Famous Novelists from Japan

List of notable or famous novelists from Japan, with bios and photos, including the top novelists born in Japan and even some popular novelists who immigrated to Japan. If you're trying to find out the names of famous Japanese novelists then this list is the perfect resource for you. These novelists are among the most prominent in their field, and information about each well-known novelist from Japan is included when available.

The list you're viewing has a variety of people, like Norio Nagayama and Yukio Mishima, in it.

This historic novelists from Japan list can help answer the questions "Who are some Japanese novelists of note?" and "Who are the most famous novelists from Japan?" These prominent novelists of Japan may or may not be currently alive, but what they all have in common is that they're all respected Japanese novelists.

Use this list of renowned Japanese novelists to discover some new novelists that you aren't familiar with. Don't forget to share this list by clicking one of the social media icons at the top or bottom of the page. {#nodes}
Photo: Freebase / Public domain
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  • Yukio Mishima
    Dec. at 45 (1925-1970)
    • Birthplace: Kantō region, East Asia, Honshu, Tokyo, Asia
    Yukio Mishima (三島 由瓀夫, Mishima Yukio) is the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka (平岔 公威, Hiraoka Kimitake, January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970), a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, filmĀ ...more
  • Kenji Miyazawa
    Dec. at 37 (1896-1933)
    • Birthplace: Hanamaki, Japan
    Kenji Miyazawa (宮沢 賢治 or 宮澤 賢治, Miyazawa Kenji, 27 August 1896 – 21 September 1933) was a Japanese poet and author of children's literature from Hanamaki, Iwate, in the late Taishō and early ShōwaĀ ...more
  • Ryunosuke Akutagawa
    Dec. at 35 (1892-1927)
    • Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
    RyÅ«nosuke Akutagawa (čŠ„å· 龍之介, Akutagawa RyÅ«nosuke, 1 March 1892 – 24 July 1927), art name Chōkōdō Shujin (ę¾„ę±Ÿå ‚äø»äŗŗ), was a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as theĀ ...more
  • Edogawa Rampo
    Dec. at 70 (1894-1965)
    • Birthplace: Naga District, Mie
    Tarō Hirai (平井 å¤ŖéƒŽ, Hirai Tarō, October 21, 1894 – July 28, 1965), better known by the pseudonym Edogawa Ranpo (ę±Ÿęˆøå· 乱歩), also romanized as Edogawa Rampo, was a Japanese author and critic who played aĀ ...more
  • Takeo Arishima
    Dec. at 45 (1878-1923)
    • Birthplace: East Asia, Tokyo, Asia, Japan
    Takeo Arishima was a novelist.
  • Osamu Tezuka

    Osamu Tezuka

    Dec. at 60 (1928-1989)
    • Birthplace: Osaka Prefecture, East Asia, Kansai region, Honshu, Toyonaka
    Osamu Tezuka (Japanese: ę‰‹å”š 治虫, born ę‰‹å”š ę²», Hepburn: Tezuka Osamu, (1928-11-03)3 November 1928 – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, animator, and film producer. Born in OsakaĀ ...more