7 Greatest Japanese Writers of All Time

Any student that has aspirations of being a top writer needs to know answers to questions like what is technical report writing, the importance of technical writing, what is the purpose of technical writing, technical writing examples, and more. Japanese writers have come a long way over the years, but one thing is certain, they are known to produce good quality content.

This content is in various subjects like the medical field, business administration, daily life, psychology, and more. They are the true definition of talent and the work they publish revolves around their culture giving people and students an important insight into their lovely country. The world benefits a lot from Japanese writers because they have a unique style that is also influenced by technical writing examples from western writers. 

Japanese authors always make sure they write with conviction and purpose because of the pride they take in their work. They always want to take readers on a journey by adding an example or two to their content. With the help of a professional essay writer from a custom writing company, we will look at the 7 greatest Japanese writers of all time.

 

Haruki Murakami

Without a doubt, one of the best Japanese writers of all time whose stories, books, and essays are some of the best selling not only in Japan but all over the world too. His amazing work and skills have been translated into many languages and sold millions of copies not just in Japan, but worldwide.

His technical writing work covers everything from crime to fantasy, science fiction, and more. He is known to use plenty of magical elements in his work and speak from a first-person perspective. In Japanese culture, family is very important, and his work focuses on individual growth, solitude, and freedom when it comes to his main characters. 

He is best known for his novel 1Q84 which many regarded as one of the best works. Other notable novels he is known for include Kafka on the shore, The wind-up bird chronicle, and Norwegian wood. He is one of the writers on this list worth checking out, and he has an impressive body of work.

 

Yoko Ogawa

Speaking of having an impressive body of work, this writer is right up there, and she has the accolades to show for it. Every single Japanese literary award you can think of, this author has won it all including the prestigious Yomiuri Prize and Akutagawa Prize on the international scene, she has been awarded the American book award as well as the Shirley Jackson award which is amazing. In 2020, The Memory Police which is a wonderful book was nominated for the international booker prize.

In the book human cruelty, her talent shines massively because she touches on things that make people become emotional or physical violence. It is a very touchy topic but one she masterfully tells. She often talks about girl power and about the female anatomy leading to many people calling her a feminist. The Diving Pool and Hotel Iris as well as The Housekeeper and the professor, are also works she is known for. She is one of the most decorated writers on this list and worth checking out.

 

Keigo Higashino

If mystery novels are your thing, then Higashino has got you covered and has won so many awards in his industrious career. Most of his work has been turned into television series and films on the big screen. He references sports a lot, especially ski-jumping and archery. 

On top of novels and technical report writing, he also writes stories for young children and essays with extreme ease and maintains a high level of quality. The Devotion of Suspect X is what he’s known for the most because it is about a divorced single mother who thinks she’s out of the clutches of her abusive ex-husband.

 

Banana Yoshimoto

This is Mahoto Yoshimoto’s pen name, and she writes about the importance of family, love, friendship, and a good home. She has worked on everything from essays to novels which have sold millions of copies across the world. Her first novel “Kitchen” is incredible because it talks about how despite one suffering from memory loss, they can find their place in this world and love with the help of some good food.

 

Ryu Murakami

This writer is a jack of all trades, he can do everything from making films to writing essays and short stories. His subject is about war, murder, drug use, and disillusion with a dark tone. When he was still a student, he wrote a short novel called Almost Transparent Blue which talks about drug use amongst Japanese youth. This novel gained universal praise in 1976 and earned him the newcomer’s literature prize for its unique style back then.

 

Natsuo Kirino 

There has been a rise in female Japanese writers over the years, and she is one of the best around. Real name Mariko Hashioka, she specializes in directive fiction and one of her most famous body of works is the novel, Out, which came out in 1997.

This earned her the mystery writers of Japan award because this novel talks about a woman who kills her husband and enlists the help of her co-worker to cover up the murder. She received criticism for this novel due to its violent nature with many critics saying female writers should stay clear of violent talk and should focus on writing about love.

 

Yukio Mishima

Last on the list is almost another Japanese writer that is a jack of all trades. Mishima is seen as one of the most influential authors to come out of Japan in the 20th Century. On top of being a good writer, he’s also an actor, poet, nationalist and Shintoist. 

The man is amazing, and he is famous for the autobiographical essay Sun and Steel as well as the novel confessions of a mask. His work is a mixture of western writing and traditional Japanese making his pieces extremely unique to anything you can read. Subject matters include death, eroticism, and human beauty.

 

Final thoughts 

From the list above, it is clear to see that it is not only the west that has some of the best writers in the world, the east has some amazing writers too and many of them come from Japan. The list above is composed of both male and female writers who go to show that women can produce novels that are loved by so many people. While some writers above have published some controversial pieces, they are well respected by their peers in the west and have opened the door for other Japanese writers to be recognized.