Born in Tokyo in 1962, Nahoko Uehashi earned a PhD in cultural anthropology at Rikkyo University, focusing on Indigenous Australian cultures. She taught at Kawamura Gakuen Women's University, later becoming a senior fellow, and has been Professor Emeritus since 2025.

Her debut novel, Seirei no Ki, was published during graduate school. She is best known for the Moribito series, The Beast Player, The Deer King, and Kōkun. Her books have sold over 11.5 million copies, inspired multiple adaptations, and been widely translated. She received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2014.