Machi Tawara (born 1962) is a Japanese poet and one of the leading figures in contemporary tanka. Her works capture everyday emotions, love, family life, and the changing seasons in a fresh and accessible style. Her debut collection, "Salad Anniversary" (1987), became a nationwide bestseller and sparked a renewed popular interest in modern tanka. Her best-known work, "Salad Anniversary," portrays the emotions and small moments of everyday life through approachable, colloquial tanka poetry.