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}1
Yukio Mishima
Dec. at 45 (1925-1970)Birthplace: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, Mishima Yukio) is the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka (平岡 公威, Hiraoka... more on Wikipedia2
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... more on Wikipedia3
Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Dec. at 35 (1892-1927)Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (芥川 龍之介, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, 1 March 1892 – 24 July 1927), art name... more on Wikipedia4
Edogawa Rampo
Dec. at 71 (1894-1965)Birthplace: Naga District, Mie
Tarō Hirai (平井 太郎, Hirai Tarō, October 21, 1894 – July 28, 1965), better known by the... more on Wikipedia5
Takeo Arishima
Dec. at 45 (1878-1923)Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Takeo Arishima was a novelist.6
Osamu Tezuka
Dec. at 61 (1928-1989)Birthplace: Osaka Prefecture, East Asia, Kansai region, Honshu, Toyonaka
Osamu Tezuka (Japanese: 手塚 治虫, born 手塚 治, Hepburn: Tezuka Osamu, (1928-11-03)3 November 1928... more on Wikipedia7
Haruki Murakami
Age: 71Birthplace: Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki, born January 12, 1949) is a Japanese writer. His... more on Wikipedia8
Yasunari Kawabata
Dec. at 73 (1899-1972)Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成, Kawabata Yasunari, 11 June 1899 – 16 April 1972) was a Japanese... more on Wikipedia9
Norio Nagayama
Dec. at 48 (1949-1997)Birthplace: East Asia, Abashiri, Asia, Japan, Hokkaido
Norio Nagayama (永山 則夫, Nagayama Norio, June 27, 1949 – August 1, 1997) was a Japanese spree... more on Wikipedia10
Yu Watase
Age: 50Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Yuu Watase (渡瀬 悠宇, Watase Yuu, born March 5, 1970, in Kishiwada, Osaka) is a Japanese shōjo... more on Wikipedia11
Akira Toriyama
Age: 65Birthplace: Nagoya, Japan
Akira Toriyama (鳥山 明, Toriyama Akira, born April 5, 1955) is a Japanese manga artist, game... more on Wikipedia12
Kuniko Mukōda
Dec. at 52 (1929-1981)Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Kuniko Mukōda (向田 邦子, Mukōda Kuniko, November 28, 1929 – August 22, 1981) was a Japanese TV... more on Wikipedia13
Soseki Natsume
Dec. at 49 (1867-1916)Birthplace: East Asia, Tokyo, Asia, Japan
Natsume Sōseki (夏目 漱石, February 9, 1867 – December 9, 1916), born Natsume Kin'nosuke (夏目 金之助),... more on Wikipedia14
Takashi Nagatsuka
Dec. at 36 (1879-1915)Birthplace: Kantō region, East Asia, Honshu, Ibaraki Prefecture, Asia
Takashi Nagatsuka (長塚 節, Nagatsuka Takashi, April 3, 1879–February 8, 1915) was a Japanese... more on Wikipedia15
Novala Takemoto
Age: 52Birthplace: East Asia, Kansai region, Honshu, Uji, Asia
Novala Takemoto (嶽本 野ばら, Takemoto Nobara, born January 26, 1968) is a Japanese author and... more on Wikipedia16
Yasushi Inoue
Dec. at 84 (1907-1991)Birthplace: East Asia, Asia, Japan, Hokkaido, Asahikawa
Yasushi Inoue (井上靖, Inoue Yasushi, May 6, 1907 – January 29, 1991) was a Japanese writer of... more on Wikipedia17
Ichiyō Higuchi
Dec. at 24 (1872-1896)Birthplace: East Asia, Tokyo, Asia, Japan
Ichiyō Higuchi (樋口 一葉, Higuchi Ichiyō, May 2, 1872 – November 23, 1896) was the pen name of... more on Wikipedia18
Kaitarō Hasegawa
Dec. at 35 (1900-1935)Birthplace: Sado, Japan
Kaitarō Hasegawa (長谷川海太郎, Hasegawa Kaitarō, 17 January 1900 - 29 June 1935) was a novelist in... more on Wikipedia
19Michiko Yamamoto (山本道子, Yamamoto Michiko, born 4 December 1936) is the professional name of... more on WikipediaMichiko Yamamoto
Age: 8320
Shinichi Hoshi
Dec. at 71 (1926-1997)Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Shinichi Hoshi (星 新一 Hoshi Shin'ichi, September 6, 1926 – December 30, 1997) was a Japanese... more on Wikipedia- 21
Masashi Sada
Age: 68Birthplace: Nagasaki, Japan
Masashi Sada (さだ まさし, Sada Masashi, born April 10, 1952) is a Japanese singer, lyricist,... more on Wikipedia - 22
Shūsaku Endō
Dec. at 73 (1923-1996)Birthplace: Kantō region, East Asia, Honshu, Tokyo, Asia
Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作, Endō Shūsaku, March 27, 1923 – September 29, 1996) was a Japanese author... more on Wikipedia - 23
Kobo Abe
Dec. at 69 (1924-1993)Birthplace: Kita, Tokyo, Japan
Kōbō Abe (安部 公房, Abe Kōbō), pen name of Kimifusa Abe (安部 公房, Abe Kimifusa, March 7, 1924 –... more on Wikipedia - 24
Hisashi Inoue
Dec. at 76 (1934-2010)Birthplace: Kawanishi, Japan
Inoue Hisashi (井上 ひさし, Inoue Hisashi, 16 November 1934 – 9 April 2010) was a leading Japanese... more on Wikipedia 25
Enchi Fumiko
Dec. at 81 (1905-1986)Birthplace: East Asia, Asakusa, Tokyo, Asia, Japan
Fumiko Enchi (円地 文子, Enchi Fumiko, 2 October 1905 – 12 November 1986) was the pen-name of... more on Wikipedia
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