Atsushi Satō

Atsushi Satō (born February 9, 1982, in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese novelist who debuted in 2017 after winning the 49th Shincho Newcomer Award for "Snake Marsh" (蛇沼). He gained major recognition with the 168th Akutagawa Prize in 2023 for "Family of the Wasteland" (荒地の家族), his notable work depicting family struggles, following earlier achievements like the 3rd Sendai Short Story Literature Award for "Boundary's Eni" (境界の円居) and a nomination for the Mishima Yukio Award for "Skin of the Elephant" (象の皮膚); he transitioned to full-time writing after working as a bookstore clerk. Shinchosha Profile, Japan Times