Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1886-1965) is widely considered one of Japan's most important writers. Born in Tokyo to a family of printers, he began his literary career in 1909 and published numerous plays, essays, novels and short stories. His writing is characterised by ironic wit, subtle interpersonal dynamics and charged depictions of sexuality and cultural identity. The Tanizaki Prize, one of Japan's most prestigious awards, is named in his honour.

Bryan Karetnyk is a British writer and translator from Russian and Japanese. His translations for Pushkin Press include works by Gaito Gazdanov, Irina Odoevsteva and Ryunosuke Akutagawa.