Japanese Literature discussion

The October and November 2025 group nominations are open.

Nominate by the end of 9/10, then we will have a week to vote and time to request or order books.

Remember to turn on the “Notify me when people comment” box.

The poll will go up on September 11 where we can vote for our 1st choice and leave a comment for our second one. If we have a clear second choice between the votes and comments then it will be our November group read.

Please nominate only one book. If your nominee isn't (a.) in print in both North America and the UK+ and/or (b.) originally in Japanese, please say so. (No worries. If you don't have time to look this up, We will look it up for you.)

Hi! I don’t believe I’ve nominated a book before so I’m not sure if there’s a genre specificity, but I am interested in Murder at the Black Cat Cafe by Seishi Yokomizo. I know it says 7th in a series, but says it can be read as a standalone : )

I'd like to nominate recently published Mistress Koharu by Noboru Tsujihara

I know almost nothing about this book save for the fact that I like the title and it seems like gentle reading:

Night on the Galactic Railroad and Other Stories from Ihatov
by: Miyazawa Kenji

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Hi everyone,

I’m new to this group. I’d like to nominatie The Makioka Sisters by Tanizaki: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Looking forward to the result of the poll!

I’d like to nominate Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura

I’m new in this group also. I would love to recommend the books below:
- Sweet Bean Paste - Tetsuya Akikawa
- Lonely Castle in the Mirror - Mizuki Tsujimura
- 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami

wrote: "I’m new in this group also. I would love to recommend the books below:
- Sweet Bean Paste - Tetsuya Akikawa
- Lonely Castle in the Mirror - Mizuki Tsujimura
- 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami"

Chloé, we can nominate one each with a second choice in the Poll comments. Which is your #1 choice?
Also, we very recently read Lonely Castle in the Mirror (it was great). You can add comments to the group read thread here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We keep the threads open so that people can add comments. (I read the novel and the manga version. Still want to watch the movie (2022).
Sweet Bean Paste was a group read 08/2018 and again 07/2023 but it might be interesting for newer group members or those that want to read or reread it.
I don't think there was ever a group read on 1Q84 although there are quite a few comments in the forum/
-Jack

I think Water Moon would be a good choice, if it hasn’t been on an earlier list
David

Mathew wrote: "I know almost nothing about this book save for the fact that I like the title and it seems like gentle reading:

Night on the Galactic Railroad and Other Stories from Ihatov
by: Miyazawa Kenji

htt..."

Mathew, we recently had a group read on this 01/2024. (I am a big big Kenji fan). Probably too soon to read again. The thread, which is still open, is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Is there another J-lit novel you would like to nominate for the group read?

I nominate a crime classic Points and Lines by Seichō Matsumoto

Points and Lines was reprinted a couple of years ago as Tokyo Express .

@jack Fantastic. Ill check out that thread, and no, I'm happy to see what others are bringing to the table.

I'd love to nominate Out by Natsuo Kirino

I'd like to nominate Colorful by Eto Mori

I second this nomination (unless I should just wait for the poll?).

Sophie wrote: "Hi everyone,

I’m new to this group. I’d like to nominatie The Makioka Sisters by Tanizaki: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Looking forward to the result of the poll!"

Hi, I would like to nominate: The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

Hi, I would like to nominate "Child of Fortune" by Yuko Tsushima

The Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe

Nominating “Sympathy Tower Tokyo”

Hi all, I'd like to nominate Wind, Light, and the Twenty-Year-Old Me by Ango Sakaguchi. This is another one of our translations here at Maplopo. Thanks for allowing such a nomination! ;-)

I'm nominating The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi.
The Tattoo Murder Case

I would like to nominate Crossfire by Miyuki Miyabe

I second Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura

Nominations for Oct/Nov 2025 are now closed. I will have the poll up later this am and will post the link to this thread and the forum header.
A big thanks to everyone who nominated a novel for the group read.
Special Kudos to Carola who updated and posted our group reading history.
r/Jack and your mods.

the poll is located at:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

phew, a lot of nominations this time.
Please vote for your favorite and leave a comment in the "poll comments" for a second choice if you have one.

Remember to turn on the “Notify me when people comment” box.

Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Rie Qudan is the choice.
No clear second so I will create a poll for November from this list.

The poll for November is up, sorry for the delay everyone! There was no clear second in the October poll so we've used the same nominations.

Please vote here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

One day left to vote! Poll closes October 22nd, 2025 at 11:59PM PDT. Right now Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is ahead!