ABSTRACT
The work of Nahoko Uehashi is illustrative of the present situation of Japanese literature for young adults and children. Uehashi is a highly popular fantasy writer for young adults (YA), winner of the International Andersen Prize in 2014, and has had several works adapted to animation, manga and fan fiction. The Moribito series is a fantasy involving both the political intrigue of various neighboring countries and direct interaction with a number of other dimensional worlds. The 1970s saw the emergence of short story writers such as Naoko Awa and Kimiko Aman, whose fantasies deal with the entry of the uncanny into everyday life. Uehashi's research and teaching as an anthropologist inform her depiction of the five countries, their differing geographical features, politics and religions, and the ethnic divisions of their various tribes. YA literature is a relatively new genre that has gradually penetrated the market since the late 1980s.
