Sayaka Murata

Sayaka Murata is an award-winning Japanese author whose works center around the unique lives of ordinary people living in an exaggeratedly conformist world. Her socially critical works have won her numerous accolades over the past decade, including the Akutagawa, Tanizaki, Kenzaburō Ōe, and Mishima Prizes.

Murata was born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1978 and grew up mainly in Oita Prefecture, where she still lives today. Murata studied sociology in university and began writing after graduation, when she started her previous career working at a convenience store. This period would later be memorialized in her debut novel, Convenience Store Woman, which was subsequently translated into multiple languages and went on to win many awards.

Ever since it’s original releases, Murata’s popular works have focused on the inner lives of characters that exist outside of traditional Japanese standards and often face various forms of social criticism. Her writing often discusses topics such as gender roles, taboos, and societal pitfalls.

Convenience Store Woman

Published in 2016, this novel centers around the story of the main character, Keiko Furukawa. As she puts it, “I was born normal; but now I’m not.” Keiko is a 36-year-old woman who has been working at the same convenience store for eighteen years. Unsatisfied with traditional society, she instead finds joy and purpose in her work at the store. She is comfortable and content in her life, but often faces social criticism from those around her who struggle to understand her point of view.

Earthlings

Released in 2017, Earthlings is a story about the social outcasts of Japan. The book follows four unusual protagonists who link up to form a relationship and struggle to digest the events that occur in their lives. In this world, the characters face struggle to work, get married, and more due to their outsider status. As the novel progresses, the protagonists discover that they have a latent superpower that allows them to manipulate their environment.

Custody

This 2019 novel follows the perspectives of two main characters, Midori and Miyuki, who are both experiencing difficult changes during their marriage. Midori’s husband is beginning to think that she should be living like a typical, married woman should, but this goes against her values and ideals. Along with this inner struggle, conflict arises as her husband begins to take control of her life. Meanwhile, Miyuki is dealing with her mother-in-law’s grip on her husband, which can only be broken when the issue of custody is resolved.

Sayaka Murata has earned numerous accolades for her highly original writing style and her poignant way of depicting modern-day Japan. Her works often touch on the universal struggle many individuals face when trying to balance societal expectations with the pursuit of purpose and identity. Her award-winning works include Convenience Store Woman, Earthlings, and Custody, all of which focus on remarkable individuals who are determined to maintain their freedom amidst a highly conformist society. Each of these books has been praised for their unique approach to storytelling and portrayals of the human experience.