Japanese Literature

In this collection, discover insightful analyses of iconic Japanese literary texts, including The Tale of Genji, which is widely considered the world’s earliest surviving novel. Learn how the different authors portray a diverse set of topics, from interpersonal relationships and identity, to dystopias and the experience of Japanese internment camps during World War II.

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: GenderTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Japanese Literature

1Q84 is a novel written by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The book was first published in Japanese in three volumes and released in 2009 and 2010, ahead of an English translation published in 2011, and includes elements of magical realism and dystopian literature. Set in 1984 in Tokyo, the story concerns an assassin who stumbles upon an alternate world she refers to as 1Q84. There, she becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving an abusive... Read 1Q84 Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki is a revisionist account of American history that provides an in-depth view of America as a country populated and built by diverse peoples of the world. Originally published in 1993 by Little, Brown and Company, this study guide uses the updated 2008 edition. In 1994 A Different Mirror received an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for its contributions to advancing understandings of racism and human diversity.Takaki’s... Read A Different Mirror Summary


Publication year 1983Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: SiblingsTags Japanese Literature, Grief / Death, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: Asian, Education, Education, British Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Kazuo Ishiguro is an English and Japanese author who is most well-known for prizewinning novels such as The Remains of the Day (1989) and Never Let Me Go (2005), the latter of which was adapted into a film in 2010. “A Family Supper” is a 1983 short story that was originally published in a volume of Ishiguro’s works, titled Firebird 2: Writing Today.The short story begins when an unnamed narrator returns to his homeland of... Read A Family Supper Summary


Publication year 2004Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: CommunityTags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Surrealism

After Dark was published in 2004 by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The novel follows protagonist Mari Asai through one night in Tokyo. Mari has run-ins with organized crime, people on the run, and others who do not fit into Tokyo’s often conservative society. After Dark was met with lackluster critical reception, partially due to Murakami’s characteristic ambiguity and apparent lack of an ending; however, others argue that this ambiguity allows readers to interpret events... Read After Dark Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Novel, FictionTags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Winner of the Asian-American Literary Award, Korean-American Chang-Rae Lee’s A Gesture Life was published in 1999. Lee found inspiration for his historical fiction in the deeply disturbing news about Korean sex slaves used by Japanese soldiers during World War II.Narrated by a young Korean-turned-Japanese medic charged with overseeing comfort women in a camp in Burma, the novel provides a nuanced look at the psychological implications of assimilation and the pressure to conform. As the story... Read A Gesture Life Summary


Publication year 1975Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & BetrayalTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Asian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction

All I Asking for Is My Body (1975) was written by Milton Murayama and is a fictionalized autobiography based on Murayama’s upbringing on a Hawaiian sugar cane plantation in the 1930s. Kiyoshi Oyama, the American son of Japanese immigrants, narrates the story using a mixture of Standard English with Hawaiian English Creole. The novel explores themes of Japanese filial responsibilities as opposed to American individualism and the treatment of Japanese Americans at the start of... Read All I Asking for Is My Body Summary


Publication year 1982Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Gender, Relationships: MothersTags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Immigration / Refugee, British Literature, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World

A Pale View of Hills (1982) is Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel. Born in Nagasaki in 1954, Ishiguro immigrated with his family to the United Kingdom when he was five years old. Despite his family’s Japanese origins, the author frequently states in interviews that his experience with Japanese culture is very limited, as he spent all his adult life in England. Simultaneously, however, growing up in a Japanese family developed in Ishiguro a different perspective compared... Read A Pale View of Hills Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags History: World, Japanese Literature, Biography, History: Asian, Politics / Government, Inspirational

Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionTags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature

A Tale for the Time Being is a 2013 work of literary fiction written by Japanese-American novelist Ruth Ozeki. Told in four parts, the book goes back and forth between the stories of two protagonists: sixteen-year-old Naoko “Nao” Yasutani, who is writing about her life in Tokyo during the early 2000s, and Ruth, a Japanese-American novelist living on an island off the coast of Western Canada. Ruth finds Nao’s diary on the beach shortly after... Read A Tale For The Time Being Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Society: ClassTags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature

Publication year 1982Genre Novel, FictionTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy

A Wild Sheep Chase (1982) is the third novel by Haruki Murakami, an internationally acclaimed author who most recently won the Jerusalem Prize and whose work has been translated into over 50 languages. He is also known for Norwegian Wood (1987), Kafka on the Shore (2002), and 1Q84 (2009).The 29-year-old narrator of the novel, who is never named, works for an advertising agency in Tokyo and leads a lonely and regimented life. He is divorced... Read A Wild Sheep Chase Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Publication year 1965Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Japanese Literature, History: Asian, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Black Rain is a 1965 historical novel by Japanese author Masuji Ibuse. The novel blends authentic accounts and information with a fictional plot to describe the aftermath of the destruction of the Japanese city of Hiroshima by an American atomic bomb in 1945. Black Rain was adapted into a film in 1989. This guide uses an eBook version of the 1979 edition of Black Rain, translated into English by John Bester.Plot SummaryShigematsu Shizuma is a... Read Black Rain Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: MothersTags Japanese Literature, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Equality, Life/Time: The PastTags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Indian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature, Psychological Fiction, History: Asian, Politics / Government, History: U.S., Relationships, WWII / World War II

Burnt Shadows, first published in 2009, is the fifth novel by Pakistani-British author Kamila Shamsie. A political-historical novel, it was nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction, one of the UK’s most prestigious literary awards, and won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, which celebrates books that contribute to a greater understanding of racism and diversity. Shamsie has been shortlisted several times for a John Llewellyn Rhys Prize; she also received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literature... Read Burnt Shadows Summary


Publication year 1946Genre Graphic Novel/Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Miné Okubo’s Citizen 13660 is a graphic memoir about the Japanese American author’s experience in Japanese internment camps during World War II. First published in 1946, Citizen 13660 is told from Okubo’s first-person narrator experience, although the author draws herself in third-person in nearly every scene.Plot OverviewAfter Okubo’s mother’s passing, she lived with her brother in Berkeley, California until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. In response, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive... Read Citizen 13660 Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Music, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental HealthTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Japanese Literature, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is a 2014 novel by renowned Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. The novel tells the story of a man who attempts to overcome past emotional suffering to make his present life more rewarding. Through Tsukuru’s point of view, we see the ripple effects of rejection and the necessity of sometimes confronting the past to make sense of who we are in the present. After a group of friends... Read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Education, Relationships: MothersTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature

Publication year 1949Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: MasculinityTags LGBTQ, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, History: World

Confessions of a Mask is a novel by Yukio Mishima, first published in Japan in 1949. The novel takes place during and immediately after World War II and centers on the struggles of a young man named Kochan. It has significant elements of the coming-of-age (bildungsroman) and queer literature genres, as Kochan is a closeted gay man trying to navigate his complex inner life and sexuality in contrast with his carefully controlled outer persona. The... Read Confessions of a Mask Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: MidlifeTags Japanese Literature, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 1982Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, History: U.S., Race / Racism, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Desert Exile tells the story of the author Yoshiko Uchida and the Uchida family’s experience as Japanese-Americans interned in concentration camps by the U.S. government after the Pearl Harbor attacks during World War II. The book follows a linear narrative arc that details the Uchidas’ experience, while Uchida often reflects discursively, using one point in her life as a vortex for connecting that moment to another memory and in turn creating a larger impression of... Read Desert Exile Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: ColonialismTags History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Politics / Government, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Publication year 1984Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Society: ColonialismTags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Empire of the Sun is a 1984 novel written by British author J.G. Ballard. In it, Jim, the 11-year-old son of a wealthy British family, is living in the International Settlement in Shanghai, China on the eve of Pearl Harbor, 1941. When Japanese forces attack the Settlement, Jim is separated from his parents. He survives for several weeks by scavenging food from abandoned houses, before being arrested by the Japanese. He is then taken to... Read Empire of the Sun Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: ImmigrationTags WWII / World War II, History: World, Military / War, History: U.S., History: European, Grief / Death, Japanese Literature, Biography

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: MothersTags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, WWII / World War II, Post-War Era, History: World, Japanese Literature

Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: WarTags WWII / World War II, History: World, Military / War, Spy / Espionage, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Japanese Literature

Publication year 1985Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: MasculinityTags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, Existentialism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 2010Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: CommunityTags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Japanese Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: FriendshipTags Japanese Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 1946Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: WarTags Journalism, History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Creative Nonfiction, History: World, Education, Education, Military / War, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Hiroshima, an account of the first atomic bomb used in warfare, is a nonfiction book by John Hersey. Alfred A. Knopf published it in 1946, several months after it first appeared as an article in the New Yorker. The magazine ran the article at the end of August 1946, just after the first anniversary of the dropping of the bomb, devoting the entire issue to the lengthy piece. The issue sold out immediately and was... Read Hiroshima Summary


Publication year 1212Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Natural Disaster, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2012Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Animals

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Aging, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Inspirational, Self Help, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Japanese Literature

Publication year 1922Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Modernism, Asian Literature

Though Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) died at age 35, he is often regarded as the father of the Japanese short story. During the middle of the 20th century, when Japanese cinema became interested in its national history and cultural heritage, Akutagawa’s work was adapted by filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa. Because American Westerns had a close relationship with samurai films, Akutagawa’s stories have even been transposed onto the Wild West, resulting in such films as The... Read In A Grove Summary


Publication year 1933Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Globalization, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The essay “In Praise of Shadows” was originally published in 1933 in Japan and was written by the Japanese author Jun’ichirō Tanizaki (1886-1965). His work spanned a wide array of subjects, including the cultural impact of World War II, sexuality, and family relationships. He was especially interested in exploring the cultural differences between Japan and the West. Tanizaki was awarded Japan’s Imperial Prize in Literature in 1949 and wrote novels, short stories, essays, plays, and... Read In Praise of Shadows Summary


Publication year 2002Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: FateTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

A coming-of-age story that raises many questions about concepts such as good and evil, reality, time, and memory, Kafka on the Shore describes the journey of a fifteen year-old run-away, Kafka Tamura, from his home in Tokyo to the shores of Takamatsu. Kafka flees home because his father, a famous—but violent—sculptor, cursed him: he will kill his father and sleep with his mother and sister. Kafka’s mother fled with his older sister when Kafka was... Read Kafka on the Shore Summary


Publication year 1988Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: FriendshipTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Romance, LGBTQ

Kitchen is the debut novel of Japanese writer Banana Yoshimoto. This short book is a riveting narrative about relationships and how they are tested by extreme circumstances. Kitchen is comprised of two separate stories that are unrelated aside from their focus on interpersonal relationships and the ordeals people endure while on journeys of self-discovery. The overall narrative addresses the themes of death, isolation, and self-forgiveness. By placing its characters in tragic circumstances, the novel investigates... Read Kitchen Summary


Publication year 1914Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: ApathyTags Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, History: World

Kokoro is a 1914 novel by Japanese author Natsume Sōseki. Set during the end of the Meiji Restoration, the novel explores how changing Japanese society profoundly effects an older and a younger man as they strike up an unlikely friendship. The novel was initially serialized in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper over the course of five months. The serialized novel was titled Kokoro: Sensei no Isho, though this was shortened for the print run of the... Read Kokoro Summary


Publication year 1970Genre Novel, FictionTags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood is a fictionalized autobiography and bildungsroman by author and literature professor Richard E. Kim (1932-2009). Originally published in 1970, Lost Names is a collection of seven scenes from Kim’s life from 1932 (birth) to 1945 (age 13). Kim examines the Korean experience of Japanese colonial occupation through the eyes of himself as a child. Though it is autobiographical, Kim was ambivalent about its status as fiction or nonfiction:... Read Lost Names Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Novel, FictionTags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance, Japanese Literature

Memoirs of a Geisha is a novel by American author Arthur Golden narrated by a Japanese woman named Sayuri. The story begins when Sayuri (then known as Chiyo) is a child, living in a fishing village with her parents and sister, Satsu. Her modest lifestyle is turned on its head when she meets a man named Mr. Tanaka, who not only runs a fishing company but, unbeknownst to her, also procures girls to work as... Read Memoirs of a Geisha Summary


Publication year 1843Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community, Relationships: FamilyTags History: Asian, Japanese Literature, Education, Education, Asian Literature, History: World, Biography

Publication year 1998Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: BeautyTags Modern Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Food

My Year of Meats is a contemporary novel of literary fiction which focuses on the American meat industry, global capitalism, sex and gender, and artmaking. Written by Booker Prize-nominee Ruth L. Ozeki and published in 1998, the novel won the 1998 Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize. This guide refers to the 1999 Penguin paperback edition of the text. Plot Summary Jane Takagi-Little, a Japanese American documentarian living in New York City in 1991, gets a phone call... Read My Year of Meats Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: FateTags British Literature, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

Book Details & Major ThemesNever Let Me Go is a 2005 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro set in a dystopian version of Great Britain in the 1990s in which cloning technology allows for the mass proliferation of organ donation. Medical problems like cancer are cured because organs are harvested from clones through a state-sanctioned program. The cloned “donors” have their organs taken one at a time until they die. The novel is narrated by Kathy H... Read Never Let Me Go Summary


Publication year 1979Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Nisei Daughter recounts Monica Sone’s childhood in Seattle’s Japanese American community and her experience in the internment camps that housed residents of Japanese ethnicity between 1942 and 1946. The memoir, which has become a seminal text in Asian American studies, was first published in 1953 and then republished in 1979 and 2014, each time with an introduction that reframes the work in its context.The memoir begins with Sone’s realization that she is “a Japanese” when... Read Nisei Daughter Summary


Publication year 1948Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Japanese Literature, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Asian Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1956Genre Novel, FictionTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Education, Education, WWII / World War II, Asian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The novel dramatizes thestruggles of twenty-five-year-old Ichiro Yamada as he returns home after two years spent in prison. Ichiro is a no-no boy, meaning that in response to the 1943 questionnaire entitled “Statement of U.S. Citizenship of Japanese American Ancestry,” he answered no to questions 27 and 28. These questions asked respondents first, if they would serve in the U.S. military whenever ordered and second, if they would forswear allegiance to the Emperor of Japan or... Read No-No Boy Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Japanese Literature, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

First published in 1987, Norwegian Wood is a coming-of-age novel by renowned Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. After becoming a bestseller in Japan, the book was translated into English by Jay Rubin in 2000. Set against the backdrop of the late 1960s, Norwegian Wood tells the story of Toru Watanabe, a young college student who falls in love with two very different women as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his best childhood friend. Told from... Read Norwegian Wood Summary


Publication year 1686Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Asian Literature, Lyric Poem, Japanese Literature, Animals

Many scholars agree that “Old Pond” (1686) by Matsuo Bashō is one of the most—if not the most—famous haiku of all time. The term “haiku” translates as “play verse,” and though “Old Pond” appears whimsical and simple—a frog jumping into water and the subsequent splash—Bashō utilizes various literary devices such as key words and onomatopoeia to ensure this three-line poem is both didactic and enjoyable. “Old Pond” is instructional, especially for its use of common... Read Old Pond Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: MothersTags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Pachinko, written by Min Jin Lee (Free Food for Millionaires) and published in 2017, is the story of five generations of a Korean family living in both Korea and then later Japan from 1910 to 1989. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2017. In Book 1, “Gohyang/Hometown 1910-1933,” the opening setting is the village of Yeongdo, Korea. The reader is introduced to the first generation of the family, the... Read Pachinko Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: ImmigrationTags Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Asian Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1915Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Poverty, Japanese Literature

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story, “Rashōmon,” originally published in 1916, is a fictional story that details a man on the brink of death who must decide between maintaining his morals and dying or becoming a thief to save his own life. “Rashōmon” sets about to tackle themes of poverty, morality, and survival. Akutagawa is a renowned Japanese author who has been widely named the “father of Japanese short stories.” In addition, Japan’s most prestigious literary award... Read Rashomon Summary


Publication year 1977Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: FriendshipTags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Education, Education, History: World, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Originally published in 1977, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a middle-grade historical fiction novel written by Eleanor Coerr based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl living in Hiroshima, Japan, when the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. At age 12, Sadako is diagnosed with leukemia, often called “the atom bomb disease.” Inspired by a Japanese legend, Sadako sets out to fold 1,000 origami cranes, hoping she will be granted... Read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: NationTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 1949Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: ImmigrationTags Education, Education, Japanese Literature

“Seventeen Syllables,” originally published in 1949 by the Partisan Review, is Hisaye Yamamoto’s most anthologized short story. Yamamoto was one of the first Japanese American authors to achieve critical and commercial success after World War II due to her celebrated short stories about life in Southern California and the experiences of Japanese Americans. Her stories were eventually published together in 1988, in a collection titled Seventeen Syllables and Other Stories released by Kitchen Table Press... Read Seventeen Syllables Summary


Publication year 1975Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: Asian, Politics / Government, Military / War, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Shogun is a 1975 novel by American author James Clavell. It is one of six books in Clavell’s Asian Saga, which chronicles the ways Europeans interacted with countries in Asia from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The novel tells the story of English ship pilot John Blackthorne, loosely based on the real life navigator William Adams, who becomes intimately involved in the rise to power of Yoshi Toranaga, a fictionalized version of Tokugawa Ieyasu... Read Shogun Summary


Publication year 1937Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Romance, Asian Literature, History: World

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata was originally published episodically in Japanese literary journals between 1935 and 1937. It was finally published as a complete version in 1948. The novel takes place on the snowy northwestern coast of Japan and tells the story of the ill-fated romance between a geisha named Komako and her wealthy client, Shimamura. In the intimate setting of the onsen, Kawabata explores the Commodification of Female Talent and Affection, Landscapes as Metaphors... Read Snow Country Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ

Southland is a 2003 crime novel written by Nina Revoyr. The award-winning novel is her second; her first novel is The Necessary Hunger. Revoyr was born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and a Polish American father and is known for her engaging prose about aspects of Los Angeles that often go unseen. In Southland, Revoyr addresses themes of racism, redemption, justice, and family while telling the story of a forgotten neighborhood. Revoyr weaves details... Read Southland Summary


Publication year 2002Genre Graphic Novel/Book, FictionThemes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Fantasy

Publication year 1947Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: CommunityTags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Japanese Literature

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Class, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, WWII / World War II, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Julie Otsuka is a Japanese American writer who was born in 1962 in Palo Alto, California. Both The Buddha in the Attic (2011) and her 2002 novel, When the Emperor was Divine, portray the Japanese American experience of internment camps following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The subject is close to Otsuka’s heart; the FBI arrested her grandfather on suspicion of being an enemy spy, while her mother, uncle, and grandmother were... Read The Buddha in the Attic Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Fantasy, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism

Set in Arthurian Britain just after King Arthur’s death,The Buried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro’s seventh novel, is told in four parts and focuses on an elderly couple, Axl and Beatrice, and their journey to find their son. Along the way, they must deal with issues of memory, aging, love, loss and death. While the voice of a narrator frames the novel, much of the story is told from the shifting perspectives of the major characters of... Read The Buried Giant Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: LonelinessTags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature

Publication year 1942Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: WarTags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1999Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Japanese Literature, Action / Adventure

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (1999), by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, is the first novel in the Samurai Detective young adult series, currently comprised of seven books. The novel follows Seikei, the son of a merchant who aspires to be a samurai, as he helps the judge investigate the theft of a ruby from a samurai lord. It explores the themes of Personal Ambition Versus Societal Expectations, The Deceptiveness of Appearances, and The Importance... Read The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn Summary


Publication year 1926Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Animals, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature

Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: FamilyTags Psychological Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability, Education, Science / Nature, Relationships, History: Asian, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature

The Housekeeper and the Professor, written by Yōko Ogawa, is a work of literary fiction set in modern-day Japan and loosely based on the book The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, a biography of the mathematician Paul Erdös. The Housekeeper and the Professor was originally published in Japanese in 2003; it sold more than one million copies and received the Hon’ya Taisho award in 2004. In 2006, it was adapted into a film version, titled... Read The Housekeeper and the Professor Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: EducationTags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1994Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: NationTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy

The Memory Police is a science fiction novel by Yoko Ogawa. The Japanese edition debuted in 1994 and was translated into English by Stephen Snyder in 2019. Under the sci-fi umbrella, the novel more specifically belongs in the dystopian, or Orwellian, speculative fiction subgenre in that the story explores the quiet, quotidian results of scientific experimentation. In doing so, it considers themes like Memory and Manufacturing the Uncanny as well as Alienation Within a Police... Read The Memory Police Summary


Publication year 1916Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Self DiscoveryTags Satire, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1002Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Creative Nonfiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

The Pillow Book is a collection of reflections written by Japanese gentlewoman Sei Shonagon as a kind of journal during the 990s and early 1000s. Though her world would have been familiar to her audience, which experienced her reflections only after they were unintentionally released, parts of The Pillow Book may seem opaque to 21st-century readers unfamiliar with Japan’s 11th-century Heian court.Even so, Shonagon’s vivid descriptions of nature, her fascination with royal spectacle, and her... Read The Pillow Book Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature, Politics / Government

The Rape of Nanking is a historical nonfiction book published in 1997 by American author and journalist Iris Chang. Subtitled The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, the book chronicles the 1937 Nanking massacre, during which the Imperial Japanese Army, over a six-week period, killed between 260,000 and 400,000 Chinese noncombatants and raped between 20,000 and 80,000 women. The Rape of Nanking was enormously influential in drawing attention to Japanese wartime atrocities, earning Chang numerous... Read The Rape of Nanking Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Disability, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 1994Genre Novel, FictionTags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature

The Samurai’s Garden tells the story of Stephen Chan, a 20-year-old Chinese painter, writer, and student who, at the urging of his upper-middle-class parents, leaves school in Canton to spend a year recuperating from an undisclosed illness at his family’s beach house in Tarumi, Japan. The narrative present of the novel is set during the first year of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).The novel is character-driven. Stephen’s traditional Chinese mother lives at the family home... Read The Samurai's Garden Summary


Publication year 1984Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature, Action / Adventure

Publication year 1008Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: GenderTags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism

The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu, is considered by many to be the world’s earliest surviving novel. The edition/translation used for this guide, edited by Royall Tyler, was originally published in 2001, and reissued in 2006, abridged from the longer pieces of Shikibu’s classic story, which was originally written at the start of the 11thcentury. There are considered to be fifty-four total “chapters” salvaged from the tale Shikibu originally composed. However, Tyler’s edition includes... Read The Tale Of Genji Summary


Publication year 1994Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: FateTags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Japanese Literature, Love / Sexuality

Publication year 1962Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: AnimalsTags Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Japanese Literature, Existentialism, Asian Literature, History: World

Kōbō Abe’s 1962 novel The Woman in the Dunes (Sand Woman in Japanese) is an existential story of an amateur entomologist who goes on holiday to a seaside village. He winds up trapped in a sand pit with a woman engaged in a never-ending battle with the sand that threatens to overwhelm the village. It won the 1962 Yomiuri Prize for literature and the 1967 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (France’s Prize for the Best... Read The Woman in the Dunes Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Graphic Novel/Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: RaceTags History: U.S., Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Social Justice, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography

They Called Us Enemy is a 2019 graphic memoir written by author, actor, and activist George Takei and illustrated by Harmony Becker. The story chronicles Takei’s childhood experience in the Japanese concentration camps created by the United States during World War II. Takei frames the narrative with a modern-day talk delivered at the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who presided over the country during the war and issued Executive Order 9066, which empowered the US... Read They Called Us Enemy Summary


Publication year 1952Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: GlobalizationTags Japanese Literature, Love / Sexuality, Asian Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction

The novel Thousand Cranes (in Japanese, Senbazuru) was written by Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata. It was originally published in serialized form between 1949 and 1951 and compiled with another of Kawabata’s novels, Snow Country (1948), in book form in 1952. The narrative follows Kikuji, an orphaned young businessman, as he navigates the legacy of his father’s infidelity against the backdrop of traditional Japanese tea culture. It explores themes of Decay of Traditions and Values, Legacy:... Read Thousand Cranes Summary


Publication year 1990Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: GlobalizationTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Karen Tei Yamashita’s Through the Arc of the Rain Forest (1990) is a magical realist story from Coffee House Press. Narrated by a sentient floating sphere, the story primarily takes place in Brazil. Utilizing fantastical elements, the novel addresses issues of environmentalism, economic inequality, and faith.Plot SummaryA sentient ball narrates the novel in the first person and provides third person narration for the other characters. The story opens on the shores of Japan, where the... Read Through the Arc of the Rain Forest Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: RegretTags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 1997Genre Novel, FictionTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

Tropic of Orange is a 1997 magical realism novel by Japanese American writer Karen Tei Yamashita. Taking place primarily in Los Angeles, the novel begins on the longest day of the year and spans the course of a week; it covers a magical event that begins in Mexico on the Tropic of Cancer and spreads north to Los Angeles. The story is told from the perspective of seven diverse principal characters; each character gets a... Read Tropic of Orange Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Graphic Novel/Book, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Science / Nature, Natural Disaster

Publication year 1986Genre Book, NonfictionTags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Japanese Literature

In his 1986 nonfiction work War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian John W. Dower investigates the racism between the United States and the Empire of Japan, as it existed before, during, and after the Second World War. The very nature and understanding of who the enemy was, for both the Anglo-Americans and the Japanese, presented in many forms. On the American side, there was an important... Read War Without Mercy Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: WarTags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Japanese Literature, Arts / Culture, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata’s 2006 historical fiction young adult novel, tells the story of 12-year-old Japanese American Sumiko amid Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the US government’s ensuing involvement in World War II. Kadohata depicts the conditions of Japanese internment camps from Sumiko’s perspective, providing unique insight and education on the racism that Japanese Americans faced and the US government’s poor decisions.This guide references the 2009 paperback reprint edition from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.Plot... Read Weedflower Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Self DiscoveryTags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature

Publication year 2002Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Japanese Literature

When My Name Was Keoko (2002) is a young adult work of historical fiction by Linda Sue Park about the Japanese occupation of Korea during World War II. Many praise the novel for how it exposes this often overlooked topic in history, authentically portraying Korean life, culture, and perspective in the 1940s. Park wrote the narrative in alternating chapters from the first-person perspective voices of two Korean siblings: 10-year-old Sun-hee (aka Keoko) and 13-year-old Tae-yul... Read When My Name Was Keoko Summary


Publication year 2002Genre Novel, FictionTags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Education, Education, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

Japanese-American author Julie Otsuka’s historical fiction novel, When the Emperor Was Divine, was published in 2002. It is a short book, falling at the boundary between a novel and a novella, chronicling the experience of one Japanese family at an internment camp during World War II. The book is broken into five uneven sections: “Evacuation Order No. 19,” “Train,” “When the Emperor Was Divine,” “In a Stranger’s Backyard,” and “Confession.” The first three sections are... Read When the Emperor Was Divine Summary