Haruhiko Kindaichi, one of Japan's most famous linguists, was a professor at Sophia University in Tokyo. He was also a well-known radio and television personality, having won the Cultural Broadcasting Award. Kindaichi has published numerous books on Japanese linguistics.Umeyo Hirano was for many years a professor of English at Kyoto Woman's College and Osaka City University. She has lectured on Japanese language and literature at Columbia University. Her previous translations include Tsutsumi Chunagon Monogatari and Kurata's Shinran.