Playwright and critic. He aspired to be a philosopher and entered the First Higher School, and was impressed with Nishida Kitaro's Zen no Kenkyu (An Inquiry into the Good). In 1913 he was diagnosed as having tuberculosis and focused on resting for a while, but published the play Shukke to Sono Deshi (The Priest and his Apprentice) in the sister magazine of Shirakaba, Seimei no Kawa (River of Life). This work became a best-seller and was translated into multiple languages. He then published works in the magazine Shirakaba and wrote the essay Ai to Ninshiki tono Shuppatsu (The Beginning of Love and Understanding) in 1921, in which he showcased his philosophy of life. In his later years, he leaned towards nationalism and advocated his own unique theocracy influenced by the teachings of Shinran.