🇯🇵 Japanese Literature 🇯🇵
Books by Japanese Authors Translated into English
Hi everyone,
This past summer, I read a bunch of Japanese books, and I wanted to share some recommendations. I have a deep fascination with Japanese culture and a particular admiration for its art and literature. If you decide to read any of the below titles, I hope you enjoy them.
☁️ Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
I first came across Mieko Kawakami’s work back in 2021 through Breasts and Eggs. Even though the story made me feel sad at times, I loved reading it. From the very first page, I was in awe of how Kawakami vividly captured a scene on public transport 🤯. Her style is both beautiful and brutal, bold in its willingness to confront readers with uncomfortable truths.
Heaven, shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize, is not a light read. At its core, it is a short novel about teenage bullying. The protagonist is an unnamed 14-year-old boy with a lazy eye who is relentlessly tormented by his peers. He suffers alone and in silence until he meets and befriends Kojima, a girl who is also a victim of bullying at school and a kindred spirit. Heaven examines self-destructive and self-punishing behaviours often passed down from parents, and questions the stories we tell ourselves about the suffering we believe we deserve. Ultimately, it shows how friendships can uplift us or deepen our pain.
“Because we’re always in pain, we know exactly what it means to hurt somebody else.”
📚 What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
If you’re looking for a book that leaves you with a “feel-good” sensation and a sense of hope, this beautiful, short novel is a perfect choice—especially if you read Heaven first. In a time when more libraries are sadly closing around the world, this story reminds us of the unique value of librarians, who offer an often-undervalued skill set and perspective.
Although the writing has a Young Adult (YA) feel, readers of any age will find something to take away from it, just as the book’s characters do during their visits to the library 😉.
The story centres on Mrs. Komachi, a librarian in Tokyo, whose gift is recommending the perfect book to those who come to her unknowingly seeking more than just a book recommendation. This book is an especially timely read if you’re going through a tough or a restless time.
🥢 Asa: The Girl Who Turned into a Pair of Chopsticks by Natsuko Imamura
This was one of my top reads this summer. The book is a collection of three short stories, each centred on a profound sense of loneliness. The stories are both dark and funny, beautifully written yet deeply unsettling. Natsuko’s language is simple yet powerful as she explores themes of loneliness, abandonment, and pain.
In the afterword, Sayaka Murata (author of Convenience Store Woman) writes, “Imamura’s stories are imbued with a magical power that takes the reader out of their comfort zone and connects them with the uncharted world that they were actually familiar with all along.”
If you’re looking for a short read that will take you to unexpected places, this book is for you.
🧈 Butter by Asako Yuzuki
I had seen this book advertised in many bookshops, but when I finally picked it up, I never imagined it would leave me craving butter—something I rarely eat.
Butter is inspired by the real case of a convicted woman and serial killer known as “The Konkatsu Killer (marriage-hunter).” The story follows a female journalist investigating whether Manako Kajii is truly guilty of the serial murders she’s accused of. Criticised for her appearance, the public struggles to understand how someone like Manako could have seduced multiple wealthy businessmen. Manako speaks to no one but Rika, our protagonist journalist, who is determined to uncover the truth. To gain her trust, Rika embarks on her own culinary journey, which allows her to connect with the suspect, herself, and others through unexpected ways.
Though described as a murder mystery, this novel aims to expose the sexism embedded in both the investigation and the journalism industry itself.
If you’re looking for a fresh and delicious murder mystery novel, this book might be for you. If you want to read more about this book, check out the review written by The Guardian.
🔮 The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto
Of all the books I’ve recommended in this post, this one is my favourite. I don’t really know what it is about Yoshimoto’s writing that captivates me so much. When I’m in her story worlds, I want the pages to pull me inside and let me experience in real life what she’s describing. I don’t know how she does it, but I find it fascinating and admirable.
The Premonition tells the story of Yayoi, a nineteen-year old woman with unconventional abilities. Yayoi senses she’s on the verge of remembering something significant, but every time she gets close to it, it vanishes and remains out of reach. As the days pass, the feeling of a missing piece grows stronger. When Yayoi begins spending more time with her aunt, buried memories start to resurface, and she embarks on a journey to piece her past together.
This book was first published in Japan in 1988 and is finally available in English.
Links to buy the books
Always try to support your local bookshop. If you’d like me to add any bookshops to the list, let me know. Thanks to those who keep sharing new bookshops with me.
UK
Spain
Mexico
Italy
US
Important notes
For UK and US readers, Bookshop.org is a great option to support your local bookshop. You can read more about it here.
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Open Gmail on your computer or laptop (it doesn’t work on mobile phones), and then drag the email from the Promotions tab into the Primary tab.
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Thanks for the recommendations. I've read Convenience Shop Girl and am interested in reading more from this popular wave of Japanese fiction.