This post was originally published on Audible.com
Thanks to the work of translators and publishers, Japanese literature is now more accessible than ever to English-speaking audiences. If you'd like to learn more about Japanese culture and literature, you cannot go wrong with listening to audiobooks from Japan. We've compiled a list of the most famous Japanese authors who have helped define Japanese literature, and their notable works. Collectively, these Japanese authors have written across genres and time periods to create a diverse, fascinating body of work.
Arguably one of the most well-known Japanese authors to English speakers, Haruki Murakami has written more than 20 novels, short story collections, and nonfiction titles. Born in 1949 in Kyoto, Murakami published his first novel in 1979—one year he was hit with an epiphany while watching a baseball game at Jingu Stadium. He has gone on to have a dynamic career, winning awards in Japan and internationally, including the Jerusalem Prize. His work has been translated into more than 50 languages. Murakami is a fan of jazz music (he and his wife once ran a jazz bar), and owns more than 10,000 records that he listens to while writing. His most notable works include , ,, and .
Kōbō Abe was a Japanese poet, essayist, playwright, and novelist. Born in 1924, he moved frequently between Tokyo and Manchuria in his early years. This rootlessness had a profound effect on Abe and later on his writing. He enrolled in medical school in 1943 because medical students were exempt from military work, and survived World War II without having to fight. But medicine wasn’t his passion, and after he graduated he went on to write poetry and plays, and married a stage director. He began publishing surrealist novels, many of which were influenced by his time in Manchuria, and became very politically active at the time. As a staunch pacifist, Abe was drawn to and joined the Communist Party; when he saw how the Party treated poor workers, he broke with them. His books and plays have been translated into English, including The Ruined Map, Secret Rendezvous, The Box Man, and The Face of Another. But it was, published in 1962, that proved to be Abe’s international breakout hit. He died in 1993 in Tokyo.
Notoriously private, Banana Yoshimoto is a notable writer born in 1964 to a liberal family of artists and writers. She was only 23 when her first novel, Kitchen, was published. It was very well received, winning her the 6th Kaien Newcomers’ Literary Prize and gaining her national and international recognition. She went on to write 12 more novels and essay collections, and her work was produced into Japanese TV shows and movies. Yoshimoto’s work often deals with youth, existentialism, and how tragedy can shape our lives. She is also a big fan of food (as her chosen name, Banana, may reflect) and has been praised for writing without pretension. Her characters tend to be young, but her writing appeals to all ages, as evidenced by her enormous success.
