Read Japanese Literature

In part three of this episode, we’ll finish our story of Japanese apocalyptic and dystopian fiction. First, stories from the mid-90s and 20-aughts. Then, stories from after the March 2011 Triple Disasters. We’ll end with a look at the life and work of author Yoko Tawada who has written several apocalyptic stories, including one of the most important works of post-3/11 apocalyptic fiction available in English translation—The Emissary, also known at The Last Children of Tokyo. CW: brief mentions of historical and fictional violence and rape Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In part two of this three part episode, we're looking at the apocalyptic and dystopian fiction of Japan. We'll begin with the evolution of the idea of "the end of the world" in Japan, especially after Japan started importing American and European science fiction. We'll move on to Japanese apocalyptic stories, especially between 1945 and the 1970s and then during the 1970s and 1980s. CW: brief mentions of historical and fictional violence and rape Part two mistakenly implies Jules Verne was an Anglo-American author. As outlined in part one, he was French. Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. This episode’s artwork is adapted from a photograph by Du Truong, “The Student of Gunkanjima”. Gunkanjima, also known as Hashima Island, is an abandoned island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Truong’s work is available under a Creative Commons license. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In part one of this three part episode, we're looking at apocalyptic and dystopian fiction as genres. Their origins in Western and Central Asia. Their evolution in Western Europe. And a history of English-language apocalyptic and dystopian storytelling that will provide us with context and a basis for comparison when we turn to Japanese stories in part two. Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. CW: brief mentions of historical and fictional violence and rape This episode’s artwork is adapted from a photograph by Du Truong, “The Student of Gunkanjima”. Gunkanjima, also known as Hashima Island, is an abandoned island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Truong’s work is available under a Creative Commons license. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In part two of this two-part episode on misogyny in Japanese literature, we're talking about the life and work of Yukio Mishima, especially by way of his I-Novel, Confessions of a Mask. Check out part one for Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. This episode is rated mature. CW: misogyny, fictional rape, internalized homophobia, suicide Join Patreon to support the podcast and access bonus content. Support Wajima and the urushi industry with the Matsuzawa Urushi Workshop. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In part one of this two-part episode, we're talking about misogyny in Japanese literature. Confessions of a Mask.Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. This episode is rated mature. CW: misogyny, fictional rape, internalized homophobia, suicide Join Patreon to support the podcast and access 10 minutes of bonus content. Support Wajima and the urushi industry with the Matsuzawa Urushi Workshop. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

There is no one quite like Kenji Miyazawa. Born into wealth, he longed to be “a real peasant”. One of Japan’s most influential children’s writers, he sold only one story during his lifetime. Read Japanese Literature takes a look at Miyazawa's colorful biography through three of his beloved stories. Miyazawa produced the artwork for this episode. It's a painted titled Power Pole in the Moonlight. Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

To celebrate the overseas release of The Boy and the Heron (aka How Do You Live?) RJL delves into the stories that inspire animator Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, especially Nausicaä of the Valley of the WindHowl’s Moving CastleMy Neighbor TotoroWe’ll end with a deep dive into Kiki’s Delivery Service—the Ghibli film and the novel by Eiko Kadano (as translated by Emily Balistrieri). Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. *25,000 total episode downloads! Thanks for your support!* Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode, we're talking about one of the most important voices in modern Japanese literature, Haruki Murakami. We'll end with what I like best about this much loved (and much hated) author. Notes and sources on the episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode, we're talking about Japanese children's literature. Temple Alley SummeraboutNotes and sources on the episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

How does a book make it from the mind of a Japanese author into the hands of an English-language reader? In part 2 of this 2-part episode, we'll tackle the question, “How do Japanese books get translated into English?" What kinds of choices do translators make when they present a Japanese-language text to English-language readers? We're still looking at at Minae Mizumura's An I-Novel, translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter, and we'll end with some philosophical and ethical questions about translation. Notes and sources on the episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

How does a book make it from the mind of a Japanese author into the hands of an English-language reader? In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we'll tackle the question, “Why do some Japanese books get translated into English?" How do publishers decide what gets translated? How do they decide what doesn’t get translated. And we'll take a look at Minae Mizumura's An I-Novel, translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter. Please note two errors in part 1. 1. Noriko Mizuta Lippit translated "The Smile of the Mountain Witch", assisted by Mariko Ochi. The translation appears in Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch, which is edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C. Ehrlich. 2. Author Astrid Lindgren and her Pippi Longstocking series are Swedish—not Norwegian. Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode, we’re talking about Japanese science fiction. The history of the genre. SF in Japan. Breakthrough feminist sci-fi writer Izumi Suzuki. Plus loads of SF stories, including Suzuki’s “Night Picnic”. CW: suicide Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode, we're talking about writing from Okinawa. The history of the Ryukyu Islands, especially the Battle of Okinawa. The evolution of writing from Okinawa. And the life life and work of author and activist Shun Medoruma, especially his Akutagawa-winning story "Droplets". CW: forced suicide (historical), violence (historical and fictional), historical rape Correction: This episode claims Hokkaido is Japan's largest island. I know better and misspoke. My apologies.Honshu is Japan's largest island. Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

On March 11, 2011, at 2:46pm, one tectonic plate forced its way on top of another 45 miles (or 72 km) off the Eastern coast of Japan. It caused a 9.0 magnitude megathrust earthquake that lasted about six minutes. The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a tsunami—a great wave—that may have reached heights up to 133 feet (more than 40 meters). The earthquake and tsunami also disabled the reactor cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing several reactors to meltdown. The government of Tokyo released official death numbers around the tenth anniversary of 3/11 in 2021. It reported 19,759 deaths. 6,242 injuries. And 2,553 missing. Most of the missing are presumed dead. Hundreds of thousands of people who evacuated the area still haven’t returned home—many never will. In this episode: Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Donate to support Tohoku: Soso Volunteer (Japanese)Support Our Kids (Japanese)The Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund (English)Become an RJL supporter for ten minutes of bonus content. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

This episode is marked mature. Today we'll explore two trends in contemporary Japanese fiction: To take a closer look at these trends, we’re going to ask a couple of questions about contemporary Japan: We’ll end with a closer look at Mieko Kawakami’s best-selling novel, Breasts and Eggs. Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Become an RJL supporter for ten minutes of bonus content. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

The Akutagawa Prize is probably Japan’s most celebrated literary award. To better understand the Akutagawa Prize and its place in modern Japanese literature, we’ll start with an introduction to the history of “literary” fiction in Japan. Then we’ll move on to the history of the Akutagawa Prize itself, from its creation in 1935 through its most recent winners. And then we’ll finish with a look at the life and career of Kobo Abe including his most famous book, The Woman in the Dunes. (CW: suicide, attempted rape in a novel) Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Become an RJL supporter for ten minutes of bonus content. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

Magical realism is a literary genre famous for unexplained fantastical encounters that pop-up in the otherwise everyday world. Today, we’re going to take a look at magical realism in Japanese fiction. We’ll start with defining magical realism, including a look at why that term is difficult and why some people think of it as controversial. Then we’ll turn to the history of magical realism in Japan and take a closer look at the work of Tomihiko Morimi, especially The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl. (CW: brief mention of fictional suicide attempt) Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Become an RJL supporter for bonus content. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org A Reading List of Japanese Magical Realism Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

Today, we’re going to look at cats in Japanese literature. We’ll start with the history of cats in Japan. We’ll move on to cats in Japanese folklore and fiction, including the work of Haruki Murakami. And finally we’ll end with a discussion of our readers' choice, “The Town of Cats” by Sakutaro Hagiwara. Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Become an RJL supporter for seven minutes of bonus content. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode… Is she a man-eating crone? Is she a lonely wanderer? Or is she a sensual matriarch? However you define her, she’s the yama-uba—Japan’s legendary mountain witch. Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Donate to RJL's Patreon. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

In this episode… Post-bubble Japan. The history of socially-conscious Japanese literature. And Yu Miri’s Tokyo Ueno Station, a powerful examination of Tokyo by one of the most invisible people imaginable—the ghost of a homeless day laborer. Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Donate to RJL's Patreon. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.