List of Japanese women writers

The following is a list of Japanese women writers and manga artists.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Hotaru Akane (born 1983), blogger, lyricist
• Akiko Akazome (1974–2017), novelist
• Akazome Emon (956–1041), waka poet
• Risu Akizuki (born 1958), manga writer
• Akira Amano (born 1973), manga writer
• Chihiro Amano (born 1982), screenwriter
• Kozue Amano (born 1974), manga writer
• Moyoco Anno (born 1971), manga writer, fashion writer
• Yasuko Aoike (born 1948), manga writer
• Kotomi Aoki (born 1980), manga writer
• Ume Aoki, manga writer
• Nanae Aoyama (born 1983), novelist
• Kiyoko Arai, manga writer
• Motoko Arai (born 1960), science fiction and fantasy writer
• Hiromu Arakawa (born 1973), manga writer
• Hiro Arikawa (born 1972), light novelist
• Sawako Ariyoshi (1931–1984), writer, novelist
• Mariko Asabuki (born 1984), novelist
• Yū Asagiri, manga writer
• Makate Asai (born 1959), novelist
• Maki Asakawa (1942–2010), lyricist
• George Asakura (born 1974), manga writer
• Hinako Ashihara, manga writer
• Izumi Aso (born 1960), manga writer

B

• Mariko Bando

C

• Toriko Chiya, manga writer
• Fukuda Chiyo-ni (1703–1775), poet

D

• Tamaki Daido (born 1966), novelist, essayist

E

• Eiki Eiki (born 1971), manga writer
• Fumiko Enchi (1905–1986)
• Maki Enjōji, manga writer
• Nariko Enomoto (born 1967), manga writer
• Makiko Esumi (born 1966), writer, essayist, lyricist

F

• Mihona Fujii (born 1974), manga writer
• Kazuko Fujita (born 1957), manga writer
• Kaori Fujino (born 1980), novelist
• Cocoa Fujiwara (1983–2015), manga writer
• Hiro Fujiwara (born 1981), manga writer

G

• Empress Genmei (660–721)

H

• Moto Hagio (born 1949), manga writer
• Hani Motoko (1873–1957), journalist
• Hayashi Fumiko (1903–1951), novelist and poet
• Maha Harada (born 1962), novelist
• Nanae Haruno manga writer
• Hasegawa Shigure (1879–1941), playwright, editor
• Machiko Hasegawa (1920–1992), manga writer
• Sugako Hashida (1925–2021), scriptwriter
• Isoko Hatano (1905–1978), writer and developmental psychologist
• Bisco Hatori (born 1975), manga writer
• Miyuki Hatoyama (born 1943), actor, writer
• Mariko Hayashi (born 1954), novelist, essayist
• Q Hayashida (born 1977), manga writer and artist
• Akiko Higashimura (born 1975), manga writer
• Asa Higuchi (born 1970), manga writer
• Keiko Higuchi (born 1932), writer, journalist
• Higuchi Tachibana (born 1976), manga writer
• Aoi Hiiragi (born 1962), manga writer
• Kaoruko Himeno (born 1958), novelist, essayist
• Saeko Himuro (1957–2008), novelist, essayist
• Matsuri Hino manga writer
• Taiko Hirabayashi (1905–1972), writer
• Raichō Hiratsuka (1886–1971), writer, activist, feminist, founder of Bluestocking (magazine)
• Tatsuko Hoshino (1903–1984), haiku poet
• Chieko Hosokawa (born 1935), manga writer
• Yumi Hotta (born 1957), manga writer
• Ichiyo Higuchi (1872–1896), writer

I

• Yumiko Igarashi (born 1950)
• Koi Ikeno (born 1959)
• Gō Ikeyamada
• Ryo Ikuemi (born 1964)
• Natsuko Imamura (born 1980), novelist
• Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto (1873–1950)
• Lady Ise (c. 875–c. 938)
• Ise no Taifu (989–1060)
• Yuka Ishii (born 1963), novelist
• Michiko Ishimure (1927–2018)
• Noe Itō (1895–1923)
• Risa Itō (born 1969)
• Natsumi Itsuki (born 1960)
• Mariko Iwadate (born 1957)
• Kaneyoshi Izumi
• Izumi Shikibu (976–1033)

K

• Mitsuyo Kakuta (born 1967)
• Yoko Kamio (born 1966)
• Hitomi Kanehara (born 1983), novelist
• Aya Kanno (born 1980)
• Junko Karube
• Lady Kasa
• Maki Kashimada (born 1976), novelist
• Kazuyo Katsuma (born 1968)
• Kazune Kawahara (born 1972)
• Yumiko Kawahara (born 1960)
• Hiromi Kawakami
• Kikuko Kawakami (1904–1985)
• Mieko Kawakami (born 1977), novelist, essayist, poet
• Mizuki Kawashita (born 1971)
• Kazumi Kazui
• Yuko Takada Keller (born 1958)
• Toshie Kihara (born 1948)
• Yuki Kiriga (born 1976)
• Natsuo Kirino (born 1951)
• Kishi Joō
• Rio Kishida (1946–2003)
• Yao Kitabatake (1903–1982)
• Kitada Usurai (1876–1900)
• Nobori Kiuchi (born 1967), novelist
• Eriko Kishida (1929–2011)
• Miyuki Kobayashi (born 1964)
• Kodai no Kimi
• Yun Kōga (born 1965)
• Marie Kondo (born 1984)
• Fumiyo Kōno (born 1968)
• Natsuki Koyata (born 1981), novelist
• Natsuko Kuroda (born 1937), novelist
• Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (born 1933)

M

• Sonoko Machida (born 1980), novelist
• Miyake_Kaho (1868–1943)
• Miyako Maki (born 1935)
• Sanami Matoh (born 1969)
• Aoko Matsuda (born 1979), writer, translator
• Nina Matsumoto (born 1984)
• Temari Matsumoto
• Akemi Matsunae (born 1956)
• Asa Matsuoka (1893–1980)
• Kyoko Matsuoka (1935–2022), children's author and translator
• Akimoto Matsuyo (1911–2001)
• Michitsuna no Haha (c. 936–995)
• Mitsukazu Mihara (born 1970), manga writer
• Kanan Minami (born 1979)
• Kazuka Minami
• Kazuya Minekura (born 1975)
• Suzue Miuchi (born 1951)
• Ayako Miura (1922–1999)
• Shion Miura (born 1976), novelist, essayist
• Yuriko Miyamoto (1899–1951)
• Hideko Mizuno (born 1939)
• Junko Mizuno (born 1973)
• Setona Mizushiro (born 1971)
• Milk Morinaga
• Akiko Morishima (born 1973)
• Tama Morita (1894–1970)
• Yoko Moriwaki (1932–1945)
• Yukiko Motoya (born 1979), novelist, playwright
• Murasaki Shikibu 973–1014)
• Kiyoko Murata (born 1945), novelist
• Sayaka Murata (born 1979), novelist
• Yuka Murayama
• Mayumi Muroyama

N

• Ai Nagai (born 1951), playwright
• Rieko Nakagawa (1935–2024), children's writer, poet
• Aya Nakahara (born 1973)
• Kyoko Nakajima (born 1964), novelist, essayist
• Hisaya Nakajo (1973–2023)
• Hikaru Nakamura (born 1984)
• Yoshiki Nakamura (born 1969)
• Midori Nakano (born 1946)
• Nakatsukasa (912–991)
• Kei Nakazawa (born 1959), novelist, essayist, professor
• Kiriko Nananan (born 1972)
• Lady Nijō (1258–1306)
• Kanako Nishi (born 1977), writer, novelist
• Keiko Nishi (born 1966)
• Yoshiko Nishitani
• Princess Nukata (630–690)

O

• Anna Ogino (born 1956)
• Noriko Ogiwara (born 1959)
• Mariko Ōhara (born 1959)
• Nanase Ohkawa (born 1967)
• Mari Okada (born 1976)
• Reiko Okano (born 1960)
• Kyoko Okazaki (born 1963)
• Riku Onda (born 1964), novelist
• Fuyumi Ono (born 1960)
• Hiromu Ono (born 1953)
• Natsume Ono (born 1977)
• Masumi Oshima (born 1962), novelist
• Yumiko Ōshima (born 1947)
• Yōko Ōta (1906–1963)
• Shinobu Ohtaka (born 1983)
• Ōtomo no Sakanoe no Iratsume
• Hiroko Oyamada (born 1983), novelist
• Mari Ozawa

R

• Marimo Ragawa
• Rieko Saibara (born 1964)
• Rikei (1530–1611)

S

• Megumu Sagisawa (1968–2004)
• Fumi Saimon (born 1957)
• Mayu Sakai (born 1982)
• Io Sakisaka (born 1975)
• Momoko Sakura (1965–2018)
• Shino Sakuragi (born 1965), novelist, short story writer
• Kanoko Sakurakoji
• Erica Sakurazawa (born 1963)
• Tomoko Sasaki (born 1955)
• Sei Shōnagon (966–1025)
• Yoshiko Sembon (born 1928)
• Tomoka Shibasaki (born 1973), novelist
• Yoshiko Shigekane (1927–1993), novelist
• Karuho Shiina (born 1975)
• Michiru Shimada (1959–2017)
• Rio Shimamoto (born 1983), novelist
• Aki Shimazaki
• Reiko Shimizu (born 1963)
• Takako Shimura (born 1973)
• Mayu Shinjo (born 1973)
• Hotate Shinkawa (born 1991), novelist
• Setsuko Shinoda (born 1955), novelist
• Chie Shinohara
• Kazuko Shiraishi (1931–2024)
• Shunzei's Daughter
• Fuyumi Soryo (born 1959), manga writer
• Keiko Suenobu (born 1979)
• Yuki Suetsugu (born 1975)
• Suzumi Suzuki (born 1983), essayist and novelist
• Hiromi Suzuki (dates unknown), artist, poet, and fiction writer
• Takasue's Daughter

T

• Haruko Tachiiri (born 1949)
• Chimako Tada (1930–2003)
• Kaoru Tada (1960–1999)
• Tadano Makuzu (1763–1825)
• Nobuko Takagi (born 1946)
• Rumiko Takahashi (born 1957)
• Takako Takahashi (1932–2013)
• Kaoru Takamura (born 1953), novelist, essayist
• Hinako Takanaga (born 1972)
• Mitsuba Takanashi (born 1975)
• Fumio Takano, novelist
• Haneko Takayama (born 1975), novelist
• Kazumi Takayama (born 1994), novelist, self-help author
• Keiko Takemiya (born 1950)
• Hiroko Takenishi (born 1929)
• Kei Takeoka (born 1969), motoring journalist
• Yumi Tamura
• Yellow Tanabe
• Meca Tanaka (born 1976), manga writer
• Mitsu Tanaka (1943–2024)
• Arina Tanemura (born 1978)
• Yoko Tawada (born 1960), novelist, essayist, poet
• Keiko Tobe (1957–2010)
• Yana Toboso (born 1984)
• Hari Tokeino (born 1979)
• Ema Tōyama (born 1981)
• Masami Tsuda (born 1970)
• Mikiyo Tsuda
• Mizuki Tsujimura (born 1980)
• Kikuko Tsumura (born 1978), novelist
• Yūko Tsushima (1947–2016), novelist, essayist

U

• Miwa Ueda
• Toshiko Ueda (1917–2008)
• Kimiko Uehara (born 1946)
• Nahoko Uehashi (born 1962)
• Chica Umino (born 1966)
• Yuki Urushibara (born 1974)

W

• Natsuto Wada (1920–1983), scriptwriter, columnist
• Chisako Wakatake (born 1954), novelist
• Masako Watanabe (born 1929)
• Taeko Watanabe (born 1960)
• Yuu Watase (born 1970)
• Risa Wataya (born 1984), novelist

Y

• Nanpei Yamada (born 1972)
• Ryoko Yamagishi (born 1947)
• Yūki Yamato (born 1989), screenwriter
• Yamakawa Kikue (1890–1980)
• Mika Yamamoto (1967–2012)
• Kazumi Yamashita (born 1959)
• Mari Yamazaki (born 1967)
• Rie Yasumi (born 1972)
• Ai Yazawa (born 1967)
• Year 24 Group
• Mari Yonehara (1950–2006)
• Akiko Yosano (1878–1942)
• Akimi Yoshida (born 1956)
• Tomoko Yoshida (born 1934)
• Nobuko Yoshiya (1896–1973)
• Wataru Yoshizumi (born 1963)
• Yuasa Yoshiko (1896–1990)
• Kaori Yuki
• Shigeko Yuki (1902–1969)
• Sumomo Yumeka (born 1977)
• Kazumi Yumoto (born 1959)
• Asako Yuzuki (born 1981), novelist

See also

• List of Japanese writers
• List of women writers
• List of Japanese-language poets