Matsutaro Kawaguchi (1899~1985) was born in Asakusa district, Tokyo. When he was 16, he started studying with Mantaro Kubota, who was active as a haiku-poet, novelist, and playwright. In the following year, he published his first novel Ruzainin Fujisuke (Fujisuke the Exile) on a magazine. In 1923, Tabi (Tabi Socks), which is a drama he submitted to a magazine. Kaoru Osanai, who is a playwright and represented the magazine, liked his drama, and asked him to join Osanai's publishing company. He then started editing entertainment publications there, along with his colleague, Sanjugo Naoki. In 1935, he received the first Naoki Prize, for Tsuruhachi Tsurujiro and two other short stories. In 1973, he was granted the Order of Cultural Merit.

1935 Naoki Prize, for Tsuruhachi Tsurujiro, Furyu Fukagawa Uta (Furyu Fukagawa), and other

1963 Kikuchi Kan Prize

1969 Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize, for Shigurejaya Oriku (Mistress Oriku)