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
