Japanese Literature discussion

So here is a good generic discussion starter- what book(s) began your interest in Japanese literature?

For me, it was most notably After Dark by Murakami. Before that, I really enjoyed The Floating World by Cynthia Gralla. Most recently, it was The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa. (I really wish more of her books were translated and available in the U.S. I've almost considered learning the language so that I can read more untranslated Japanese fiction.)

I also really liked Kirino's Out and Miyabe's The Devil's Whisper. Needless to say, my tastes are pretty contemporary, though I am eager to get a better foundation in older Japanese classics, mysteries, and gothics.

Kobo Abe - Woman in the Dunes was the first that I remember; it resonated so strongly.

I received the Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories as a gift about 12 years ago and that got me going.

But what hooked me for life was Yasunari Kawabata's Beauty and Sadness, which I accidented upon in a bookstore.

Definitely Murakami. I remember I had to read Wind-Up Bird Chronicle for a class on Postmodernism and it resonated with me so strongly.

Oe.

Ryu Murakami's "In the Miso Soup"

Sojyung wrote: "Oe."

Which one, and why?

Kathy wrote: "Ryu Murakami's "In the Miso Soup""

What did you love about it?

For me it was the Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, I bought it after watching "Ghost Dog" movie , by Jim Jarmush, -- Loving this director -- , This movie is average but there's also some really good parts... Anyway the Hagakure worked for me as a great day to day life philosophy reference, even if the book is a 17th century old spiritual guide ( the way of the samurai) , it can easily be reported to today lifestyle...

G. wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Ryu Murakami's "In the Miso Soup""

What did you love about it?"

I like the way Ryu writes. It feels very honest and it's easy to understand the characters' thought process. It's a story about a homicidal man, but Ryu isn't trying to shock the reader. Rather he spends a lot of time trying to contemplate the psychological motivations of the killer, but the writing never becomes pretentious or didactic. I felt like I could understand a little bit better about human nature and about myself from reading this book.

I haven't read any Ryu Murakami yet, though I do have "Coin Locker Babies." The first line or so really threw me off the first time I tried to read it, though.

Haha. I did that too. I read the first few lines of Coin Locker Babies and was completely grossed out, so I never read that book.

Aha! Glad I'm not the only one!

I made it past the first line and have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Ryu has a way of haunting you with words (which is obvious with the first line of Coin Locker). This book was nearly perfect until about the mid-way point. I didn't lose interest but felt maybe Ryu lost steam. Try his book 'Piercing'. Easy to get through but will stick with you in a painful way. '69' was a weaker read, a coming-of-age type book.

Another book by a Japanese writer that was ok if you're looking for contemporary Japanese fiction is called 'Shadow Family'... forget the authors name and too lazy to check. I read it this year so it's in my reviews of 2009.

Try Ryu... start with 'Piercing'. It's got one hell of an ending.

"I was anything, waiting for someone to kill me.
But it is the same as that of waiting for me to draw something.
- The Confessions of a Mask, "

For me it was Losing Kei but I heard good things about In the Miso Soup---took a break from Losing Kei to read it!

what a great book---now back to Losing Kei

Probably the first thing I read was Haruki Murakami's Sputnik Sweetheart. But, though I liked it, it only made me want to read more Murakami books and not Japanese literature. My passion for jap-lit developed later, when I became interested in Japanese culture and started learning the language. Besides Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto and Yukio Mishima are my favourite, and Ryu is just a little too dark for me. :)

Have u read Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen?

Yes, I have, but I enjoyed her Asleep a little more. Though Kitchen is also a very nice (short) novel full of melancholy that is, for me, the best thing in Banana Yoshimoto's writing. :)

After Dark is really good. =3 its not very long either.

my first contact with a japanese author was Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen which i read at least a decade ago (or longer), followed by some others of her books which i found strangely moving.
now, i'm hoping to get more input on japanese authors here in this group, i'm looking forward to Beauty and Sadness which - against all odds - i could order without any problems from our library.....

New to the group, so 'hi all!'

My first was Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, and I fell in love with Murakami's writing and characters almost immediately. The honesty and acceptance of "flaws" is perfect. I've read most of his other books since then and am working on discovering other Japanese authors (hence joining this group).

For some reason, I got interested because of the classics, and then moved into modern literature. I started with The Tale of the Heike while I was taking a Japanese Culture class, along with Naomi and After Dark. Another great one is Silence by Endo. I hear they are thinking of making a movie out of it.

I came across a book in a library once and started to read it at work during breaks. Completely fell in love with it. It was Yasunari Kawabata's Beauty and Sadness.....

Be With You by Takuji Ichikawa. i saw it in the borders and thought to give it a try. I read it and loved it and just kept finding more books from there. It was truly a beautiful book.

Mine was : Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto. I probably took that book out 5 times in a year or so in the school library. Need to get my own copy. It would be a kinda slow read for some, but at the time I needed gentle words and simplicity to fill a hole.

Tsuki wrote: "Be With You by Takuji Ichikawa. i saw it in the borders and thought to give it a try. I read it and loved it and just kept finding more books from there. It was truly a beautiful book."

Looks very good - I added this to my list! Thank you.

You know something - I can't actually remember. That's weird.

I think it must have been 'Ring' by Koji Suzuki. Though it could also have been Natsuo Kirino and 'Out'.

'Spring Snow' by Mishima: I had seen the movie bio, decided I wanted to read whatever inspired that look. First and favorite of his 'Sea of Fertility' tetralogy. Inspired me to read a lot of Japanese Literature (57 so far). 'In the Miso Soup' is best recent read: incredibly intense.

And 'Thousand Cranes'- Yasunari Kawabata . Must read .....

For me, it was Natsuo Kirinos Grotesque!

"The Elephant Vanishes" by Haruki Murakami was my introduction to Japanese literature, but "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" really hooked me and Mishima's "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea" sent me on the continuing search for new authors that I am still on to this day.

Zala wrote: "Probably the first thing I read was Haruki Murakami's Sputnik Sweetheart. But, though I liked it, it only made me want to read more Murakami books and not Japanese literature. My passion for jap-li..."

I felt the same way about my first Murakami! I read Kafka first and felt like I had to read something else by him...moved on to WUB. That is the book that got me hooked on Japanese literature.

my first Japanese author i read was Haruki Murakami. I read "Kafka on the Shore" and was hooked to Murakami instantly! I love his magical realism writing style, his characters, his descriptions... So far I have read: Wind up bird; Dance, Dance, Dance; Hard Boiled Wonderland; and Norwegian Wood... My favorite is probably a tie between Kafka and Dance... I was thinking about trying out Mishima, but was wondering which book i should start with? I was thinking about starting with "The Sound of Waves" because I love fishing... What Mishima would you suggest?

"The Sound of Waves" is not a bad start, but I would recommend "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion". I would also advise you to look into Kobo Abe's work. Abe has a strangeness all his own.

Im guessing "The Woman of the Dunes" is the Abe book you would recommend?

For novels I would say "Secret Rendezvous", but I would recommend "Beyond the Curve" which is a collection of short stories.

I'm a big fan of the modern Japanese writing. I've enjoyed a lot of the above mentioned. I love the stranger novels especially. My favourite's have to be "Crimson Labyrinth" by Yusuke Kishi (which is often likened to "Battle Royale" another brilliant novel)tho I think it stands out alone, "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" by Haruki Murakami and "Kamikazi Girls" by Novala Takemoto. I want to read "Salmonella Men on Planet Porno" next and "Be With You" at some point. Actually I want to read everything. I'm Japanese lit greedy!!

Undoubtedly,Kobo Abe's "Woman in the Dunes" and "Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan" by Murasaki Shikibu.As for Murakami it would be Sputnik Sweetheart , my first Murakami novel.

Sputnik Sweetheart is wonderful.

Hazel wrote: "Sputnik Sweetheart is wonderful."

Yes, indeed!

first was the wind up bird chronicle, followed shortly by out and in the miso soup

Hazel wrote: "I'm a big fan of the modern Japanese writing. I've enjoyed a lot of the above mentioned. I love the stranger novels especially. My favourite's have to be "Crimson Labyrinth" by Yusuke Kishi (which ..."

i read salmonella men and was disappointed by it

Ray wrote: "Hazel wrote: "I'm a big fan of the modern Japanese writing. I've enjoyed a lot of the above mentioned. I love the stranger novels especially. My favourite's have to be "Crimson Labyrinth" by Yusuke..."

I've still not got around to reading it yet, as I've got some library books to get through first. One of which is Bedtime Eyes by Amy Yamada, and I have to admit this is not so enjoyable for me. Reviews I've read are mixed but reviews often don't help me as I have odd tastes. Maybe I'll read Salmonella men after this.

Hazel wrote: "Ray wrote: "Hazel wrote: "I'm a big fan of the modern Japanese writing. I've enjoyed a lot of the above mentioned. I love the stranger novels especially. My favourite's have to be "Crimson Labyrint..."

Salmonella was patchy - some good, some bad. Worth a try but I preferred Ryu Murakami and Kirino

do let me know if bedtime eyes is a good read - i too have been put off by the mixed reviews

Rmillikan wrote: "Salmonella Men was entertaining, not a great book but fun ideas (and some pretty annoying mannerisms), and I wouldn't mind reading more by the author."

i would also try another - perhaps paprika

I prefer most other modern Japanese writers than than this particular writer. I have read Paprika and also The Maid. I did enjoy them to some degree, but felt the characters in The Maid to be so cold and left me feeling a bit down. Sex is a strong continuous theme in his writing, but without a lot of human connection I think.

First book was Out by Natsuo Kirino, read a good 6 years ago (needs a reread) I loved the grimey feel to the story. Haruki Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase made me look into Japanese literature with surreal tones more so.

To my shame I can't remember, but there are very few novels from japanese authors that fail to impress, of course Murakami is at the top of my all time favourite list. Maybe it was Outbut it may have been The Wind-Up Bird Chronicleooh don't know

4cats wrote: "To my shame I can't remember, but there are very few novels from japanese authors that fail to impress, of course Murakami is at the top of my all time favourite list. Maybe it was [book:Out|25365..."

Out and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle are excellent books. I remember The wind up bird having a really grisly upsetting scene in it, which I couldn't get out of my head for a long time, so wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but Out was a compelling read from start to finish for anyone really loving a good thrilling ride of a book.