontinued in 1946, a year after the end of World War II. After the war, the Okakura prize for English education was in a sense replaced by the Palmer prize, which has survived to the present day.
This report is based on the paper read by the writer at the 39th national meeting of our Society on October 6, 2002.

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