Jap Businessman's Guide) was published in 1927. Hasegawa also wrote semi-historical novels under the pen-name , which were serialized in the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun and Osaka Mainichi Shinbun. In Shimpan Ooka Seidan (1927–1928), his main protagonist was Tange Sazen, a one-eyed, one-armed super-swordsman. The character was an immediate best-seller, and was quickly adapted for the cinema, with four studios competing simultaneously to issue screen versions of Hasegawa's stories beginning in 1928. In 1928, Chūō Kōron sponsored a round-the-world trip for Hasegawa, together with his wife, lasting for one year, in exchange for essays and stories set in each port of call. The couple visited fourteen countries, and during this time, Hasegawa used the pen-name , to write true-life mystery novels, and stories about sophisticated city life in Tokyo and other locations, which drew in a large female fan base. His wife also wrote articles about London and Paris during this trip, which were published in the women's literary magazine Fujin Kōron (Women's Review). On his return to Japan, Hasegawa was offered the use of a suite at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, but from 1929 settled in Kamakura, where he remained until his death in 1935 of acute bronchial asthma. His grave is at the temple of Myohon-ji in Kamakura. References Campbell, Alan. Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia . Kodansha (1993). Standish, Isolde. New History of Japanese Cinema. Bloomsbury Academic (2006) External links e-texts of works as Tani Joji at Aozora Bunko e-texts of works as Maki Ikuma at Aozora Bunko e-texts of works as Hayashi Fubo at Aozora Bunko 1900 births 1935 deaths Deaths from asthma Japanese essayists Japanese male short story writers Japanese crime fiction writers People from Sado, Niigata 20th-century Japanese novelists 20th-century Japanese short story writers 20th-century essayists 20th-century Japanese male writers