It's possible you're thinking of Yasunari Kawabata, a renowned Japanese author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968.
Some of his most famous works include:
* Snow Country (Yukiguni)
* The Master of Go (Ikkû)
* Thousand Cranes (Sembazuru)
* Beauty and Sadness (Utsukushii to Kanashii)
* The Lake (Mizuumi)
Please double-check the name of the author you are looking for, and I can provide more information.