Beyond Murakami: A lovely guide to Japanese literature
Editor’s note: Most of us are familiar with greats like Haruki Murakami—but not much else. (No, Kazuo Ishiguro doesn’t count. He’s British.) Happily, the Dokusha Book Club—a community of readers interested in Japanese literature—has put together this list of nine reads to help us get started. The books range from surreal to funny and comforting—there’s something for every mood.
Terminal Boredom by Izumi Suzuki: Suzuki is a cult figure in Japanese literature—possibly due to her early career as a pink films actor or her hyperactive output after the death by overdose of her jazz musician husband—or her taking her own life in 1986. Her legacy is best known for the prolific output she left behind with punky short fiction. This is a good introduction to her work for English language readers with seven stories that deal with dystopia, science fiction, imperialism and violence.
Kafka: A Manga Adaptation by Nishioka Kyodai: Existential stories come alive with otherworldly and haunting manga from the brother-sister duo known as Nishioka Kyodai. It features adaptations of Franz Kafka’s best stories—The Metamorphosis, A Hunger Artist, In the Penal Colony, A Country Doctor,The Concerns of a Patriarch, The Bucket Rider, Jackals and Arabs, A Fratricide—and The Vulture.
The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata: Kawabata won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986—the first Japanese writer to do so. His lyrical prose is unique and subtle. This novel revolves around an ageing protagonist who is often dwelling on death and the crumbling of his relationships. Set during the end of the American occupation of Japan—it’s an apt metaphor for the dwindling relationships and end of life narrative of the novel.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto: A contemporary novel—this is the English language debut from Yoshimoto. Kitchens are a central theme in this one as a makeshift family of an orphan, a friend and his mother who was formerly his father (a transgender situation) form a true bond that suffers tragic losses. Written with simplicity, this is a winning work where tragedy is followed by catharsis—all with the help of cooking and turning to the kitchen. It’s minimalist storytelling—with a lot left to your imagination, dear reader.
The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada: If you like ‘Alice in Wonderland’—this is a stranger Japanese version for you. Japanese writers have done well to craft the magical realism genre with bizarre and imagery filled writing. Asa—a bored housewife—follows a strange creature into a hole one day leading to a series of unmoored adventures and surrealist events. There is critique and commentary on women’s role in today’s capitalist era and there are times when Asa even questions her sanity. This one’s for those who enjoy eerie reads!
What You’re Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama: A very feel-good novel, it balances the renowned magical realism of Japanese fiction with a theme of conversations, books and life-altering solutions. Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian is the central character here who can read the souls of her library visitors and always offers an inspiring book to change their lives and help them find what they’re looking for. Isn’t it heartwarming? Give this a read for a break from the creepy horror ones.
Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda: This is a collection of short stories based on Japanese folk tales. These are witty retelling of these tales in a world where humans live side-by-side with spirits. Narrated whimsically and with subtle connections—the supernatural is not to be feared here but celebrated. Comedy runs throughout the stories and makes for an entertaining read.
Slow Boat by Hideo Furukawa: By now you may have noticed that Japanese literature is either charmingly eerie or comical and contemporary. Furukawa pens a novella that has an adorable loser as the protagonist whose life is a series of missteps and rebellions—not always with fruitful endings—as he attempts to leave Tokyo running away from his past life. It’s funny and at times frustrating. If you don’t completely get it—that’s okay. Furukawa is the literary heir to Murakami so that would make sense.
Asa: The Girl Who Turned Into Chopsticks by Natsuko Imamura: We’re back to the unsettling recommendations. A collection of three weird fictional stories—it explores life on the edge and those who don’t conform to the norms. Imamura is also a master of dissolving fiction and reality and in the three stories she explores themes of class, desire, youth and mental health through absurd magical realism. You’ll either love this or hate this one!
