“The new day is almost here, but the old one is still dragging its heavy skirts. Just as ocean water and river water struggle against each other at a river mouth, the old time and the new time clash and blend.”

Japanese novelist and short story writer, 1949–present. His work blends surrealism with everyday life, exploring themes of isolation and the uncanny. Known for novels like *Norwegian Wood* and *Kafka on the Shore*, which have earned him global literary acclaim.