Tōson Shimazaki (島崎 藤村, Shimazaki Tōson; Japanese pronunciation: [toꜜː.soɴ], 25 March 1872 – 22 August 1943) was the…Tōson Shimazaki (島崎 藤村, Shimazaki Tōson; Japanese pronunciation: [toꜜː.soɴ], 25 March 1872 – 22 August 1943) was the pen-name of Haruki Shimazaki, a Japanese writer active in the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan. He began his career as a Romantic poet, but went on to establish himself as a major proponent of Japanese Naturalism. The historical novel Before the Dawn (1929–1935), about the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, is his most popular work.
Katai Tayama (田山 花袋 Tayama Katai, 22 January 1872 – 13 May 1930, born Rokuya Tayama) was a Japanese author. His most…Katai Tayama (田山 花袋 Tayama Katai, 22 January 1872 – 13 May 1930, born Rokuya Tayama) was a Japanese author. His most famous works include Inaka Kyōshi (田舎教師, "Rural Teacher," also translated "Country Teacher") and Futon (蒲団, also translated "The Quilt"). He is noted for establishing the Japanese literary genre of naturalistic I novels which revolve around the detailed self-examinations of an introspective author. He also wrote about his experiences in the Russo-Japanese War.
Kimura Akebono (木村曙; April 10, 1872–October 19, 1890) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for her debut work Fujo…Kimura Akebono (木村曙; April 10, 1872–October 19, 1890) was a Japanese writer. She is best known for her debut work Fujo no Kagami (婦女の鑑).
Doppo Kunikida (国木田 独歩, Kunikida Doppo; 30 August 1871 – 23 June 1908) was a Japanese author of novels and romantic…Doppo Kunikida (国木田 独歩, Kunikida Doppo; 30 August 1871 – 23 June 1908) was a Japanese author of novels and romantic poetry during the Meiji period, noted as one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism.
Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and…Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and leader of Shingeki. His real name is Takitaro (滝太郎). He was born in Shimane Prefecture. He graduated from Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō. In 1902 he studied abroad in the United Kingdom and Germany. In 1906, he founded the Bungei Kyōkai (文芸協会) with Tsubouchi Shoyo. He presided over Waseda Bungaku (早稲田文学) and was active in the naturalistic literary movement. In 1913, he established the Geijutsu-za theatre troupe with Sumako Matsui. His main works are Shinbijigaku (新美辞学), Kindai Bungei no Kenkyu (近代文芸之研究) and so on. Shimamura was also a key figure in Henrik Ibsen becoming a key influence in Japanese drama and the Shingeki movement; following a three and a half year stay in Europe and having attended many performances of Ibsen plays, Shimamura returned to Japan in 1905 and declared an "Age of Ibsen" to coincide with increased interest in Ibsen plays within Japan, including Shimamura's own translation of A Doll's House.
Sakai Toshihiko (堺 利彦; November 25, 1871 – January 23, 1933) was a Japanese socialist. He advocated opposition to the…Sakai Toshihiko (堺 利彦; November 25, 1871 – January 23, 1933) was a Japanese socialist. He advocated opposition to the Russo-Japanese War, founded the Heiminsha and published the newspaper Heimin Shimbun. He formed the Japan Socialist Party and the Japanese Communist Party, and became the first general secretary of the Japanese Communist Party. His pen name is Saka Kosen (堺枯川). He is also known for his translation with Kōtoku Shūsui.
Juji Nakada (中田 重治, Nakada Jūji; 1870–1939) was a Japanese holiness evangelist, known as "the Dwight Moody of Japan"…Juji Nakada (中田 重治, Nakada Jūji; 1870–1939) was a Japanese holiness evangelist, known as "the Dwight Moody of Japan" (Stark 28-29), who was the first bishop of the Japan Holiness Church and one of the co-founders of the Oriental Missionary Society (now One Mission Society).
Sazanami Iwaya (巖谷 小波, Iwaya Sazanami; 4 July 1870 - 5 September 1933) was a Japanese writer, children's author, oral…Sazanami Iwaya (巖谷 小波, Iwaya Sazanami; 4 July 1870 - 5 September 1933) was a Japanese writer, children's author, oral storyteller, German literature scholar, journalist and haiku poet from the Meiji and Taishō eras. His birthname was Sueo Iwaya (巖谷季雄, Iwaya Sueo). Pseudonyms include Sazanami Sanjin (漣山人), Rakutenkyo (楽天居) and Ōe Sazanami (大江小波). He is regarded as a pioneer of Japanese children's literature who ushered the history of modern children's literature by publishing Japan's first original children's story, “Koganemaru” (Hakubunkan, 1891).
Inoue Kenkabō (井上 剣花坊; July 1, 1870 – September 26, 1934) was the pen-name of a journalist and writer of senryū (short…Inoue Kenkabō (井上 剣花坊; July 1, 1870 – September 26, 1934) was the pen-name of a journalist and writer of senryū (short, humorous verse) in late Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Inoue Kōichi.
Kinoshita Naoe (木下 尚江, Kinoshita Naoe; 12 October 1869 – 5 November 1937) was a Japanese Christian socialist activist…Kinoshita Naoe (木下 尚江, Kinoshita Naoe; 12 October 1869 – 5 November 1937) was a Japanese Christian socialist activist and author.
Suiin Emi (江見 水蔭, Emi Suiin; 17 September 1869 – 3 November 1934), born Tadanori Emi (江見 忠功, Emi Tadanori), was a…Suiin Emi (江見 水蔭, Emi Suiin; 17 September 1869 – 3 November 1934), born Tadanori Emi (江見 忠功, Emi Tadanori), was a Japanese novelist and journalist. Born in Okayama into a shizoku (former samurai) family, he travelled to Tokyo to join the army but instead joined the Kenyūsha literary society and quickly became celebrated during the Sino-Japanese War for his patriotic stories in the newspaper Chūō Shinbun. A pillar of the Meiji-era literary establishment, and the editor of Kobe Shinbun and Taiheiyo as well as Senshibankō and Kozakuraodoshi, his writing is marred for modern readers by its imperialist outlook, one example being Osero, a new version of Othello commissioned for the Otojiro Kawakami troupe and set in the Taiwan of 1903, in which the Othello figure, the governor Lt. Gen. Muro Washirō, is a Japanese burakumin who has been sent to the island to suppress a rebellion. He was the first to refer to sumo as the national sport (kokugi), inspiring the name of the Ryōgoku Kokugikan stadium built in 1909. He died in Matsuyama.
Bizan Kawakami (川上 眉山, Kawakami Bizan; March 5, 1869 – June 15, 1908) was a Japanese novelist of the Meiji era. His…Bizan Kawakami (川上 眉山, Kawakami Bizan; March 5, 1869 – June 15, 1908) was a Japanese novelist of the Meiji era. His real name was Akira Kawakami (川上 亮, Kawakami Akira). Born in Osaka Prefecture, he dropped out of the school of liberal arts in Tokyo University and joined Ken'yusha. After struggling with the rise of naturalist literature yet remaining a popular author until his death, he died by suicide at age 40. Aozora Bunko has a digitalized collection of his works.
Tatsuko Miyake (三宅 竜子, Miyake Tatsuko, née Tanabe, 4 February 1868 − 18 July 1943), known by her pen name Kaho Miyake…Tatsuko Miyake (三宅 竜子, Miyake Tatsuko, née Tanabe, 4 February 1868 − 18 July 1943), known by her pen name Kaho Miyake (三宅 花圃, Miyake Kaho), was a Japanese novelist, essayist, and poet. She has long been associated with joryū bungaku ("women's literature"), acknowledged as the first woman to have written in the modern period. Her most notable work is Yabu no uguisu (藪の鶯, lit. "Warbler in the Grove"), published in 1888.
Yamada Bimyō (山田 美妙), born Yamada Taketarō (山田 武太郎; 1868–1910), was a Japanese novelist. Jim Reichert, author of Yamada…Yamada Bimyō (山田 美妙), born Yamada Taketarō (山田 武太郎; 1868–1910), was a Japanese novelist. Jim Reichert, author of Yamada Bimyō: Historical Fiction and Modern Love, wrote that Bimyō was "one of the most influential literary reformers of the 1880s" who had "an instrumental role" in producing rekishi shōsetsu, the modern form of a Japanese historical novel. According to Reichert, during the 1880s the public perceived Bimyō "to be at the forefront of the literary reform movement, offering a fresh and exciting strategy for reforming Japanese literature." Louis Frédéric, author of the Japan Encyclopedia, wrote that Bimyō was, along with Kōda Rohan, "the most representative authors" of the first modern school of literature to appear in Meiji Japan.
Saitō Masaru (斎藤 賢; 24 January 1868 – 13 April 1904), better known by his pen name Saitō Ryokuu (斎藤 緑雨), was a Japanese…Saitō Masaru (斎藤 賢; 24 January 1868 – 13 April 1904), better known by his pen name Saitō Ryokuu (斎藤 緑雨), was a Japanese author and critic who lived during the Meiji Era. His Dharma name was Shungyōin Ryokuu Suikaku Koji (春暁院緑雨醒客居士), which was chosen by Kōda Rohan.
Ozaki Kōyō (尾崎 紅葉; January 10, 1868 – October 30, 1903) was a Japanese author and poet. His real name was Ozaki…Ozaki Kōyō (尾崎 紅葉; January 10, 1868 – October 30, 1903) was a Japanese author and poet. His real name was Ozaki Tokutarō (尾崎 徳太郎), and he was also known by various noms de plume including Enzan (縁山) and Tochimandō (十千万堂).
Shimizu Shikin (清水紫琴; 1868–1933), pen name of Shimizu Toyoko, was a Japanese novelist and women's rights activist of…Shimizu Shikin (清水紫琴; 1868–1933), pen name of Shimizu Toyoko, was a Japanese novelist and women's rights activist of the Meiji period in Japan. A lecturer on equality and social issues, she was forced to turn to writing when the law changed to bar women from political assembly. She became one of the first women professional journalists in Japan.
Kōda Shigeyuki (幸田 成行; 23 July 1867 – 30 July 1947), pen name Kōda Rohan (幸田 露伴; Japanese pronunciation: [koː.da (|)…Kōda Shigeyuki (幸田 成行; 23 July 1867 – 30 July 1947), pen name Kōda Rohan (幸田 露伴; Japanese pronunciation: [koː.da (|) ɾoꜜ.haɴ]), was a Japanese author. His daughter, Aya Kōda, was also a noted author who often wrote about him. Kōda wrote "The Icon of Liberty", also known as "The Buddha of Art" or "The Elegant Buddha", in 1889. A house in which Kōda lived, Kagyū-an (蝸牛庵; snail cottage), was rebuilt in 1972 by the Meiji Mura museum. Kōda was one of the first persons to be awarded the Order of Culture when it was established in 1937.
Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese…Natsume Sōseki (; Japanese: 夏目 漱石; born Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目 金之助); 9 February 1867 – 9 December 1916) was a Japanese novelist, poet, and scholar. He is considered one of the greatest writers in modern Japanese history and is often called the first modern novelist of Japan. Sōseki's fiction explored themes of individualism, loneliness, and the conflict between traditional Japanese values and the rapid Westernization of the Meiji era. His major works include I Am a Cat (1905), Botchan (1906), Sanshirō (1908), Kokoro (1914), and his unfinished final novel Light and Dark (1916). Born on the cusp of the Meiji Restoration, Sōseki had a turbulent childhood, having been given up for adoption twice. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and became a scholar of English literature. In 1900, he was sent by the Japanese government to study in London, where he spent two miserable years marked by poverty, racial alienation, and a severe nervous breakdown. Upon his return to Japan, he succeeded Lafcadio Hearn as a lecturer in English literature at Tokyo Imperial University. In 1905, he achieved fame with the publication of the satirical novel I Am a Cat. This success prompted him to begin a prolific writing career, and in 1907, he resigned from his university post to become a full-time author for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, a move that marked the birth of the professional artist in modern Japan. For the rest of his life, Sōseki published a novel a year while also writing poetry and literary criticism. His work is characterized by its psychological depth, its blend of humor and pessimism, and its exploration of the human ego. Throughout his adult life, he suffered from severe stomach ulcers and recurring bouts of mental illness, including paranoid delusions, which deeply affected his work and personal life. Sōseki died from complications of his stomach condition in 1916 at the age of 49, leaving his final novel, Light and Dark, unfinished. His influence on Japanese literature is profound, and he remains one of the country's most beloved and widely read authors. His portrait appeared on the 1,000-yen banknote from 1984 to 2004.
Gotō Toranosuke (23 December 1866 – 12 June 1938), known by his pen name Gotō Chūgai (後藤 宙外), was a Japanese writer and…Gotō Toranosuke (23 December 1866 – 12 June 1938), known by his pen name Gotō Chūgai (後藤 宙外), was a Japanese writer and literary critic active from the late Meiji through the early Shōwa periods of Japan.
Ishibashi Ningetsu (石橋 忍月, 1 September 1865 – 1 February 1926) was a Japanese writer and literature critic. His…Ishibashi Ningetsu (石橋 忍月, 1 September 1865 – 1 February 1926) was a Japanese writer and literature critic. His critique "Maihime", on the short story of the same name by Mori Ōgai, was an important dispute in literature during the early Meiji period. He was also among the contributors of Jogaku zasshi, an influential magazine of the Meiji era.
Itō Sachio (伊藤 左千夫; 18 September 1864 - 30 July 1913) was the pen-name of Itō Kōjirō (伊藤 幸次郎), a Japanese tanka poet…Itō Sachio (伊藤 左千夫; 18 September 1864 - 30 July 1913) was the pen-name of Itō Kōjirō (伊藤 幸次郎), a Japanese tanka poet and novelist active during the Meiji period of Japan.
Wakamatsu Shizuko (若松 賤子; 6 September 1864 – 10 February 1896) was a Japanese educator, translator, and novelist best…Wakamatsu Shizuko (若松 賤子; 6 September 1864 – 10 February 1896) was a Japanese educator, translator, and novelist best known for translating Little Lord Fauntleroy written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She is also known for introducing literature with Christianity for children's novels.
Futabatei Shimei (二葉亭 四迷; 4 April 1864 – 10 May 1909) was a Japanese writer, translator, and literary critic. His…Futabatei Shimei (二葉亭 四迷; 4 April 1864 – 10 May 1909) was a Japanese writer, translator, and literary critic. His writings are in the realist style popular in the mid to late 19th century. His work The Drifting Cloud (Ukigumo, 1887) is widely regarded as Japan's first modern novel.
Kuroiwa Shūroku (黒岩 周六, Kuroiwa Shūroku; 29 September 1862 – 6 October 1920), also known as Kuroiwa Ruikō (黒岩 涙香), was…Kuroiwa Shūroku (黒岩 周六, Kuroiwa Shūroku; 29 September 1862 – 6 October 1920), also known as Kuroiwa Ruikō (黒岩 涙香), was a Japanese journalist, novelist and translator. He founded Yorozu Chōhō in 1892, which soon became one of Japan's largest newspapers. He translated more than 100 French and English language novels into the Japanese language. In 1919, while on his way to the Paris Peace Conference, Kuroiwa met with Madam C. J. Walker of the International League for Darker People to discuss a shared strategy at the conference. His Dharma name, which he chose himself, was Kuroiwain Shūroku Ruikō Chūten Koji (黒岩院周六涙香忠天居士).
Lieutenant-General Mori Rintarō (森 林太郎; February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), known by his pen name Mori Ōgai (森 鷗外…Lieutenant-General Mori Rintarō (森 林太郎; February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), known by his pen name Mori Ōgai (森 鷗外; Japanese pronunciation: [mo.ɾʲi (|) oꜜː.ɡai, -ŋai]), was a Japanese Army Surgeon general officer, translator, novelist, poet and father of famed author Mari Mori. He obtained his medical license at a very young age and introduced translated German language literary works to the Japanese public. Mori Ōgai also was considered the first to successfully express the art of western poetry in Japanese. He wrote many works and created many writing styles. The Wild Geese (1911–1913) is considered his major work. After his death, he was considered one of the leading writers who modernized Japanese literature. His continued obstinacy to recognize beriberi as a thiamine deficiency led to the death of more than 27,000 Japanese soldiers.
Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator…Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator, editor, educator, and professor at Waseda University. He has been referred to as a seminal figure in Japanese drama.
Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His…Aeba Kōson (饗庭 篁村; August 15, 1855 – June 20, 1922) was a Japanese author, theater critic, and calligraphy master. His real name is Yosaburou Aeba (饗庭與三郎). He was also called "The Master of the Bamboo Hut" (竹の屋主人). He was born in Shitaya Ryuusenji-cho in Taitō Ward, Tokyo. Among his works is his translation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue. He is buried in Somei cemetery in Tokyo.
Shiba Shirō (柴四郎), better known for his pen name Tōkai Sanshi (東海散士, Wanderer of the Eastern Sea), (21 June 1852 – 13…Shiba Shirō (柴四郎), better known for his pen name Tōkai Sanshi (東海散士, Wanderer of the Eastern Sea), (21 June 1852 – 13 December 1922) was a political activist and novelist during the Meiji period. He was born into a samurai family and fought for domain of Aizu during the Boshin War from 1868 to 1869, after which the Aizu domain was abandoned. He was educated at different facilities in Japan and in the United States, and he served in the military during the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War. His major works include Strange Encounters with Beautiful Women (Kajin no Kigū), first serialized in 1885 and concluded in 1897.
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (27 June 1850 – 26 September 1904) was a Greek and Irish writer, translator, and teacher whose…Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (27 June 1850 – 26 September 1904) was a Greek and Irish writer, translator, and teacher whose work played a significant role in the introduction of the culture and literature of Japan to the mainstream Western world. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things. Before moving to Japan and becoming a Japanese citizen, he worked as a journalist in the United States, primarily in Cincinnati and New Orleans. His writings about New Orleans, based on his decade-long stay there, are also well-known. Hearn was born on the Greek island of Lefkada but moved to Dublin, where he was abandoned first by his mother, then his father, and finally by his father's aunt (who had been appointed his official guardian). At the age of 19, he immigrated to the United States, where he found work as a newspaper reporter, first in Cincinnati and later in New Orleans. From there, he was sent as a correspondent to Martinique in the French West Indies, where he stayed for two years, and then in 1890 to Japan, where he would remain for the rest of his life, assuming the name Yakumo Koizumi. In Japan, Hearn married Setsuko Koizumi, with whom he had four children. His writings about Japan offered the Western world an introduction to Japanese culture.
Tetchou Suehiro (末広 鐵腸, Suehiro Tetchō; March 15, 1849 – February 5, 1896), born Yuujirou Suehiro (末広 雄次郎, Suehiro…Tetchou Suehiro (末広 鐵腸, Suehiro Tetchō; March 15, 1849 – February 5, 1896), born Yuujirou Suehiro (末広 雄次郎, Suehiro Yūjirō) was a Japanese politician, novelist, and journalist. He was proponent of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. Born of samurai lineage in what is now Ehime Prefecture, he was the second son of the family. His father, Teisuke, was an accountant. He graduated from a local samurai school and became a teacher in 1869. Thereafter, he moved to Tokyo and worked for the Ministry of Finance for six years before going into the newspaper business. He was imprisoned twice for challenging the existing free press laws and was instrumental in forming the first national political party. He wrote a political, proto-science fiction novel Setchūbai (Plum Blossoms in the Snow, 1886). The income from his books allowed him to travel to the United States and Europe in 1888, around which time he briefly became the travelling companion of Filipino propagandist and patriot José Rizal. He would later acknowledge Rizal's influence in another novel, Nanyo no daiharan (The Great Wave in the South Seas). In 1890 he was elected in the first national election, but was later ousted because he left the Liberal Party. Suehiro was still a member of the Diet (Meiji 29) when he died in 1896 of tongue cancer and was buried in Ehime.
Fukuchi Gen'ichirō (福地 源一郎; May 13, 1841 – January 4, 1906) was a Japanese politician, critic and author, also known…Fukuchi Gen'ichirō (福地 源一郎; May 13, 1841 – January 4, 1906) was a Japanese politician, critic and author, also known under the pseudonym Fukuchi Ōchi (福地 桜痴).
Ume Aoki (Japanese: 蒼樹 うめ, Hepburn: Aoki Ume; born August 3, 1981) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, animator…Ume Aoki (Japanese: 蒼樹 うめ, Hepburn: Aoki Ume; born August 3, 1981) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, animator, voice actress, and dōjin artist from Hyōgo Prefecture. She officially romanizes her name as aokiume. She illustrates under the pennames apricot+ for many of her dōjinshi, and Apply Fujimiya (藤宮 アプリ, Fujimiya Apuri) for the visual novel Sanarara. Aoki provided the voice for her Metapod persona in the Shaft anime adaptation of her four-panel comic strip Hidamari Sketch. She later created the original character designs for Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a Shaft anime production; and has been involved with the franchise—spanning several films, mobile games, manga, novels, and further television anime series—since then.
Shōko Ieda (家田 荘子, Ieda Shōko; born 1958 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese writer of non-fiction. She is known…Shōko Ieda (家田 荘子, Ieda Shōko; born 1958 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese writer of non-fiction. She is known for titillating novels replete with interracial sex scenes, and has aroused a great deal of controversy in Japan; her works have been accused of "demonising female sexuality".
Arata Kanoh (Japanese: 加納 新太, Hepburn: Kanō Arata) is a Japanese novelist from Aichi Prefecture. He graduated from the…Arata Kanoh (Japanese: 加納 新太, Hepburn: Kanō Arata) is a Japanese novelist from Aichi Prefecture. He graduated from the Aichi Prefectural University.
Yūichi Sasamoto (笹本 祐一, Sasamoto Yūichi; born February 18, 1963) is a Japanese science fiction writer who won Seiun…Yūichi Sasamoto (笹本 祐一, Sasamoto Yūichi; born February 18, 1963) is a Japanese science fiction writer who won Seiun Awards for Hoshi no Pilot 2: Suiseikari, Ariel and also for three non-fiction volumes, Passport to the Universe. He also co-wrote the film Venus Wars with Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. His work Miniskirt Pirates was adapted into an anime television series in 2012.
Hiroko Oyamada (小山田 浩子, Oyamada Hiroko; born 1983) is a Japanese writer. She has won the Shincho Prize for New Writers…Hiroko Oyamada (小山田 浩子, Oyamada Hiroko; born 1983) is a Japanese writer. She has won the Shincho Prize for New Writers, the Oda Sakunosuke Prize, and the Akutagawa Prize.
Kō Bun'yū (Japanese: 黄文雄; 1938 – 2024), also known as Huang Wenxiong (Chinese: 黃文雄; pinyin: Huáng Wénxióng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī…Kō Bun'yū (Japanese: 黄文雄; 1938 – 2024), also known as Huang Wenxiong (Chinese: 黃文雄; pinyin: Huáng Wénxióng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: N̂g Bûn-hiông), was a controversial Taiwanese author, an activist of the Taiwan independence movement, who is well-known for his staunch anti-Mainland Chinese stance and for penning a number of highly controversial books about Chinese, Japanese and Korean history and culture. Most of his life, he was living in Japan.
Eto Mori (Japanese: 森絵都, romanized: Mori Eto, born 1968) is a Japanese novelist focusing on children's and young adult…Eto Mori (Japanese: 森絵都, romanized: Mori Eto, born 1968) is a Japanese novelist focusing on children's and young adult literature. She has been described as "one of the most celebrated female writers of fiction in Japan today". Mori was born in Tokyo, and graduated from the Japan Juvenile Education College and Waseda University. She released her debut novel, Rizumu (Rhythm), in 1990, winning the Kodansha Award of Children's Literature for Newcomers. Her other works include Uchu no minashigo (Slight Light Little Star or Orphans of the Universe, 1994, winner of the Noma Literary Prize New Author Award), Tsuki no fune (Moon Ship, 1998, winner of the Noma Literary Prize), and Kazeni maiagaru biniru shito (Plastic Sheet Soaring in the Wind, 2006, winner of the Naoki Prize). Her 1998 novel Karafuru (Colorful, winner of the Sankei Children's Book Award) has been adapted into three films (including Shun Nakahara's Colorful, the 2010 animated Colorful and the 2018 Thai adaptation Homestay). Her four-volume series Daibu!! (Dive!!, 2000–2002, winner of the Shogakukan Award for Children's Literature) has been adapted into a manga series, a feature film and an anime television series.
Nio Nakatani (Japanese: 仲谷鳰, Hepburn: Nakatani Nio) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for creating the yuri…Nio Nakatani (Japanese: 仲谷鳰, Hepburn: Nakatani Nio) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for creating the yuri manga series Bloom Into You, which has been a commercial success and spawned a media franchise encompassing an anime, light novels, a stage play, and an anthology manga spinoff. Nakatani is also known as a creator of doujinshi works, particularly those based on the Touhou Project series. Her current work is My Beloved Apocalypse, currently being serialized in Dengeki Daioh. Nakatani is a native of Shiga Prefecture. She is a graduate of Kyoto Seika University.
Yumie Nishiogi (西荻 弓絵; born September 3, 1960) is a Japanese screenwriter. Born in Tokyo and graduated from Keio…Yumie Nishiogi (西荻 弓絵; born September 3, 1960) is a Japanese screenwriter. Born in Tokyo and graduated from Keio University.
Kyōko Nakano (Japanese: 中野京子) is a Japanese scholar of German literature, Western cultural historian, and translator.…Kyōko Nakano (Japanese: 中野京子) is a Japanese scholar of German literature, Western cultural historian, and translator. Nakano grew up in Hokkaido, Japan, and completed her master's degree at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In 2007, she published Scary Pictures, that would be the first of a series of art books on the theme of fear in painting (kowai-e). Volumes 2, 3, 4 and 5 were published in 2008, 2009, 2016 and 2017, respectively, and the best-selling series led to an exhibition in 2017 and a stage adaptation in 2022.
Chisako Wakatake (若竹 千佐子, Wakatake Chisako; born 1954) is a Japanese writer. Her 2017 book Ora ora de hitori igu mo won…Chisako Wakatake (若竹 千佐子, Wakatake Chisako; born 1954) is a Japanese writer. Her 2017 book Ora ora de hitori igu mo won the Akutagawa Prize and the Bungei Prize.
Hiroshi Koike (小池博史 Koike Hiroshi born on 25 January 1956, in Japan) is a Japanese director, playwright and…Hiroshi Koike (小池博史 Koike Hiroshi born on 25 January 1956, in Japan) is a Japanese director, playwright and choreographer. After his former performing arts company Pappa TARAHUMARA was dissolved in 2012, he formed the Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project (HKBP). In June, 2023, they added the word, Odyssey, to the organization's name to reflect the director's vision of creating art - Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project -Odyssey. He has conducted physical acting training workshops based on his original method titled “slow movement” all over the world. Up to date, Hiroshi Koike has directed 55 works with Pappa TARAHUMARA and 36 works with Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project -Odyssey.
Sayaka Murata (村田沙耶香 Murata Sayaka; born August 14, 1979) is a Japanese writer. She is best known for the international…Sayaka Murata (村田沙耶香 Murata Sayaka; born August 14, 1979) is a Japanese writer. She is best known for the international bestseller Convenience Store Woman (2016) which has been translated into more than thirty languages worldwide. Murata has won many major literary prizes in Japan, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers in 2003, the Noma Literary New Face Prize in 2009, the Mishima Yukio Prize in 2013, and the Akutagawa Prize for Convenience Store Woman in 2016. All the English translations of her work are done by Ginny Tapley Takemori. In addition to Convenience Store Woman, Murata's first book to be published in English, Takemori has translated the novels Earthlings and Vanishing World, the short-story collection Life Ceremony, the short stories "Faith", "Survival", and "A Clean Marriage", as well as the New York Times published opinion piece "The Future of Sex Lives in All of Us", among others. Murata's latest book to be published in English is the 2025 novel Vanishing World, originally published in Japan in 2015. Her latest work in Japanese has been the 2022 short-story collection Faith, of which two stories were translated by Takemori individually.
