Kobo Abe was a prominent Japanese writer and playwright, born on March 7, 1924, in Tokyo. He is best known for his surreal and existential works, which often explore themes of identity, alienation, and the human condition. His most famous novel, The Woman in the Dunes, has been translated into multiple languages and adapted into a film. Abe's literary career spanned several decades, and he was also a skilled photographer and a member of the Japanese avant-garde movement. He received numerous awards for his contributions to literature, including the Yasunari Kawabata Prize and the Noma Literary Prize. Abe passed away on January 22, 1993.