is a Japanese writer. He is best known for writing historical fiction novels. He won the 166th Naoki Prize in 2022.
Early life Imamura was born in Kamo, Kyoto (now Kizugawa) on June 18, 1984. His father, , is a former elementary school teacher. He graduated from and Kansai University's Faculty of Letters. Upon graduation, he worked as a dance instructor and an archeologist at the Moriyama Buried Cultural Properties Center.
Career While in fifth grade, Imamura read Sanada Taiheiki by Shōtarō Ikenami, which lead him to consider pursuing a career as a writer. After going through health issues in 2013 and 2014, he decided to start writing in his spare time. In 2016, Imamura won the Grand Prize for Kire, Hikogoro. Later that year, Imamura won the for Kitsune no Shiro. Kenzo Kitakata, who was on the selection committee for the award, recommended to an editor at Shodensha to publish a work by Imamura. Shodensha published Hikuidori: Ushūboro Tobigumi in 2017, which was Imamura's first published work.
In February 2018, Imamura quit his job at the Moriyama Buried Cultural Properties Center to pursue writing full time. His work Warabe no Kami was nominated for the 160th Naoki Prize in 2019. He was nominated for the 163rd Naoki Prize in 2020 for Jinkan. He won the 166th Naoki Prize in 2022 for Saiō no Tate. Later that year, he started screenwriting with , a Japanese television drama. He began appearing on the radio show in September 2022 with former Nogizaka46 member . In 2023, Imamura founded Hon Mirai, an organization to promote young writers.
In 2022, his novel Last Samurai Standing was adapted into a manga illustrated by . It was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Morning beginning in December 2022, with its chapters collected in six volumes as of November 2025. In 2025, it was made into a live-action TV series of the same name. The series was released in November 2025 on Netflix.
Personal life Imamura resides in Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan.
In 2021, Imamura purchased Kinoshita Book Center, a struggling bookstore in Minoh, Osaka. After undergoing renovations, it was reopened on November 1, 2021. Imamura opened Saga no Shoten, a bookstore in the Saga Station, in December 2023.
Bibliography Imamura's works generally fall into the historical fiction genre. Imamura described his style of writing as "writing without a plot" and only a desired ending for the story in mind. Imamura has cited the works of Shōtarō Ikenami and Ryōtarō Shiba as influences on his work.
Ushūboro Tobigumi series , Shodensha, 2017, , Shodensha, 2017, , Shodensha, 2017, , Shodensha, 2018, , Shodensha, 2018, , Shodensha, 2018, , Shodensha, 2018, , Shodensha, 2019, , Shodensha, 2019, , Shodensha, 2019, , Shodensha, 2020, , Shodensha, 2020, , Shodensha, 2022,
Kuramashi ya Kagyō series , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2018, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2018, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2018, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2019, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2019, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2020, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2021, , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2022,
Ikusagami series , Kodansha, 2022, , Kodansha, 2023,
Other works , Kadokawa Haruki Office, 2018, , Bunkyosha, 2018, , Shogakukan, 2019, , Shinchosha, 2019, , Kodansha, 2020, , Shueisha, 2021, , Chuokoron-Shinsha, 2022,
Manga Warabe no Kami (2020–2022) (illustrated by Yō Fukaya; serialized in Monthly Action) Kangibanka (2020–2021) (illustrated by Kōji Megumi; serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine) Kuramashi ya Kagyō (2021–present) (illustrated by Yudai; serialized on ComicWalker) Last Samurai Standing (2022–present) (illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa; serialized in Morning) Hikuidori (2025–present) (illustrated by Shinobu Seguchi; serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion)
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