Hello from Japan! I'm a long time admirer of your channel and as a Japanese person I thought this was the perfect video to leave a comment on. I really love Yoko Ogawa's stories and it's a delight to hear that you enjoyed the Housekeeper and the Professor as it's such an endearing story. She is quite a prolific author and as far as I know there are still quite a few books by her that are perhaps lesser known and haven't been translated into other languages. I hope they do get translated someday and hope you'll get your hands on them, it'll be wonderful to hear your thoughts. Stay safe and well!
Definitely interested in reading The Housekeeper and the Professor and Confessions. They both sound wonderful! I started reading Japanese fiction for the first time this year. I read The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda, which I really enjoyed 🖤
Ohmygosh- The Makioka Sisters has been on my TBR shelf forever. I'm taking it down now and putting on my TBR Now stack! I'm SUPER interested in the Sakura Obsession! I know the gist of the story- didn't know there was a book- I'm hunting it down. Last year I read Cutting Back: My Apprenticeship in the Gardens of Kyoto by Leslie Buck- I loved it. It's a memoir about a young woman who gets a gardening job working with one of the oldest landscape firms in Japan. It's about her, her experience working with mostly men, the culture of Japan, and the world of Japanese gardens and gardeners.
Convenience Store Woman, The Makioka Sisters and The Sakura Obsession sound right up my street (I have a sakura obsession myself... 🌸🌸🌸). Despite the fact that I love Japan, I haven't really read that much out of the country, just some Murakami, Confessions, and a crime novel called Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama. Loved all these recs!
Many years ago I read everything I could get my hands on by Yasunari Kawabata. I am anxious to reread and also find ones I have not read. Loved this discussion of Books from Japan. Thank you. I wrote down several on my list of “to read” books. Love your podcast.
I'm currently reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and I admit, it's kinda hard for me to get through it. However, I really love how Murakami writes. He can make the mundane everyday things interesting through his words. The book was weird and yet mesmerizing. I also wanted to recommend you my fave Japanese book, No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai. It was a heartbreaking story about a man who struggles to fit in and finding the meaning of what it means to be human. I think you'll like it since you liked The Convenience Store Woman. 😊
really wanna read Confessions - the movie was so huge here in Japan. The Sakura Obsession also sounds super interesting, i'm always interested in how cultural traditions get invented and that plus nature-writing has gotta be a hit
Wonderful recommendations both in your video and the comments below! I must get The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino. Another Hiromi Kawakami on my TBR is The Nagano Thrift Shop.
Would love to read Sakura obsession and Strange weather in Tokyo! I would recommend reading The travelling cat chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, it's such a sweet and peaceful story and I think you would like it!
Hey Alice, i read the convenience store women and strange weather in tokyo because of you and loved it. Since it was Japanese literature I was hoping to find Haruki Murakami in there:( It was a video that really got me excited!!
Yaay, that makes me so excited, I'm so glad you liked them! :D I haven't read that many books by Murakami, but I did like Norwegian Wood if that helps :)
I looove Japanese fiction, I kind of want to read anything that comes out in English. I currently have Penance, another book by Kanae Minato, on loan from my library which I'm very excited to read. I also really want to read People from my Neighbourhood. I still haven't read anything by Banana Yoshimoto which is definitely something I have to change! I love the vibe of Japanese fiction, I love how it often has these unsettling elements of weirdness, staying open to interpretation (and usually with an open ending)
You should read "If Cats Disappeared from the World" by Genki Kawamura! Easily one of my faves, and it's a short read as well, I finished it within one day.
I struggle a bit with Japanese literature despite having a degree in Japanese. I find the only books that are available that aren't manga are either 1) quiet contemplations of life where nothing really happens or 2) books about weird sex stuff with major lack of consent issues. And those kinds of books have there place, but is that seriously the ONLY thing Japanese authors write about? If anyone knows of any Japanese books (other than Murakami please) who don't fall into those two categories, let me know! That being said, my current favorite Japanese literature book is The Traveling Cat Chronicles.
Have you heard of "Lonely castle in the mirror" by Mizuki Tsujimura which came out recently? It feels like Studio Ghibli movie and I really enjoyed it. It is probably one of my favourite books ever now 😄
I have read Yoko Ogawa (The memory Police) and loved, I have bought since two others book I need to read. I have just read Yukio Mishima and loved it too ! I was supposed to read Convenience Store Woman but the book never made it to my mailbox :-(
Looking for Recommendations if anyone can help! I loved Strange Weather in Tokyo and am craving finding something similar. But I've read Convenience Store Woman, Sweet Bean Paste, The Hunting Gun, The Housekeeper & the Professor, as well as Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami- and I was disappointed by all of them. Maybe the style of Japanese writing just isn't for me? After watching this video, I'm going to try Kitchen & The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino. Is there anything else I should try? I never normally dislike such popular books as these ones!
Aaah, I don't really have any recommendations besides the ones in the video, but if you look at some of the other comments, there are loads of recommendations in there, maybe you can find something?
