Mako Idemitsu: Born and raised in Tokyo in an elite and wealthy family, Mako Idemitsu went to the US in 1962 where she met and married abstract expressionist painter Sam Francis. She later became an experimental film maker and artist who has received critical acclaim around the world.Juliet Winters Carpenter: Juliet Winters Carpenter studied Japanese literature at the University of Michigan and translation at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Tokyo. Her past translations include Secret Rendezvous by Abe Kobo, Masks by Fumiko Enchi, and the works of Minae Mizumura.