Banana Yoshimoto (よ し も と ば な な Yoshimoto Banana, July 24, 1964, Tokyo) is the pseudonym of Mahoko Yoshimoto (吉 本 真 秀 子 Yoshimoto Mahoko), a contemporary Japanese novelist. He studied literature at the University of Nihon. In 1987, while still a student, he won with Kitchen, his first novel, the Newcomer Writers Prize; a year later the Izumi Kyoka prize was awarded for the same work. Among other awards, he has received in Italy the prestigious Scanno prize. She is the author of a long and exquisite work that includes novels (NP Amrita, Tsugumi and El Lago) and story books (Deep Dream and Memories of a Dead End), all published by Tusquets. With the appearance of Kitchen, Yoshimoto became one of the most prestigious voices in Japanese literature today, along with Haruki Murakami. His works have been translated into more than 20 languages.