4 comments
amf
2 months ago
Going to fully agree on Banana Yoshimoto, Sayaka Murata, No Longer Human, In the Miso Soup, and Out. Hiromi Kawakami's Manazuru would also be my 100 percent essential requirement, read it at home and then read it on the Manazuru Peninsula and lost my mind just a little bit.
kindi
3 months ago
I Am A Cat - Soseki Natsume is an older one I've been meaning to read for a while. Friend of mine loved it. A few other more contemporary Japanese Authors I like- Kobo Abe Sayaka Murata Banana Yoshimoto Izumi Suzuki Yoko Ogawa Mieko Kawakami I haven't read but heard good things about her
tokyodrifter
3 months ago
No Longer Human (Dazai) Out (Kirino) Naomi (Tanizaki) Norwegian Wood (Murakami) In the Miso Soup (the other Murakami) - honestly don't love this one but it's interesting for being more contemporary and focused on tourism
yarb
3 months ago
Since you asked for recs — Grass For My Pillow (1966), by Saiichi Maruya. A fascinating novel dealing with war guilt and postwar identity. Also something by Kobo Abe and Kenzaburo Oe, maybe "Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids" for the latter.