She graduated from the Department of Japanese Literature of Shōin Joshi Senmon Gakkō (now Osaka Shoin Women's University).

Her novel Hanagari (花狩) in this period was nominated in the literature competition and adopted as a radio drama.

In 1964, she won the 50th Akutagawa Prize for her novel Sentimental Journey (感傷旅行, Kanshō Ryokō).

In the following years, she wrote and published a wide range of literary works, such as novels of love romance, biographies, many essays of various themes including Japanese classic literature, translations and adaptations of the classic works of Japan such as the Tale of Genji and Makura no Sōshi.

Tanabe died by ascending cholangitis on 6 June 2019 at a hospital in Kōbe, Hyōgo.