nosaka

Nosaka is a Japanese surname. It is written 野坂 in kanji and is typically read as Nosaka, though transliteration varies in some records. The surname is generally considered to be toponymic, deriving from places named Nosaka that combine the characters for “field” (野) and “slope” or “hill” (坂). It is most commonly found in Japan and can appear across different prefectures.

Notable people with the surname include Akiyuki Nosaka (野坂 昭如; 1930–2009), a Japanese author and cultural figure. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical works, including the story that inspired the Studio Ghibli animated film Grave of the Fireflies. The work highlights wartime and postwar hardship in Japan and contributed significantly to postwar Japanese literature and film.

Nosaka, as a surname, is primarily associated with Japanese literature and cultural history through Akiyuki Nosaka, whose writing has reached international audiences through adaptations and translations.