The Greatest Literature of Japan
This Greatest Literature of Japan list is based on the same years of research and surveys carried out for our other lists (see "Creating the Greatest Literature of All Time list" for details of the process) with additional research on Japanese literature.
This list focuses on major creative works—such as novels, plays, epic poetry and story collections—although some shorter or nonfiction writing of literary significance may also be included.
As always, this list is expected to grow and evolve as research into older works continues and new works appear.
Latest update: September 15, 2023
The 77 greatest works of Japanese literature
In chronological order
c.759
Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, Takahashi no Mushimaro, Lady Kasa and others
Japan
poetry collection
c.900
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
Anonymous
Japan
novel
c.1000
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon
Sei Shonagon
Japan
diary
c.1020
Japan
novel
c.1060
The Sarashina Diary
LadySarashiina
Japan
Prose and poetry narrative
c.1220
The Tale of the Heike
Anonymous
Japan
novel
1330–1332
Essays in Idleness
YoshidaKenkō
Japan
essay collection
c.1400
Atsumori
Zeami Motokiyo
Japan
play
c.1500
The Feather Mantle
Anonymous (att. to Zeami Motokiyo)
Japan
play
1682
The Life of an Amorous Man
Ihara Saikaku
Japan
novel
1702
The Narrow Road to the Interior
Matsuo Bashō
Japan
prose and poetry collection
1703
The Love Suicides at Sonezaki
Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Japan
play
1721
The Love Suicides at Amijima
Chikamatsu Monzaemon
Japan
play
1748
The Treasury of Loyal Retainers
Takeda Izumo, Miyoshi Shōraku, Namiki Senryū
Japan
play
1776
Tales of Moonlight and Rain
UedaAkinari
Japan
story collection
1814–1842
Tale of the Eight Dogs
Takizawa Bakin
Japan
novel
1887
Drifting Cloud
Futabatei Shimei
Japan
novel
1895–1896
Growing Up
IchiyōHiguchi
Japan
novella
1906
The Broken Commandment
Tōson Shimazaki
Japan
novel
1907
Futon
Katai Tayama
Japan
novel
1911–1913
The Wild Geese
Mori Ōgai
Japan
novel
1913
A Woman Writer
Toshiko Tamura
Japan
novel
1914
Kokoro
Sōseki Natsume
Japan
novel
1917
Reconciliation
Naoya Shiga
Japan
novella
1921–1937
A Dark Night's Passing
Naoya Shiga
Japan
novel
1922
Rashōmon and Other Stories
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
Japan
story collection
1924
The Restaurant of Many Orders
Kenji Miyazawa
Japan
story collection
1926
The Dancing Girl of Izu and Other Stories
Yasunari Kawabata
Japan
story collection
1929
Some Prefer Nettles
Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
Japan
novel
1930
Diary of a Vagabond
Fumiko Hayashi
Japan
novel
1936–1938
The Wind Has Risen
Tatsuo Hori
Japan
novel
1937
A Strange Tale From East of the River
Kafū Nagai
Japan
novella
1944
The Makioka Sisters
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Japan
novel
1947
The Setting Sun
Osamu Dazai
Japan
novel
1948
Snow Country
Yasunari Kawabata
Japan
novel
No Longer Human
Osamu Dazai
Japan
novel
1949
Confessions of a Mask
Yukio Mishima
Japan
novel
The Twilight Crane
Junji Kinoshita
Japan
play
The Hunting Gun
Yasushi Inoue
Japan
novella
1951
Forbidden Colors
Yukio Mishima
Japan
novel
1952
Thousand Cranes
Yasunari Kawabata
Japan
novel
1954
The Sound of Waves
Yukio Mishima
Japan
novel
The Sound of the Mountain
Yasunari Kawabata
Japan
novel
1956
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Yukio Mishima
Japan
novel
1958
Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids
Kenzaburō Ōe
Japan
novel
1962
The Woman in the Dunes
Kōbō Abe
Japan
novel
1964
A Personal Matter
Kenzaburō Ōe
Japan
novel
Beauty and Sadness
Yasunari Kawabata
Japan
novel
1965
Black Rain
Masuji Ibuse
Japan
novel
1965–1971
The Sea of Fertility
Yukio Mishima
Japan
novel series
1966
Silence
Shūsaku Endō
Japan
novel
1972
The Twilight Years
Sawako Ariyoshi
Japan
novel
1973
The Box Man
Kōbō Abe
Japan
novel
1976
Almost Transparent Blue
Murakami Ryu
Japan
novel
1977
Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness
Kenzaburō Ōe
Japan
novel
1979
Territory of Light
Yūko Tsushima
Japan
novel
1981
The Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
Japan
novel
1982
A, Wild Sheep Chase
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
1985
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
1987
Norwegian Wood
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
1988
Kitchen
Banana Yoshimoto
Japan
novel
1990
The Diving Pool
Yoko Ogawa
Japan
novella
1991
Ring
Koji Suzuki
Japan
novel
1992
South of the Border, West of the Sun
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
1993
Deep River
Shūsaku Endō
Japan
novel
1994–1995
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
1998
Crossfire
Miyuki Miyabi
Japan
novel
1999
Somersault
Kenzaburō Ōe
Japan
novel
2000
After the Quake
Haruki Murakami
Japan
story collection
2002
Kafka on the Shore
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
2002–2008
Sword Art Online
Reki Kawahara
Japan
novel series
2003
The Housekeeper and the Professor
Yoko Ogawa
Japan
novel
2005
The Elephant Vanishes
Haruki Murakami
Japan
story collection
2006
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
Haruki Murakami
Japan
story collection
2009–2010
IQ84
Haruki Murakami
Japan
novel
2014
Men Without Women
Haruki Murakami
Japan
story collection
2016
Convenience Store Woman
Sayaka Murata
Japan
novella
