Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

Born in Tokyo on July 24, 1886, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki became one of the most important writers in modern Japanese literature. He made his literary debut in the early 1910s, and his early work was noted for its boldness, dark glamour, and fascination with desire.

Over time, his writing grew even richer, often examining the tension between Western influence and older Japanese ideals. He is especially remembered for works including Naomi, Some Prefer Nettles, The Makioka Sisters, and The Key, as well as the essay In Praise of Shadows. His fiction ranges from ironic and playful to deeply psychological, but it is consistently elegant and fearless.

Tanizaki died on July 30, 1965. His reputation has only grown since then, and he is widely regarded as a central figure in twentieth-century literature, admired for prose that is both sensual and sharply observant.