Convenience Store Woman

One of the most celebrated of the new generation of Japanese writers, Sayaka Murata has won not only the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, but the Gunzo, Noma, and Mishima Yukio Prizes as well. Her story, A Clean Marriage, was featured in Granta 127 Japan. She is 38 years old and works part-time in a convenience store. Ginny Tapley Takemori has translated Ryu Murakami, Miyabe Miyuki, Akiyuki Nosaka, and Kyotaro Nishimura, among others. Her translation of Tomiko Inuis The Secret of the Blue Glass was shortlisted for the Marsh Award.