Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

Born in Tokyo on July 24, 1886, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki became one of the most celebrated Japanese writers of the 20th century. He studied at Tokyo Imperial University but left before graduating, and he began attracting attention early with stories such as The Tattooer, which helped establish his reputation for bold, stylish fiction.

Across a long career, he wrote novels, stories, and essays that often explored erotic fascination, power, identity, and the tensions between Japanese tradition and Western influence. Among his best-known works are Naomi, Some Prefer Nettles, The Makioka Sisters, and The Key. His essay In Praise of Shadows also remains widely read for its reflections on Japanese aesthetics.

Tanizaki continued writing for decades and was recognized as a towering figure in modern Japanese literature. He died on July 30, 1965, but his work has endured internationally because it is both unsettling and deeply humane, always alert to the hidden motives that shape ordinary lives.