Here are five Japanese novels that I think everyone should check out.
I am a firm believer that everyone should read widely. Just because you’re a science fiction author doesn’t mean you can read outside the genre as well. Personally, I encourage it. Reading outside the genre shows you that there are other ways to write a novel. And it can show you other ways to solve the issues that often become routine in our own writing.
Sure, I love a good science fiction or fantasy book, but there are so many gems out there outside of speculative fiction. It would be a shame to overlook these wonders.
I have a friend who let me borrow a stack of Japanese literature a while back. And I am so happy she did. I hadn’t even heard of most of these novels. That, and Japanese literature has such a long tradition that it can be overwhelming to someone who wants to get started. How do you know where to start?
So, I wanted to pass on my friend’s suggestions for you all to check out. If you are new to Japanese novels, I highly recommend you check these out. Or, if you are more familiar, there might be a few on this list that you haven’t read yet.
Overall, I highly recommend all of these. And if you are a beginning writer or science fiction author, there is so much you can learn from these novels about the craft of writing. They truly take the novel in new directions that I haven’t seen in either US or British literature. And they open our eyes to new possibilities in writing.
Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata (2016)
I love this book. It pulls you into the life of a woman in Japan working at a convenience store, and you realize that she is likely somewhere on the autism spectrum, although this is never stated explicitly. She loves working at the store, but society and the people in her life keep pressuring her into living a “normal” life instead, meaning they want her to get married and/or get a real job. This causes a chain reaction in her life that makes her question everything. I won’t reveal more, but this is a great novel about finding our way in the world, and I highly recommend it.
The Factory, by Hiroko Oyamada (2013)
To me, this was a really different reading experience. And I mean that in the best possible way. Most of the book follows the lives of three characters as they begin jobs at a factory. The oddly brilliant thing about this novel is that nothing exactly happens. But there are just enough hints at things that seem odd or don’t make sense that you keep reading to find out what is going on. Then, on the last page, the author turns it all around with a surprise ending. Great read, but a very different and captivating experience.
I think overall, I was amazed by how the author was able to keep my rapt attention even though the book seems to lack the traditional elements of a plot. From a genre writer’s perspective, who has had the fundamentals of plot drilled into my head, it was refreshing and a bit awe inspiring to see that there are other ways to keep a reader engaged.
The Buddha in the Attic, by Julie Otsuka (2011)
I know, some of you might be thinking, “Wait, Julie Otsuka is an American author. Why are we including it here in this list?” I have two reasons, and they are probably overlapping. First off, I find her novels to offer unique insight into Japanese culture and the way it encountered American culture in the twentieth century. Basically, if you are an American and want to understand Japanese culture better and the perspective of Japanese people dealing with life in America, these books are for you.
Second, even though I am using the concept of “Japanese literature” in this post, the idea of dividing literature into national boundaries is problematic in practice. What makes an author Japanese or American? Is it citizenship, their place of residence, or something else? And if a person or their family move from one country to another, can they no longer speak for their ancestors or family? What if someone has a dual citizenship? What country does their literature belong to?
Basically, the more you try to draw these lines in our modern world, the more they fall apart. So, to me, Julie Otsuka can belong in a list like this, or even an American literature list, because she offers insight and understanding into both cultures. Her works represent contact zones, moments of cultural interaction and hybridity. And as a result, to me, they defy conventional categorization.
That said, let’s get back to the novel. This is a great book that sticks with you. It takes a collective perspective of Japanese women who came to America in the early 20th century as “photo brides.” So, in order to capture this, Otsuka makes it so you don’t just follow one character. Instead, the book is divided into subjects or historical events and each sentence gives you one woman’s perspective on it. This means that each chapter ends up showing you the perspective of dozens if not hundreds of Japanese women. I found it powerful, insightful, captivating, and more than often tragic. There are lines that haunt you long after you are done.
When the Emperor was Divine, by Julie Otsuka (2002)
Yes, here’s another great book by Otsuka. I usually avoid putting down two novels by the same author on a list, but this book deserves to be included here. It takes the perspective of a Japanese American family who were sent to US internment camps during WWII. The novel really gives a voice to the marginalized perspectives of US citizens who just so happened to be of Japanese heritage and how they were forced to leave behind their lives, survive in the camps, and then come back to find their homes ransacked, sold, and their lives seemingly forgotten.
It has some scenes that really stick with you even years after you read it. As a writer, these vivid scenes are wonderful lessons in making vivid moments that matter to your readers. So much to learn here.
Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki (1914)
This book has a very slow and stately pace, but it leads to situations and images that are vivid and that you end up contemplating for a long time afterward. I found it really interesting as a study in gender roles and gender performance in Japanese culture. But taking place during a moment of cultural change in Japan, it also plays with the conflict of traditional Japanese culture and the encroaching presence of modern Japanese culture.
It all begins with a young man meeting an older man at the beach. But as we learn more about the old man’s life, we learn that he has a dark secret that has tainted every aspect of his life ever since. It is a great book about friendship, deceit, and a love soured by our own horrible actions.
So, check these out. I may end up doing another post on Japanese novels in the near future. But for now, this is a great place for anyone to start.
Leave a comment below on what you think of these books. Or, if you have any other suggestions of Japanese novels that you think I should check out, throw those in the comments too.
Until next time: read on and read widely.