Japanese Literature discussion

In our essays, articles etc. thread, starting at Message 40, we began to discuss "what would be the 5 books YOU would suggest people should read to get started on a journey into J-lit...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This is the thread in which we'll capture our aggregate list from that thread, and continue to discuss and consider this question going forward. Weigh in any time. Change your suggestions. Explain why or why not.

In order of initial publication:

Post-1400 Fiction

Botchan (1906) by Natsume Sōseki
Kusamakura (1906) by Natsume Sōseki
Milky Way Railroad (1934) by Kenji Miyazawa (childrens - fantasy)
Musashi (1935) by Eiji Yoshikawa (graphic novel)
Snow Country (1948) by Yasunari Kawabata (Nobel Prize recipient)
The Makioka Sisters (1948) by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
The Hunting Gun (1949) by Yasushi Inoue
The Sound of the Mountain (1954) by Yasunari Kawabata (Nobel Prize recipient)
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (1956) by Yukio Mishima
The Waiting Years (1957) by Fumiko Enchi*
The Woman in the Dunes (1962) by Kōbō Abe
Spring Snow (1968) by Yukio Mishima
Norwegian Wood (1987) by Haruki Murakami
All She Was Worth (1992) by Miyuki Miyabe*
The Memory Police (1994) by Yōko Ogawa*
Out (1997) by Natsuo Kirino*
In the Miso Soup (1997) by Ryū Murakami
The Housekeeper and the Professor (2003) by Yōko Ogawa*
Winter Sleep (2005) by Kenzo Kitakata
The Devotion of Suspect X (2005) by Keigo Higashino
Confessions (2008) by Kanae Minato*
The Thief (2009) by Fuminori Nakamura
1Q84 (2009) by Haruki Murakami (note debate in messages 10 -11)
Sweet Bean Paste (2013) by Durian Sukegawa
Tokyo Ueno Station: A Novel (2014) by Miri Yū*
Convenience Store Woman (2016) by Sayaka Murata*

Ancient Texts, Diaries, Poetry (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

1000 Poems from the Manyōshū (759) by Ōtomo no Yakamochi (haiku)
The Tales of Ise (905 - 951)
The Pillow Book (1002) by Sei Shōnagon*
As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams: Recollections of a Woman in Eleventh-Century Japan (1050) by Lady Sarashina*
Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World (1212) by Kamo no Chōmei (Haiku)
The Confessions of Lady Nijō (1307)*

Post-1400 Nonfiction, including Haiku

The Book of Tea (1906) by Kakuzō Okakura
In Praise of Shadows (1933) by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
The Pleasures of Japanese Literature (1988) by Donald Keene
The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa (1994) by Robert Hass
Miyazawa Kenji: Selections (2007) by Kenji Miyazawa (poetry)

Short Stories

Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn (this Penguin version has a valuable Introduction)
The Cake Tree in the Ruins by Akiyuki Nosaka
The Spider's Thread (1918) by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (28 pages, not part of a collection)

*women authors

Updated as of 9Jan 2020

Carol, amazing. You have put so much effort into this. Thank you so much. Putting it together like that, it looks like a great list! I like the idea of identifying women authors. Makes it very obvious that we need more of them from, well, pre-1990!!

Alan wrote: "Carol, amazing. You have put so much effort into this. Thank you so much. Putting it together like that, it looks like a great list! I like the idea of identifying women authors. Makes it very obvi..."

Thanks, Alan. I was trying to think of how we would think about picking 5 back in the day and it seems to me that it's initially a mix of pre-war, post-war big names. But then you eventually realize how much the Japanese government curated its reputation in the West by paying to translate (and amplify forever) certain authors who wrote about certain topics and not others, and the gender bias inherent in those decisions. It takes a great deal of effort and intention to find classics by Japanese women authors in translation and to balance one's reading by gender even over the long haul. So maybe we flag that fact for budding Japanophiles, from the start.

Any way, I'm open to reorganizing or adding whatever additional framing or info everyone thinks is relevant.

In terms of getting to know the history of Japan and having some women representation in term of authors I would say the Pillowbook of Sei Shonagon. A well annotated edition might really bring someone into medieval Japan. Great topic! 👍🏼

Ohhh, who put Confessions? That's a good call!

On the topic of women writers, what about Banana Yoshimoto? I've only read one of hers and it was okay... Anything outstanding from her?

Sometimes it can be hard to tell from GR descriptions, but Musashi is not a graphic novel.

I don't think Japanese women have been especially slighted in translation. There were fewer published female authors in pre-war Japan for the same sexist reasons there were fewer elsewhere. I haven't listed more of them because I'm aiming at novels for those new to Japanese literature rather than something fully inclusive.

It's been too long since I've read any Banana Yoshimoto, and I don't clearly recall which are most appropriate for this list.

For classical Japanese literature, I'm going to suggest The Tales of Ise and The Confessions of Lady Nijo. I think both are accessible, and they're widely separated in time.

Jeshika wrote: "Ohhh, who put Confessions? That's a good call!

On the topic of women writers, what about Banana Yoshimoto? I've only read one of hers and it was okay... Anything outstanding from her?"

Caught me. I thought I might sneak that past, lol.

I confess that I added it/her. I think it works well as a J-Lit on-ramp novel because of its themes around duty, accountability, retribution, women, children, plus it's accessible and works for both LitFic and crime/mystery readers. It's also a distinctly different female voice from Ogawa, Yoshimoto and others here.

Bill wrote: "Sometimes it can be hard to tell from GR descriptions, but Musashi is not a graphic novel.

I don't think Japanese women have been especially slighted in translation. There were fewer published fem..."

I'm tempted to separate out classical works, like Pillow Book and the ones you mentioned, into a separate category because I think they work for a reader who likes/appreciates epic poetry, medieval diaries and the like, but the average reader can get bogged down in them and abandon them - no matter the language or culture. I wouldn't recommend them for beginners in J-Lit, but certain beginners know who they are and that that's a good entry point for them.

Do you agree or disagree on separating them out vs including them with all other fiction suggestions?

I think apart from Norwegian wood, I would recommand also a more "crazy" Murakami novel.
My favorite till now is probably Dance dance dance.
I also adored 1Q84.

If I have to chose, I would go for 1Q84. (first part published 2009) Then the reader really has the full blow of both Murakami's extremes, the realistic Norwegian wood, and the really surreal 1Q84.

For me it is indeed a great idea to separate the ancient and the modern work, reading experience will be totally different.

@Agnetta, that's why I tend to suggest Norwegian Wood first. Then I say, ok, if you like that then you need a little more introduction to 'normal' Murakami (ie. weird Murakami). My next go to is usually Wind-up Bird, and if they like that then they have entered Murakami-world completely. 1Q84 is quite a long read, much as I loved it, so my inclination would be to help them with something easier, and shorter!!

Carol wrote: "Caught me. I thought I might sneak that past, lol."

Haha, nothing gets past me. But I totally agree with that being there. I loved that book, I only didn't nominate it myself because I was looking at my physical shelves and it's not there because I lent it out and never got it back.

Alan wrote: "@Agnetta, that's why I tend to suggest Norwegian Wood first. Then I say, ok, if you like that then you need a little more introduction to 'normal' Murakami (ie. weird Murakami). My next go to is us..."

Yeah, you are totally right. The risk I see is that if you don't 100% like Norwegian Wood you may not continue, and then you miss the point of Murakami completely :D

The least accessible for me so far is Killing Comendatore. That's really for advanced Murakami readers and probably most appreciated by the unconditional fans.

I only started reading Japanese literature a few years ago. From my experience, I think it’s best to start with something that gives you the feel for the Japanese aesthetic.

1. Donald Keene. The Pleasures of Japanese Literature .

I think it’s important to prepare yourself for the Japanese “I” novel by reading at least one nikki. (The Sarashina Nikki just happens to be my favorite.)

2. Lady Sarashina. As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams: Recollections of a Woman in Eleventh-Century Japan .

A knowledge of basic Japanese spiritual and philosophical concepts is helpful for understanding the Japanese psyche.

3. Kamo-no-Chomei. Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World .

An acquaintance with haiku is important so in addition to including a haiku collection, I would also include Soseki’s Kusamakura, which he described as a “haiku-like novel that lives through beauty.”

4. The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa , translated by Robert Hass.

5. Natsume Soseki. Kusamakura .

My preference for an introduction to Japanese poetry is still the Manyoushuu. Why? Shouldn't the oldest poetry be the least accessible? Nope.

The Manyoushuu contains a variety of poetry, some short and some long, and expresses a wider range of emotion than later poetry. Later Japanese poetry often references earlier works, making it more inaccessible because some of the meaning is tied up in remembering the older poems. Emotion and theme get more formalized as time goes by, as well, making it sometimes seem trite or contrived.

Haiku breaks this and goes back to simplicity. It's good to have a haiku collection in the (separate, poetry) list as well.

My favorite Japanese author is Kenji Miyazawa. He is in a class all by himself. I have two long reviews on his fiction and poetry: Milky Way Railroad and Miyazawa Kenji: Selections .

I"m adding 2 short-story collections and a free online short story that would be great on-ramp vehicles for a reader open to short stories. I still agree 100% with you, Bill, that putting them in a top 5 book recommendations is wonky, but flagged separately, particularly for Japan, I like them as an option.

Japanese Ghost Stories (surprising no one, I know)

The Cake Tree in the Ruins by Akiyuki Nosaka (I still owe a review on this, but it is a set of stories (other than the first one) I continue to think about a year + later)

The Spider's Thread (1918) by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (free online)

Carol wrote: "I"m adding 2 short-story collections and a free online short story that would be great on-ramp vehicles for a reader open to short stories. I still agree 100% with you, Bill, that putting them in a..."

Short story collections are my favorite- can't wait to check these out

Excellent list, although I'd maybe already categorise some of the titles as a 'step 2' in the whole 'getting into J-lit' process haha.

I went through my shelves and I think the following definitely qualify as accessible J-lit for people who have read little or none before:

Revenge by Yoko Ogawa
Quicksand Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
Japanese Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edogawa Rampo (horror)

And yeah... there probably should be at least one Banana Yoshimoto title on the list. Probably Kitchen? I think it's the one that generally leaves most of an impression on people who aren't used to reading J-lit?

Should any of the cat books (i.e. The Guest Cat) that have been published over recent years be on the list? They tend to be quite good examples of slice-of-life type Japanese literature... I don't know, it's quite representative I suppose and people love cat stories (whether we agree about quality or not), haha.

NP was my favorite Banana. It's the only one I remember at all.

I'd always recommend my friends The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories because it has an eclectic mix of short stories from classical and contemporary writers.

I think it gives those who are new to J-Lit a taste of the literary styles of the writers and from there they could explore their other works.

Hanif wrote: "I'd always recommend my friends The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories because it has an eclectic mix of short stories from classical and contemporary writers.

I think it give..."

I haven't read this collection, but I can imagine it being a great starting point to encounter a wide range of key authors.

Curious, The Tales of Genji is not on the list?

btw, I was wondering which English translation would you recommend?

I don't think The Tale of Genji is a beginning read. We included some Heian classics that seem more accessible, and if the new reader enjoys those, they can move up to Genji.

The last time we read Genji as a group, the professional reading with us recommended Tyler's translation over Seidensticker's, and showed why it was better. We didn't try any of the others.

Thank you for the explanation and recommendation.

I am leaving for Fukuoka and will take the book along as my companion on the flight over. I wish there was a reading group to help me and keep me on track.

sheryl

Sheryl wrote: "Thank you for the explanation and recommendation.

I am leaving for Fukuoka and will take the book along as my companion on the flight over. I wish there was a reading group to help me and keep me ..."

Sheryl, We also have buddy reads. you can post a suggestion on the buddy read thread to see if there is interest.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Tale of Genji is a multi-month read. If I remember correctly, there were recommendations to read The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan first or maybe in parallel...

I have both these translations and I was hoping to read the Tyler one next, sometime this year, but I don't think I am ready yet.

Here is the previous discussion thread for The Tale of Genji:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

You can also post to the buddy read thread to see if anyone is ready to read the book soon.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I have both translations and was hoping to read the Tyler version later in the year, but I am not ready yet.

There was also some recommendations about reading Morris' The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan beforehand or in parallel.

Zoom Japan, a free magazine, had a May 2024 article about the book. There was a pointer to an article by Tyler.
https://www.zoomjapan.info/2024/05/03...

While you are on travel you may be able to see some episodes of Dear Radiance (光る君へ, Hikaru Kimi e). It is a NHK historical drama television series starring Yuriko Yoshitaka as Murasaki Shikibu. I think it airs on Sundays.

oh, and this group has a discord channel for more interactive (and wide ranging) discussions.

Thanks a lot for the list!

I have read that short stories are often considered higher art form, better characterisation, better style, high prestige for Japanese authors. this collection The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories certainly renews my appreciation of japan lit. this is the twelfth complete anthology of japanese lit Anthology of Japanese Literature: From the Earliest Era to the Mid-Nineteenth Century, Modern Japanese Stories: An Anthology, Japanese Tales from Times Past: Stories of Fantasy and Folklore from the Konjaku Monogatari Shu, The Shōwa Anthology: Modern Japanese Short Stories, The Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories, the last of which is probably my favourite. I also have two sff collections The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories, The Stories of Ibis, and one modernist collection Modanizumu: Modernist Fiction from Japan, 1913–1938... in general, I love j lit, particularly short stories and novellas...

Hi everyone :)
I didn't want to start a new discussion, sice there's a lot of recs here.. I started reading Japanese literature last year (very few books - i'm italian, and the selction is limited).

I've read both Days at the Morisaki Bookshop & it's sequel, and would like to find something similar: short, cozy, kind of slice of life. Is there anything you guys can reccomend?

I'll delve deeper then in the titles suggested in this post to exand my knowledge :D

Leggeremale wrote: "Hi everyone :)
I didn't want to start a new discussion, sice there's a lot of recs here.. I started reading Japanese literature last year (very few books - i'm italian, and the selction is limited)..."

Maybe Sweet Bean Paste or The Cat Who Saved Books. The Travelling Cat Chronicles is also quite accessible if more sad than the other two.

Henk wrote: "Leggeremale wrote: "Hi everyone :)
I didn't want to start a new discussion, sice there's a lot of recs here.. I started reading Japanese literature last year (very few books - i'm italian, and the ..."

Following up with Henk’s great recommendations:
Le ricette della signora Tokue
Il gatto che voleva salvare i libri
Cronache di un gatto viaggiatore

Adding:
Finché non aprirai quel libro (what you are looking for is in the library)

When I post the author profiles I try to note the Italian translations since we have a number of forum members that read in Italian.
We often get assistance in identifying the translators from members.

If you do read any of the above in Italian translation, please leave a comment for others.
Thanks much/Grazie mille

Thank to both! I'll check out all of your recs!

Jack wrote: "Henk wrote: "Leggeremale wrote: "Hi everyone :)
I didn't want to start a new discussion, sice there's a lot of recs here.. I started reading Japanese literature last year (very few books - i'm ital..."
I read both in italian & english, depending on how easy it is for me to find the texts.
If I end up reading the italian translations, i'll def let you know!