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The Best Japanese Short Stories: Works by 14 Modern Masters
An anthology of the greatest stories by modern Japanese masters (including previously overlooked women writers)!
Fourteen distinct voices are assembled in this one-of-a-kind anthology tracing a nation's changing social landscapes. Internationally renowned writers like Yasunari Kawabata, Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Junichi Watanabe are joined by three notable women writers whose works have not yet received sufficient attention--Kanoko Okamoto, Fumiko Hayashi and Yumiko Kurahashi.
Highlights of this anthology include:
Kafu Nagai's bittersweet portrait of a privileged family's expiring existence in "The Fox"
Ango Sakaguchi's heartening celebration of postwar chaos in "One Woman and the War"
Fumiko Hayashi's unabashed exploration of female sexuality in "Borneo Diamond"
Junichi Watanabe's chilling assessment of alienation and social dislocation in "Invitation to Suicide"
Gishu Nakayama's look at an out-of-place prostitute recovering at a hot-spring resort in "Autumn Wind"
Through brilliant, highly-praised translations by Lane Dunlop, The Best Japanese Short Stories offers fascinating glimpses of a society embracing change while holding tenaciously onto the past. A new foreword by Alan Tansman provides insightful back stories about the authors and the literary backdrop against which they created these great works of modern world literature.
Fourteen distinct voices are assembled in this one-of-a-kind anthology tracing a nation's changing social landscapes. Internationally renowned writers like Yasunari Kawabata, Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Junichi Watanabe are joined by three notable women writers whose works have not yet received sufficient attention--Kanoko Okamoto, Fumiko Hayashi and Yumiko Kurahashi.
Highlights of this anthology include:
Kafu Nagai's bittersweet portrait of a privileged family's expiring existence in "The Fox"
Ango Sakaguchi's heartening celebration of postwar chaos in "One Woman and the War"
Fumiko Hayashi's unabashed exploration of female sexuality in "Borneo Diamond"
Junichi Watanabe's chilling assessment of alienation and social dislocation in "Invitation to Suicide"
Gishu Nakayama's look at an out-of-place prostitute recovering at a hot-spring resort in "Autumn Wind"
Through brilliant, highly-praised translations by Lane Dunlop, The Best Japanese Short Stories offers fascinating glimpses of a society embracing change while holding tenaciously onto the past. A new foreword by Alan Tansman provides insightful back stories about the authors and the literary backdrop against which they created these great works of modern world literature.
224 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2023
36 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Kafū Nagai
269 books69 followersKafū Nagai (永井 荷風 Nagai Kafū, December 3, 1879 - April 30, 1959) is the pen name of Japanese author, playwright, essayist, and diarist Nagai Sōkichi (永井 壮吉). His works are noted for their depictions of life in early 20th-century Tokyo, especially among geisha, prostitutes, cabaret dancers, and other denizens of the city's lively entertainment districts.
(from Wikipedia)
Variation of names of the same author:
永井荷风
Kafū Nagai
永井 荷風
永井荷風
(from Wikipedia)
Variation of names of the same author:
永井荷风
Kafū Nagai
永井 荷風
永井荷風
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 26, 2024
Някога смятах Изток-запад за сериозно издателство. През последните месеци рязко започнаха да ми падат в очите, защото е изключително несериозно при наличието на добри японисти да предлагат на читателите си превод на превода. Как един уважаващ себе си преводач се съгласява на подобно кощунство не искам и да знам. Още на третия разказ пропуските на коректор/редактор ме отказаха от родното издание и си дочетох книгата в превод на Lane Dunlop.
Самите разкази са повече от прекрасни и ги препоръчвам силно на ценителите на източната култура. Авторите, включени в сборника, са едни от най-ярките гласове на японската литература. Подборът на разкази е отличен, макар да са писани в различно време от различни писатели те все пак имат обща тема и разглеждат сходни теми. Подходящи са както за хора, които искат да добият някаква представа за японската литература от обща култура, така и за запалени почитатели.
Самите разкази са повече от прекрасни и ги препоръчвам силно на ценителите на източната култура. Авторите, включени в сборника, са едни от най-ярките гласове на японската литература. Подборът на разкази е отличен, макар да са писани в различно време от различни писатели те все пак имат обща тема и разглеждат сходни теми. Подходящи са както за хора, които искат да добият някаква представа за японската литература от обща култура, така и за запалени почитатели.
May 27, 2023
Honestly might be a chemistry issue between my eyes and the type face, but I had to consistently go back and re-read, singing that I had just glossed over chunks. Exceptional stories:
Borneo diamond
One woman the war
Invitation to suicide
The rest left me unmoved.
Borneo diamond
One woman the war
Invitation to suicide
The rest left me unmoved.
May 19, 2023
here we have the works of fourteen japanese modern masters. a compilation of compelling stories, with settings spanning from ancient japan, through world wars, and then even to this modern-day era. i really enjoyed this collection, as it showcases the absolutely wide range of japanese authors in their element.
my favourites were:
first, one woman and the war by ango sakaguchi
second, invitation to suicide by jun’ichi watanabe
third, the titmouse by yasunari kawabata
japanese short stories have always been an endless area of fascination for me, and i cannot quite seem to get enough with the way japanese authors weave their tales. from calling on the divine to the exploration of “sinful” human nature, from the innocent feelings of puppy love during teenage years to the uncontrollable lust that consumes adulthood, from heavy emotional circumstances to the showcasing of the mundane continuity of everyday life— these are only a few examples from the various themes of books i have read. truly, japanese literature is something else.
not only that, there’s really that specific something in their prose. i cannot quite put it into words— but it is as if authors collectively have this calming effect when they write their literature. i have noticed that there’s always this sense of elegance to their words, and it is not diminished despite being translated from the original japanese to the english language. in a way, their sentences even seem magical, like the story they are telling is just a wee bit better than reality.
it has been such a pleasure to read another beautiful collection, and i give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟
@tuttlepublishing —thank you, as always, for giving me this gorgeous copy ♥️ #niquereviews
my favourites were:
first, one woman and the war by ango sakaguchi
second, invitation to suicide by jun’ichi watanabe
third, the titmouse by yasunari kawabata
japanese short stories have always been an endless area of fascination for me, and i cannot quite seem to get enough with the way japanese authors weave their tales. from calling on the divine to the exploration of “sinful” human nature, from the innocent feelings of puppy love during teenage years to the uncontrollable lust that consumes adulthood, from heavy emotional circumstances to the showcasing of the mundane continuity of everyday life— these are only a few examples from the various themes of books i have read. truly, japanese literature is something else.
not only that, there’s really that specific something in their prose. i cannot quite put it into words— but it is as if authors collectively have this calming effect when they write their literature. i have noticed that there’s always this sense of elegance to their words, and it is not diminished despite being translated from the original japanese to the english language. in a way, their sentences even seem magical, like the story they are telling is just a wee bit better than reality.
it has been such a pleasure to read another beautiful collection, and i give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟
@tuttlepublishing —thank you, as always, for giving me this gorgeous copy ♥️ #niquereviews
August 27, 2023
it is with a heavy heart that i give this collection such a low rating...
this was amongst the titles i was most excited to read this year and it was a huge miss for me, sadly.
none of the stories had the ~japanese literature~ vibe i so much adore? by the third short story i found myself questioning if i was reading short stories by japanese authors indeed because i felt nothing while reading them.
maybe the vibe i referenced only started to appear in japanese writing more rencently...
the only story i somewhat enjoyed was one woman and the war . along the mountain ridge was okay too but still, didn't feel much for these either.
by all means, if you want, go read this collection for yourself since my review is highly biased!
this was amongst the titles i was most excited to read this year and it was a huge miss for me, sadly.
none of the stories had the ~japanese literature~ vibe i so much adore? by the third short story i found myself questioning if i was reading short stories by japanese authors indeed because i felt nothing while reading them.
maybe the vibe i referenced only started to appear in japanese writing more rencently...
the only story i somewhat enjoyed was one woman and the war . along the mountain ridge was okay too but still, didn't feel much for these either.
by all means, if you want, go read this collection for yourself since my review is highly biased!
December 28, 2024
"Read the stories in this volume less for the unfolding of the incident than for the rich rendering of mental and emotional states, and you will enter the shade and the moss of the Japanese literary imagination given artistic form by some of the most refined practicioners of the craft of the short story." (Alan Tansman, foreword)
In other words, vibes>plot.
But in all seriousness, the works here (14 short stories spanning six decades) mostly operate through stream of consciousness, capturing the snapshots of seemingly random occurences and elevating them with the power of highly sensual, melancholic, and/or surrealistic narration. You need to be in a certain state of mind going in; there were moments when the languid style caused my eyes to glaze over, prompting me to reread passages describing things like the movement of the wind or the bloom of bamboo flowers. Then again, once you settle into their storytelling rhytm, many of the stories would really start to click.
The hamlet of Uchikoshi, surrounded as ever by the beautiful groves of long-jointed bamboo and speckled bamboo, seemed asleep in a deep, peaceful slumber in its ravine. I still do not know the name of my father or the name of my mother. (Tsutomu Mizukami, Bamboo Flower).
Like many casual enjoyers of Japanese literature, I'm somewhat familiar with the works of Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Yasunari Kawabata. While I don't think Akutagawa's The Garden here represents his strongest or most memorable work, I quite enjoyed Kawabata's The Titmouse, a story about a wife reflecting on her philandering husband and his whimsical fascination with various pets.
The other 12 writers were mostly new to me, and their works captivated me to varying extents. These include, among others, Ton Satomi's story of repressed tittilation as a guest takes shelter with her friend's wife in the midst of heavy storm (Flash Storm); Riichi Yokomitsu's grounded and sweet recounting of a family trip to the titular mountain in Kyoto (Mount Hiei); and Jun'ichi Watanabe's morbid musing about various forms of beauty in suicide (Invitation to Suicide).
The three female writers here also leave strong impression among the otherwise male-dominated landscape: Kanoko Okamoto's Ivy Gates recounts the story of an old maidservant and a girl she used to scold in a way that I truly adore, Fumiko Hayashi's Borneo Diamond is suffused with an exotic yet bleak atmosphere through the plight of Japanese migrant sex workers in Indonesia, and Yumiko Kurahashi's wildly metaphoric Ugly Demons is perhaps the strangest and most thought-provoking entry in this collection.
Even with the recurring mood and storytelling tropes, there's also a well-balanced tonal diversity on display. There are slice-of-life stories that may leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling, enigmatic tales that leave you wondering what exactly happened, and a couple of stories that go into dark and fascinating places... although ultimately, they all reflect on human relation as well as the celebration of life and inevitably, death, in their own respective ways.
As loneliness had attracted loneliness, already loneliness and loneliness were no longer loneliness and loneliness. (Kanoko Okamoto, Ivy Gates)
As a sucker for a heartwarming story of familial bond between two strangers, I had to pick Ivy Gates as one of personal favorites here. Morio Kita's Along The Mountain Ridge (depicting the confused mind state of a hiker as he encounters a corpse, a climbing man, and a fellow hiker sharing him a drink... or they're all one and the same?) and Ango Sakaguchi's One Woman and The War (the counterintuitive life of a woman who finds joy in war and despair in peace) would round out my top three. Truthfully, even if a few stories leave me emotionally cold or a bit of a slog to get through, they all have something interesting to say.
The war really was beautiful. It was a beauty you could not anticipate; you could only glimpse it in the midst of your terror. As soon as you were aware of it, it was gone. War was without fakery, without regrets, and it was extravagant. (Ango Sakaguchi, One Woman and The War)
It's truly a worthwhile collection that provides an opportunity to get a taste of numerous Japanese writers, especially the lesser known ones. Well, I'd rename the title as I'm unsure if the word 'Best' there is justifiable beyond marketing purpose... but then 'Diverse and Well-Curated Japanese Short Stories' doesn't have quite the same ring to it, I suppose!
In other words, vibes>plot.
But in all seriousness, the works here (14 short stories spanning six decades) mostly operate through stream of consciousness, capturing the snapshots of seemingly random occurences and elevating them with the power of highly sensual, melancholic, and/or surrealistic narration. You need to be in a certain state of mind going in; there were moments when the languid style caused my eyes to glaze over, prompting me to reread passages describing things like the movement of the wind or the bloom of bamboo flowers. Then again, once you settle into their storytelling rhytm, many of the stories would really start to click.
The hamlet of Uchikoshi, surrounded as ever by the beautiful groves of long-jointed bamboo and speckled bamboo, seemed asleep in a deep, peaceful slumber in its ravine. I still do not know the name of my father or the name of my mother. (Tsutomu Mizukami, Bamboo Flower).
Like many casual enjoyers of Japanese literature, I'm somewhat familiar with the works of Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Yasunari Kawabata. While I don't think Akutagawa's The Garden here represents his strongest or most memorable work, I quite enjoyed Kawabata's The Titmouse, a story about a wife reflecting on her philandering husband and his whimsical fascination with various pets.
The other 12 writers were mostly new to me, and their works captivated me to varying extents. These include, among others, Ton Satomi's story of repressed tittilation as a guest takes shelter with her friend's wife in the midst of heavy storm (Flash Storm); Riichi Yokomitsu's grounded and sweet recounting of a family trip to the titular mountain in Kyoto (Mount Hiei); and Jun'ichi Watanabe's morbid musing about various forms of beauty in suicide (Invitation to Suicide).
The three female writers here also leave strong impression among the otherwise male-dominated landscape: Kanoko Okamoto's Ivy Gates recounts the story of an old maidservant and a girl she used to scold in a way that I truly adore, Fumiko Hayashi's Borneo Diamond is suffused with an exotic yet bleak atmosphere through the plight of Japanese migrant sex workers in Indonesia, and Yumiko Kurahashi's wildly metaphoric Ugly Demons is perhaps the strangest and most thought-provoking entry in this collection.
Even with the recurring mood and storytelling tropes, there's also a well-balanced tonal diversity on display. There are slice-of-life stories that may leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling, enigmatic tales that leave you wondering what exactly happened, and a couple of stories that go into dark and fascinating places... although ultimately, they all reflect on human relation as well as the celebration of life and inevitably, death, in their own respective ways.
As loneliness had attracted loneliness, already loneliness and loneliness were no longer loneliness and loneliness. (Kanoko Okamoto, Ivy Gates)
As a sucker for a heartwarming story of familial bond between two strangers, I had to pick Ivy Gates as one of personal favorites here. Morio Kita's Along The Mountain Ridge (depicting the confused mind state of a hiker as he encounters a corpse, a climbing man, and a fellow hiker sharing him a drink... or they're all one and the same?) and Ango Sakaguchi's One Woman and The War (the counterintuitive life of a woman who finds joy in war and despair in peace) would round out my top three. Truthfully, even if a few stories leave me emotionally cold or a bit of a slog to get through, they all have something interesting to say.
The war really was beautiful. It was a beauty you could not anticipate; you could only glimpse it in the midst of your terror. As soon as you were aware of it, it was gone. War was without fakery, without regrets, and it was extravagant. (Ango Sakaguchi, One Woman and The War)
It's truly a worthwhile collection that provides an opportunity to get a taste of numerous Japanese writers, especially the lesser known ones. Well, I'd rename the title as I'm unsure if the word 'Best' there is justifiable beyond marketing purpose... but then 'Diverse and Well-Curated Japanese Short Stories' doesn't have quite the same ring to it, I suppose!
September 13, 2024
Having tired of my September 2024 Monthly Reading Theme – Short Stories – quite quickly, I chose this collection as the last selection of short stories I’d read for the month. Fortunately, choosing this topic allowed for a powerful realisation: I’m not as deeply interested in reading short stories as I thought I was. Thus, I chose to end on a high, delving deep into several Japanese tales by authors which I’d not yet encountered.
The following are, to me, the most well-told tales in the collection:
“The Fox” by Kafu Nagai – in which the narrator details how the trapping and killing of a fox found on their estate causes him to doubt “the benevolence of God.” In effect, the retelling of how humans hunt down an ‘intruder’ and dispatch it with vehement heartlessness records the narrator’s introduction to their hypocrisy, and his subsequent reaction.
“Ivy Gates” by Kanoko Okamoto – incredibly descriptive and richly told, this tale recounts the lonely connection between an older maid and a younger woman, which, following the passage of time, only cements and solidifies their collective loneliness.
“The Titmouse” by Yasunari Kawabata – a provocative and erudite telling of one woman’s acceptance of her husband’s infidelities, powerfully symbolised through the sweet song and gentle demeanour of the titmouse.
“Bamboo Flowers” by Tsutomu Mizukami – the haunting and exquisitely crafted narrative of a foster child’s continuing desire to learn the truth about their birth parents, and the imperceptible impossibility at the heart of that desire.
4 stars. This was an excellent collection, and one that opened a world of additional Japanese authors with which I was unfamiliar. Having been exposed to the deeply resonant theme they include in their writing, I’m more inclined to search out their longer works. My hope is that these short stories might introduce me to a new favourite Japanese author. The likelihood of that seems strong.
The following are, to me, the most well-told tales in the collection:
“The Fox” by Kafu Nagai – in which the narrator details how the trapping and killing of a fox found on their estate causes him to doubt “the benevolence of God.” In effect, the retelling of how humans hunt down an ‘intruder’ and dispatch it with vehement heartlessness records the narrator’s introduction to their hypocrisy, and his subsequent reaction.
“Ivy Gates” by Kanoko Okamoto – incredibly descriptive and richly told, this tale recounts the lonely connection between an older maid and a younger woman, which, following the passage of time, only cements and solidifies their collective loneliness.
“The Titmouse” by Yasunari Kawabata – a provocative and erudite telling of one woman’s acceptance of her husband’s infidelities, powerfully symbolised through the sweet song and gentle demeanour of the titmouse.
“Bamboo Flowers” by Tsutomu Mizukami – the haunting and exquisitely crafted narrative of a foster child’s continuing desire to learn the truth about their birth parents, and the imperceptible impossibility at the heart of that desire.
4 stars. This was an excellent collection, and one that opened a world of additional Japanese authors with which I was unfamiliar. Having been exposed to the deeply resonant theme they include in their writing, I’m more inclined to search out their longer works. My hope is that these short stories might introduce me to a new favourite Japanese author. The likelihood of that seems strong.
March 24, 2023
A nice little collection of 14 short stories from authors some will recognise, many will not. As ever with collections like this, some stories work better than others, but all of them capture the moment that (almost) uniquely identifies Japanese literature.
One thing that does puzzle me is when this collection was actually gathered together. Lane Dunlop died several years ago, and his introduction includes the observation that Kawabata is 'Japan's only Nobel Prize winner for literature'. As we know, Oe won it in 1994, so presumably these stories were gathered together before then, but I could see no note in this edition as to exactly when or why. Odd.
Nonetheless, a worthy addition to the output for Japanese writers, including some names who deserve this attention. 3.5ish stars, upped to 4.
One thing that does puzzle me is when this collection was actually gathered together. Lane Dunlop died several years ago, and his introduction includes the observation that Kawabata is 'Japan's only Nobel Prize winner for literature'. As we know, Oe won it in 1994, so presumably these stories were gathered together before then, but I could see no note in this edition as to exactly when or why. Odd.
Nonetheless, a worthy addition to the output for Japanese writers, including some names who deserve this attention. 3.5ish stars, upped to 4.
July 22, 2024
L'introduction et les petites biographies des auteurs à la fin sont super pour contextualiser les nouvelles et aident à les apprécier.
J'ai trouvé le recueil très intéressant, certaines nouvelles m'ont beaucoup plu et d'autres moins (il y a une vraie différence de rythme et une application a retransmettre une ambiance qui ne me plaît pas toujours).
Une nouvelle "Ugly démons" m'a fait me dire que je n'appréciais sans doute pas son écriture car je la lisais en anglais et que ce n'est pas une langue que je maîtrise à la perfection.
Je pense que c'est une bonne introduction aux nouvelles japonaises du XXeme siècle, qui mêle des auteurs célèbres et d'autres moins connus (il y a plusieurs autrices !), et qui essaye de montrer une variété de style tout en contextualisant des spécificités littéraires.
Après, c'est vraiment un style particulier qui me déroute un peu.
J'ai trouvé le recueil très intéressant, certaines nouvelles m'ont beaucoup plu et d'autres moins (il y a une vraie différence de rythme et une application a retransmettre une ambiance qui ne me plaît pas toujours).
Une nouvelle "Ugly démons" m'a fait me dire que je n'appréciais sans doute pas son écriture car je la lisais en anglais et que ce n'est pas une langue que je maîtrise à la perfection.
Je pense que c'est une bonne introduction aux nouvelles japonaises du XXeme siècle, qui mêle des auteurs célèbres et d'autres moins connus (il y a plusieurs autrices !), et qui essaye de montrer une variété de style tout en contextualisant des spécificités littéraires.
Après, c'est vraiment un style particulier qui me déroute un peu.
October 5, 2024
Great collection of short stories for those interested in Japan and Japanese history and culture or just for those who enjoy slow burning well written short stories. The first half of stories were pretty good but once it got to the second half and the stories were more written during WWII era and after I really started to enjoy this collection with the more modern writing left me very impressed. Only one story I couldn’t really get into on this collection, Mount Hiei, but the rest were good to excellent.
Favorites: The Titmouse, One Woman and the War, Along the Mountain Ridge, Ugly Demons, and An Invitation to Suicide.
Favorites: The Titmouse, One Woman and the War, Along the Mountain Ridge, Ugly Demons, and An Invitation to Suicide.
July 2, 2025
I had high expectation before reading the book, as I enjoy reading short stories and novels of modern Japanese authors such as Haruki Murakami, Mieko Kawakami, and Banana Yoshimoto. However, this collection of short stories took me over a month to finish, because I find most of them are tinged with themes of racism, sexist, and social commentary that I can’t relate with. However, these are the ones I find interesting and worth reading :
1. The Fox (reflection of human barbarism and religious belief)
2. Ivy Gates (beautiful tale of paternal relationship between non-related people)
3. Invitation to Suicide (mystery of the beauty of suicide, written in a manner that judge them comically)
1. The Fox (reflection of human barbarism and religious belief)
2. Ivy Gates (beautiful tale of paternal relationship between non-related people)
3. Invitation to Suicide (mystery of the beauty of suicide, written in a manner that judge them comically)
May 1, 2024
Interesting short stories by Japanese writers- showing different aspects of Japanese life in the past.
July 21, 2024
A very mediocre selection though some of the stories did have their merits
September 15, 2024
Малко "бавни" разкази за моя вкус, но напълно в синхрон с така самовглъбеаната японска душевност.
November 26, 2024
My husband and I are reading this book. We don't really understand enough geography, culture (including women's), religions, history to really appreciate this book.
these stories.
these stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2025
Favorites: The Fox and Along the Mountain Ridge
[Nezu Museum Gardens, Tokyo, Japan]
[Nezu Museum Gardens, Tokyo, Japan]
July 21, 2025
Fantastic collection of stories. I particularly enjoyed The Fox, One Woman and the War, the Ivy Gates and Mountain Ridge.
March 14, 2023
Some stories I think I had read in other anthologies or somewhere online, others were unknown to me. Most have that patina of "Japaneseness" that would prevent anyone from mistaking them for anything else. All of them in their own way are beautiful, at least in my opinion of course.
Alcune storie credo di averle lette in altre antologie o da qualche parte in rete, altre mi erano sconosciute. La maggior parte hanno quella patina di "giapponesitá" che impedirebbe a chiunque di scambiarle per qualcos'altro. Tutte a modo loro, sono belle, almeno secondo me ovviamente.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Alcune storie credo di averle lette in altre antologie o da qualche parte in rete, altre mi erano sconosciute. La maggior parte hanno quella patina di "giapponesitá" che impedirebbe a chiunque di scambiarle per qualcos'altro. Tutte a modo loro, sono belle, almeno secondo me ovviamente.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews