In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays

by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Michael P. Cronin (Translator)

This all-new translation of landmark essays by the great Japanese novelist and short-story writer Junichiro Tanizaki brings together his famous meditation on aesthetics and three other fascinating cultural commentaries. Illustrated with atmospheric images by renowned Kyoto photographer John Einarsen, the book will appeal to fans of Japanese literature and anyone with an interest in art and design. The essays in the book include:

• "In Praise of Shadows," an ode to the subtle, refined aesthetic of traditional Japan and the dangers posed to it by modernization
• "At Okamoto," a reflection on Tanizaki's nostalgia for the old Tokyo and his humorously inept attempts at writing poetry
• "Osaka and Osakans as I See Them," an account of Tanizaki's great love for Japan's second city, his adopted home and the setting of his masterpiece, The Makioka Sisters
• And "On the Lavatory," a tongue-in-cheek treatise on the elements of the ideal bathroom

"Osaka and Osakans as I See Them" and "At Okamoto" appear here for the first time in English; "In Praise of Shadows" and "On the Lavatory" are new translations that reveal these classics in fresh ways. Nearly a century after he wrote them, Tanizaki's essays continue to inspire and provoke readers around the world.

Genres: Japan, Essays, Nonfiction, Japanese Literature, 20th Century

175 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2026

About the author

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (谷崎 潤一郎) was a Japanese author, and one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature, perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki.

Some of his works present a rather shocking world of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions; others, less sensational, subtly portray the dynamics of family life in the context of the rapid changes in 20th-century Japanese society.

Frequently his stories are narrated in the context of a search for cultural identity in which constructions of "the West" and "Japanese tradition" are juxtaposed. The results are complex, ironic, demure, and provocative.

Reviews

[JY]

"I often wonder how different the conditions of our society would be if a unique scientific culture had developed in the East, completely distinct from that of the West...... Think then, if we had our own native photographic arts, suited to our skin, our features, our land's climate and topography!"

If you are willing to look past blatant essentialism (and sexism), Tanizaki's observations comparing Kanto vs. Kansai, about alternative modernity (or the nature of it), and (especially) the place of technology/innovation in traditions were fascinatingly and often imaginatively written. And reading In Praise of Shadows for the second time (in years) made a lot of difference in identifying nuance -- e.g., should certain points be read as satire, and how far did he really believe in his thesis, given his sweeping generalisation and inconsistencies?

[Pia]

Logically, I understand that he is thoughtful and observant about culture and renowned as one of the greatest Japanese writers.
Emotionally, I think he needs to get over himself being the king of aesthetic and be reminded that we can't talk like that about women anymore gramps it's 2026.

[Ray Cheung]

very interesting takes on asian aesthetic philosophy (obviously focusing on japanese); didn't get much from the bits on kansai v kanto

[Doug]

Interesting essays with Tanizaki's observations on the sort of everyday character of a couple places he lived and Japanese aesthetic.